Anti-occupation protesters hold signs in the back of the John Day Senior Center Jan. 26. A group of refuge occupiers, including Ammon and Ryan Bundy, was supposed to speak at the meeting before authorities apprehended them on Highway 395 north of Burns.

Even after the remaining refuge occupiers surrendered Thursday morning, Grant County officials plan to continue working on a resolution condemning the occupation.

County Judge Scott Myers said he was pleased the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge had finally ended. He said, however, he was concerned militants might be considering a new location to target, and he did not want that to be Grant County.

“It’s the logical procession, to some, in that our courthouse is 67 miles from there,” he said. “I think concern and awareness should be heightened.”

Myers said minor revisions are being made to the draft resolution, but he and the other two County Court members said they would vote to adopt the finalized version, likely at the next meeting Wednesday.

Many residents attended the Feb. 10 meeting to discuss the initial draft. The vast majority of those who spoke out praised the commissioners for considering the resolution, and many said the language should be even stronger.

Janine Goodwin, Prairie City, said the word “illegal” should be added when describing the occupation. She said the county should emphasize that militia groups would not be welcome here.

“There has in fact been considerable chatter openly on the Internet — and, of course, who knows how much behind the scenes — about Grant County as a possible next target,” she said.

Ritter resident Kay Steele protested against the militia in John Day where occupiers were expected to speak Jan. 26 when the leaders were arrested en route. She said one of the militia members from out of the county tried to prevent her and other local residents opposed to the occupation from entering the meeting.

Steele said it was important “to send a very strong message that we will not tolerate, welcome, accept any kind of militia input in our county.”

Beth McKrola Spell, who protested with Steele, said after they were allowed into the meeting, she was told at least three times she would be escorted from the room if she caused any problems. She said she was afraid to attend Wednesday’s County Court meeting because of the militia and their “jackbooted techniques.”

“Defend us from this anarchy and make a vote for civility,” she said. “We do not need this kind of disruption in our county.”

Adele Cerny, Bear Valley, said she and several others from Grant County traveled to Burns to participate in a counter-protest to the pro-militia crowd. She said she carried a sign stating Grant County supported Harney County, and the militia supporters continually tried to incite those opposed.

“A man leaned out of a car, yelling at my sign about Grant County and says, ‘You’re next. Grant County is next, and I hope your son, your daughter, your family all die for this cause,’” she said.

John Day resident Jim Sproul said the Grant County meetings were peaceful and that nobody was threatened. He said the resolution mentioned state and federal laws but failed to mentioned the Constitution.

“The First Amendment allows free speech, redress of grievances and the right to peaceably assemble,” he said. “… What is going is way bigger than what’s in Grant County and in Harney County. Nobody wants to have lawlessness — not like what happened in Harney County in Grant County. I don’t think it’s coming here. I have no intention of ever seeing it come here. We’re a nation of laws, and we need to follow those laws.”

Former County Judge Mark Webb said the Constitution provides a robust method to redress grievances through the court system. He said the refuge occupation was “illegal, unethical, socially inappropriate” and that it tore the community apart.

Linda Gingrich, a retired local teacher, said her son-in-law worked at the refuge, and their family with two young children was instructed by law enforcement to leave their home soon after the occupation began. She said they stayed with her for several days, and her granddaughter in the second grade wrote in a journal, “Grandma, I’m sad. I can’t go home because there’s bad guys at daddy’s work, and there’s bad guys that have come into our yard at our house. I can’t even be there and go outside and play, or play with my toys.”

“I really want you to support this (resolution),” Gingrich said, “and I want you to keep it out of Grant County, because there’s other families that would be put in this same crosshair.”