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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2016)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 LOCAL NEWS EOTEC: 2017 & beyond Work session examines Hermiston project’s future By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer City moving forward with Hermiston Loop Trail By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer Another mile of trail will be added next year to the 6.5 mile loop the city is building around the west- ern half of Hermiston. The city council ap- proved an intergovern- mental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation on Mon- day, Oct. 24, to build a trail for cyclists and pedestri- ans along the south side of Highland Avenue between SW 11th Street and SW 23rd Street near Riverfront Park. Assistant city man- ager Mark Morgan said the trail could end up going even farther along High- land than that, depending on “when he money runs out.” The $663,225 West Highland Trail project fits into the wider vision of a Hermiston Loop Trail that will eventually allow bi- cyclists and pedestrians to make a 6.5 mile loop around the western side of Hermiston. The first leg of that proj- ect came when the popu- lar Oxbow Trail opened in 2014, creating a meander- ing 1.5 mile asphalt trail connected to Riverfront Park. The stretch of Highland featured in the West High- land Trail project is current- ly bordered by a patchwork of sidewalks, bike lanes and gravel shoulder. A con- tribution of $150,000 from the city and $513,000 from ODOT would turn it into a multi-use trail running parallel to the road on the south side of Highland. Construction is expected to take place next summer. City Manager Byron Smith told the council that the city was still working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the right of way to extend the trail through the Steelhead Park area, which would loop it from the top of the Highland Extension bridge, under the bridge and into Riverfront Park. “They seem very open to it, it just seems like they may be bogged down work- ing through it,” he said. Smith said getting the trail under the bridge so that people weren’t tempted to try and cross Highland was a high safety priority, and if the money from ODOT “doesn’t get us all the way under, we will come back with a plan.” That will allow walkers and runners to make a loop of approximately 3.5 miles using the new trail, River- front Park, the Oxbow Trail and the sidewalks along SW 11th Street between Highland Avenue and the start of the Oxbow Trail across from Good Shep- herd Medical Center. Smith said ODOT had originally planned to do the work with the city contrib- uting $150,000 plus any costs overruns. But ODOT came back with a proposal for the city to handle engi- neering and construction instead and be reimbursed at 77 percent, which city staff was “pleased with.” “We think we can get the project done quicker and keep a better handle on cost,” he said. One afternoon last week, Kim Popham was one of several people walk- ing the path around Riv- erfront Park. She said she uses the park about three times a month and walks the Oxbow Trail usually once a month, depending on weather. “I like that it’s paved and clean,” she said. After hearing about the plans for a trail along High- land Avenue, she said it sounded “pretty cool” and she would definitely use it when it is finished. Rebecca Artz brought her sons to Riverfront Park recently, pushing one in a stroller and letting the other one run a short way ahead. She said she comes into Hermiston from Stan- field “a couple of times a week” to go walking, or sometimes roller blading, at Riverfront Park or on the Oxbow Trail because Stanfield doesn’t have a good walking route away from traffic for young children. She said she would be excited about more walking options in town. “I like the exercise and the scenery,” she said. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at 541-564-4536. An Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center work ses- sion held Friday featured plenty of discussion, but no firm answers on who will run the 2017 Umatilla County Fair. The five-hour work ses- sion, held after the EOTEC board’s regular business meeting, covered operations, staffing, maintenance and fee schedules. First, however, the board took time to review the histo- ry of the EOTEC project and appreciate how far they have come in building a multi-mil- lion dollar facility with no general obligation bonds. “People just basically laughed at us when we gave our first presentation,” Dan Dorran said. “... It takes a long time to explain that you’re going to build a $21 million facility with no money.” That dream has since been scaled down, but as the fin- ished project comes closer to reality, the board is looking to tackle questions about what happens when the last nail is in. Staffing EOTEC’s current staff comprises full-time business manager Heather Cannell, Board approves 50-year lease with Farm-City Pro Rodeo Hermiston Herald The Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center board approved a lease with the Farm-City Pro Rodeo during its regular meeting Friday morning. The board had exam- ined a 50-year lease last week that would grant the mercantile area outside the rodeo grounds to the Farm- City Pro Rodeo for a one- time payment of $50. After city and county officials ex- pressed concerns about how cutting such deals would affect EOTEC’s financial viability, the revised lease approved Friday was a 30- year lease for $500 per year. The lease acknowledged the rodeo board’s plans to make significant improve- full-time administrative event assistant Cyndie Driscoll, plus a quarter of a financial position at the city of Hermis- ton. Cannell said she relies on temporary labor provided by Express Staffing to help out for some large events, but for the most part she and Driscoll have been trying to do as much set-up, take-down and cleaning as they can to save money. Board member Vijay Patel said a maintenance employee needed to be hired soon, be- cause he wanted to see Can- ments to the property, and to allow EOTEC to use the mercantile area for events when the rodeo is not using it. If the rodeo board wants to use the mercantile area at the same time another event is being held in another area of EOTEC, the updated lease states that the EOTEC event takes precedence if there is any conflict. The board also dis- cussed bringing the trail- er that used to house the EOTEC offices