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Oct. 15, 2009 Opinion |
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—Editorial—
Let There Be Light!
Dark sky at night, what an interesting concept! But how will we ever get the moon to cooperate? Maybe we can put some type of shade on the moon when it is full to keep it from lighting up the landscape, as it was suggested farmers and ranchers do with their outdoor lights at last week’s County Planning Commission meeting. We’re pretty sure the moon is over the 40 watt limit that was initially suggested for this ordinance.
We sympathize with local star gazers, but without farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to work the fields at night, Baker County would not have much of an Ag industry. Without the County’s largest industry, star gazers could kiss their local astronomy viewing goodbye because chances are they wouldn’t live in an economically dead area and would have to move on.
It’s far easier for an astronomy buff to drive 20 minutes to a nearby hill top than it is for a second or third generation producer to cut the lights on his operation, his livelihood and his profits.
As far as the “glow” emitting off of the valley that can be seen from the mountains at night, street lights in nearby towns may have something to do with that. But as long as citizens and people involved in emergency services need to see to drive, and we want to keep crime at bay, we don’t think ridding the towns of light at night is a good option.
We’re guessing that those who say farmers and ranchers used to get by with kerosene lamps have never tried to find the vein on a sick animal to insert a life-saving I.V. on a moonless night with nothing more than the small flicker emanating off of a wick. And although we haven’t asked, we’re pretty sure there aren’t many who would volunteer to run out into a field to hold a kerosene lamp on a coyote eating the last of a newborn lamb so a rancher could see to shoot it. And, to our knowledge, the BHS track team hasn’t offered to train for events by running ahead of hay balers and combines with kerosene lamps at night to light the way.
We wonder how many of those who say ranchers and farmers somehow managed with kerosene lights in years past still heat their water on a wood stove or beat their clothes on a rock in a nearby creek.
Obviously we have progressed from kerosene lamps and other non-electric devices to electricity because mankind sought a better more efficient way to perform these tasks. If that weren’t the case, we would still be riding to town with the horse and buggy to get ice blocks for the fridge and cooking our meals in a pot over an open fireplace.
And since we are fortunately not under German occupation and this isn’t the 1940s, and we are not in Europe, we see no need for a “black-out” at night.
As for the migration of birds, we can almost visualize their relief when they fly across the U.S.’s dizzying array of lit up skyscrapers, light towers, search lights, airports, factories and flashing neon kaleidoscopes of color and reach eastern Oregon with its low buildings, long stretches between cities, almost non-existent airports, a few lit fields of grain and scattered illuminated barnyards. After all isn’t that why we like it here?
We applaud the Planning Commission for rejecting this ridiculous and potentially economically dangerous ordinance.
—Letters To The Editor—
Be Smart, Vote No On Recall
To The Record-Courier:
A recall is a sharp instrument that should be used only against people who abuse their offices. Making unpopular decisions in good faith doesn’t meet that standard.
Brighter voters will vote no.
Jack Turner
Baker City
Bravo Baker City USPS!
To The Record-Courier:
I applaud our U.S. Postal Service employees in Baker. On a recent blustery Saturday, when our post office is closed to business, an employee made special arrangements for me to collect my accumulated mail, which had been held for a few days while I was out of town. This is not the first time that I've been impressed by exemplary public service from these folks, who often work irregular hours under demanding conditions, yet continue to work cheerfully and efficiently. BRAVO!
Kata Bulinski
Baker City
More Tax Deductions Past ‘Cash For Clunkers’
To The Record-Courier:
The "Cash for Clunkers" program for new cars may have ended, but the IRS wants to remind taxpayers that many people might overlook another special break available. If you buy a new vehicle this year, there's a special federal tax deduction available that can help you save money. This tax break will allow Oregonians who buy a new vehicle in 2009 to deduct the document fee they pay when they file their tax return next year. The tax deduction is available on the 2009 federal tax return even for those who claim the standard deduction.
The deduction is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and applies to the document fee paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price for qualified new cars, light trucks, motorcycles or motor homes. Generally, vehicles weighing 8,500 pounds or less qualify. This means that most new cars and many new trucks will qualify. New motor homes qualify regardless of weight.
Buyers are entitled to a partial deduction if they earn between $125,000 and $135,000 ($250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers). The deduction is eliminated for those who earn over these amounts.
To qualify the vehicle must be new and purchased in 2009 after Feb. 16 and no later than Dec. 31. There is still time left but the clock is ticking.
More information is available at IRS.gov/recovery.
Terry L. Lemons
Director of Communications
Internal Revenue Service
Pass ‘Right To Repair’ Act
To The Record-Courier:
The Tire Industry Association strongly urges Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) to ensure that car owners and their trusted repair shops have the same access to safety alerts and repair information as the franchised new car dealer network.
Vehicles are more sophisticated than ever before with virtually every system either monitored or controlled by computers. In fact, most new vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that are controlled by computers.
