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Opinions Decembr 11, 2008 |
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—Editorial—
Keep The MVMH Fires Burning
Harry S. Truman once said, “If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” But it appears County Commissioners decided to stay in the kitchen, and just put out the fire when they voted to remove Gary Dielman and Ed Moses from the Mental Health and Developmental Disability Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee advises Commissioners regarding services offered to the community by the County’s provider, Mountain Valley Mental Health (MVMH).
Unfortunately, without the proper fire, we’re concerned that the county’s mental health program will get placed on a back burner, again. After all, it was due to Dielman’s insistence that the Advisory Committee, which is required by State statue, was even formed.
County Commission Chair Fred Warner Jr. was quoted as saying to Dielman, “If removing you helps the process, everyone wins. I’m not saying Gary hasn’t done a valuable service, but it’s time to move on.”
We would hope that by moving on he means moving forward. In that case, we agree. But we don’t understand how booting out two people who voluntarily put in the time and research needed to help make sure our county’s mental health program was the best it could be would help this process.
MVMH has come a long way, largely due to Dielman and Moses’ so called criticisms. If it hadn’t been for their persistence, MVMH may have continued to operate in a manner inconsistent with state regulations (16 violations to be exact) and there may have never been an opportunity for public input on the services offered. Of course we don’t know for certain this would be the case, but we don’t recall anyone else stepping up to the plate to hold MVMH and the county accountable for this program.
Credit goes to the MVMH Board and staff for quickly rectifying the violations and they have since received glowing reports from the Oregon Department of Human Services, and from Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Inc. But again, we doubt that any of this would have come to light had Moses and Dielman not sought to find out the cause of the organization’s internal strife and why MVMH was losing some good counselors.
To the Commissioners’ credit, we can see how they could think Moses may have a conflict of interest that could prevent him from being on the committee since his wife had sued MVMH for wrongful termination. But we fail to see how this conflict would be a detriment to MVMH, on the contrary, we think this would be an added incentive to see the organization move forward and work to avoid this scenario with other MVMH employees.
It’s true Moses and Dielman have been relentless in their efforts to make MVMH accountable. But constructive criticism is good and necessary in any city and county government. Those who place themselves in public roles of leadership open themselves up to criticism, and the best leaders are those who can accept criticism, in fact encourage criticism, and use it to evaluate and make necessary changes. That’s all part of being a fair and democratic society.
People who voluntarily serve the community with the passion and commitment demonstrated by Dielman and Moses are far and few between and their dismissal should not be taken lightly.
Commissioners have appointed 11 people to the committee. We hope they will not only stay in the kitchen, but will turn up the heat like Moses and Dielman did, and continue to help MVMH be a viable and valuable resource to the community.
—Letters To The Editor—
Trojan Horse of Measure 49
To The Record-Courier:
In the recent meeting on the zoning and land planning issue the question of what or why the delay of the comprehensive plans by the county planning commission wasn’t brought forth by a respondent.
The reason why is because it’s the “Trojan Horse” of Measure 49, in that it is far reaching by Gov. Kulongoski, his staff, members of the house and Senate, Floyd Prozanski, Rep. Brian Clem and Rep. Greg Macpherson to name a few, to merge state and federal public lands (land uses) into a unitary state government. The DEQ environmental head quarters in the central control via the Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) incorporated into the local government comprehensive plans. This is a complex merging of all state and federal lands under the authority of the Oregon state’s DEQ headquarters and consistent with local government comprehensive plans.
Measure 49 law requires state agencies that impact land use be consistent for all the DEQ permits and certain approval plans or certain approvals (Forest Service) that effect land uses. The USFS agent, Mr. Mike Hall, will be the coordinator to Mr. Carl Nadler of the DEQ headquarters (conspiracy?) and Mr. Duane Smith (DEQ) is the enforcement agent. I’ve already been there as to facts.
This merging includes patented and unpatented mining claims as to the R.C.’s comment by Laurence Chapman in many errors to patent claims.
The Record-Courier’s staff member Suzanne Ellis Jones was very pragmatic in the review of the planning/zoning discussions by committee members and public. At least we still have the freedom of the press. It’s just a matter of time that when the Second amendment, to keep and bear arms is abolished, the first amendment will fall as automatic, when all the “autocrats” take over. Autocrats are the administrative agents.
In reading the text of Measure 49, that all the power, in its language, gives most the power to all the administrative/executive branch (autocracy), but no where in language is the mention of the Bill of Rights and the articles of constitutional law.
In the text of Measure 49, definitions, section 2, (6) (1)(c) gives the impression that even despots, like Hitler, would approve all power (central) in hands of one branch, (administrative) and no mention of a constitutional checks and balances to the definitions (6) of federal law.
