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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2018)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2018 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 LOCAL Democrat McLeod-Skinner includes Hermiston on campaign trail stop By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER R ep. Greg Walden’s challenger in the November election spent time in Hermiston last week, including a visit to the county fair. Jamie McLeod-Skinner, running against the incum- bent for U.S. Congressio- nal District 2, said partway through the visit that she was enjoying the opportunities to get to know the area better and meet with local farmers. McLeod-Skinner describes herself a “rural Democrat” who spent her time as a teenager outside Ashland riding horses, herd- ing sheep and bucking hay (her family moved to Ore- gon when she was a teen). She worked on water-re- lated humanitarian proj- ects in post-war Kosovo and Bosnia and later returned to the United States to work for the same organization’s refugee resettlement pro- gram. She used her civil engineering degree to work on water systems projects in the Santa Clara, Califor- nia area, served on a variety of water-related boards and later went back to school for a law degree, specializing in water, natural resource and Indian law. “I’ve got a real interest in water,” she said. She said if she repre- sented Eastern Oregon in Washington, D.C. she would be interested in encouraging compacts to allow area farm- STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY Democratic Congressional candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner talks to people at a recent Pendleton Farmers Market. ers to draw more water from the Columbia River while still balancing the need to protect fish. McLeod-Skinner has some experience in politics at the local level, including years on the Santa Clara city council and a four month- long stint as city manager of Phoenix, Oregon. She said she was the eighth city manager in seven years and blames the city council’s dysfunction as the reason she didn’t last long either before being fired. She said she believes in “people over party” — a philosophy that she argues Walden has moved far- ther away from the lon- ger he stays in Washington, D.C. She said it won’t mat- ter to her which side of the aisle good ideas come from, as long as she can help the government implement common-sense solutions or “know when to get out of the way.” McLeod-Skinner is a believer in renewable energy and said the government should be investing there. After spending time in East- ern Oregon on the campaign trail she has some ideas for economic development that could also help the environ- ment, such as a recycling center that would help pro- cess some of the plastics that China is no longer taking. “It would ultimately need to be a private venture, of course, but I could see a major investment of pub- lic-sector funds,” she said. McLeod-Skinner said Republicans “gave too much away” to corpora- tions during last year’s tax cut package and she believes they are now going to use the resulting deficit increase as an excuse to cut Medi- care and Social Security — something she plans to fight. She also said she believes the Affordable Care Act must be improved, but not in a way that will make people lose coverage. “We need to be helping to move it forward and not con- tinually undermining it,” she said. She said she is concerned with rising college costs as well, and would like to see a sort of “civilian GI bill” where young people could get their education paid for in exchange for public service. She discussed a middle- of-the-road vision for immi- gration. She does not believe in open borders, but does believe that those who are already here illegally should have some sort of path to legal residency without leav- ing the country, if they pay a fine for breaking the law and haven’t committed other crimes. She also believes that instead of “terrorizing fami- lies” ICE should be focused on protecting the country from legitimately dangerous people and fighting human trafficking related to illegal immigration. “I believe there is a com- mon-sense way to move forward, that’s fair to hard-working folks trying to put food on their table, that respects our laws but also helps the agricultural sys- tem,” she said. Lacrosse program asks for fields at EOTEC By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER The city of Hermiston is looking at developing 20 acres of lacrosse fields at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center. The proposed sports fields would be created in the undeveloped acres near EOTEC’s main entrance, currently used for overflow parking during the Umatilla County Fair. According to a news release from the city, “the intention would be to design the grass fields in a way to allow that temporary (park- ing) use to take place each August and return them to playing condition for the remainder of the year.” Hermiston Youth Lacrosse approached the city, which took over full ownership of EOTEC this spring, and VenuWorks, the professional management company running EOTEC on behalf of the city, with the proposal. Under their proposal, the lacrosse organization would contribute about $95,000 in monetary and in-kind donations it has secured to develop the multi-sport fields, with the understand- ing that lacrosse would take first priority. As Hermiston has grown, the community has struggled to keep up with demand for sports fields. In 2012, the city invested approximately $180,000 toward develop- ing two soccer fields near Rocky Heights Elementary School. “The sport of lacrosse has been growing rapidly in the Hermiston area, but the growth causes field avail- Hermiston August 31, September 1 & 2, 2018 Class of 1958 For information call High School Reunion Rita J. Walker 541-567-5356 ability shortages when other sports seasons overlap,” the news release states. The proposal was briefly discussed at Monday’s council meeting, but the council unanimously voted to wait for further review before making a decision. The city has appointed an EOTEC advisory board made up of representa- tives from the city, Umatilla County Fair, Farm-City Pro Rodeo, hospitality indus- try and community at large, but major decisions such as the lacrosse fields are still brought before the council for a vote. The committee and Venu- Works are also working on a written long-term plan for EOTEC, which opened its event center in the spring of 2016 and hosted the its first fair last year. Neal to succeed father as Port of Morrow manager a wealth of things — eco- nomic development, ship- ping, helping businesses. We need someone who The Port of Morrow has understands our port.” He said the a new helmsman. commission has Ryan Neal, the not yet given Neal current general a start date, but manager of ware- housing for the estimated it will Port of Morrow, be sometime in October. was selected unan- imously by the port Neal was one of four finalists commission, and the commission will fill the role to Ryan Neal interviewed. All be vacated by his four appeared at a pub- father, Gary, this fall. Neal said he was excited lic meeting at the port on for the opportunity to con- Monday, for which Stokoe tinue building on the suc- said more than 100 people cesses of the current port showed up. They shared a staff. little about themselves and “I’d like to continue our their vision for the port. The other candidates strategic plan, and drive economic development,” were Dean Gardner, a he said. “I think we always longtime financial offi- try to find solutions to cer and businessman of whatever problems we run Selah, Washington; Steph- into, whether permitting or anie Seamans, a CPA from financial issues. We try to Kennewick; and Peter Wil- find ways to accomplish helm, a businessman who has worked for paper mills our goals.” Commissioner Rick in Wallula, Washington Stokoe said the commis- and Zeachem. sion has given Neal a con- The candidates went ditional offer of employ- through four sets of inter- ment, which is contingent views on Tuesday. They on his passing a back- sat before three panels ground check and going — one consisting of peo- through contract negoti- ple familiar with the tech- ations. His salary will be nical aspects of ports and between $175,000 and industry, one of commu- nity members, and one of $225,000 annually. “We decided Ryan was people in the business and the best fit,” Stokoe said. finance world. The pan- “He’s well-informed with elists were selected from what’s going on at the throughout the region, said George Dunkel, the Spe- port.” He said Neal is also cial Districts Association involved with the com- of Oregon employee who munity, which was one conducted the candidate of the commission’s top search. “I feel honored that priorities. “All our applicants were the commission selected highly qualified,” he said. someone that I know “But some were from big well,” said Gary Neal. shipping ports, that only do “It’s a pretty exciting container shipping. 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