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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2019)
NEWS BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, February 6, 2019 A3 New county economic leader takes the reins Field promoted to fill director position By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Allison Field is the new Grant County economic development director. “I am enthusiastic about the progress that Grant County is making and look forward to providing continued support to local businesses and work- ing with community partners to strengthen our economy and encourage community development efforts,” she told the Eagle. Field grew up in a little town on Puget Sound and attended Oregon State Uni- versity, where she earned a bachelor’s in natural resources. She worked for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as a big- horn sheep technician at Hell’s Canyon and a wolf technician out of La Grande. She also taught school in China and worked as a fish monitoring technician for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. She started working at the county eco- nomic development office in December 2017 under Sally Bartlett. “The Grant County Eco- nomic Development Office provides business assistance to retain existing businesses, encourage entrepreneur- ship and attract new busi- ness so that Grant County has a strong economy, thriv- ing communities and broadly shared prosperity,” she said. Field provides techni- cal assistance to community members, local government officials and agencies, and assists individuals with busi- ness development, business plans and grant writing. Marketing for businesses is an important task for the office, which can include Economic development coordinator leaves post after 11-plus years Bartlett will serve as Burns Paiute Tribe general manager An important project the office worked on was devel- oping a new website for the county, which could be online this month. “Sally has done a great job laying down the foundation,” she said. “I will continue building on her foundation.” The Grant County Eco- nomic Development Office is in an office in the L Building on East Main Street in John Day and can be reached at 541-575-1555. social media, rebranding, logos, signs, banners and business cards. People fre- quently bring new projects or ideas to the office. Part of her busy sched- ule goes to meetings with state and city organizations, community leaders, business owners and other groups or individuals. “We have a lot going on,” she said, adding that advertis- ing for a part-time specialist is underway. Ford Family Foundation awards $300,000 for community building in Harney County Blue Mountain Eagle By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle After 11-plus years as the Grant County economic development coordinator, Sally Bartlett has left to take a job as the general manager of the Burns Paiute Tribe start- ing Feb. 1. “The job is similar to a city manager’s,” she told the Eagle. “I’m looking forward to the position. It’s a new adventure for me and a new opportunity.” Grant County Judge Scott Myers noted that he has worked with four to five eco- nomic development coor- dinators over the past 18 years and was on the inter- view committee that recom- mended Bartlett being hired. “She has a wealth of expe- rience in grant writing and has been a stellar employee,” Myers said. “We may keep her on contract to track out Title III dollars in the future. She will be missed.” Allison Field, who has been working part-time with Bartlett in the economic development office, was cho- sen to replace Bartlett at that position. Bartlett was hired by the county in November 2007, about three months after Steve Dahl stepped down as economic develop- ment coordinator. She came from Boise, Idaho, where she had been the child nutri- tion programs coordinator for the state Department of Education. At the time of her hiring, not only was the county fac- ing severe economic condi- tions but the county govern- ment had lost federal timber payments and local busi- nesses contributed funding to maintain the coordinator position. About 10 months later, Bartlett announced new web- sites for both the county and the Grant County Chamber of Commerce. Bartlett con- tinued to promote internet connectivity — she served on the committee that is cur- rently overseeing a new web- site for the county. “Sally has been a great asset to the county and a wonderful resource,” Cham- ber office manager Tammy Bremner said. “She has been my ‘go to’ person for so many things. I will miss her very much, and I wish her the very best in her new job.” Bartlett carried her interest in nutrition with her to Grant County, helping to organize hunger assessment surveys in 2008 and 2010. She also played an instrumental role in The Eagle/Richard Hanners Sally Bartlett, left, has taken a new job after more than 11 years with Grant County. Allison Field, right, is the new economic development coordinator. getting the local farmers mar- ket and community garden started in 2010 and 2011, for- mer Chamber president Jerry Franklin said. “Sally is very knowledge- able, well liked, productive and well respected around the state,” he said. “She’s always had the county’s interests at heart.” Through the years, Bartlett promoted business classes through the county’s Small Business Management Pro- gram, workforce training for local businesses and grants for value-added agricultural companies in the county. In her time in the office, Bartlett helped about 100 individuals develop their business plans. Many small businesses and micro-busi- nesses didn’t have anyone else to turn to for assistance, she explained. Impacts from the Great Recession hit Grant County hard in 2009, and federal stimulus money was applied to several economic develop- ment projects, she said. One was promoting the John Day Industrial Park near the airport. Bartlett said high land costs and limited suitable locations along the I-5 corridor will eventually drive business developers to rural places like John Day and its industrial park. Rick Minster, at that time the local business develop- ment officer for the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, worked with Bartlett on promoting the industrial park and other ideas. More recently, Bartlett assisted Minster in applying for a grant to help fund a new office and shelter for the Heart of Grant County. “Sally always had the best interests of Grant County at heart and served the citizens of Grant County very profes- sionally,” Minster said. Bartlett promoted the Grant County Enterprise Zone as a way to generate jobs and business. In 2011, she assisted seven entre- preneurs establish business plans through the Grant County Resource Action Team (GREAT). Her office periodi- cally produced a 20-page newsletter on local eco- nomic development proj- ects called “The Percolator, Grant County Business and Industry News,” which was inserted in the Blue Moun- tain Eagle. She also worked with Irene Jerome and Eloise Boren to develop a detailed and very popular tourist map in anticipation of the 2017 eclipse event. Her office paid for the map, she said. At one time, Bartlett was an appointee on at least 15 boards, including the South East Area Commis- sion on Transportation and the Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation. She said most of her work took place in the background and was less visible. “Sally’s done great in everything she’s done,” Lisa Weigum said. “She’s helped so many organizations.” Collaboration is the established way of doing business and build- ing community in Har- ney County, and The Ford Family Founda- tion is supporting this culture through a three- year, $300,000 com- munity building grant awarded to High Desert Partnership. The High Desert Part- nership, a communi- ty-based organization committed to strengthen- ing the communities of Harney County through collaboration, will use this funding to continue to support several col- laborative efforts in Har- ney County, according to a press release from the group. “This grant award reflects years of hard work by a diverse group of folks that work tire- lessly to solve complex social, economic and eco- logical issues facing Har- ney County,” said Brenda Smith, High Desert Part- nership executive direc- tor, in the release. “We’re incredibly thankful to The Ford Family Foun- dation for their support of Harney County’s brand of collaboration to continue OREGON CAPITAL INSIDER building a strong, resil- ient community.” This grant will enable High Desert Partnership to continue to effectively support several collabo- rative efforts: the Harney Basin Wetlands Initiative, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Com- prehensive Conservation Plan, the Harney County Restoration Collabora- tive, the Harney County Wildfire Collaborative, the business develop- ment initiative BizHar- ney and the youth initia- tive Youth Changing The Community. These collaborative groups all have a track record and experienced success in communi- ty-wide involvement and in solving difficult issues in Harney County. High Desert Partner- ship has a communi- ty-centered approach to improving the lives of Harney County residents using and supporting collaboration for youth empowerment, economic opportunities and ecolog- ical improvements. This approach directly aligns with The Ford Fam- ily Foundation’s mission for developing successful citizens and building vital rural communities. We’re investing in Salem coverage when other news organizations are cutting back. Get the inside scoop on state government and politics! 1809 First Street • Baker City • (541)523-5439 BARGAIN MATINEE IN ( ) Adults $7 ALL FILMS $6 ON TIGHTWAD TUESDAY $9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth 102916 MOVIE SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 8-13 THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (PG) It’s been 5 years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat. 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