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Hamsher cares about Grant County folks

To the Editor:

I became a friend of Jim Hamsher when my husband, Gene, and I became members of the John Day Senior Center at least 8-10 years ago. I didn’t know he was active or interested in politics, but he was warm and friendly, and I liked that he hung out with us. He soon brought up that he was running for an office and would like to get our feelings about a couple of the local issues. He stayed and spoke with all who were interested.

After that election, I was surprised to see him again. He came fairly often for lunch, participating in most games or whatever we as a group we’re doing, and I found that he just liked hanging out with us, always willing to answer and ask questions.

I found he was a handsome cowboy who was determined to be a citizen who would do whatever he could to keep his little part of the world fed, housed, healthy, happy, educated, and working to support them and their family. Jim has a humble, lighthearted way about himself, always acknowledging us in public.

I really only personally know about the things I’ve said here. I had a short view prior to my husband and I needing to move here for the physical help of our son in medical needs. I keep up with my family and friends in Oregon, especially Grant County, missing all who might remember us! Good luck to Jim in this election.

And God bless you always.

Nicky and Gene Essex

Glasgow, Kentucky

Webb has leadership Grant County needs

To the Editor:

Hello, Grant County. This is Boyd Britton, four-term Grant County commissioner, retired.

I left office on July 1, 2018, to move closer to my wife Bonnie’s family, but we have been keeping up with the events in Grant County all these years through the newspaper and old friends and colleagues. We owned and operated Boyd Britton Welding in John Day for 22 years, and we happily supported Grant County the entire time we lived there. I still have a great deal of affection for Grant County and the people there.

That being said, I would encourage you to vote for my friend and former colleague Mark Webb. Mark is incredibly bright and committed to the well-being and improvement of the county. I have personally observed Mark in his interactions with state and federal officials, elected and appointed. He stands firm for the county and its citizens. Those folks listen when Mark speaks.

Due in large part to Mark’s efforts, Grant County still has a timber industry, and because of his leadership Grant County has become a model of how public and mental health departments across the state can be run efficiently and effectively.

Mark understands public budgeting and will lead to bring the county back to a place it used to be when he was previously in office.

He is happily married to his soulmate, Sherri, and has three successful grown children. Mark actively still does fuel reduction, builds fence and works for BMFP, which he has helped guide in their mission to hold the Forest Service accountable and preserve the timber industry.

Mark would bring respectability to the county court by his experience, knowledge, compassion and his work ethic.

Please, for the sake of Grant County, vote for my friend Mark Webb for county judge.

Boyd Britton

Show Low, Arizona

Dedicated dispatchers make community better

To the Editor:

Every year, the second week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. As we celebrate, I would like to take a moment to recognize Grant County’s outstanding dispatchers.

The Grant County Emergency Communications Agency (911 Center) employs four full-time dispatchers, one part-time dispatcher, and two reserve dispatchers. Together we total 107 years of experience and over 5,500 training hours.

Emergency dispatching requires a delicate balance of kindness and assertiveness. We act as therapists, negotiators, detectives, parents, a road report database, and occasionally a GPS. As dispatchers, it is our duty to ensure the safety of the public by offering the highest quality of compassionate service. It is our duty to ensure our partnering first responders make it home safely after every shift. Dispatching is a demanding profession where perfection is expected, but it is so incredibly rewarding.

As a director, it is an honor to work with such phenomenal dispatchers. Grant County is blessed to have a team serving them that cares so deeply and loves their community. Their hard work does not go unnoticed and is appreciated!

Thank you for all of your hard work, Angia Hannibal, Lori Shepherd, Zach Shoop, Simon Gee, Valerie Maynard and Suzanne Settle! You make our community a better place!

Cammie Haney, 911 Director

John Day

Webb understands Grant County issues

To the Editor:

Mark Webb has experience at multiple levels of governance. Mark has previously been Grant County judge. Mark has been successful as executive director of Blue Mountains Forest Partners. In that position as executive director the forest partners have worked with the Forest Service to produce more marketable timber, bringing more jobs to Grant County while improving the health of the forest.

Mark Webb understands the needs of Grant County. He has worked hard in the past to identify and meet those needs and will continue to do the same as your new Grant County judge. Please vote for Mark Webb for Grant County judge.

Pamela Johnson

John Day

Wage committee aims to cut costs, save jobs

To the Editor:

In response to the April 4 letter submitted by Judy Kerr:

In recent years, Grant County has struggled to produce a balanced budget; funding is short, and costs are rising. The County Budget Committee has been forced to consider drastic measures, including eliminating whole departments. To date, most jobs and departments have survived, but savings must be realized for the county to continue to maintain services at the current level.

Enter the Wage Scale Committee. The five-member committee met over a period of eight months and determined that a step scale, common among government agencies, would meet their objectives; save money, improve fairness, provide ease of use, and fit Grant County’s specific needs. The county’s current payroll model offers no differentiation between a starting wage and the wage received by a long-term employee. A step scale uses a lower starting wage that increases over time. Savings are realized through attrition, by implementing a reduced salary for new employees and holding current employees harmless. The committee was motivated to achieve results in this budget year due to the potential turnover of three to five elected positions and two or three non-elected positions.

Some opposed to the step scale cited the need for a compensation study to be done by an outside agency at a cost of between $20,000 and $50,000. As a committee, we simply believed that a well-rounded group of experienced employees, with no other motivation than to be fiscally responsible and save co-workers’ jobs, could come together and provide solutions for our own problems.

Grant County has 16 different committees or boards that function by use of volunteers. Each committee is tasked with providing information or recommendations to the county court. They all function simultaneously, and nothing that the Wage Scale Committee did interfered with another committee. The members of the county’s committees give their time and expertise to contribute to the well-being of Grant County. If you know one of these volunteers, say thanks. If you would like to be a part of one of these groups, you can contact the county court office at 541-575-0059.

Kathy Stinnett

John Day

Consider Hamsher’s long record of service

To the Editor:

Keeping score on experience and accomplishments that would best define the desired person for Grant County judge? Let’s chalk them up.

Who has spent over 20 years in support of community and county services with some of those services overlapping and most of the time without compensation?

Who has dedicated his entire political career toward the betterment of community and county with no personal agenda attached?

Who has reached across political lines at state and federal levels to research and secure benefits for Grant County and recently brought $250,000 into the county through ceaseless effort at the state level plus millions of dollars at the federal level to shore up the county budget?

Who is a strong voice of common sense on the governing body?

Who has never shown an indication for promoting a personal agenda with federal agencies or support for local political organizations?

Who has always displayed awareness of the broad spectrum of the interaction between federal, state and county laws and statutes governing our county?

Who has brought the local government out of the dark ages and enlisted legal elucidation to challenge potential misinterpretation of statutes that have led our county for eras?

Who has unselfishly served the people of Grant County, dedicating countless hours to secure the health and welfare of citizens and stepped up in times of emergency such as securing over 1,000 tons of hay for ranchers suffering loss after the Canyon Creek Fire?

Whose campaign for county judge is based upon his own merits and has refused campaign fund donations?

After over 18 years observing, record research, and volunteer involvement with the succession of the local county government, I opine that the obvious answer to all of the above is summarized in one name: Jim Hamsher.

Judy Kerr

Canyon City