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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Fire co-op celebrates accomplishments
OBITUARIES
Steven D. Ayer
Blue Mountain Eagle
Steven D. Ayer, 59, passed away on Jan. 7, 2020, at
his residence in John Day. No services are planned at this
time. Arrangements have been entrusted to Driskill Memo-
rial Chapel. To offer online condolences to the family, visit
driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Paralee Anita Simmons Bare
Contributed photo
The Grant-Harney Fire Prevention Co-op was joined by representatives from the Oregon
State Fire Marshal’s Office and Keep Oregon Green at its Dec. 18 meeting at Silvies Valley
Ranch.
Babbs. Its goal is to prevent
human-caused wildfire.
During 2019, co-op
members participated in
and sponsored numerous
educational and fire pre-
vention activities includ-
ing school programs, fair
booths, hunters booths and
celebrations for Smokey
Bear’s 75th birthday in both
counties.
Plans for 2020 include
expansion of the Red Flag
program, enhanced fire pre-
vention and education pro-
grams for school groups
including high school, coor-
dination of hunter booth
activities to target the most
beneficial locations and
programs, and greater con-
tact with tourists and the
public traveling through
eastern Oregon.
Mark Howell, fire pre-
vention officer for the Blue
Mountain Ranger District,
was presented with a com-
memorative Smokey Bear
75 Year coffee cup by the
co-op in recognition of
his commitment and out-
standing accomplishments
during his tenure on the
Malheur National Forest.
Howell is transferring to
the Mark Twain National
Forest.
County protects property rights near Meadowbrook Quarry
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Grant County Court
adopted a county ordinance
that will protect landown-
ers’ rights near a significant
aggregate site.
Shannon Springer, the
county planning director,
discussed with the court
Jan. 8 the updated ordinance
to be added to the Grant
County
Comprehensive
Plan Amendment Ordinance
of January 2020. The ordi-
nance includes an updated
Economic, Social, Environ-
mental and Energy analysis
adopted by the county court
on Nov. 13.
The adoption of the
ESEE was to comply with a
remand from the Land Use
Board of Appeals, which
upheld the county’s deci-
sion to have a 5© level of
protection of the aggregate
site, rather than the 5(b)
level requested by the Ore-
gon Department of Trans-
portation, which will use the
quarry.
“The
county
court
approved the significant
aggregation site with the
5© level of protection, went
through the process and cre-
ated an ordinance indicating
it had a 5© level of protec-
tion,” Springer said. “ODOT
appealed the decision to the
Land use Board of Appeals.
What they (county attor-
neys) came back with is they
(LUBA) remanded the case
to the county court because
the ESEE analysis did not
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
Grant County Planning Director Shannon Springer reads an
ordinance regarding protections around the Meadowbrook
Quarry approved and adopted on Jan. 8.
address all of the impacts
that could possibly occur to
the aggregate site.”
There were many testi-
monies in the records from
the county planning com-
mission and county court
hearings that addressed mat-
ters related to ESEE, accord-
ing to Springer. The problem
was that the information did
not get reintroduced into the
specific ESEE analysis.
“As a result of the LUBA
remand, the ESEE analysis
was updated to reflect all of
the things that were talked
about in the testimony of the
hearings,” Springer said.
After the amended final
order on Nov. 19, which
accepted the amended ESEE
analysis, the county waited
to make sure ODOT was not
going to appeal, Springer
said.
Since the comprehensive
plan is an ordinance, it has to
be changed by an ordinance,
which was approved by the
court on Jan. 8.
This case began when
ODOT submitted a request
to amend the county com-
prehensive plan and add
their 20.26 acres, commonly
known as the Meadowbrook
Quarry, as a significant
aggregate site. This would
allow the operators of the
site to avoid seeking plan-
ning commission approval
to operate on the site.
The level of protection
led to the dispute. ODOT
was requesting a level 5(b)
designation, which would
limit
conflicting
adja-
cent uses to protect quarry
operations.
While this wouldn’t com-
pletely prevent landowners
from construction or devel-
opment in the 1,500 feet
buffer area around the site,
the operators of the rock pit
would have had a greater say
regarding the use of land.
