NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Grant County reads pot tax ordinance
Superintendent
addresses parade’s
anti-mask incident
3% tax will go into effect
90 days after 2nd reading
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Grant County Court met in
an emergency session Thursday to
consider the county’s recreational
marijuana tax ordinance.
In November, county voters
approved a 3% tax on marijuana
products, but the county court did
not consider an ordinance to offi-
cially adopt the tax until Dec. 30
and did not follow the law by read-
ing the ordinance.
According to Oregon law,
“every ordinance of a county gov-
erning body shall, before being put
upon its final adoption, be read
fully and distinctly in open meeting
of that body on two days at least 13
days apart.” The ordinance can be
read by title only if no governing
body member requests a complete
reading of the proposed ordinance.
County Judge Scott Myers read
the body of the ordinance Thursday
with no objections from County
Commissioners Sam Palmer or Jim
Hamsher.
A5
and Grant County community that our
school district takes the COVID-19 pan-
demic very seriously, and that includes
Prairie City School District’s Superin- enforcing state mandates and recom-
tendent responded to a concern regarding mendations that our students and staff
an anti-mask display on a bus entered in wear face masks to reduce transmis-
the Timber Truckers parade in December. sion,” Hallgarth said in his letter.
Hallgarth said he continues
The district’s entry for the
to work closely with the Grant
Timber Truckers parade was
County Health Department and
a decorated school bus, which
follows the guidance of Ore-
included a white sheet placed
gon Department of Education to
across the front of the bus with
ensure the school does everything
a red circle and a line through it.
possible to protect the health and
Superintendent Casey Hall-
garth sent a letter out on Jan.
safety of students and staff.
Casey
“On behalf of the Prairie City
8 to address the entry and said
Hallgarth
School District, I deeply regret
he approved the request by staff
this,” Hallgarth said. “Although
members to enter a decorated
bus for the parade. However, he was confidentiality laws prevent me from
unaware and did not approve of the dec- commenting on specific employee dis-
oration that suggested that the district is ciplinary actions, rest assured that the
opposed to the use of masks during the judgment shown by the staff members
involved in the decoration has already
COVID-19 pandemic.
“I write to assure the Prairie City been addressed.”
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
Eagle file photo
Jars of marijuana line the shelves of Rocky Mountain Dispensary, the
county’s lone retail recreational marijuana business.
Myers said the court would
again read the ordinance in its
entirety or by title in 13 days,
which falls on the court’s regularly
scheduled meeting on Jan. 27.
He asked if anyone on the con-
ference call had questions or com-
ments about the ordinance as well.
After the second reading of the
ordinance, it will be appropriately
adopted and take effect in 90 days.
Haley Olson of Rocky Moun-
tain Dispensary, the county’s only
marijuana retailer, said she esti-
mates revenue for the county
during the first quarter of this year
would have been around $10,000
to $25,000.
County Court roundup: Quinton reappointed to Budget Committee
ing back to the 1980s. What changed,
she said, was that the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency remapped
the county’s flood zones and included
properties that were previously not a
part of the flood zones.
She said landowners planning on
building within the flood zone would
need to obtain a permit at no charge.
Springer said there were concerns
from landowners surrounding ag activ-
ities and how the flood ordinance might
impact them. She said the ordinance has
mechanisms and variances that cover
several ag activities in flood areas.
Springer said the primary rea-
son that the county issues permits for
building in a flood zone is to ensure
that builders are anchoring down struc-
tures so they do not become dislodged
by floodwaters. She said the ordinance
does not mean someone cannot build in
a flood zone. Springer said she needs to
know what the project entails and then
see if it fits the ordinance requirements.
Springer said the county must
have the ordinance to comply with the
National Flood Insurance Program.
Myers said, if the county did not
pass the ordinance, many property
owners would be unable to obtain
insurance or it would cost more.
County Commissioner Sam Palmer
said he wanted it on the record that the
NFIP does not absolve a landowner
from getting insurance.
