Hot Off The Press

Hot off the Press

County Commissioners WEEK OF SEPT 7-9, 2021

September 12, 2021

Josephine County Commissioners – Week of Sept 7-9, 2021

The highlight of this week’s Commissioner meetings was Darin Fowler’s advice to workers who want to defy state and federal mandates to get vaccinated. Commissioners have an on-going complaint accusing the Grants Pass Daily Courier of not covering their work, only what they say during comment time. Their work this week was to listen to a presentation about Firewise, a program helping county residents make their property more fire-resistant, discuss a letter to members of the US Senate saying they want Josephine County excluded from Sen. Ron Wyden’s River Democracy Act, approved a grant-funded project to retrofit the dispatch building with seismic protection, approved the consent calendar, approved an agreement with ODOT for chip-seal funding, argued about toilets, approved various airport business including the installation of a new fueling system, approved a contract for cleaning up hazardous materials related to the demolition of the old hospital building, and approved $1 million to help local businesses after using the discussion to take more potshots at the Courier. An executive session involved collective bargaining.

The seismic rehab for the dispatcher center seemed to surprise Commissioners who asked what happened to the sheriff’s attempt to combine city and county dispatchers into one center. None of them seemed to kno

During the Board Review of Public Comments Fowler told workers to avoid the COVID vaccination by claiming it’s against their religion or get themselves fired and sue. No one at the meeting asked Commissioners how to avoid the vaccine mandate. Here’s a transcript of Fowler’s unsolicited advice:

(Sept. 8 ZOOM, 55:10) “My heart goes out to the teachers, the medical professionals, the government workers…um the state government workers, let me be clear, and a few other government workers who are going to have to make a really hard choice…um because of a mandate. Because their government has mandated something they have to make a choice whether to abandon their career, whether to change livelihoods and look for something else, whether to move…um it’s such a big decision and its being forced by the government by saying well no you can’t have unemployment benefits I know you’ve been paying in and you’ve earned em but no you can’t have it and the leverage of giving up your retirement um there’s a lot of leverage there that the government is applying without the people’s consent whatsoever…the legislature is all asleep somewhere. They never come in and back up the governor cause they want to tie this thing around her neck…umm those folks are making some hard decisions so I prayerfully ask you to ask your family, your doctor to utilize the religious exemption because that is right in the constitution of the united states Uh you don’t have to be super detailed on that you just have to say you have a religious exemption um and take it a little further if you’re comfortable with that but utilize that but whatever you do, don’t quit your job. Make them fire you, make them put it in writing, and then you can join the class action section lawsuit that’s coming. Because they did this so fast it’s hard to get a suit rolling but there is one with the OSP, Oregon State Police and the Oregon Firefighters and so there’s gonna be lawsuits but those things take time so you’re decision is now and I really feel for you because you’re being put over a barrel like that that is so un-American for your government to force a decision on you or force you to make a decision like I said man I hope you end up with the best wisdom you ever had in your life….uh and this is a decision you’re comfortable with.”

Commissioner Dan DeYoung concurred, saying either get vaccinated or fill out a form and have it in your file with your objection. The religious exemption is a “form of mitigation” to get around being vaccinated, he claimed. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger had nothing to say about the issue.

During Public Comments Wednesday Judy Hinkle was the only anti-vaxxer to call in to report her latest Dr. Anthony Fauci conspiracy theory. She claims Fauci experimented on foster children with HIV AIDS vaccine trials. She failed to mention there is no HIV AIDS vaccine.

Other Public Comment speakers included Holly Morton, who has concerns about an ordinance the county is working on that would allow the building department to cite people for code violations. DeYoung said the increased authority is needed to target the shacks and old trailers on properties where illegal grows are happening. He said it wouldn’t mean inspectors would go out and look for somebody’s woodshed built without a permit. He told her he gets calls every day from residents surrounded by junky marijuana grows and the county has been helpless to do anything. He added that Holly came to see him and they are trying to iron out her concerns.

Jay Meredith of AMR (American Mineral Research) also called in to bug Commissioners about proposed environmental protections he says will hurt his business and ultimately the county because they will get enough taxes to pay for law enforcement. Commissioners are sending a letter to US Senators hoping some of them will recognize out of all the counties in America Josephine is so special it should be exempt from Sen. Wyden’s proposed River Democracy Act. County Counsel Wally Hicks read the letter. It basically says…. please remove Josephine County from the proposed land lockup that they feel most voters disapprove of. They feel Wyden mischaracterized local support for this. AMR believes Wyden is fundamentally anti-environmental because this won’t allow them to mine for tellurium which is needed for solar panels.

During Matters from Commissioners, all of them made various accusations against the Grants Pass Daily Courier that none of them even subscribe to. Fowler accused the paper of trying to hide the fact that the COVID spike has peaked and the number of hospitalizations are going down. He said while the paper is “pretty good” for telling you what’s going on with the Garden Club, its staff conspires to try to make COVID and the Commissioners look as bad as possible so you can’t trust it anymore.

Baertschiger stuck to dire happenings at the state level while DeYoung said he knows what political party the writers of critical letters to the editor belong to. He went on to rant about the Courier editor, a friend who wrote a scathing letter about the Commission who didn’t have the guts to knock on his door to talk, how he was a substitute Courier paper boy in his youth, how there is a “network” out there writing mean letters about the Commission, and then denied he was on a rant. “I’m cool today. Not worked up at all,” he said.