According to Springer, the
5(b) designation would also
require anybody who builds
a home or any kind of rec-
reational user facility to sign
a declaration acknowledg-
ing the downsides of being
next to a rock pit and limit-
ing complaints because of
that acknowledgment.
Grant County Court
instead approved a 5© level
of protection for the desig-
nation, which would fully
allow conflicting uses in the
buffer zone despite possi-
ble impacts to quarry oper-
ations. This would help
protect neighboring land
owners’ property rights,
Springer said.
“I think it’s really a vic-
tory for private property
rights, and I am glad that
LUBA upheld our decision,”
said Grant County Commis-
sioner Jim Hamsher.
With the case being
upheld by LUBA, other
communities around Oregon
can look at this case if they
go into the same situation.
“Typically land use deci-
sions at the county level
don’t really set legal prece-
dents, but when something
goes to LUBA and the deci-
sion is not overturned, then
it gives other folks in our
county or across the state
a prop up,” Springer said.
“‘OK, I can cite this LUBA
decision from Grant County
v. ODOT where they justi-
fied a 5© level of protection
and were successful.’”
Feb. 19, 1949 — Dec. 13, 2019
Paralee Anita Simmons Bare, age
71, passed away on Dec. 13, 2019, at
her home in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Paralee was born on Feb. 19, 1949,
in Prairie City, Oregon, to Wayne and
Elouise Simmons. She was raised in
John Day and graduated from Grant
Union High School in 1966. She mar-
ried James Bare in June of that year
and raised three children, James Jr.
(Rachel), Leanne Pinner (Ronald) and
Lenise Nall (Jason). She had six grandchildren she adored
and went to many of their sports activities. She is also sur-
vived by her husband, James Bare, and her brothers, Darrel
(Teresa) and Monte, and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and
Elouise Simmons.
A celebration of life will be held on Jan. 25, 2020, at the
Oregon City Elks, Oregon City, Oregon, at 1 p.m.
Veronica Jean Flanary
Veronica Jean (Greene) Flanary died Dec. 30 in Bend. A
service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at the John
Day Elks Lodge, 140 NE Dayton St., John Day.
Gary Joe Hammons
Gary Joe Hammons, 63, of John Day passed away peace-
fully at his residence on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020.
A celebration of his life will be held later, during the
spring of 2020, and will be announced at a later date. Memo-
rial contributions may be made to Blue Mountain Hospice
through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd.,
John Day, OR 97845. To offer online condolences to his
family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
Madeline Ann Howard
Madeline Ann Howard, 83, of John Day passed away
on Jan. 8, 2020, at Valley View Assisted Living. Services
will be announced at a later date. Arrangements have been
entrusted to Driskill Memorial Chapel. To offer online con-
dolences to the family, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
About Obituaries
News obituaries of 300 words or less are a free service of the Blue Mountain Eagle. The
paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information submitted is subject to
editing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect information may be corrected and
republished as paid memorials. Obituaries longer than 300 words may be published as paid
memorials. Send obituaries by email, office@bmeagle.com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail,
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. For more information, or to inquire about a paid
memorial, call 541-575-0710.
OTEC board seats up for election
Blue Mountain Eagle
Oregon Trail Electric
Cooperative is currently
seeking candidates for three
board of director seats.
Three positions are up
for election in May 2020,
according to an OTEC press
release.
Position 1, Union County,
is currently held by incum-
bent George Galloway. Posi-
tion 2, Baker County, is cur-
rently held by incumbent
Aletha Bonebrake. Position
3, Harney County, is cur-
rently held by incumbent
Wayne Wilson, 83, of Richland; formerly of Prairie City, John Day Valley and Long Creek,
died on Monday, December 16, 2019 at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2020 - 2:00 p.m. at Pine Baptist
Church in Halfway, Oregon. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception to be held
immediately following at the church.
Wayne Kenneth Wilson was born on March 15, 1936 in Parma, Idaho to Guy & Maud Wilson.
He was raised from Idaho, Missouri, and the John Day Valley. He Graduated from High School in
1954 in Mt. Vernon, Oregon.
Wayne and Gloria met while going through school together. They married on August 8, 1954 and
had two daughters.