In (9) of the text of Measure 49 is ground waters by the autocrats of the agents of Water Resources Commission Dept. before the effective date of this 2007 act. This violates the attainder and expost factor laws of article 1, section 9 and 10 to both federal agents and state agents that “no bills of attainder or expost factor law shall be passed.” Ground waters, waters of the state, surface waters, navigable waters are all in the hands of the autocrats, i.e. DEQ’s “Eco” permitting processes as the “lead,” autocracy (beast).
In the “Eco” movement via environmental and pollution control (the beast) the axiom is, he who controls the water you drink, the air you breathe, and the lands you walk on, and people’s purse strings is absolute despotic in nature. We are now on this slippery slope to hell. The village committee has oversight of administrative peers, via the village (front) navigator planning directors will be the proxy to the state’s autocracy and eco permits distribution of politically correct recipients and dissenters will get the shaft, arbitrary.
Guy Michaels, whom I respect, better keep his powder dry as this includes the federal mining claims as well as the patented ones. The axiom of the socialist is that gold is the enemy of the socialist, as to the Stalinism of the purge of gold in 1918 Leninist take-over of Russia Revolt or Russia’s reign of terror of the Bolskeviks., i.e. the Russian Socialist Democratic Party or better known as the Communist Party of Russia.
In Hitler’s purge was “Will of the People” and might makes right (measure 49) of mobocracy. The Nazi gestapo then is synonymous to our Eco gestapo, the DEQ’s headquarters.
What’s perplexing, is the conflicts of the 13th amendment in voluntary servitude and 14th amendment of U.S. constitutional law, section 1, no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States, nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, with out due process of law; nor deny to any person with in its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Article IV is synonymous to 14th amendment as section 2, of Art. IV states: “The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states.” The measure 49 that does just the opposite of U.S. Constitution law, in which the Article IV, supremacy clause, that the U.S. Constitution and laws pursuance thereof, will be the supreme law of the land and enforcement by judges in every state shall be bound there by, anything in the state’s constitution or laws to the contrary not with standing.
Also the state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers are bound by oath or affirmation, to support this constitution under Measure 49, this act, attainder and expost facto law, will be dispensed with, as Oregon is the only state with the draconian Eco permitting process of Measure 49. It over shadows California Measure 8, debacle to gay rights that needs U.S. Supreme Court over right, but not Oregon’s Measure 49 hypocracy of the liberals movements. Liberals double standards?
Bruce Parke - Sumpter, Ore.
Clean Record In Question?
To The Record-Courier:
Well wouldn't you know it, Obama's birth record is now being questioned? It is all on the Internet, if one would sit back and recognize the issue of him not saluting the flag, it does make one wonder why he can't even come clean with his records, when others are willing to. I can give credit to the Clinton's to unveiling all there is to come clean with. Why can't he do the same and quit beating around the bush?
Now it makes you wonder if we are going to see an increase on illegal immigrants making their way here. Will they all get caught? I doubt it! Let alone nuclear threats, etc. hanging over our heads.
I guess this will be a watch and wait and see game.
I know when my husband and I got married I told him everything to have an open and honest marriage and he is so good on everything and positive that things are going pretty steady even with 17 years of marriage. We may have had some moments at times, but we are in a lot better shape than some. Not rich by any means, and don't intend to be, but just making the best of what we have and who we are to those around us.
One has to have all the information even when applying for a second round of driver's licenses. If you lose the first one it is quite detailed even where birth records are concerned to get another one.
It will be interesting to see what kind of problems come forth on the day Obama is sworn in to office and how he can hang in the balance with his kind of background and not allowing the records to be viewed in order to stop all the critical misnomers coming out.
So, let’s see how all this plays out in the next few months, with taxes and all, you name it! My oh my!
Brenda Dickison - Baker City
About Mental Health Services
To The Record-Courier:
I have been "booted" from the Mental Health and Developmental Disability Advisory Committee. Here my "crimes."
Crime #1 Being a "critic." If one remembers back, it was "critics" that made enough noise to cause the State of Oregon Department of Human Services to conduct an extensive review of Mountain Valley Mental Health, the first in several years. The agency was found to be "not in substantial compliance" with 16 violations. The committee has been justifiably skeptical of the blanket assurances that everything is just fine. As an advisory committee we have continued to request information and to express our opinion about not receiving relevant or complete data
Crime #2 I am married to one of the two people who has brought a law suit against MVMH. The fact that the law suit concerns events that happened years ago and do not figure into present or future operations of the mental health agency did not appear to figure into the commissioner’s decision. With the implied allegation of conflict of interest as a part of my being "booted," I recommend that Commissioners Stiff and Warner recuse themselves from further decisions regarding MVMH. They both have ongoing connections with Mountain Valley, either through family relationship or prior MVMH board membership which is equal to or greater than my "conflict." Eliminating conflict of interest should include eliminating all conflicts of interest, even at the top.
