Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 2020)
NEWS Wednesday, December 23, 2020 Coordinator announces establishment of new Firewise community County appoints board members, recognizes long-term employees Grant County Court received an update on its Community Wildfire Protec- tion Plan earlier this month. Irene Jerome, the county’s Firewise coordinator, said the CWFP is updated annually. The program helps orga- nizations and property own- ers reduce fire danger and has been funded by the Secure Rural Schools payments. She said she had been the “go-to” about anything that has to do with fire prevention in Grant County. In February, she said, Ore- gon Fire Prevention invited her to give a presentation about how Grant County has successfully established Firewise in various commu- nities throughout the county. She said the group was impressed, given the chal- lenges with being geographi- cally spread out. She said the Firewise pro- gram, like everything else in 2020, has been affected by the pandemic. She said she worked with the National Resource Conser- vation Service and Grant Soil and Water Conservation Dis- trict to apply for a fuel reduc- tion grant program. Jerome said the grant would open sig- nificant funding for cleanup and other projects, but, she said, due to the pandemic, they have delayed putting in for the grant until next year. “It’s a lot of work, and as everyone knows with COVID, it’s difficult,” she said, “because you can’t gather in person.” Jerome said the Grant-Har- ney Fire Prevention Coopera- tive was “really robust” until this year “disassembled.” She said she attributed the rea- sons to both COVID-19 and the departure of Mark How- ell, a fire prevention officer with Forest Service. Jerome said Howell could not get a promotion in the area, so he moved on. “The loss of his assistance has been pretty devastating to the program,” Jerome told the court. Nonetheless, she said the community worked with the county’s Search and Res- cue coordinator Dave Dobler, conducting mock evacuations on Laycock Creek Road. Jerome said evacuation plans are critical, especially in areas like Ritter and Mid- dle Fork, where there is one Three cities sign over $55,000 to the county in COVID-19 relief money Funds to be spent by the end of the year By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Steven Mitchell From left, Grant County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Mike Alley and Civil Deputy Anna Marie Kuhn during a Dec. 9 session of Grant County Court. Both Alley and Kuhn were presented with certifi- cates of appreciation for years of county employment. road in and one route to get out. “There are some alterna- tive ways,” Jerome said. Irene Jerome “But you have peo- ple there that don’t know the country, and they get in there, get trapped. Have they thought about evacuation? Do they know how to get out?” She said helping commu- nities establish those plans is what Firewise is there for, but community engagement is crucial. She said Middle Fork and Ritter are starting to lose inter- est because of the lockdown orders. Jerome said virtual meetings are not an option because of sparse broadband. Despite the difficulties this year, Jerome told the court she helped establish a Firewise community, Canyon Creek Lanes. “I am very proud of that,” she said. “They have their official designation.” She said there is “power of the group” with a Firewise community regarding fuel reductions. Jerome said funding under the federal Title III Secure Rural Schools to pro- tect homes and properties is only available Firewise communities. Jerome said she also has ideas, such as seeing about an incentive-based fuel reduction program. She said she plans on attending a Natural Resource Advisory Committee meeting to talk about them. Jerome stressed how com- munity-driven Firewise is. “The beauty of it (Firewise) is the communi- ties do it together,” she said. “The CWPP is the overarch- ing document.” In other county news: The court made the appointments to the following boards and committees: Airport Commission Board Robert Watt, reappoint- ment, to expire Dec. 31, 2022. Doug Baggett, reappoint- ment, to expire Dec. 31, 2022. Scott Myers, reappoint- ment, to expire Dec. 31, 2022. Doug Ferguson, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2022. College Advisory Board Didgette McCracken, reappointment, to expire Dec. 31, 2023. Christie Moore, appoint- ment, expires Dec. 31, 2023. Sam Palmer seconded the appointment of Moore to the board, but with discussion. He said he did not see Moore’s qualifications and did not know her personally. Myers said he did not know her per- sonally, but nonetheless, she applied. Palmer said he would like to have a summary of an applicant’s qualifications in the future. 