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January 3, 2008 Opinions |
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Editorial
Baker City’s Feral Cats-Lots Of Complainers, Not Many Reasonable SolutionsThere have been quite a few complaints and comments from Baker citizens over the past several weeks about the feral cat capture/spay-neuter/ release program. Much of the sentiment centers on the expense associated with the project and on questions about the effectiveness of the trap/treat/ release method.
Thinking this would be good subject matter and fodder for the “For The Record” section, I hit the street making no mention of the trap/treat/release project, but rather just asking citizens how they would handle the feral cat problem in the city. After talking to four citizens and getting the same response, I stopped asking the question. There was a definite trend that developed with all four answers being nearly identical. Everyone I spoke with favored the ‘trap and kill’ or just the ‘kill’ method of controlling the feral cat population. The respondents mentioned nothing, but the price of bullets as the cost of controlling the feral cat population.
First of all, nobody is ever going to be allowed to ‘cowboy up’ and go around the city streets shooting cats and you’ll likely face problems with a trap and shoot method as well. There are rules that govern the disposal of dogs’ and cats’ lives. Baker City’s feral cats would most likely reach their ‘humane’ end in the implosion chamber at La Grande’s Blue Mt. Humane Association, should Baker City ever adopt a trap and kill procedure.
Which brings up another point, because Baker City has no animal shelter, using a trap and kill policy would place our burden on the facility in Union County.
One skeptic questions the number of kittens that would be born from about 90 female cats. The opinion questions the number 300 kittens being born to the 90 females. The skeptic extrapolates the number of offspring from the original 90 females and their offspring and quickly realizes an astronomical number of feral cats. A prior report in The Record-Courier may have been somewhat misleading by stating that the effectiveness of the trap/spay-neuter/release project could be assessed through “a little simple math.” Assessing the effectiveness of the project takes more than a little simple math.
It is possible that those 90 females could produce 300 kittens next spring and that is where the simple math stops. The feral cat population after that is not a direct exponential relationship because most of the kittens born feral, will not live past the first couple weeks. The real point to the trap/treat/release project is to spare most of the 300 from starvation, being eaten alive, being run over, or being gunned down by one of the ‘good Samaritans’ I spoke to today. (BA)
Letters
Citizens Rights DeprivedTo The Record-Courier:There are number of issues, within the issues, facing Baker County on the road and area closures within the Wallowa Whitman National Forest (WWNF). This will result in reducing more of our economic base, and reduce recreation, hunting, as well as mushroom and berry picking. It will also increase citations to those found on roads that have not been designated for public access on a map.
The WWNF is claiming to implement a new travel management plan for the forest. However this will bypass the current Forest Management Plan, which encourages motorized access unless there is resource damage. The WWNF claim that to amend the current travel management plan is “insignificant.” The problem with this claim is that the current Forest Plan states, “the transportation system, with 9,300 miles of roads (7,000 open roads) will be satisfactory for serving most future management scenarios.” Steve Ellis, Supervisor WWNF, has revealed 4,000 plus roads to close, including all areas, unless it is designated open.
This is a completely opposite direction in travel management, than the current travel management plan allows. The WWNF is proposing to close approximately 60 percent of the open roads and are now considering all areas as closed unless designated open instead of open unless designated close policy. I would not say that this was “insignificant.”
I’ll state it again, under the current Forest Pan, all areas are open unless designated closed by gate or sign. Under the new proposed travel management plan, all areas are closed to motorized travel unless designated open and they are proposing to close 60 percent of the noted 7,000 miles of roads now open. Although the public has not seen the (supposed publicly involved) decisions to close the 4,000 plus miles of roads, as claimed by the Forest personnel, this is baseline information. How can anyone call this reversal of direction in the current travel plan “insignificant”?
The next part of the problem is that the travel management plan must follow the direction of the current Forest Plan; it cannot follow the opposite direction of the Forest Plan. This is a requirement, not only in the Forest Plan, but also the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). The new proposed travel management must tier to the current Forest Plan, or the Forest Plan must be amended first, since it is the controlling plan that gives direction to any sub-plans.
The current Forest Management Plan was adopted by coordination with Baker County. It was designed to allow for efficient public access, as well as, environmental protection. Yet, the Forest Service is amending the sub travel management plan, which is far from the direction of the current Forest Plan; even though it is without the public's approval in Baker County.
There is another problem I must bring up. In the Oct. 4, 2007, edition of The Record Courier, Steve Ellis, WWNF Supervisor published that he wanted to, “correct...confusion from letters in the paper.” I want to correct the WWNF misunderstanding that it has “managerial authority” over RS 2477 roads. The right-of-way grant is a property right, therefore, it enjoys the same constitutional and legal protections as any other property. Legally, when the grant was made, the federal government’s interest in the land underlying the right-of-way became the “subservient estate.” The interest of the right of way Grantee (Baker County in our case) became the “dominant estate.” That means that while the federal government is protected against unnecessary or undue damage to the land underlying the right-of-way, it cannot interfere with the grantee’s exercise of its rights. Baker County as the grantee can assert an RS 2477 validity at any time.
Congress specifically bypassed the Executive Branch of the Federal Government in making RS 2477 grants. The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to manage and dispose of public lands and property, (Article IV, section 3: “The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulation respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States,”). In 1976, when Congress reaffirmed the RS 2477 right-of-way granting process, established 110 years earlier, it had the total power to do so. The federal land management agencies have no independent power or authority over RS 2477 roads.