Had I been "nice" and not a "critic" my marriage would be of no concern to that agency or the county commissioners and I would still be on the committee. Being nice might have kept me on the committee, but isn't disagreement a part of the democratic process? I am proud of the part I have played on the MHDDAC, and of the way that we have worked democratically to bring transparency and good governance to the mental health services..
I will continue to attend the monthly public advisory meetings, as can any citizen. If you have concerns about the tax dollar funded mental health services that are being provided, I urge you to attend also
Ed Moses - Baker City
Concealed Handgun Licenses
To The Record-Courier:
The Oregonian is flat wrong in its op ed "Keep weapons permits public" in a number of respects. Of course, the newspaper is absolutely right when it guards the public's right to know what its elected officials and governments are doing. Sunshine and transparency is central to American democracy, as is the oversight role of the press. This does not mean that every public record should be subject to review by all who request it. While requests by the press are often not objectionable (as recognized by our Open Meetings Law, which grants media access to closed meetings, but prohibits disclosure), there is no basis for a public body to differentiate and grant access to public records and documents to some (a responsible press) and deny access to others (criminals, mass mailers, gun groups and the like).
The Mail Tribune filed a law suit against Sheriff Winters who denied its request for all concealed weapons permits he had issued, including that of school teacher Shirley Ann Katz. Among other arguments, the Sheriff contended that ORS 192.502(2) relating to personal privacy exempts the record from disclosure. Under this law, public disclosure may be withheld if it would constitute an unreasonable invasion of privacy unless the public interest by clear and convincing evidence requires disclosure in the particular instance.
Oregon's sheriffs are taking steps to insure that personal information of concealed weapons permit holders remain private. In Guard Publishing Company v. Lane County School District the Court clearly established that individuals (public employees, school teachers and substitutes, gun permit holders, and the like) may individually request that personal information remain private. Oregon's sheriffs have taken or are considering steps to afford gun permit holders this opportunity under current law. And, this is the right thing to do.
The courts of Michigan have recognized privacy related to identity of gun permit holders in Mager v. Dept. of State Police. Those with legitimate need for a gun permit will not want or need, their name and address, and the fact that they carry a weapon to become known publicly. Indeed, disclosure would defeat the purpose of the concealed weapon permit. The point of having the permit is to be able to be armed safely without public knowledge. Privacy of this information makes sense! The information should be deemed private in the case of any permit holder. To do otherwise invites trouble, whether it be aggression directed at an armed permit holder or a burglary in search of firearms.
The Oregonian editorial is off base in other respects when the newspaper suggests that there should be public oversight of the permitting function in the interest of public safety, to be sure that only the right sorts of people are obtaining concealed gun permits. There is little point. Oregon law does not permit Oregon's sheriffs any discretion to deny concealed weapons permits except in very limited circumstances. Stripping sheriffs of discretion to say "no" was a bad idea when the law was last amended and remains so today. However, the answer to The Oregonian's public safety concern is to change the law restricting Sheriffs' discretion — not to grant access to personal information where individual and community safety clearly and convincingly demonstrate that the personal information should remain private.
Raul Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer - Oregon State Sheriff’s Assoc.
Veteran Seeking Help
To The Record-Courier:
I went with my son to the Baker County Courthouse for some of the meetings for mental health. My son asked for groups! There are groups for parents who lost a child. There are groups for A.A., but there were no groups for my son. My son is a Veteran, he goes to a V.A. hospital. There are groups there. He has improved a lot.
No! Mental Health does not like critics! They tout how good they are, however, when parents like myself went to meetings and took their sons and daughters with them to try to get help here in Baker City, they said No! They said it is best they go out of town or look for more help needed other places because they will not get the help they need at MVMH or through the Developmental Disability Advisory Committee. If they are so good how come my son decided to keep trying to get the help he needed?
Our returning vets will need more than MVMH will have to offer them.
You don’t like Ed Moses or Gary Dielman! Well you don’t like parents that are critics too because you do not have the right programs that are badly needed.
Patricia Schlicter - Baker City
‘Gift Of Christmas’ Music To Ears
To The Record-Courier:
What a thrill it was to listen to the “Gift of Christmas” presented by the Baker Community Choir. The absolute magnificent St. Francis Cathedral was the ideal setting.
