A4 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022
OPINION READER’S FORUM
Founded in 1906
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022
A4
OUR VIEW
City projects are as expensive as they should be
W
hen word of million-dol-
lar projects hit the news,
people are often left
scratching their heads. Such was the
case last week, following an article
of the new pedestrian bridge being
planned in Umatilla.
The project, which will include a
larger bridge than the one destroyed,
as well as a repaired water main, is
priced at over $7 million.
One commenter stated that he
could build the bridge at half the
price.
“He’s not wrong,” Umatilla City
Manager David Stockdale said. He
added that there are reasons why the
bridge and other city projects are
costly.
All projects in excess of $50,000
require city employers to pay Ore-
gon’s prevailing wage, the city man-
ager stated. This wage alone, he said,
is enough to increase project cost
40-50% over the cost of a project that
does not have the same expense.
Also, a city must undertake certain
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
A broken section of a destroyed Umatilla River footbridge sits on the shore on April 14, 2022.
studies prior to construction, Stock-
dale added. Building a bridge over
the Umatilla River necessitates inves-
tigation about wildlife, which must
consider possible threats to various
native species. The city must study
cultural sites, too, he said. Native
American burial grounds are com-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
COLUMN
Time to promote growth at Blue
Mountain Community College
I
am very upset and sad at the
direction President Mark
Browning is taking Blue
Mountain Community College.
I came to the college in
1969 and taught geography and
anthropology full time for 30
years and have lived in Pendle-
ton since. President Browning,
who has been here eight months,
is seeking to terminate the
employment of 10 full-time fac-
ulty members who have a col-
lective total of 152 years of ser-
vice to the college.
These people have profes-
sional-level jobs. They purchase
homes here, pay taxes here, buy
goods and services in the com-
munity, serve on local boards
and are active in the commu-
nity in many other ways. Their
children attend our schools,
and many go on to the college,
where they and other students
have, at minimal cost, been able
to complete the first two years
of a college transfer degree or
to seek training in a variety of
vocations.
Browning intends to ter-
minate my successor, Linc
DeBunce, who has taught at
BMCC for more than 20 years.
According to the schedule for
the spring term, Linc’s five
classes are full, with 123 stu-
dents occupying a possible 125
spaces.
Also slated for termination
is Margaret Mayer whose three
music history classes are full,
offers private music lessons
to students as well as provides
music for college events.
Another termination is full-
time instructor Ann Marie Har-
din, one of the most versatile
faculty members. She is teach-
ing three math classes and one
physics class while serving
as department chair. Some of
her classes have lower enroll-
ments but that is because she
CLARK
HILDEN
OTHER VIEWS
was assigned higher level math
classes that have fewer students.
Other faculty positions at the
college being marked for elimi-
nation include faculty in writing,
chemistry, business, criminal
justice, industrial maintenance
technology and college prep.
The termination of these 10 full-
time instructors is our loss, the
community college district’s
loss.
When I came to BMCC, my
social science department had
six full-time instructors. Brown-
ing’s plan will decimate that
department, leaving only one.
“We’re not actually offering
fewer classes,” Browning says.
“We’re having fewer people
offer the classes that we do cur-
rently have.”
Not true. DeBunce offers five
classes. His five classes are full,
all other social science classes
are nearly full. Fewer classes
will be offered. Where will these
students go?
Over the years since I
retired, the social science
department has lost full-time
positions in history, economics
and political science. Recently,
the full-time sociology instruc-
tor was not replaced upon her
retirement. Over the past few
years, the humanities depart-
ment has lost full-time posi-
tions in Spanish, art and theater.
These losses will further impact
the college’s ability to provide
courses to transfer students and
to provide the enrichment that
such classes offer to all who
take them.
Additionally, if higher level
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VOLUME 115 • NUMBER 17
Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@hermistonherald.com • 541-278-2673
Erick Peterson | Editor • epeterson@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4536
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mon near the Columbia River, which
is a short walk from the site of the
footbridge. The city must check
ground in the area for such sites, so
construction does not destroy them.
