A4
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Commitment to open
government should
not be half-hearted
O
regon governments,
from the governor’s
offi ce down to li-
brary boards, are supposed
to be transparent. They are in
a number of ways. But they
don’t always put their heart
into it. Sometimes they don’t
follow the law. So when one
part of Oregon government
calls out another part of Ore-
gon government for not being
transparent, we pay attention.
The Oregon Secretary of
State’s Offi ce recently released
a follow-up to an audit it did
in 2019. That original report
encouraged the state — and in
particular the state’s Depart-
ment of Administrative Ser-
vices, or DAS — to enhance
the transparency in the state’s
budget.
If it’s not easy to fi nd out
where the state gets its money
or how it spends it, that’s a
problem.
The department did imple-
ment a number of recom-
mended changes since that
2019 audit. It worked with the
Legislature to allow additional
money to beef up the state’s
transparency website. And
it hired a consultant to com-
pare what Oregon does against
some of the best practices of
other states. That’s good.
But DAS is not monitor-
ing a practice of state agen-
cies to use non-budgeted posi-
tions. And it’s not using its
position on the Transparency
Oregon Advisory Commission
to encourage the commission
meet regularly and release
transparency reports required
by law in a timely manner, the
report said.
For instance, there’s a
requirement in state law that
the commission shall report to
the Legislature on completed
improvements to the trans-
parency website and ways to
improve it further by Feb. 15
of each odd-numbered year.
The Legislative Fiscal Offi ce
missed that deadline in 2019.
It apparently has missed it
again this year. At least, we
couldn’t fi nd it on the offi ce’s
website.
EO Media Group emailed
last week the two members of
the Legislative Fiscal Offi ce
assigned to the commission
to ask what was going on. No
response.
The impact of the pandemic
on state staff could have cer-
tainly been a reason. There
could be other parts of a heavy
workload that they chose to
prioritize. It would be nice,
though, if they were transpar-
ent about why they aren’t fi ll-
ing a transparency obligation
required by state law.
One other thing struck us
about the way the Department
of Administrative Services —
which it is important to note is
overseen by Gov. Kate Brown
— responded to the audit.
DAS chose to respond to some
of the audit recommendations
with what state auditors called
“extraneous responses.” DAS
declined to even disagree or
agree with some of the audit
recommendations.
Do some employees at
DAS not have a commitment
to transparency in their heart?
Is Gov. Brown going to insist
they act like they do?
GUEST COMMENT
Applauding all teachers
I
think that every teacher deserves
some sort of award this year.
Our community has been incred-
ibly supportive of our eff orts at the
schools. I am honored and grate-
ful for working at Dayville School
and with educators in Grant County.
All of the exciting things that I’ve
accomplished have been made pos-
sible through the fantastic support
and encouragement of our school
board and our Superintendent/
principal Kathryn Hedrick. It was
encouraging to be recognized by the
selection committee and awarded
the prize of $500 from the Oregon
Lottery who proudly sponsors the
Oregon Teacher of the Year Pro-
gram. But it is really about the stu-
dents. Students may be surprised to
know how much we teachers learn
from them and their families. All of
our most successful learning oppor-
tunities from the chick to barbe-
cue and centennial celebration coop
projects, to bunnies in the class-
room, the school garden and hydro-
ponics were student driven ideas.
I believe that when teachers listen
to their students, they have great
ideas. Student input leads to excite-
ment and engagement (for both my
students and me), which is key to
meaningful experiences which then
leads to long-lasting learning.
One of the greatest lessons that
I’ve learned from the quarantines
and distance learning is how import-
ant our classroom community is
to parents and students for reasons
other than academia. I partner with
my parents. They know that I also
want what is best for their student
as a whole person, not just getting
them to produce a certain grade or
score on a test. Growing confi dent,
caring and resilient people who can
think critically is something that we
are doing together. My job is to pro-
vide meaningful experiences for stu-
dents to practice the skills that they
are learning. These skills are foun-
dational to their success through
high school and beyond.
I am fortu-
nate to have stu-
dents for multiple
years, since I teach
third through fi fth
grades. Together
we are able to
Carrie
identify students’
Sullivan
strengths and
weaknesses, pas-
sions and challenges. From this, we
build a learning community that
is unique each year. My students
know that I have high expectations
for them, and myself. We work (and
play) together. They inspire me to
bring my best every day, and I am
rewarded with their excitement and
dedication to learning.
Each year, I set my intention to
be sensitive, responsive, fl exible and
creative in partnering with my stu-
dents and their parents. This year
has really stretched my resiliency,
but has also made me a stronger per-
son. When we returned to in-person
learning this fall, I was concerned
about the major backslide in aca-
demic progress. But students were
so happy to be back at school! They
had an enthusiasm and a hunger
for knowledge. I have never seen
so much growth from fall to winter
term as evidenced by their student
progress reports from North West
Evaluation Association. NWEA
is an association of educators and
researchers from Oregon and Wash-
ington who created a precise way to
measure an individual student’s aca-
demic level and growth.
In our classroom each student
has their own “offi ce cubicle” set up,
spaced according to social distanc-
ing guidelines. We put tape marks
on the fl oor demarking their walls,
entrances and exits. Students created
and brought objects from home to
decorate their “offi ce.” Our fi rst sci-
ence project was to propagate plants
in little pots for each of their desks.
Each student has two desks and a
milk crate to decorate and display
their work, meaningful objects and
inspirational items. I believe that
this environment has helped them to
be excited to come to “work” every-
day while enjoying a secure and pre-
dictable space all of their own. As
things start to go back to “normal”
I hope that we remember the les-
sons learned during the pandemic,
specifi cally of gratitude, self-care,
technology and community connec-
tions. I hope that we can use what
we have learned to create an even
better learning environment for our
students.
