HERALD
OPINION
and
reader’s
forum
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
A4
OUR VIEW
City’s new
town hall,
a positive
investment
T
he new Hermiston City Hall is projected to be
open to the public by October and that should be
good news to area residents.
What is even better news is the fact city leaders made the
decision — more than five years ago — to move ahead on
the project.
There is no doubt Hermiston is growing and it will con-
tinue to grow. That means there will be a need for newer
and better infrastructure — such as the new city hall — go-
ing forward.
Choosing to invest millions in new infrastructure is not
an easy decision and city leaders — past and present –
should be lauded for having the courage to do so.
Other than police and fire services, city spending should
always be reviewed by city voters. Yet they must always find
a balance between what is necessary and what is not. It is
their hard-earned tax dollars that often pay for new infra-
structure or infrastructure improvements.
However, the new city hall building was the right choice
at the right time and should be looked at as a long-term in-
vestment for taxpayers.
That investment will pay off in a number of different ways
down the road but chiefly the new building helps push the
city into the future. Growth is a good thing if managed well
and as the city continues to expand, new structures like city
hall are not only going to be nice but necessary.
Spending a lot of money on a city government infra-
structure project can seem to be daunting at first yet
without the courage and determination to find cost-ef-
fective ways to do upgrades — as city officials have done
— the size of the growth in the city would quickly out-
pace its infrastructure.
We’re confident the decision for the new city hall was
the right one and we believe such new facilities not only
enhance city government but help the city as a whole.
Hermiston has a bright future ahead and it is a future
that will include the need for more investment. That in-
vestment will pay off over time and ensure our city stays
on the cutting edge of technology and remains a vibrant
place open for business.
We look forward to the opening of city hall
and commend city leaders for their foresight and
courage on the project.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz
1239 Longworth
House Office Building
Washington, DC, 20515
202-225-6730
State Rep. Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Email: Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
State Sen. Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Email: Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
COLUMN
An encouraging thought
for the future of our region
ANDREW
CUTLER
FROM THE PUBLISHER
I
am always amazed by how the people
of our region respond when a natural
disaster strikes.
The most recent example — the work of
so many in Wallowa County after an epic
hailstorm delivered havoc — is just one of a
number of cases when people have jumped
in to offer assistance in the wake of a di-
saster.
Yet that kind of resiliency isn’t out of the
ordinary. When the Umatilla River flooded
in 2020, the area residents displayed the
same kind of vigor to help their neighbors.
We often spend a great deal of time fo-
cusing on what divides us as a nation, state
or region. From the 50,000-foot level it
Volume 115 • Number 35
Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@hermistonherald.com • 541-278-2673
Erick Peterson | Editor • epeterson@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4536
Angel Aguilar | Multi-Media consultant • aaguilar@hermiston herald.com 541-564-4531
Audra Workman | Office Manager • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4538
Tammy Malgesini | Community Editor • community@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4532
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gon are a hardy and resilient bunch. We are
used to challenge and familiar with over-
coming obstacles.
When I really ponder it, though, I see
that Americans in general are resilient. We
flock to help out when a hurricane or tor-
nado hits. We give up our time to lend a
hand to neighbors affected by fires, floods
and storms.
So just about the time I think we are so
polarized we can barely function, a natural
disaster strikes — such as the hailstorm in
Wallowa County — and people run to help.
They do it without payment and without
the goal of praise. They do it because it’s
right.
We have a diverse and beautiful region
and it is populated for the most part by
good people who are willing to help when
they are needed.
That’s not only refreshing to see but also
encouraging for the future.
two fires, which Idaho Power has agreed
to pay $1.5 million to settle allegations by
the U.S. relating to the May 2014 Power-
line and August 2015 Lime Hill Fires in
Baker County. Idaho Power denies it’s at
fault but paid the money anyway? Makes
me wonder why would one pay for some-
thing they say was not their fault?
The Powerline Fire burnt 5 acres of
federal land. The Lime Hill burnt 2,592
acres of federal land and 9,337 acres of
private land. These fires were attributed
to lines carrying 138kV. The new line
Idaho Power they want to build through
the Eastern Oregon counties will carry
a minimum of 500kV, with towers up to
180-feet-tall.