I find it unbecoming of the Forest Service spokesman (October 4, 2007) to state that, “if the County asserted authority over an RS 2477 road that the Forest Service had made the decision to close, the issue would ultimately be decided in Federal court.” In other words, the WWNF would challenge the County’s authority if it went against the WWNF decision to close any RS 2477 roads.
What does this show about the WWNF? They are proposing a travel management plan that is in the opposite direction of the current Forest Management Plan and they are threatening the County, should it assert its legal right to any RS 2477 roads that the Forest Service closes. Perhaps the people should think about filing a civil rights lawsuit against named Forest Service officials, because with these two showings, there may be others, maybe there is a conspiracy to deprive citizens of their statutory rights, maybe WWNF involvement could be proved, it’s only a thought.Guy MichaelDurkee, Ore.Part Of The SolutionTo The Record-Courier:Solving a complex problem is like doing a puzzle. It has many pieces, each piece contributing to the bigger, more complete picture or goal. For some, the answer to something they don’t like is to kill it – be it wolves, coyotes, people in other cultures or countries or feral cats. However, successfully solving complex, often difficult problems requires a willingness to step beyond the status quo, beyond the boundaries that we have grown comfortable with. It involves treating others – human and wild — with respect. Trap-Neuter-Return was never presented as THE SOLUTION to the feral cat problem. Rather it is a piece of the solution, of the puzzle.
When the City Council agreed to contribute $5,000 to the TNR project if the community matched that amount in two months, the decision became the community’s as to whether the TNR approach was worth taxpayer dollars. The community chose. Did everyone agree with the choice? No, but do we ever? Yet rarely are we given such a direct opportunity to decide how City money is spent.
The TNR project helped address a problem in a humane and respectful way. We were able to help everyone who requested our assistance – thanks in part to a 2007 Leo Adler Grant. However, unfixed feral/abandoned and domestic cats remain. If there is anger at the cat situation, then let us focus that energy respectfully and encourage people to spay/ neuter their animals, to care for them and not abandoned them when it becomes inconvenient.
187 cats were trapped. The estimated 300 kittens prevented come spring is a low estimate. It does not consider the number prevented by neutering 76 male cats. While some kittens will not survive the season, Mr. Darby’s calculations show how quickly numbers can grow under the right conditions.
Mollie Atwater and Friends continues to work at building a community-supported spay/neuter fund that can help with surgery costs and allow more people to choose that step. Here is yet another piece of the solution, of the puzzle, yet another opportunity to help solve the complex problem of too many unwanted, uncared for animals.Suzanne FoutyTNR Project LeaderMollie Atwater and FriendsSupport Bentz For State RepresentativeTo The Record-Courier:I am writing today to strongly support the appointment and the election of Cliff Bentz for Oregon State House District 60. I have known Cliff Bentz for many years. I can attest to his professional integrity, his hard-work ethic, and his ability to get the job done in an exceptional manner.
Cliff knows the issues facing Eastern Oregon. Cliff has extensive personal and professional experience in agriculture and real property law. He served as Chairperson for Oregon Water Resources Commission. He is serving on the 8-C School Board, the Oregon Historical Society Board, and the Eastern Oregon University Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a past board member of Project Dove - a board dedicated to eliminating domestic violence.
Cliff was raised in a ranching family in Drewsey. He got his college degree at Eastern Oregon State College, and then his law degree from Lewis and Clark Northwestern School of Law.
Cliff chose to come back to Eastern Oregon to practice law. He and his wife, Lindsay, chose to stay here and raise their two children. They continue to be part of and to give back to the community each and every day.
We can count on Cliff to get the job done. The challenges Eastern Oregon faces are tough. I believe we need someone like Cliff. He will listen to our concerns, and then go to work on our behalf. His background and experience make him, by far, the best choice to represent all of us in Salem.
The Honorable Tom Butler has announced his resignation from the office, effective Jan. 4, 2008. This leaves the counties of District 60 - Baker, Grant, Harney, and Malheur - without representation for the upcoming legislative session in February, and the 2008 calendar year.
Over the next several weeks, Republican committee representatives, and then County Commissioners, will participate in the process to appoint Mr. Butler’s replacement.
The voters will make the final determination in May and in November.
I am giving my full support to Cliff Bentz for Oregon State Representative, District 60. I hope you will too, by contacting the County Commissioners and voicing your support for Cliff’s appointment, and by voting for Cliff in the May and November elections. Thank you. Randy C. Guyer, JrBake City
Time For New Year’s ResolutionsTo The Record-Courier:Well now that the year 2008 is in the makings, it makes me wonder what kind of resolutions were made. I’m sure there were many different kinds of them made and most, but not all, will be kept.
I do know that some will say 2008 will be a time for new beginnings in a lot of ways. I do wonder in the prophetic sense of the word what our world and the everyday issues we face will produce?
My compliments to a job well done to the Oregon Trail Restaurant owners/employees, who did a bang up job handling the County’s Christmas Dinner. We see those wonderful waitresses around here and there and like one of them said 24-7 days a week, never a break. With all they have to contend with, they do a great job.
It seems to me a good New Year’s Resolution would be, “to be kind to these wonderful waitresses.” Coffee anyone?Brenda DickisonBaker City |
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