from the Stafford Hansell Govern- ment Building in order to provide a base for law en- forcement and medical help to operate out of during the fair or if the grounds were being used for some sort of emergency. nell’s sole focus stay on mar- keting and booking events. “Setting up tables and cleaning bathrooms is not what we hired her for,” he said. The rest of the board seemed to agree that a main- tenance employee was needed at EOTEC, but who should run the entire project was a less clear matter. The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners laid off fair manager Don Slone earlier this month as a mon- ey-saving move as the fair STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS The EOTEC board of directors met Friday to discuss the staffing and operational needs of the new facility. Longer version of the story online at HERMISTONHERALD.COM shifts to EOTEC, but no de- cision has been made about what type of position would run the fair instead. Don Miller said that when looking at the finances of the county and EOTEC, “a shared position would be ben- eficial.” Byron Smith said the board needed to decide what an EOTEC general manag- er’s position would include, and whether to have a sep- arate marketing person. If a general manager had some- one working on marketing, he said, there could be an opportunity for the county to contract with EOTEC to run the fair on their behalf. Smith, Patel and Dorran were in favor of hiring a con- sultant to help craft a plan for marketing and management. Hermiston native named UEC chief operating officer Sonja Bogart, a Hermis- ton native with 20 years of experience working with electric utilities, is coming home to serve as chief op- erating officer of the Uma- tilla Electric Cooperative. A graduate of Hermis- ton High School, Bogart has spent the majority of her career working with the Wright-Hennepin Coopera- tive Electric Association in Rockford, Minnesota, just west of Minneapolis. Since early Hermiston may- 2002, she has served or and the town’s first as the utility’s vice drugstore owner. Rob- president of custom- ert Echenrode, UEC er service, sales and general manager and marketing. CEO, said that Boga- “UEC is going rt has knowledge and through an exciting appreciation of the time with growth and Sonja area, along with her opportunity, and I’m Bogart breadth of experience glad to be here,” Bog- at Wright-Hennepin. art said in a statement. “She has proven Bogart’s Herm- iston roots run deep in her herself, rising to a high level family. Her great-grandfa- in a well-respected coopera- ther, Albert Prann, was an tive,” Echenrode said. Bogart has a bachelor’s degree in business adminis- tration from the University of Oregon, and a master’s degree in business admin- istration from the Univer- sity of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has two grown children: Al- lison, a pediatric nurse at the University of Minneso- ta children’s hospital; and Matthew, who works in the warehouse at Wright-Hen- nepin. increased” since Terry Rowan became sheriff in 2013. Rowan is seeking re-election. Pendleton Police Cpl. Ryan Lehnert is challenging Rowan for the sheriff’s post. tification are considered in- dustry leaders who have at- tained a higher standard of professional competence, knowledge and experience. Those attaining the status have completed a combi- nation of required classes, demonstrated years of em- ployment in the industry, education, industry contri- butions and a successful demonstration of expertise. Third Day Creations specializes in promotion- al products and business gifts. For more informa- tion, contact 541-564- 9219, thirdday97838@ gmail.com or visit www. thirddaycreations.net. IN BRIEF County jail scores high on inspection The Umatilla County Jail tied its highest score during a recent jail in- spection. A team of jail inspec- tors from the Oregon Jail Command Council scruti- nized the jail Oct. 20 and 21, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office reported in a written statement. The jail received a score of 99.2 percent com- pliant, according to the statement, which “ties the highest score in the histo- ry of the facility in 2011.” The Oregon State Sheriff’s Association de- veloped the 309 jail stan- dards the inspectors use, which address inmate rules and discipline, staff training, and many oth- er categories and proce- dures, most of which state and federal laws and rules require. “This year’s score is especially commendable since our jail population is at an all-time high, and significantly higher than in 2011,” according to the sheriff’s office, which also noted the “responsi- bilities that go along with managing many more in- mates and programs have Business owner receives certification Danita Smith, of Third Day Creations, LLC, Hermiston, recently earned the certification admin- istered by Promotional Products Association In- ternational. Individuals with the cer- For more information, call 1-800-962-2819 2x3 EXAMPLE Celebrate your loved ones in our VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE We are so proud of you for serving your country. Free Example: Honoring those who have served and those who are currently serving our country! They’ve served our country with courage and honor. They’ve left behind loved ones to risk their lives while protecting our country. They’ve defended our freedoms and ideals. They make us proud to be Americans. Help us honor them. SALUTE E 1x4 EXAMPLE Love Evelyn, We are so Joe proud and of you Cheryl for serving J OSEPH S MITH your country. J OSEPH B. D AVIS Staff Sergeant Joel Davis US Marines Veteran This special section will print in the Hermiston Herald on Nov. 9 and in the East Oregonian on Nov. 11, 2016. There is NO CHARGE to be included. Bring us or send in photos of servicemen, servicewomen or veterans, along with the information in the form to the right, by November 1. Thank you for your service! Love Evelyn, Joe and Cheryl If you’d like to purchase a larger space to include a special message, border, flags, or stars and stripes, rates are $40 for a 1x4” space or $55 for a 2x3” space. Private party only. Please call 1-800-962-2819. Love always Marcy, Julie & Emily Service Person’s Name Military Branch Your Name Your Address Your Phone Number Military Rank Currently Serving Veteran (Check One) Deliver to: East Oregonian 211 SE Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 Hermiston Herald 333 E. Main. Hermiston, OR 97830 or e-mail to classifieds@eastoregonian.com