The most rewarding part of my
job is building relationships with
students and their families that last
for years. By the time students leave
my classroom we have experienced
three years of life together, some-
times more (in the case of families
with multiple siblings). A lot can
happen in three years. We grow and
change as people and a community.
We live, laugh and learn together.
I love getting letters from students
who have moved to new communi-
ties but remember our time together
and want to keep in touch. It is
rewarding to know that somehow
our time together has had a positive
infl uence in their lives.
Being selected as Grant County
Teacher of the Year is a step toward
becoming Oregon Teacher of the
Year. I hope to inspire teachers
across Oregon to engage with stu-
dents and communities through
innovative teaching methods that
capitalize on the uniqueness inher-
ent to each school’s geographi-
cal and cultural location. I aspire to
encourage the development of class-
room cultures across the state that
foster student engagement, individ-
ual growth and civic caring, while
representing the excellence that can
be found in the community of teach-
ers in rural communities like those
in Grant County.
Carrie Sullivan, who teachers
third through fi fth grades at Day-
ville School, was named Regional
Teacher of the Year.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WHERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201 S.
Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City 97820.
Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax: 541-575-
0515. Email: tocc1862@centurylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville 97825.
Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-987-2187.
Email: dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-575-
1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek
97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-
3075. Email: info@cityofl ongcreek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025. Email:
cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Vernon
97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax: 541-932-
4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie City
97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax: 820-3566.
Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca 97873.
Phone and fax: 541-542-2161. Email:
senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State Capitol,
Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-3111. Fax:
503-378-6827. Website: governor.state.or.us/
governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem,
97310. Phone: 503-986-1180. Website: leg.
state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and
Oregon Revised Statutes).
• Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol or
messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313,
oregonlegislature.gov.
• Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale — 900 Court St.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Published every
Wednesday by
NE, S-301, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-986-
1730. Website: oregonlegislature.gov/fi ndley.
Email: sen.lynnfi ndley@oregonlegislature.
gov.
• Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane — 900 Court St.
NE, H-475, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-986-
1460. District address: 258 S. Oregon St.,
Ontario OR 97914. District phone: 541-889-
8866. Website: oregonlegislature.gov/fi ndley.
Email: rep.markowens@oregonlegislature.
gov.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-
comments: 202-456-1111; Switchboard:
202-456-1414.
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart Senate
Offi ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510.
Phone: 202-224-5244. Email: wayne_kinney@
wyden.senate.gov. Website: http://wyden.
senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717.
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D — 313 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email: senator@
merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-228-3997.
Oregon offi ces include One World Trade
Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St., Suite 1250,
Portland, OR 97204; and 310 S.E. Second St.,
Suite 105, Pendleton, OR 97801. Phone: 503-
326-3386; 541-278-1129. Fax: 503-326-2990.
• U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R — (Second District)
1239 Longworth Building, Washington D.C.
20515. Phone: 202-225-6730. No direct email
because of spam. Website: walden.house.
gov Fax: 202-225-5774. Ontario offi ce: 2430
SW Fourth Ave., Suite 2, Ontario, OR 97914.
Phone: 541-709-2040. Medford offi ce: 14 N.
Central Ave., Suite 112, Medford, OR 97501.
Phone: 541-776-4646. Fax: 541-779-0204.
• Pending Bills: For information on bills in
Congress. Phone: 202-225-1772.
Cyber attack
shows danger of
ignoring global
interconnections
To the Editor:
Last weekend, meatpacking
company JBS, which processes
almost a quarter of U.S. cattle,
was the victim of a ransomware
attack. Preparing U.S. ag to
defend against cyber attacks is
one more burden for ag produc-
ers. Unfortunately, costs of not
doing so are too high: higher
prices, and possible food short-
ages and tainted food (see June
6, 2021 article, “Cyberattack on
food supply followed years of
warnings,” at Politico.com).
As a high school social stud-
ies and electives teacher with
classes in both agriculture and
cybersecurity, I’ve seen how
these two topics will and now
are colliding. Many conserva-
tives highlight personal freedom
and the desire to return to sim-
pler times with less government
red tape. However, import-
ant realities now stare us in the
face and require government
involvement: climate change
(more droughts, early-snowmelt
floods and wildfires in Eastern/
Southern Oregon), economic
trends, worldwide internet and
cyber-threats — and pandemics.
None respect national, let alone
state and county, boundaries.
Since I also teach a national
security course, I hope people
in Eastern and Southern Ore-
gon will rise to the challenges
before us by learning to plan
for, adapt to and minimize these
threats.
The world is moving — if
not forward, at least along. Pro-
tecting ourselves and our com-
munities from climate change/
extreme weather, economic
downturns, pandemics and
cyber attacks takes courage;
‘It’s about protecting
one another and
ourselves’
To the Editor:
Being vaccinated for COVID-
19 isn’t about the government. It’s
about protecting one another and
ourselves.
We’ve done it before: small-
pox, DPT, polio. This time it’s a
pandemic.
I’m proud to be a card-carrying
member of the COVID-19 Vacci-
nated Club. I’ve done it for you, my
family and myself.
Sandy Murray
Prairie City
L
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Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
practice seeing interconnected
realities; and humbleness in
learning. Luckily, we have our
rural Oregon “can-do” attitude
to help.
Raz Mason
The Dalles
Phone: 541-575-0710
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