Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2020)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 29, 2020 PETERSON J DOHERTY ARMATO ers League, including one term as Morrow County President; and two terms on the Port of Morrow budget committee. I also have extensive experience in education policy and budget oversight, com- munity development, and church work at the local level in Ione. I was raised with cattle and now farm mainly wheat in the Ione area; I also oversee family farmland near Boardman. Do you have family here? Spouse? Children? My family operates a Century Farm south of Ione and my brothers still farm in the area. My wife, Lea Mathieu, is an educator and minister who has taught and preached in Boardman, Heppner and Ione. Our three children graduated from Ione schools and our oldest son, August, has returned after college to continue the family farm- ing tradition with his wife Sami, who grew up on a cat- tle ranch near Baker City. Why are you running for a county office? I have volunteered with local and countywide or- ganizations all my life, and now that my children are grown and my son is a partner on our farm, I have even more time to devote to public service. I am run- ning for Morrow County Commissioner because my family – past and future - is rooted here and I want to see our strong individual communities cooperate for everyone’s benefit. The county has seen significant growth in the past several decades and I would like to see us come together for continued sustainable growth and positive change in the future. of my first term as commis- sioner. In addition, I am currently the president of the Association of Oregon Counties. Past Soil and Water Conservation District Chair, Jefferson County and past Morrow County SWCD Board member. Do you have family here? Spouse? Children? Amazing wife of 34 years, Kelly. My son Bryce and his beautiful wife, Han- nah. Why are you running for a county office? Four years ago I felt called to carry the message of the honest folks of the county who heretofore had no standard bearer. Whether it is the neglected agricul- ture and small business folks or those yearning for an even break, their mes- sage is building in strength and strengthens my resolve. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? If a snapshot in time, it is certainly the monumental challenges of Covid-19. The healthcare implications from both contracting the virus and the devastation wrought by suppressed personal productivity. I am reluctant to otherwise de- note a “biggest challenge.” for more than four years for the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, giving me an understanding of various county-wide issues. Do you have family here? Spouse? Children? I do have a significant amount of family here: my mother, my grandparents, aunts, an uncle and several cousins. I am not married and have no children. Why are you running for a county office? I am running for county office out of a duty to serve. I want to have a long lasting and positive impact on the county I call home and I want to give back to the people who have given, and continue to give, so much to their communities. I want to help shape the future of our county and to do this there is a need for collaboration and teamwork across departments and oth- er entities. I know I have the ability and drive to facilitate and achieve these goals. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? The county faces many What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? The biggest challenges facing us are related: We are too often divided by community and agencies to work effectively for the economic well-being of the entire county. Issues that apply to multiple commu- nities in Morrow County include housing, internet access, infrastructure and employment opportunities. These and related issues are best addressed by the coun- ty working in cooperation with towns and agencies. How would you address that challenge if you win? Even though I have lived my entire life, other than college years, on farms south of Ione, I recognize the need for a vision wider than my own small com- munity. It is imperative that we listen to, learn from and work with each other. I will address the challenge of fractured communities by listening to all sides prior to making informed decisions for the betterment of all, and by earning the trust of those I work with and for. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job? As stated above, I have extensive experience in agriculture, policy and busi- ness development through- out the county and I have respect for all of our com- munities and agencies. I know the other commis- sioners I would work with, Melissa Lindsay and Don Russell, well enough to know that we could work together with mutual re- spect and for the betterment of all Morrow County. SWEEK a long time but never did. I know, I’m a little older, I thought I would give it a shot. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? Getting people to work as a team and not alone, work for the common good of Morrow County. How would you address that challenge if you win? Let the elected officials run their own departments and not micromanage ev- eryone. Making time for running the office and still work a 10- to 12-hour day. