NEWS
BlueMountainEagle.com
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
A3
County asked to fully fund predator control
D.C. group to
request exemption
from Forest
Service Travel
Management Rule
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Eagle photos/Richard Hanners
Grant County Wildlife Advisory Board Chairman Larry Burton
spoke to the Grant County Court Feb. 27 about the need for
more predator control work to protect deer populations.
Grant County Treasurer Julie Ellison spoke to the Grant
County Court Feb. 27 about cost-of-living wage increases for
the next fi scal year budget.
tion of Grant County natu-
ral resource adviser using
the “approved” job descrip-
tion and asked that the posi-
tion be fi lled with a member
of the wildlife board.
The court, however, indi-
cated it had not made up its
mind on how to provide for
a natural resource adviser —
whether it be a single per-
son in a budgeted position,
a fi ve-member committee or
a partnership with Oregon
State University.
Commissioner Jim Ham-
sher suggested holding a dis-
cussion on fi lling the posi-
tion in the evening so more
members of the public could
attend. When asked if the
wildlife board had chosen
a person to fi ll the position,
Burton said no. The matter
will only harm local com-
munities, county residents
and recreational opportuni-
ties, while offering no tan-
gible resource benefi ts,” the
petition states. “In fact, it
will have negative resource
consequences.”
• The court approved the
following volunteers for the
new Water Resource Com-
mittee: Jim Driscoll, Doug
Ferguson, Lance Zweygardt,
Elaine Eisenbraun, Jason
Kehrberg, Melanie DeJong,
Shaun Robertson, Mike
Martin and Justin Rowell.
• The court approved
two ordinances establish-
ing enforcement authority
and a fee schedule for an
intergovernmental
agree-
ment with Harney County
to share costs for inspection
was tabled by the court.
• Hamsher will travel
to Washington, D.C., in
early March with represen-
tatives from Harney, Wal-
lowa, Malheur, Baker and
Union counties to meet
with Rep. Greg Walden and
the National Association
of Counties’ Public Lands
Steering Committee.
The group will carry
a court-approved peti-
tion addressed to Agricul-
ture Secretary Sonny Per-
due requesting exemption
from the Forest Service’s
2005 Travel Management
Rule for the Malheur and
Wallowa-Whitman national
forests.
“Any additional reg-
ulation, such as the 2005
Travel Management Rule,
Moving toward an art center in John Day
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Kim Randleas has been
making the rounds promot-
ing her idea of establish-
ing an art center in the John
Day area.
She presented her con-
cept to the Grant County
Chamber of Commerce
on Feb. 21 and has spoken
to members of the Grant
County Court and the John
Day City Council about her
proposal.
A native of Eastern
Oregon with ancestors
who were homestead-
ers, Randleas is an estab-
lished and recognized
Western artist who paints
Native Americans along
with pioneer men, women
and children in their rustic
settings.
Her concept for a local
art center has expanded
over time to include a robust
curriculum that ranges
from painting, weaving,
glass works, leather craft,
photography and pottery to
creative writing, music and
theater — even business
classes for artists.
Classes could be pro-
vided for children as after-
school education and senior
projects or fun activities
with seasonal themes, such
as Halloween or Christmas
costumes and decorations.
As the program grows,
she hopes to provide stu-
dio space for working art-
ists and gallery space for
artists to show their works.
The program could also
coordinate with First Fri-
day downtown events. She
envisions the program over
time growing into a regional
art center and a vital part of
the local economy.
Randleas
says
she
has solid numbers for a
self-sustaining program,
with revenue coming from
tuition while fundraising
and grants would provide
seed money.
Contributed photo
OREGON CAPITAL
INSIDER
Eagle fi le photo
Artist Kim Randleas with one of her oil paintings at an exhibit in John Day in December
2017. Randleas is interested in starting an art center in John Day.
One hundred people
responded to an online sur-
vey March 1 that Randleas
used to gauge interest in
the art center. Forty percent
said they would very likely
take an art, music or cre-
ative writing class in John
Day, and 36 percent said
they would likely take such
a class.