4-H Extension Office Board Beth Spell, reappointment, Dec. 31, 2023. Fair Board Doug Cox, reappointment, Dec. 31, 2023. Courtney Montague, reap- pointment, Dec. 31, 2023. Mental Health Advisory Board Colleen Lindley, appoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2023. Kathleen Hoffman, appointment, Dec. 31, 2023. Planning Commission Margie Walton, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2024. Senior Citizens Advisory Board Karen Stubblefield, Dec. 31 2023. Susan Cavender, Dec. 31, 2021. Southeast Area Commis- sion of Transportation Doug Ferguson, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2023. Wildlife Advisory Board John Morris, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2023. Kenneth Moore, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31 2023. Bob Pugh, appointment, Dec. 31 2023. Natural Resource Advi- sory Committee Jim Bahrenburg, reap- pointment, Dec. 31, 2022. Dan Becker, reappoint- ment, Dec. 31, 2022. Billie Jo George, reap- pointment, Dec. 31, 2022. County Judge Scott Myers said the court would not fill the other vacancies on the NRAC or budget commit- tee until there was further discussion. The budget committee has two vacancies. At Thursday’s NRAC meeting, the members dis- cussed the four applicants for the committee’s two vacan- cies. The members voted on recommending Brett Morris, a logging contractor, and How- ard Geiger, who, according to NRAC member Billie Jo George, is active in Firewise. Dan Becker, who was reap- pointed, said it is the county’s role to appoint members. Myers said the county extends the ability of boards and committees to recom- mend applicants. He said, for example, that he has asked Community Counseling Solu- tions Clinic Manager Thad Labhart to put the word out for new members for the Men- tal Health Board. He said he has done the same with the Planning Commission. County Commissioner Jim Hamsher, NRAC’s liaison, said the county’s boards and committees have always rec- ommended new members. Employee appreciation certificates The county carried on a year-old tradition of present- ing employees with more than five years of service certifi- cates of appreciation. 20 years of service Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer Corrections Deputy Mike Alley 15 years of service Planning Director Shannon Springer County Assessor David Thunnel 10 years of service Legal Assistant to the Dis- trict Attorney Jamie McKay Civil Deputy Anna Marie Kuhn Five years of service Road Department Lead Mechanic Joe Bennett Fairgrounds Manager Mindy Winegar Human Resources Man- ager Laurie Cates Road Foreman John Harper Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. from the Blue Mountain Eagle A7 said the city sent $5,000 back to the county after the city purchased per- sonal protective equip- ment and cleaning sup- plies for the city’s businesses and laptops for each city council member and their city employee to meet remotely. Three Grant County cities obligated $55,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to go to the Seneca county. Amanda Born, County Judge Seneca city man- Scott Myers ager, said the city said Canyon decided to send City signed over the $25,000 to $25,000 — the the county due to city’s entire award Don Porter a “lack” of what amount — which they could spend the county put the money on by toward finishing Dec. 31. the floors at the Born said they Grant County Fair- grounds pavilion. had discussed Myers said Sen- sending the money eca also signed Jim Hamsher to the county if over its full they could not amount, while Mt. spend the money Vernon handed by the end of the year. over $5,000. “We tried,” she Once the state said. “And we dis- sends an executed cussed it (sending agreement, he said, the money to the the county would have an additional Tory Stinnett county) from the get-go.” $30,000 for coro- navirus expenses. He said the Long Creek Long Creek court had not Mayor Don Porter decided how to said the city had use the remain- ing funds from not made a final Mt. Vernon and decision. He said Kenny Delano they are leaning Seneca. Myers said the toward purchasing COVID-19 relief money personal protective equip- is subject to the U.S. Trea- ment for first responders. sury’s spending rules and Still, he said the city are not specific to small is being careful on what they obligate the fund- business. Along with John Day, ing toward because they Canyon City and the have to submit paper- county have nearly com- work for reimbursement, pleted improving broad- and he wants to be sure band support at Humbolt the city will get their Elementary School. money back. “We have to turn things Canyon City Recorder Corry Rider said the city in,” he said. “We don’t planned to improve broad- know if we’ll get reim- band at Humbolt and did bursed, and if we put out not see a reason to request $9,000 and it doesn’t get reimbursement for their approved, then that’s no good.” part of the project. He said it is not like County Commissioner Jim Hamsher said the the timber money where money spent at the fair- cities and municipali- grounds benefits other cit- ties received a lump sum ies beyond once a year for and had more autonomy the county fair. on how they spent those He said the fairgrounds funds. renovation, once com- plete, will be ADA com- Granite pliant and available as Hamsher said the an Emergency Opera- county could receive tions Center or a vac- additional relief funds cination center for from Granite. He said COVID-19. the county’s Economic Development Director Mt. Vernon Tory Stinnett is work- Mt. Vernon City ing on reaching out to Recorder Tami Kowing the city. Debbie Ausmus 245 South Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845 OPEN WED. & THUR. 9 am - 5 pm 541-575-1113 24 hrs/7 days wk debbie.ausmus@ countryfinancial.com S218713-1 TOM CHRISTENSEN CHRISTENSEN TOM CONSTRUCTION (541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192 CCB# 106077 REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES S218715-1 Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR. 97845 www.MyEagleNews.com S221882-1 S218730-1 MyEagleNews.com