Finally, he brings up that Umatilla
must devote itself to a larger, better
bridge that is not subject to the same
disaster that befell the last one.
All of these reasons explain the
high cost of the planned bridge, as
well as any project done anywhere.
And we should not expect anything
diff erent.
The expense of our local proj-
ects funds our economy, providing
good-paying jobs. It protects ani-
mal habitats, looks after the rights of
indigenous people and creates prod-
ucts that can last.
When we, then, look out at the
future Umatilla bridge, the Herm-
iston City Hall or some other proj-
ect, we can take pride in the work
being done.
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math and science are cut, stu-
dents interested in STEM fields
no longer will be able to attend
their first two years at home.
Browning’s plan may be to seek
part-time instructors from other
areas to teach online, Portland
perhaps.
This already has happened
in political science and eco-
nomics. Is that what’s slated for
anthropology, geography, music,
chemistry and calculus?
That, of course, means the
money spent on their salaries
will be leaving our area. I have
heard the administration feels
that the Associate of Arts Ore-
gon Transfer Degree has been
“privileged.” That contention
certainly doesn’t stand up to
these facts.
I fear that Browning is seek-
ing to turn our comprehensive
community college, one that has
been supported by our district
for 60 years, into a trade school.
Rather than seek ways to bring
more students to college, he is
giving students more reasons not
to attend BMCC. I haven’t yet
seen a plan by President Brown-
ing to bring more students to the
college. What a sad time this is
for our communities and to the
instructors who have contributed
so much to the teaching of our
people and to the well-being of
our district.
I encourage the members of
the college’s board of directors
to refuse to allow this to hap-
pen. It’s time to begin to look
for positive ways to promote
the growth of the college rather
than to oversee the demise of the
wonderful place Blue Mountain
Community College has been
for so long.
█
Clark Hilden, of Pendleton, is a
retired geography and anthropology
faculty member at Blue Mountain
Community College.
Thank you for sharing our daughter’s story
I would like to express my gratitude to Erick Peterson for his
skill in conveying what it is like to be a young woman on the autism
spectrum and live with seizure disorder. He accurately captured
the essence of our daughter, Jilli. The article was a celebration for
all individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities. It high-
lighted how our community reaches out and embraces this special
population. I also appreciate how this article shares how important
the role of Eastern Oregon Service Support Brokerage is in provid-
ing practical supports so that people who experience I/DD can con-
tribute to society and live full and enriched lives. We are so fortunate
to live in a community that values all people and have a newspaper
which is willing to tell these valuable stories.
Mark and Kristi Smalley
Hermiston
Everything is getting “Californicated”
I hate to think the committee of the Umatilla River Trails Proj-
ect would even think about fouling up the Umatilla River by putting
something like a trail from Umatilla to Echo. Wildlife is crowded
enough as is. There are plenty of places for walking. There will be
dogs, people with trash, dog crap, loiterers, bikes and motorcycles.
Hermiston wants to take farmland for houses. Look at Tri-Cities,
look at Stanfi eld, everything is getting “Californicated.” People use
to say Echo is a nice little town. Well, where is it going to be if they
keep crowding in? Will they take farmland here too? If they don’t like
where they came from, then fi x it. There is enough mess here from
time to time, and farmers have trouble getting where they need to go.
William Douglas
Echo
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN
U.S. SENATOR
JEFF MERKLEY
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-
1111
Switchboard: 202-456-
1414
whitehouse.gov/
contact/
313 Hart Senate Offi ce
Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton offi ce: 541-
278-1129
U.S. SENATOR
RON WYDEN
221 Dirksen Senate
Offi ce Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande offi ce: 541-
962-7691
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STATE REP. GREG
SMITH,
DISTRICT 57
900 Court St. NE,
H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Email: Rep.Greg-
Smith@state.or.us
U.S.
REPRESENTATIVE
CLIFF BENTZ
STATE SEN. BILL
HANSELL,
DISTRICT 29
1239 Longworth
House Offi ce Building
Washington, DC,
20515
202-225-6730
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Email: Sen.BillHansell@
state.or.us
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