Springer said participating mem-
Search and Rescue completes 46 missions in 2020
advertised all open positions on boards
and committees to the public.
The court thanked Camarena for
After consideration, Grant County applying and said they would keep his
officials reappointed Bob Quinton to letter of interest on file for any available
the county’s Budget Committee.
seats on other boards and committees.
In the Dec. 30 session of County
Camarena said he did not know
Court, after recently reappoint-
Quinton had been on the Bud-
ing 20 committee members to
get Committee and that he
various boards and commit-
contacted the county because
tees, court members consid-
he thought the committee had
ered replacing Quinton.
an open seat.
Quinton, a two-year com-
Camarena said he was
mittee member, had voted
unaware of the commission-
against increasing county com- Bob Quinton ers’ requested a pay increase
missioner salaries. The court
and that he would recuse him-
members asked Quinton to reapply self if it came up.
The court also moved to reappoint
for his seat as they considered another
applicant, Prairie City’s Works Direc- Steven Baldwin to the Planning Com-
tor Chris Camarena.
mission with a term expiring in June
During the Dec. 30 session, County 2024 and to reappoint Caleb Wilson
Judge Scott Myers said appointing to the Library Advisory Board with a
Camarena to the Budget Committee term expiring in June 2023.
could create a conflict of interest because
Flood ordinance
County Commissioner Jim Hamsher,
The court approved the county’s
who is also Prairie City’s mayor, is
flood ordinance, which will go into
Camarena’s immediate supervisor.
Myers moved Jan. 13 to reappoint effect on March 23.
Quinton “in the interest of following
Shannon Springer, Grant County
past practice.”
planning director, said the flood ordi-
Hamsher said, although it’s not a writ- nance aims to reduce damage to build-
ten policy, the de facto policy has been to ings and government infrastructure and
reappoint members to committees who the cost to repair the damage.
have not reached their term limit.
She said the flood ordinance is not
Hamsher said he thought the county new, and the county has had one dat-
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
bers of NFIP have access to emergency
assistance and other programs that they
otherwise would not be able to access.
Search and Rescue annual
report
Deputy Sheriff and Search and Res-
cue Coordinator Dave Dobler pre-
sented an annual report.
Dobler said, since he has been at the
helm, SAR has been on 91 missions.
He said 46 of them came in 2020. He
said, despite COVID-19 guidelines
and mandates from the state, people
still went missing. In his report, Dobler
pointed out that rural counties in Ore-
gon, Washington and Idaho saw an
uptick in visitors.
“As different jurisdictions started
reporting more and more COVID
cases,” he said in his report, “Grant and
other smaller counties were seen as a
refuge and a safe place to come visit.”
Dobler said SAR has been on five
missions so far this year and that SAR
has a total of 30 volunteers. He said 12
of those volunteers are the most active.
Dobler said anyone interested in
volunteering for SAR could fill out an
application at the Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office. He said the sheriff’s office
runs a background check on all appli-
cants. However, he said all background
checks are judged on a case-by-case
basis by him and the sheriff.
Sheriff Todd McKinley said
Dobler’s report was thorough and
detail-oriented.
“He (Dobler) brought it (SAR) up
to quite a level,” McKinley said.
In other county news:
• The court approved the Road
Department’s request to purchase
a used to tractor for $11,000. Road
Department lead mechanic Joe Bennett
said the engine in the tractor they have
has oil in the water and has been over-
hauled twice. He said it would cost the
county roughly $4,000 to repair. Ben-
nett said the old tractor would be sold
at the county’s surplus sale.
• The county approved Economic
Development Director Tory Stinett’s
request to apply for the Community
Connection housing loan rehabilita-
tion program. The program, which the
county has participated in in the past,
allows the county to offer loans to
low-income seniors to make repairs to
their homes.
• The Grant County and Bear Creek
shooting club purchased 21 acres of
land to extend its shooting range. Bob
Bagett, the club’s president, said the
club would bear the cost as well as the
administrative costs.
