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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2017)
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM LOCAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017 EO FILE PHOTO In this January 2016 file photo, Cuttie and Cuddles share a pen at PAWS animal shelter in Pendleton. Pioneer Humane Society chases taxing district model By PHIL WRIGHT STAFF WRITER The Pioneer Humane Society wants Umatilla County voters to support a taxing district for animal control. Ben DeCarlow of Hermiston, Pioneer Humane Society board treasurer, made the pitch Wednesday morning to the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners. He said a special taxing district with a rate of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value would generate around $500,000 for the organi- zation to cover the cost of services. Pioneer Humane Soci- ety operates the no-kill Pendleton Animal Wel- fare Shelter, which took in 860 dogs and 1,430 cats in 2015 and 2016. DeCarlow said the society also oper- ates programs to provide pet food for lower income pet owners and transporta- tion for pets that need to be spayed or neutered. He also told the board the nationwide animal con- trol model is for counties to support humane societies. Without the steady stream of tax revenue, he said Pioneer Humane Society “would not be headed in a positive direction.” Marjorie Iburg, for- mer Pendleton city coun- cilor and former PAWS board member, told com- missioners the popula- tion of unwanted animals “could be overwhelming” for the county if not for the Pioneer Humane Society. She said that a taxing dis- trict would include Herm- iston, and the animal shel- ter there would receive tax revenue, possibly through a contract with Pioneer Humane Society. Commissioners Bill Elfering and George Mur- dock voted to allow the group to proceed and seek the approval of local city councils. The commission- ers noted that was how the Oregon State University Extension Service Dis- trict had to get a resolution on the May 2018 ballot to consider forming a new taxing district. On that note, the board held the first of two public meetings on the Extension Service District. Dan Dorran of Herm- iston, former Umatilla County Fair Board mem- ber, was among the hand- ful of people who spoke in favor of the exten- sion service district, along with local wheat producer Greg Goad. No one spoke against. The board of commis- sioners approved a coun- ty-wide boundary for the extension district and set the second public hearing on the matter for Jan. 3. Downtown Hermiston value increased by $8 million Hermiston’s urban renewal district has increased in value by more than $8 million during its first four years of existence. The Hermiston Urban Renewal Agency began in 2014 to promote down- town Hermiston by re-in- vesting property tax growth back into enhancements to the downtown core. The area covered by HURA has increased in value by 20 percent, from $42.2 million to $50.5 million. Assistant city man- ager Mark Morgan said in a news release that much of the growth has come from the new Holi- day Inn Express. HURA’s revenue has increased by $100,000 in the first year of the hotel’s operation. The hotel was given a $36,400 façade grant from HURA and $50,000 for sewer improvements from the city of Hermiston. Other investments of HURA back into down- town have also helped raise property values, includ- ing façade grants to vari- ous businesses and a pri- vate-public partnership with Mitco Investments to create a new 50-space park- ing lot open to the public. “If the main goals of an Urban Renewal Agency are to increase the taxable value and eliminate barri- ers to new private invest- ment, then I think we can safely say we’re hitting it out of the park so far,” Mor- gan wrote. The city plans to begin building a new festival street next to city hall using urban renewal funds this spring, and a new senior center being built is expected to draw more traf- fic downtown. Morgan said projects in the downtown area were about contribut- ing to a “critical mass” of foot traffic. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY COLLEEN SANDERS The Eastern Oregon Climate Change Coalition, or EOC3, participated in a clean energy jobs rally Nov. 4 in Pendleton, organized by Don Sampson and Renew Oregon to raise support for a proposed Oregon cap-and-invest energy policy. Climate coalition gains momentum Group born out of Umatilla County focus group By GEORGE PLAVEN EO MEDIA GROUP O ne year after becom- ing a formal non- profit organization, the Eastern Oregon Climate Change Coalition is ready to broaden its outreach on cli- mate change issues affect- ing farms, forests, businesses and communities across the region. The group, which goes by the shorthand EOC3, origi- nally formed in 2006 as the Umatilla County Climate Change Focus Group, an ad hoc citizen’s committee to discuss local climate impacts and how to adapt moving forward. EOC3 filed for nonprofit status in January 2017, and its nine-member board of directors has produced a stra- tegic action plan outlining goals and programs. That plan will be unveiled at the group’s 2018 annual meet- ing Saturday, Jan. