To the Editor:

Straw-to-Gold has been privileged to work in John Day for several years. Our engagement has spanned collaborations with your city and many private enterprises. The depth of our appreciation for this is boundless. It has allowed us to forge lifelong connections with you and the broader region.

John Day stands as a genuinely unparalleled place. Our interaction with city staff and the esteemed members of the previous city council has been exceptionally constructive — nurtured through transparent and regular communication, including many in-person visits.

Our work in John Day has been met with warm, engaging conversations, open-heartedness, and heartfelt gratitude for our contributions to the area. While much could have been executed remotely, we returned to the area time and again at our own expense — a choice driven by our commitment to meet face to face with community leaders, residents and entrepreneurs.

Mayor Rookstool consistently claimed she admired our efforts during her tenure as a councilor and as mayor. However, recently, there has been a sudden shift in this sentiment.

In late July, her attitude changed with the publication of an article in the Blue Mountain Eagle (“John Day Officials Raise Questions About $470K Marketing Contract,” July 25, 2023) alleging she ended our contract. Until then, there were no indications she was unhappy or questioned our work.

Contrary to her claims, we finished our contract and were paid in full. She signed our final check herself in June before that article was published. Asserting it was canceled is untrue and misleading.

Unfortunately, our reputation has been besmirched in a vain attempt to provoke public outrage and create the impression that our services were overpriced and “canceling” the contract saved the city money. This is untrue and we were paid every dime from tourism funding, which we believe we’ve helped grow through our campaign.

We wanted to set the record straight for your readers and the good residents of John Day, who continue to stand as a beacon for what rural America can be. We remain steadfast in our commitment to you and your community. You deserve leaders who reflect your values and live by the highest principles of honesty, ethics and integrity.

Benjamin Ariff

Portland