The people of Eastern Oregon don’t
need their lands burnt by this bad plan to
build. Call your so-called political leaders
and stop it before Oregon suffers more
unneeded exposure to big fires.
John Harvey
Stanfield
vation and disease that only seem to get
worse. As we see the needs of our own
community, it is difficult to find motiva-
tion to help internationally.
But these feelings are often based on
misinformation and sensational news ar-
ticles. According to Our World in Data,
a website that provides data about world
issues, global poverty and its effects, such
as malnutrition and child mortality, have
been reduced significantly in the past 50
years. The U.S. plays an important part in
these changes, despite spending less than
1% of the federal budget on foreign aid.
As countries require less aid and enter in-
ternational trade, the U.S. benefits.
Our jobs as citizens have become easier
as well. Minor donations and 30-second
calls to representatives can have remark-
able outcomes. The internet allows us ac-
cess to resources and organizations like
the Borgen Project, that provide informa-
tion and email forms.
I believe we should be emailing and
calling our representatives, like U.S. Reps.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Cliff Bentz,
advocating for the International Affairs
Budget. Our leaders do listen, and even
personally respond.
Emily Fry
Milton-Freewater
█
Andrew Cutler is the publisher of the Hermiston
Herald.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
B2H will make Eastern Oregon
vulnerable to fires
The Oregon Department of Energy Fa-
cility Siting Council will hold so-called
hearings on whether to recommend the
issuing of permits to build the Boardman
to Hemingway 500 kilovolt power line.
In my opinion this is just another waste
of taxpayer money as the hearings I have
attended I left with the opinion that the
results were predetermined by big money
versus the landowners. Oregon power
brokers have made numerous exceptions
to the law to accommodate Idaho Power,
one being the taking of private property.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission
appointed a commission to study the fire
prevention plan presented by Idaho Power,
and it was the findings of the commission
that Idaho Power’s plan “does not meet the
requirements required by the state of Or-
egon.” As is normal the big money Idaho
Power won as the OPUC rejected the
findings of their own commission and ap-
proved Idaho Powers plan.
The U.S. Department of Justice on
Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, released the
findings of an investigation by the Bu-
reau of Land Management. It was found a
power line owned by Idaho Power caused
HERMISTON
HERALD
might appear as if we are so bitterly divided
that helping each other out in a time of cri-
sis would be a nonstarter.
True, there is a lot that divides us politi-
cally. Just a cursory glance at the TV news
every night — no matter what network
you view — shows that firm battle lines are
drawn over a host of issues. And there is a
whole lot of shouting going on.
I still, though, believe in the basic good
nature of the people who live in our great
nation. I agree it is difficult to see through
the smoke of our current political discourse
to be able to realize we have far more in
common than not.
We seem to be eager to stand on the
other side of a particular political fence and
do a lot of yelling, but when a serious crisis
appears, we jump to help. We step up and
converge on places of crisis and do all we
can to help others.
Often, I am inclined to believe that kind
of performance is simply unique to our part
of the state. Those who live in Eastern Ore-
Poverty reduction is easier
than you think
Reducing global poverty seems like an
impossible task. Every day we read arti-
cles about those affected by conflict, star-
Corrections
Printed on
recycled
newsprint
It is the policy of the Hermiston Herald to correct
errors as soon as they are discovered. Incorrect
information will be corrected on Page A2. Errors
committed on the Opinion page will be corrected on
that page. Corrections also are noted in the online
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issues about this policy or to report errors.
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the Hermiston Herald readers to express themselves
on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is
good, but longer letters should be kept to 250 words.
No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the
person. The Hermiston Herald reserves the right
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must be original and signed by the writer or writers.
Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should
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for questions. Only the letter writer’s name and city of
residence will be published.
OBITUARY POLICY
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notices and information about services are published
at no charge. Obituaries can include small photos and,
for veterans, a flag symbol at no charge. Obituaries and
notices may be submitted online at hermistonherald.
com/obituaryform, by email to obits@ hermistonherald.
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information, call 541-966-0818 or 800-522-0255, x2211.