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Sending the right leaders to Salem is critical for us in Eastern Oregon. We have to elect representatives who are ready to do the job from Day 1 as effective advocates for our values and our communities. We have the opportunity in May to elect Dave Drotzmann to the State Senate, and I’m confident he’s prepared for the task. I’ve seen Dave in action for many years now, putting his principles of local control, conservative values, and compassionate leadership to work to benefit all of us. As the League of Oregon Cities (LOC)...
People I want to thank 1) Steve Allen for putting our letters in the paper 2) The voters of Gilliam County for their thoughtful listening 3) The 100’s of people who signed our Recall petitions in record time 4) The people who said they would vote Yes but couldn't put their names on a petition 5) Especially the big group of people who supported our efforts both financially and through their hours of dedicated work 6) The many citizens who wrote letters and testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee 7) ALL the past and p...
To the Editor: Earlier this month, I reached out to staff at Governor Tina Kotek’s office with questions on the vacancy appointment process. On April 10th, I received a phone call from Richard Lane, the General Counsel, and he explained the process. It consists of a 21 day advertisement period, followed by review of the applicants that applied, scheduling and conducting of interviews and finally an Oregon State Police criminal history background check on the successful candidate. Once all of that is completed, the committee’s...
To The Editor, A Times-Journal 4-4-24 letter indicated the audits on file in the Gilliam County Clerk’s office had “no adverse findings.” This tells me that Gilliam County needs to find another auditor. The entire point of an audit is to identify weaknesses in an organization’s financial management system. An audit should always contain suggestions for strengthening the system of check and balances to help an agency manage financial risk. Otherwise, what is the point of paying an auditor to give you a perfect score, if they...
This court is threatening to shut down this County due to their inability to prepare a budget, for which there is plenty of time and assistance to finalize. Let's look at what they have done. At the Mar 6 meeting, they approved $1.12 Million for the Port of Arlington, $568,000 for Pioneer CDC for a duplex, and zero to Honker's Nest Child Care in Arlington, an issue Liz claims to hold near and dear to her heart. At the April 10 court meeting, they approved $1.1 million for Kelley Nonprofit Consulting, $1.225 million to...
To the Editor: Gloom and Doom. The sky is falling. You must vote no on the recall. So, what is the County Courts’ “positive message” for keeping them in Power. Let’s see: They will lay off all Gilliam County employees; They will “shutter” (catchy word) public transportation systems, the senior meal sites, the public library; There will be no law enforcement to respond to your calls (is that even legal?); No roads paved or weeds sprayed; No summer work experience program for our youth. What other “positive” actions do they hav...
To The Editor: No to Recalls. We are voting no on the recall election for Judge Elizabeth Farrar and Commissioner Pat Shannon. The recall seems to be creating an unhealthy divide in our county. As a small county, we need to work together to prosper. Recalling our elected officials could cause county business to grind to a halt. Some have said those saying this are using it as a scare tactic. Assuming not all projects come to an end if the judge and commissioner are recalled, there are decisions to be made and a new budget to...
To the Editor: It has been an interesting journey over the past several weeks in reading the plethora of letters to the editor printed in the Times Journal. Readers should know that the Times Journal is among a shrinking number of Oregon newspapers that still provide space for public comment via letters to the editor. Letters to the editor tend to (usually) be more factual and reach a more relevant audience than posts on social media. T-J readers, appreciate what you have. — Chris Childs, Silverton, OR... Full story
To The Editor: I support Dave Drotzmann for Oregon Senate District 29. I first met Dave when we served together on the Hermiston School District Board of Directors, more than 20 years ago. Since then I have seen his commitment to our Eastern Oregon values through his leadership as Mayor of Hermiston, his involvement, commitment and leadership within the League of Oregon Cities and in many other capacities like supporting high school sports, raising funds for the local football/track stadium or helping to raise funding to buil...
To the Editor & Gilliam County voters, I plan to vote “No” on the recalls for the following reasons: 1) Recalls divide and damage the communities where they happen. The focus on common goals and cooperation that is necessary to the success of rural areas is clearly affected by the partisan, angry disagreements that always accompany recalls. There is already evidence that working and even family relationships are being strained by the divisions this latest recall effort has created. We cannot afford to sacrifice the gre...
Letter to the Editor: Well, another recall election is upon us, and I am again left to wonder if many voters are aware of or even care as to why they are being asked to vote to remove an elected official from office. Many I am aware of could not tell you why the original petitioners feel the need for a recall or why those reasons may or may not be important and warrant that extreme action. Instead of asking the hard questions, voters often insert their own justifications which could range from past grievances, feelings about...
To the Editor: A couple of weeks ago, I received an anonymous letter, as did other postal patrons. 1. If a letter is worth paying the postage for, it is worth signing. If you don’t wish to sign, then don’t send. 2. Refrain from capitalizing all of the letters in a sentence. We are not discussing the end of time as we know it. This is a worn and overused tactic. 3. Past County Judge discussion: with respect for all, one has been retired coming on eighteen years, one coming on twelve years, and one ran for reelection, and los...