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job? Talk to all the peo- ple and work together and not alone for the good of Morrow County. Use some common sense. CAPECO – Is Here to Help CAPECO is still working to help those in our community with their energy bills. We are working from our home offices to assist you. We can still process your energy application through the mail, email, fax and phone. CAPECO strives to deflect some of your energy costs for income eligible residents of Umatilla, Morrow, Gilliam, and Wheel- er counties by delivering the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LI- HEAP) and the Oregon Energy Assistance Program (OEAP). Income eligible house- holds may receive a one-time payment, which is paid to the utility vendor. Eligibility is based on the household total gross in- come for the last 30 days. For example, a household of four with income at or below $4,163.92 will qualify for assistance. The stimulus payments from the CARES Act, which can be up to $1,200 per per- son or $500 per child, are not counted as income. The LIHEAP/OEAP program is open to the general public. Anyone wishing to apply, please call 541-276-1926 or 1-800-752-1139 for Pendleton office, or 541-289-7755 or 1-800-214-4776 for the Hermiston office. You can also reach us on the CAPECO website www.capeco-works.org How would you address that challenge if you win? We have secured a rap- id test kit and an impossi- ble-to-procure additional ventilator in the plan should this pestilence not quickly pass. I pray that it shall. I would like to revisit my desire for a health all in pol- icy that I advocated for in my first term. I have joined Commissioner Lindsay in an aggressive plan to assist small business folks in maintaining some hope for the future. As far as, “big- gest challenge,” I hold that we need a holistic approach as everything is intimately connected. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job? I have a record that reflects accomplishments and no fear of fighting back against the establishment when it breaches our trust. As I write this, I have reg- istered no donors. Don’t get me wrong I won’t necessar- ily turn away assistance, I just worry that asking for funds is asking for trouble. Some special interest group or people with an agenda will prop up a candidate and “own” his or her vote. I work for you, all of you and pledge to pour my heart and soul into the effort. K DOHERTY experience. I believe it is the philo- sophical arguments behind the laws that make you a good judge, not the expe- rience itself. Why do we have laws? What are the benefits to society of the en- forcement of laws? What is justice for all? What are the social norms of the times? There is a historical, moral and cultural basis to the law. Knowing these concepts like I do, gives me the re- quired modes of injury and judgment needed for the adjudication of the laws. My back ground in phi- losophy has taught me how to critically problem solve, sort through rhetoric to find fact, and recognize an op- posing argument on merit. Judges are “the mouth piece of the law, not its source.” I hold the prowess to in- terpret and apply the legal principals of the law, with tact, courage and prudence. I hold a mediation cer- tificate from Arizona Law School that embraces a dynamic sphere of special- ized communication skills; neutrality, compromise and negotiation techniques that augment jurisprudence and adjudication. This captures the essences of what is needed to adjudicate small claims cases. The Justice of the Peace in Morrow County is re- sponsible for holding tru- ancy court. I have 26 years of experience in the school system, in four districts in Oregon, motivating our youth. I sat on the Morrow County Community Educa- tion Committee as an elect- ed official and understand the challenges and oppor- tunities of the children in our community. I served as a mentor at Riverside High School. I saw what a positive impact can do for our adolescents. Judges can have that positive impact on a community as well. Along with traffic ci- tations, Justice Court also handles Fish and Wildlife violations and boating fines. As an avid marksman, hunt- er, licensed boat owner/ operator and a former guide business owner I know the rules, regulations and laws that pertain to those activities. Do you have family here? Spouse? Children? I have been married for 34 years. With this marriage to my husband came a huge Irish Catholic family. Most of them live within the area. We enjoy gatherings togeth- er, laughter and song. We raised a handsome son, that married a beautiful daugh- ter-in-law. They too have made Morrow County their home. Bryce picked up my passion, the outdoors, and became a fishing and hunting guide, launching O’Doherty Outfitters in 2018. Hannah works for Genex serving regional dairy operations. They both have a fondness for the ranching tradition and the labor of love that comes with. We are a ranching family that built a business from the ground up. We relied on sound judgments, disciplined practices, a good budget and relation- ships. We pride ourselves around personal and pro- fessional ethics, integrity and respect for our ranching community. When we sell our product it comes with a leathered handshake. Why are you running for a county office? I followed my hus- band’s dream of building a cattle ranch and raising our children in that lifestyle. It is now time for me do follow my own dreams. My quest for knowledge and perhaps my passion for a good argument led me right into the study of law. What a great opportunity this would be to put my knowledge to work. We need a compressive judge that sees things from all per- spectives. I am excited for the opportunity to judicially serve my community. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? Morrow County cur- rently has an outstanding uncollected receivable and delinquent debt of well over a million dollars from the Justice Court. I believe we need to move to a pro- active management of the collections on our accounts receivable. The number of fines each fiscal year sent to collections is significant. There needs to be some ac- countability in this position, not just as standalone for the administration of the law, but for the whole of the office. We need to address challenges, chief among them is housing. A shortage of housing impacts growth and economic development. It prevents many young families from moving back to our communities and impacts hiring practices for multiple businesses and special districts that serve those same communities. Part of our housing short- age challenge is a lack of buildable lands and infra- structure and the county has the ability to assist these communities in supporting housing growth. How would you address that challenge if you win? I will address the chal- lenge by finding ways to improve infrastructure in the communities, such as assisting with improving community sewer and wa- ter systems and helping to develop buildable lands through the utilization of incoming funds. I would also work with The Oregon Department of Land Con- servation and Development for rezoning and ask for their assistance in the re- evaluation of our floodplain restrictions. CRAWFORD communities and I consider this to be valuable experi- ence that will help me do the best job I can do. Do you have family here? Spouse? Children? My spouse is Stacey Jessen, we have been to- gether for 15 years, and he works for Jay Coil Fabrica- tion as a welder. All of our children grew up in Ione/ Heppner area, graduated from Ione High School and their jobs have taken them out of this area. Why are you running for a county office? I am running for a county office because I want to continue to serve Morrow County residents. I am invested and commit- the success of our collection methods. How would you address that challenge if you win? There are many great options available to us. Or- egon statutes allow justice courts to assign judgments to the Department of Rev- enue. It is administered through the refund offset program. When a citizen receives a refund, the debt will be deducted and re- turned to the county. There is a small fee of 10 percent, however, Senate Bill 55 allows for the collection of fees associated with that debt. Additionally, a third-party collection sys- tem can be implemented simultaneously that would allow for credit bureau re- porting as well. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job? Civic life is important to communities. I believe there is value in public ser- vice. We are living in a time of vast political rhetoric; people want confidence in our local public institutions. I have been an active mem- ber of this community for over 20 years, I know and love Morrow County. My trust, integrity, character and reputation are backed by an educational back- ground in law. Judgment needs to be inclusive of the entire human experience, but exclusive of bias and prejudice. I am the only candidate that is not trained solely in enforcement. I do not have former col- leagues who will sit across the bench and bear witness to the public. I will be fair, impartial and faithful to the position. ted to our community and would consider this to be an honor. I do not want to be a bystander; I want to help make lives better. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for in Morrow County? Making sure that fine fees do not balance the budget and should be used only to deter criminals. How would you address that challenge if you win? I would tailor the fines to a person’s ability to pay (such as small payments), community service, and/or use another available disci- pline if the person does not have the ability to pay. I will educate people about the rules they broke and make them aware of the changes that could have occurred so that they can be aware and not recidivist. Researching ways to help people with this problem is something I plan to do if I am elected. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job? My education in Crim- inal Justice is current and I have worked in the legal system for 14 years. I have 16 years of background knowledge in the county including but not limited to budgeting, county court minutes, property and land laws, knowledge of Ore- gon Revised Statutes and working with jury pulls. I will learn, listen and I care. YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Call 541-676-9228 Or Email graphics@rapidserve.net We also offer design and printing services Heppner Gazette-Times Sykes Printing