TPMS systems do not replace regular maintenance on tires, but rather are intended to protect motorists from the dangers of operating a vehicle with underinflated tires. Without ready access to complete and accurate information from the car companies regarding the vehicles they produce, it is very difficult to keep TPMS systems activated and in safe working condition.
Please visit www.righttorepair.org to send a letter to each of your congressional representatives, urging them to support the Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) so that all American motorists have full access to all the repair information for the vehicle which they purchased, new or used, so that they can choose where, how and by whom their vehicle is repaired.
Roy Littlefield
Tire Industry Association
Bowie, MD
Recall Has Shown Vile And Ugly Side Of People
To The Record-Courier:
The recall has been hard on this community. The continued bickering and personal attacks show a vile and ugly side of people we don't want to see. I want to encourage everyone to vote and encourage everyone to forgive their neighbors who may vote differently from them. Let our ballots speak. When the election is through, however the outcome, let's please move on and put this behind us. We are a great community!
I will be voting NO.
Gail Duman
Former City Councilor
Brocato Firing Possibly Legal, But Obviously Unethical
To The Record-Courier:
Mayor Dorrah and Councilors Calder, Bonebrake and Button, please correct me if the following numbered paragraphs are not factual:
1. Six of the seven councilors gave Mr. Brocato above average marks at his evaluation. Only Councilor Calder gave him below average marks and Councilor Button scored Brocato higher than Councilor Bryan.
2. At approximately 3 p.m., four hours prior to the scheduled council meeting, Mayor Dorrah and Councilor Bonebrake appeared at the city manager’s office and asked Councilor Pope, who was present, to leave!
3. Following Pope’s departure, Mr. Brocato was asked by Dorrah and Bonebrake to resign, but Brocato refused. Mayor Dorrah then indicated the council had the votes to fire him.
4. Councilors Pope, Bass and Bryan were not aware of the above prior to Brocato’s firing being placed on the agenda.
5. By a vote of 4 to 3, with Councilors Pope, Bass and Bryan voting no, Brocato was fired. No discussion was allowed among the councilors nor was any audience comment allowed prior to the vote.
6. Interim City Manager Tim Collins was contacted by Mayor Dorrah prior to the firing of Mr. Brocato.
7. Mayor Dorrah allowed 3 supporters to publicly castigate pro-recall councilors in time reserved for public comment on city issues. Not recall.
8. As a city employee, Mr. Brocato can be dismissed without cause, but the usual procedure, barring some criminal act, is to give a grace period to mend one’s ways. Former manager Zimmerman is a case in point.
9. Councilors cannot legally meet in threes outside a regular meeting. So Mayor Dorrah could possibly determine he had the votes to fire Brocato by carefully crafting meetings in twos to stay within the law.
10. The dictionary definition of legal is “authorized by law.” The term ethical is defined as “conforming to accepted principles of right and wrong.”
In conclusion, I contend that what councilors Dorrah, Calder, Bonebrake and Button did was possibly legal but obviously unethical and not what the voters of Baker City have a right to expect of their elected officials.
I encourage you to join me in voting for the recall.
John G. Heriza
Baker City
Brocato’s Background Check Left Out Required Information
To The Record-Courier:
Interim City Manager Tim Collins has insisted that Brocato’s personnel file is confidential, even though that rule is trumped by the public’s need to know what its controversial, high-level managers have been up to.
Thanks to Richard Harris’ dogged pursuit of Brocato’s city records—he finally filed a Freedom of Information Act request—Baker County District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff directed the City to release its background check document that Brocato was required to fill out once he had been chosen leading candidate.
Except Brocato failed to fill out big sections of the multi-page form. What did he leave out?
(Editors note: To clarify, this information is from Brocato’s “Criminal History Records Check” that he filled out when hired as City Manager and does not contain the results of the Records Check nor his actual application for employment.)
He left out information like high school attended, high school GPA, and graduation date. He failed to attach required high school and college diplomas and transcripts.
The form has two glaring omissions. Brocato failed to list even one personal reference, when the formed required five. And three pages of the Employment section are just blank. That section asks for employment history for the last ten years, including employer name, supervisor name, co-worker names, employer address, job title, and reason for leaving. All completely blank, except for “Please see c.v.,” referring to his attached employment history. Problem is the attachment does not list any of the requested information for the eight years preceding Brocato’s hiring.
Also left blank is the section titled “Financial,” which asks for current monthly income and current assets (checking and savings accounts, stocks and bonds, life insurance). Shirtcliff said that information would not be made available to the public anyway, but Brocato didn’t even fill it out, so there’s nothing for the City to redact.
To the question “Resigned to avoid discharge?” Brocato answered “No.” SEC filings by his former employer Cronos contradict that answer. Cronos bought out the second year of Brocato’s two-year contract for about $250,000. That doesn’t appear to be the voluntary resignation Brocato claimed in a recent interview. (Editors Note: Mr. Brocato stated that the funds discussed by Mr. Dielman were simply the fulfillment of his employment contract upon his resignation with Cronos and were not severance pay.)
City Council let Brocato hide pertinent information. It didn’t do its job. And ended up with an unknown.
Gary Dielman
Baker City
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