Future of Fair Board discussed

During its regular meeting on Jan. 4, the Harney County Court appointed Patty Dorroh to fill Harney County Commissioner, Position No. 2.

Dorroh will fill the vacancy left by Pete Runnels and serve the remainder of his term. Runnels resigned from his position as commissioner, effective Jan. 1, in order to begin serving as Harney County Judge.

Harney County Clerk Derrin (Dag) Robinson administered the oath of office to Dorroh.

She is the first female county commissioner for Harney County.

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Interim Fair Manager Rick Paul, Jerry Staley and Karen Moon attended the meeting to discuss the Harney County Fair Board.

Terms for the board positions held by Moon, Zelley, and Dawn Crafts expired Dec. 31, 2016. Staley’s term on the board expired without his knowledge, and he continued to serve without being reappointed.

Runnels reported that fair board vacancies were advertised in the Burns Times-Herald. Five letters of interest were submitted, and three of them were from individuals who had been serving on the board.

There was also a lengthy discussion regarding the possibility of approaching the fair board differently.

A work session will be held Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 5 p.m. at the Harney County Fairgrounds to discuss fair board appointments and possible changes.

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Harney County Economic Development (HCED) Director Randy Fulton attended the meeting to provide an update and overview of activities for 2016.

Fulton reported that:

• HCED provided business assistance in the form of payroll management, marketing, and business planning to established businesses in Harney County;

• HCED has continued to build its relationship with the Silvies Valley Retreat & Links, and, after six years of planning and construction, the retreat is scheduled to open in July 2017.

“The retreat has created many construction opportunities for Harney and Grant county businesses, and it appears that they will need 50-70 workers before the opening in July 2017,” Fulton reported. “Seventy plus jobs will obviously have a huge impact on our available workforce, and the [Silvies Valley Ranch] and HCED believe it may provide opportunities for a few of our young families to return home to work and raise their family;”

• the recent sale of the Burns Times-Herald enabled two young families to return to the area;

• Miwave is currently in the launching stage.

The new company will provide homes and businesses with an option for high-speed Internet service.

Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens asked about the capacity of the Internet service.

Fulton replied that Miwave will have the capacity to serve everyone in Burns and Hines. Depending on businesses, the company may be able to expand to serve the majority of Harney County;

• Pacific Natural Foods has shown strong interest in establishing a processing plant in Harney County.

Fulton said he will invite a representative from the company to meet the new county court;

• Wisewood completed a project that was initiated four years ago, and it will have a significant impact on a few existing businesses;

• HCED’s relationship with the Burns Paiute Tribe has grown;

• he continues to represent Harney County on the Southeast Area Commission on Transportation Committee, Oregon Workforce Board, and as a member of the Eastern Oregon Council for the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF).

He added that OCF recently awarded grants to Harney County Senior and Community Services Center, Rimrock Recycling, and the Burns Paiute Tribe, and the foundation is seeking additional grant proposals from nonprofit organizations in Harney County;

• HCED and Umpqua Bank arranged and hosted a Small Business Forum that emphasized business succession planning;

• solar energy companies are expressing interest in Harney County;

• The Harney County Community Response Team meets the first Wednesday of every month (except September) from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Harney County Community Center.

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Fulton and Staley discussed Harney Forest Products Co-Op Work Group.

The cooperative is being formed to apply for a $2-3 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to purchase equipment needed to develop a small fixed sawmill.

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Ron Copeland attended the meeting to discuss the American Legion Veterans Assistance Fund financial report for calendar year 2016.

The fund balance for the end of the calendar year is $18,189.12.

Copeland reviewed the history of the fund and explained that it was used to provide financial assistance to five veterans in 2016.

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In other business, the court:

• appointed Tony Sanchez to fill the vacancy on the Harney County Planning Commission left by Owens.

Sanchez will serve the remainder of Owens’ term, which ends June 30, 2019.

Owens resigned from his position on the Planning Commission, effective Dec. 7, 2016, in order to begin serving as a Harney County Commissioner;

• was addressed by Runnels regarding changes to the county court meeting schedule.

The court will continue to hold its regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. at the Harney County Courthouse. However, work sessions will be held prior to the meetings (from 9:15-10 a.m.) to review vouchers, sign checks, and attend to other business.

Beginning immediately, additional meetings will be held in town the second Wednesday of every month from 5-7 p.m. (location to be announced). Starting in March, meetings will also be held in rural Harney County the fourth Wednesday of every month from 5-7 p.m. (location to be announced). The evening meetings will be for public input and information. County administrative business will not be addressed during these sessions;

• set a deadline for items to be placed on the regular meeting agenda.

Agenda items must be submitted by the Wednesday before the meeting. Agendas will be distributed the Friday before the meeting;

• appointed Runnels Harney County Public Health Administrator;

• appointed Runnels County Budget Officer for the year 2017;

• approved Resolution 2017-01 in the matter of appointing Dr. Kevin Johnston a district medical examiner for Harney County;

• appointed Judge Kathy Stinnett as Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore for Harney County Justice Court for the 2017 calendar year;

• designated the Burns Times-Herald the official newspaper for publication of county matters for Harney County for the year 2017;

• reviewed water use requests;

• received correspondence from the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management regarding the district-wide integrated noxious weed management program;

• received a copy of the Strategic Reserve Fund Loan Agreement from the state of Oregon for the Juntura Cutoff Road construction project;

• received correspondence from the Prairie City Ranger District of the Malheur National Forest regarding the 30-day review and comment period for the Summit Creek Landscape Restoration Project Preliminary Environmental Assessment.

The next regular meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.