We want to thank Lynne Burroughs, the choir director, and Charlie Thomas, pianist, and all the choir members for this wonderful performance.
Frances Burgess - Baker City
Comments On Proposed Alternative Power Line Routes
To The Record-Courier:
Thank you for publishing my comments, Nov. 20, 2008, to the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) and to the Idaho Power, Inc. (IP) in opposition to the B2H-IP 500kV transmission line proposed to be constructed through Baker County.
The IP proposal presents the people of Baker County not only with the prospect of this 500kV intrusion into our homelands, but also with the decision of where exactly the line should uncoil itself. My previous comments were in opposition to the line, period. Baker County has precious little to gain from this intrusive infrastructure and much to lose. This line is not “A Given” and if you are interested, please check out the website, http://stopidahopower.blogspot.com/. It is Malheur County’s excellent and organized response to the line’s intrusion into their home places. Visiting this site is worth the time!
I wrote a second comment to ODOE and IP addressing the question of what route the line should take. Due to the length of the second comment, I would like to present it in installments presenting arguments as to why the most logical and economical route for the 500kV line is the route originally proposed by Idaho Power.
Issue #1: Address the effects on wildlife habitat, fisheries, plants and animals including threatened. Of major consideration, it seems, is the Western Sage Grouse, listed as a threatened species. The Sage grouse populations in Baker County have been forced to the very limits of their habitat. Limiting factors include water, food and safe breeding grounds (leks) and nesting territories. Idaho Power has studied various options to minimize energy infrastructure impacts by observing habitat designated by circles of _ mile radius for leks surrounded by 2 mile radius buffer zones.
The original Proposed Route presents the least intrusive route to the Western Sage Grouse populations in Baker County. It skirts the western edges of only two buffer zones in its travel north. It goes through none of the leks. Of the ~46 miles originally proposed through Baker Valley (from Durkee Creek to west of the wind farm in North Powder, as indicated on an IP map), the Proposed Route only travels through 6 miles of two buffer zones. The first buffer zone is north of the Interpretative Center and the proposed route is 1.3 miles west of the lek. The second buffer zone is traversed for a distance of 2 miles and approaches a lek no closer than 1/2 mi. In traversing these buffers the proposed line is to the west of existing energy corridors already established and currently supporting existing transmission lines. This means that they are even further removed from two leks by 1/2 mile than the current power lines. Furthermore they do not divide existing buffer zones from each other as do the other two routes proposed.
The proposed route, #1 Eastern Alternate Route will be more disruptive to existing Sage Grouse populations than the Proposed Route. It will separate approximately one quarter of the existing Sage grouse range shown on a map presented by Idaho Power (which appears to show only the western portion of the habitat). The #1 Eastern Alternate Route traverses 13-14 miles of designated buffer zones. It approaches to within 1 mile of 12 designated leks in addition to traversing the buffer zones described above.
The public was not presented with the estimated extent of the whole Sage grouse habitat at any of the public information meetings I attended. If this 500kV line becomes an eventuality on either this route or the #2 NEW Eastern Alternate Route described below, oversight should ensure that mitigation measures be taken. These measures should focus on spring development and surface water enhancement. Public grazing should be removed from the public lands in these areas or, at the very least, properly managed for both Sage grouse mating and nesting and for fire control.
The #2 NEW Eastern Alternate Route (through Keating Valley and Medical Springs) is the most invasive route to wildlife habitat that has been proposed. Instead of remaining on the western fringe of known Sage grouse leks, the #2 NEW Eastern Alternate Route proposes to bisect large areas of existing habitat. It divides two large Sage grouse territories for 13 miles. A large territory (judging from one IP map to be more than 350 square miles) should not be separated when there is a western alternate that would limit itself to the outer fringes on an edge of a large designated habitat area. In addition to Sage grouse concerns, the #2 NEW Eastern Alternate Route intrudes for 10 miles through Elk winter range. The winter range is critical for food supply as well as elk calving grounds. The #2 NEW Eastern Alternate Route will impact more than 34 miles of quality wildlife habitat areas on public lands and on private lands which provide increased accessibility to water and food for both threatened and non-threatened wildlife species than any of the other two routes.
I am totally opposed to the 500kV line for Baker County and have become more convinced of the advisability of uniting to defeat the proposal as I learn more about the so called Western Energy Corridors. I wish I could use my resources to oppose the line itself instead of documenting why Idaho Power should stay with its proposed route. The in-fighting over the proposed routes is a distraction to the main issue we should be safeguarding our homes against. Thank you!
Vicki T. Wares - Baker City
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