Wayne spent many years (40) working in the woods in Grant County. He had a love of falling
trees. Spent the last 7 years before retirement working for the City of Prairie City. He and Gloria
moved to Richland, Oregon in the spring of 2007 in the home of Kurt and Joan Hills to provide many family fishing outings as a bed
and breakfast with all 6 bedrooms filled and Wayne Chief breakfast cook and dishwasher.
He enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening and cooking. He enjoyed High School and College Basketball. Wayne’s favorite season
was “Fishing Season.” Memorable times for Wayne included having his family around him and would be remembered most for his
love for his kids.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Helen, Norma, Lois and Lucille; Brothers Les and Leck; granddaughter Jody
Hills. Wayne is survived by his wife Gloria, daughters Debra Jean Wells and her husband Peter of the Tri-Cities, West Richland,
WA, Joan Marie Hills and her husband Kurt of Baker City, OR. Grandsons; Christopher Wells and his wife Crystal, Michael
Wells and Doug Hills and his wife Alicia; great grandchildren Christian, Wilson and Evelyn Wells, Alena and Kyra Hills; Sister
Ruth; numerous nieces and nephews.
For those who would like to make a memorial donation in memory of Wayne, the family suggests the Pine Baptist Church through
Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, PO Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834. Online condolences may be shared at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com. Paid for by the family of Wayne Wilson.
S166303-1
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 54/35
Wednesday ..................................................... 42/32
Thursday .......................................................... 32/26
Friday ............................................................... 40/24
Saturday .......................................................... 40/30
Sunday ............................................................. 40/22
Monday............................................................ 33/29
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM
NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
Robert Cargill.
Cooperative
members
interested in running should
call 541-524-2831 or visit
otec.coop/annual-meeting-
board-elections for nom-
inating committee infor-
mation, qualifications and
applications.
The nominating com-
mittee recommends quali-
fied candidates for the 2020
OTEC board of directors
elections and requests any-
one interested contact them
by Jan. 31.
Nominations by petition
are due by March 3.
Knit & Purl (Beginner Knitting) with Jessica Moore: Begins Wednesday,
January 15, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Knitting class for beginner adults. Overflow class
begins Monday, January 20, 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
Auditions for “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harding: Wednesday, January 15,
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, and Saturday, January 18 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Roles
for age 19 - 60ish age females available.
Intermediate Drawing Class: Begins Thursday, January 16, 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Intermediate students will pursue new subject matter such as composition,
design elements, perspective, and figure proportions. Slots still available! 
Knitting Night with Jessica Moore: Friday, January 17, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Join
Jessica for our first knitting social. Meet new people, share some tips, learn
some tricks. Bring your own project. 
Valentine’s Day Gnomes and Chalk Chip: Friday, January 17, 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Chalk couture workshop to make cute gnomes to give to your special someone
or decorate for Valentine’s Day. Slots available! Register now!
Music Lessons: See paintedskycenter.com/music-lessons for more info or to
register. Music lesson punch cards available to purchase. 
For more info or to register visit paintedskycenter.com 
or email paintedskycenter@gmail.com.
S165251-1
In recognition for an out-
standing year of accom-
plishments,
representa-
tives from the Oregon State
Fire Marshal’s Office and
Keep Oregon Green joined
the Grant-Harney Fire Pre-
vention Co-op for its 2019
review and 2020 look ahead
meeting on Dec. 18 at Sil-
vies Valley Ranch.
The co-op is a consor-
tium of fire prevention and
emergency services agen-
cies and entities in Harney
and Grant counties.
Stephanie Stafford, fire
prevention coordinator for
the Office of the State Fire
Marshal in Salem, shared
that, although her focus is
primarily structural fire pre-
vention, wildfires are also
on their radar. The Fire
Marshal’s office is inte-
grally involved during con-
flagrations such as during
the 2015 Canyon Creek
Complex.
Keep Oregon Green is
the oldest Keep Green pro-
gram in the country, said
President and CEO Kris
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J AN . 15 - 21
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Partly
sunny
Possible
snow
Partly
sunny
Cloudy
Cloudy
Partly
sunny
Mostly
cloudy
37
39
34
39
41
40
43
34
19
28
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