• The court approved the Grant
County Regional Airport’s mainte-
nance contract.
• The court approved three justice
of the peace pro-tems for 2021: Vicky
Clemens of Harney County, Chris
Patnode of Gilliam County and Ron
McDermid of Sherman County.
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in the
Blue Mountain Eagle are taken
from the logs of law enforcement
agencies. Every effort is made
to report the court disposition of
arrest cases.
Search and Rescue: 1
Nolan Destiny, 19, of Prai-
rie City was cited for violation of
speed limit, 60/40 zone.
Cody Combs, 20, of Prairie
City was cited for a marijuana
violation.
Grant County Circuit
Court
Samantha M. Jones, 34,
pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to a
count of harassment—consti-
tuting domestic violence, com-
mitted on Dec. 16. She was sen-
tenced to 12 months of bench
probation and to pay a $100 pro-
bation fee. A count of fourth-de-
gree assault was dismissed.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s
Office reported the following for
the week of Jan. 13:
Concealed handgun licenses:
5
Average inmates: 12
Bookings: 7
Releases: 10
Arrests: 2
Citations: 2
Fingerprints: 2
Civil papers: 9
Warrants processed: 9
Assistance/Welfare check: 1
Oregon State Police
Jan. 4: A state trooper investi-
gated a noninjury single-vehicle
crash against a pony on Highway
26 near milepost 146. The vehi-
cle’s airbags deployed during the
crash, but it was able to be safely
driven from the scene by the
driver. The owner removed the
deceased pony from the road-
way. The driver and the owner
of the pony were given copies of
the Oregon police crash report.
Jan. 6: A state trooper stopped
a vehicle on First Street near
Johnson Street in Prairie City for
a traffic violation. When the state
trooper contacted the driver,
Thomas E. Pfeifer, 51, of Prai-
rie City, he recognized him and
knew his driver’s license was
misdemeanor suspended. The
trooper arrested Pfeifer for driv-
ing while suspended. The state
trooper released the vehicle to
the owner who responded to the
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• Oregon State Police
Jan. 12: Received a report
of a noninjury crash on High-
way 26.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
Jan. 12: Received a report of
theft on East Second Street.
Jan. 15: Received a report of
theft of service on Highway 395
near milepost 2.
Jan. 17: Took a report on a
possible stolen vehicle on South
Hall Street.
• John Day ambulance
Jan. 12: Along with Prairie
City ambulance, paged for an
80-year-old woman who had
taken a fall.
Jan. 13: Received a report of
an 81-year-old woman who fell
and hit her head on West Main
Street.
Jan. 16: Responded for a
person who fell and hurt their
back and knee on North John-
son Avenue.
Jan. 16: Received a report of
a noninjury motor vehicle crash
on Highway 395 near milepost
31.
Jan. 16: Received a report
of an 82-year-old woman with
cough and fever on North
Cozart Avenue.
Jan. 17: Along with Prairie
City ambulance, paged for an
83-year-old woman on North
Cozart Street.
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Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
127 calls during the week of
Jan. 11-17, including:
• John Day Police
Department
Jan. 13: Dispatched to a
report of suspicious circum-
stances involving a dog and
truck on Canton Street.
Jan. 13: Received an identity
theft call on Northwest Bridge
Street.
Jan. 14: Received a report
of a hit and run on East Main
Street.
Jan. 16: Sean McGee, 23,
of John Day was cited for driv-
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scene. OSP transported Pfeifer
to the Grant County Jail, issued
him a citation for driving while
suspended and lodged him.
Jan. 8: A state trooper
responded to a reported non-
injury, blocking single-vehicle
crash at milepost 120 on State
Route 19. Investigation revealed
that the vehicle was heading
southbound when it collided
with large boulders in the road-
way. The vehicle went airborne
and landed sideways and began
to roll several times. The vehicle
came to an uncontrolled rest in
the middle of the highway. The
driver received minor injuries.
The vehicle was towed from the
scene by Frontier Towing.
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