To the Editor and Gilliam County Voters, As I wrote last week, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together over the last five years; investing more than $1 million to support small businesses, jumpstarting housing development, creating a permanent endowment to provide childcare access for all families, laying the groundwork to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to every home in Gilliam County, and so much more. The choice before you is to continue this progress or to plunge Gilliam County into crisis. Oregon La...
Letter to the Editor: It is my honor and pleasure to highly recommend Honorable Cris Patnode for the position of County Judge in Oregon. I have known Judge Patnode for many years, through our membership in the National Judge’s Association. She worked her way through the various offices of NJA, from Secretary to President, and her service and professionalism was second to none. She has been an inspiration to me, as she understands the balance of being on the bench, between the human element and the legal element. As past P...
To the Editor: With the May primary election fast approaching, we as voters have the opportunity to elect a leader who will bring fiscal responsibility and business-friendly policies to Oregon politics. That is why I am supporting Dave Drotzmann for state senator. Everyday expenses like groceries, medication, and housing are concerns for all Oregonians. We need leaders in Salem who will hold our government accountable for every dollar that is received and spent. During his time as Hermiston mayor, Dave has overseen...
Letter to the Editor: With the May primary election fast approaching, we as voters have the opportunity to elect new leaders who will bring fiscal responsibility to Oregon politics. That is why I am supporting Dave Drotzmann for state senator. As a small business owner, Dave understands the struggle of Oregonians working to afford everyday expenses like groceries, medication, and housing in the face of record inflation. We need leaders in Salem who will hold our government accountable for every dollar it spends, without...
Letter to the Editor: I support Dave Drotzmann for Senate District 29. His dedication and commitment to addressing critical issues make him the clear choice. Dave, as a small business owner, comprehends the challenges our local businesses face and is dedicated to providing necessary support for their success. His plans will foster economic growth and job creation in our district. Dave is invested in addressing our community's housing crisis, recognizing the need for affordable housing options to ensure safe and stable housing...
To the Editor, I am writing in response to the letter to Gilliam County from Rachel Boyer in last week’s Times Journal. Gilliam County is audited yearly. These audits are kept in the Gilliam County Clerk's Office for public view. You will find no adverse findings. As an elected official, I welcome the investigation of “several” agencies. Rachel, I wish you the best in your future endeavors. —Ellen Wagenaar, Condon...
To the Editor, Gilliam County voters timing is everything. I have been studying budget law and the recall ballots will be mailed out this next week which does not give time for the county to adopt a budget and approve tax appropriations due to budget law timelines. That being said, I am not willing to put all my eggs in one basket. If two county court members are recalled there will not be a quorum to continue county business. The Governor of Oregon will appoint an interim county judge, that person will have to accept the... Full story
Dear Editor, It is disheartening to witness a recurring trend in our political landscape: individuals seeking elected positions with no intention of fulfilling their terms. This unethical practice not only undermines the trust of the electorate but also deprives voters of their rightful voice in governance. Whether it's judges, sheriffs, county commissioners, or other officials, the decision to run for office knowing that one will not complete their term is a betrayal of public trust. Elected positions are not stepping...
Letter to the Editor: I have been reading and listening to the comments made by the Elected County Court members and other folks about a total County shutdown if the recall is successful in removing some of the officials. Basically, the lights will have to be turned off and everyone will need to go home due to not having an operational budget in place! This is totally avoidable, I call on the Elected County Officials to step up and do the job duties of your station and move forward with implementing an emergency budget or...
Judge Elizabeth Farrar Campbell presented a million dollar (actually $1,143,600) contract for Court approval on February 7th. It was NOT approved. But if it had been, more than a million dollars would have gone to a Portland firm in exchange for 9,500 hours spent consulting 10 county organizations over the next three years. When asked, Judge Campbell was either unwilling or unable to identify the targeted organizations. Seems like a lot of money for an extraordinary number of hours. More disturbing is the fact Campbell’s p...
When you can't defend your policy or actions the only thing left is fear mongering and scare tactics. The common theme of the County Commissioner's and the Judge. We can't get a budget done or passed if we get recalled. The lights will all go out in our county, no one will get paid, the seniors will suffer, and you will not have law enforcement. This is simply not true. We have consulted several Budget professionals with a combined budget writing and adopting experience of over 50 years, 5 times the level of our County Court...
To the Editor and Gilliam County Voters, “Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving." – William Shakespeare (Othello) In last week’s edition, a letter to the editor drew comparisons between my time serving as Gilliam County Judge with the Elizabethan Era. While Mr. Ball intended this as a scathing indictment, I see it as a Comedy of Errors. Don’t get me wrong; there are many comparisons to draw between my tenure at Gilliam County and the Elizabethan Era. For instanc...
To the Editor, My name is Jim Hassing and I am running for Gilliam County Judge. I have lived in Gilliam County most of my life. Spent three years in U.S. Army, six-time Exalted Ruler of the Condon Elks Lodge. I am going on ten years as Mayor of Condon. Right now with the way the county tax percentage distribution schedule is setup, there is a large difference between the North and South. Which is the Health, School, and Fire District. I feel the county can make up the difference so they are both equal between the north and...