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oregon State University Extension Service conference room at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. The meeting is open to the public. Colleen Sanders, EOC3 board chairwoman and the newly hired climate adapta- tion planner for the Confed- erated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, said their primary mission is to provide education and understanding about climate change, espe- cially as it influences rural Eastern Oregon. “So much of our human society has been built on the predictability of our climate and the seasonal weather pat- terns,” Sanders said. “What climate change is doing is completely throwing a wrench in those.” Looking ahead to 2018, Sanders said EOC3 plans to host monthly luncheons and build a network of speakers versed in different aspects of climate change to promote a greater knowledge of the issues. “The idea is to create a conversation space for cli- mate change issues,” she said. Dave Powell, vice chair- man of the EOC3 board and a retired silviculturist with the Umatilla National For- est, gave a climate presen- tation Tuesday for students at Weston-McEwen High School in Athena. Though his main topic was forestry, Powell said the impacts kept coming back to one crucial element: water. “When you think about all of the benefits and eco- system services that a for- est provides, it’s becoming more and more clear to me that water is the most valu- able,” Powell said. “The webs that reach out from that are huge.” According to one cli- mate model from OSU, aver- age temperatures in the Blue Mountains could increase anywhere from 1 to 3 degrees Celsius over the next 75 years. The most obvious impact, Powell said, will be more moisture falling in the form of rain instead of snow. Lower snowpack, which is needed to replenish streams for farms and fish into sum- mer, means faster runoff at higher elevations. Bruce Barnes, EOC3 board member and execu- tive director of the Pendle- ton-based nonprofit Flora ID, said studies show that peak water flow in the Uma- tilla River now comes 30 days earlier that it did in the 1980s. “There are so many dif- ferent factors to consider,” Barnes said. “They’re inter- woven. Each one may affect several different factors, or vice-versa.” Less snow and more rain has already affected the tim- ing of timber harvest, Barnes said, since loggers prefer to work when the ground is still frozen. Don Wysocki, fellow EOC3 member and exten- sion soil scientist for OSU in Umatilla County, said changes in snowpack and water availability will drive changes in local agriculture, pushing back irrigation sea- sons and ripening dryland crops earlier than usual. “Harvest will occur ear- lier. Winters will probably get more heat units, so that changes the growth cycle of wheat,” Wysocki said. “We’ll probably favor wheat varieties that mature earlier to try to escape drought or water shortages.” There is some debate, Wysocki said, on how cli- mate change may affect pre- cipitation during the growing season, which could have a positive or negative effect on regional production. “I’ve seen projections going both ways on that,” he said. “But I suspect there’s some evidence that we may have a little better growing season precipitation.” Sanders said she worries that changes in water avail- WORSHIP COMMUNITY Seventh-day Adventist Church Saturdays Sabbath School........9:30 a.m. Worship Service......11:00 a.m. English & Spanish Services 567-8241 855 W. Highland • Hermiston NEW BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Worship Service 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Pastor J.C. Barnett Children’s Church & Nursery Available 700 West Orchard Avenue P.O. Box 933 Hermiston, Oregon 541-567-8441 First Christian Church “Proclaiming the Message of Hope, Living the Gospel of Love” Sunday School 9:15am Worship Gathering 10:30 am Children’s Church 10:30 am 567-3013 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston t. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. LANDMARK BAPTIST CHURCH 125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232 Pastor David Dever DENTAL Itsuratce Physiciats Mutual Itsuratce Compaty A less expetsive way to help get the dettal care you deserve If you’re over 50, you can get coverage for about $1 a day* Keep your own dentist! NO netlorks to lorry about NO annual or lifetime cap o n the cash benefi ts No wait for preventive care and no deductibles – you could get a checkup tomorrol Coverage for over 350 procedures including Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm www.hermistonlmbc.com cleanings, exams, fi llings, crolns…even dentures SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS A Place for Mom has helped over one million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs. There’s no cost to you! CALL (855) 864-4711 ! We’re paid by our partner communities Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002 Nursery available Check us out on Face Book Worship Livestream at herfumc.com Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church 565 W. HERMISTON AVE. DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday ...............................English 7:00 am Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm ...............................Spanish 7:00 pm SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am ..........................Bilingual 11:00 am ..............................Spanish 1:00 pm Offi ce..............................567-5812 The Full Gospel Home Church 235 SW 3rd Phone 567-7678 Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker Sunday: Sunday School........10:00 am Worship...................11:00 am Evening Service........7:00 pm Wednesday Service..7:00 pm “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Pet. 5:7 Grace Baptist Church 555 SW 11th, Hermiston 567-9497 Nursery provided for all services Sunday School - 9:30 AM Worship - 10:45 AM 6:00 PM Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM “Proclaiming God’s word, growing in God’s grace” 21 N. Bonanza Street, Echo OR 1-877-599-0125 The support you need to find quality Hermiston 191 E. 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The public has to start thinking about adapta- tion to ensure the long-term health of those resources, she said. 1520 W ORCHARD AVE Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE, SERVING PEOPLE www.hermistonnazarene.org Phone: (541) 376-8108 Sunday School • 9:30am Worship • 10:45am Children’s Church • 11:15am Potluck & Communion ~ First Sunday of the Month To share your worship times call 541-278-2678