Fifty-fi ve percent said
they or their child would
be interested in painting
classes, 51 percent in pot-
tery, 46 percent in drawing,
38 percent in music, 28 per-
cent in leather craft, 28 per-
cent in creative writing, 26
percent in knitting or cro-
cheting and 21 percent in
printmaking.
About 15 percent said
they would pay $10-20 for
a two-hour class, about 37
percent said $20-$30, about
16 percent said $30-$40
and about 37 percent said
they were not familiar with
the cost of art classes.
The art center would
need to start small and
phase up, she said. She
has found a dozen peo-
ple to serve on an art cen-
ter committee and has lined
up teachers in a variety of
fi elds. She also has the sup-
port of community lead-
ers and business people. A
name and location are still
being decided.
Anyone interested in
teaching or volunteering
can contact Kim Randleas
at krandleas0250@gmail.
com.
Attention Grant County Veterans:
Did you know Grant County Veterans
Services Officer is available to assist
YOU in applying for all VA benefits
you may be entitled to?
Katee
Hoffman
See your Grant County Veteran Services
Officer today for more information.
10am-4pm Monday-Friday • 541-620-8057
530 E. Main, Ste. 5, John Day, OR
97688
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New Farm Bureau
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New members were elected to the Grant County Farm Bureau
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Extension offi ce in John Day: from left, Dan Driscoll, Rick
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services for residential sep-
tic systems.
Assistant Planner Shan-
non Springer said prop-
erty owners now rely on
inspection services from the
Department of Environmen-
tal Quality offi ce in Pendle-
ton and were receiving less
than satisfactory service.
The court also approved
sending a letter to the state
Building Codes Division cit-
ing two pages of complaints
about service. Springer said
processing for permits for
new construction could take
10-12 weeks, which created
a hardship for contractors
and property owners.
• The court approved hir-
ing former economic devel-
opment coordinator Sally
Bartlett to continue track-
106163
Mismanagement
by
the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife has led
to a serious decline in mule
deer populations, Wildlife
Advisory Board Chairman
Larry Burton told the Grant
County Court on Feb. 27.
While the board had no
specifi c recommendations
for how to address ODFW
management at this time,
they wanted a commitment
from the court to continue
funding for a wildlife pro-
tection agent.
The court was asked to
establish a permanent bud-
geted county position for
a wildlife protection agent
with an annual budget of
$85,000 and to hire the cur-
rent contract employee,
Nick Lulay.
County Judge Scott
Myers agreed the county
probably could continue to
partially fund the position
and noted that $11,000 still
remained for predator con-
trol in the current fi scal year.
The wildlife board also
asked the court to fi ll the
“already approved” posi-
ing federal Secure Rural
Schools Title III funding to
the county. She will receive
$500 per month through the
end of August while she also
trains the new county eco-
nomic coordinator, Allison
Field, to take over the work.
• The court approved a
request by Grant County
Assessor David Thunell
to cancel back taxes for 84
properties totaling nearly
$70,000 because they could
not be collected.
• Hamsher informed the
court the electronic con-
trol systems for Prairie
City’s newly installed vari-
able-speed septic pumps
were damaged during the
power outage that struck the
county in the early morning
hours of Feb. 25.
• The court approved a
request by Roadmaster Alan
Hickerson to allow an intern
to learn mechanics through a
program offered by Cooley
Associates of Bend. After one
year of working in the Road
Department, the intern could
apply for a job with the county
if a position is available.
• The court approved
Treasurer Julie Ellison pre-
senting a cost-of-living
wage increase of 2.55 per-
cent for the next fi scal year
to the county’s budget com-
mittee. The fi gure comes
from the annual Consumer
Price Index report
• The county’s new web-
site is up and running at
grantcountyoregon.net.
541-523-6377
541-963-6577
541-573-6377
MyEagleNews.com
541-576-2160