Fowler reminded people to be careful now that kids are back in school, which set DeYoung off again about how kids have “always been superspreaders” and no one should be surprised by a COVID outbreak although he acknowledged it is a little more serious than a cold or the flu. He said he’d like to see the county’s vaccine promotion money spent on rapid test kits made available for free at fire stations.

Thursday’s meeting was mostly a big argument about toilets at the new transit hub that is about to start construction. The Commission was asked by Transit Director Scott Chancey to approve Portland Loo to provide a restroom for the bus hub. He said this would be placed near the hub and take up one parking place in the small parking lot. The Loo would be purchased with the ones the City of Grants Pass is purchasing to serve the homeless population. This set DeYoung off who argued the hub should have a proper restroom. Chancey said there was no restroom in the hub plans and the parking lot is too small to install a restroom facility similar to those in public parks. The restroom, open to the public, needs to be open at the bottom so people can see if it’s occupied and needs to be relatively vandal-proof which the Portland Loos are. He said the cost of the Loo is higher at the beginning but doesn’t need as much maintenance as regular public toilets. DeYoung insisted he didn’t want to “micro-manage” but he said he couldn’t vote for this until he sees all the plans for the hub and figures out why it didn’t include a restroom. He called the Portland Loo a “glorified outhouse” and said the city just wanted the county to buy one so they could get a discount for buying five. Fowler tried to intervene by saying how much vandalism park restrooms have endured and Chancey said this needed to be approved soon to avoid delay on hub construction. Baertschiger brought up restrooms at Baker Park that seem to be vandal proof which sent DeYoung off on a rant about the homeless. The argument ended when Commissioners decided to hold the matter over until the next Tuesday to give Chancey time to look at the Baker Park restrooms and take all his plans to DeYoung’s office so he could look at them, which he apparently hasn’t done even though this project has been in the works for two years.

Evidently primed to argue after the toilet tiff, DeYoung pounced on Financial Director Sandy Novak as she presented the picks for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. After Ms. Novak explained the process to divide $1 million among qualifying business applicants along with SOREDI (Southern Oregon Economic Development Inc.) representatives Kim Young and Colleen Padilla, she stressed the list needed immediate approval so people getting the COVID assistance can start collecting what they need.

“Don’t paint us in a corner like that please,” DeYoung snapped, then questioned the math they used to divvy up the $1 million giveaway out of the nearly $17 million grant. He wanted to make sure the county had the right to audit businesses who get the money to see if they’re spending it appropriately. The SOREDI representatives said the businesses have to submit their financials and that “tells the story.” Baertschiger brought up PPP loans and said the ones like the Daily Courier got will likely be forgiven. DeYoung wondered just how the Courier was impacted by COVID since they didn’t miss any days putting out a paper and their circulation went up. He said they slipped through the cracks and he wanted to make sure that never happens again. Baertschiger said it was mostly hotels and restaurants that were impacted but “greed drives everybody.” The SOREDI representatives said the Courier had not applied for his round of COVID relief.

DeYoung argued that the City of Grants Pass should pony up part of the $1 million going to the businesses since they got an ARPA grant as well and said someone should go see how much they can get out of them. Baertschiger said he was uncomfortable giving out money when you can’t measure the results. Ms. Novak told them if the applicants for the money showed the pandemic made them profitable they wouldn’t have qualified. Fowler said this should be it for business relief since other COVID related projects are coming up “and we don’t know how much broadband is going to cost.”

Ms. Young, Ms Padilla and Ms. Novak then ganged up on the Commissioners, saying the Commissions’ goal was to get this money out right now and they needed to approve the list this meeting so there wouldn’t be further delay. DeYoung reluctantly conceded “people are expecting this now.” All three Commissioners voted for in favor, including an additional $34,000 for “Essential Worker” pay for the janitorial staff that got left out during the first round.

County Commissioners 8/31 – 9/2

September 7, 2021

Commissioner Herman Baertschiger tried to make a connection between negative stories about Commissioners in the Grants Pass Daily Courier to a rejection by SOREDI (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.). Baertschiger, in his best Tucker Carlson method of operation yet, implied that the Courier is getting revenge on Commissioners after being denied American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through SOREDI, handling the money for the county. During Commissioners’ Aug 31 meeting he said:

“I’m a little worried the attacks on the Commissioners is connected to the rejection by SOREDI of a grant that the Daily Courier applied for. The Daily Courier applied for an ARPA grant and was denied because they didn’t disclose that they received almost a million dollars in two different PPP loans. They did not disclose that. It was found out so SOREDI denied them ARPA funds. So, I’m wondering if those two are connected. They may not be but I’m just…. it’s so coincidental as the massive attacks against the Commissioners and the rejection of the grant for ARPA funds.” (35:49 Aug. 31 audio recording).

The “massive attacks” Baertschiger is referring to are one story last week about masks not being worn during a commissioners’ in person meeting and mentions in larger stories earlier about their comments during meetings with doctors and anti-vaxxers, all verified by listening to meeting recordings.

Commissioner Dan DeYoung’s reaction to Baertschiger’s claim was to say, “That’s interesting. We can’t make that accusation but facts are facts if that’s what happened.” He went on to praise SOREDI saying he’s dealt with them for years and if they say something is amiss and turn someone down they shouldn’t feel picked on. Commissioner Darin Fowler was absent.

Baertschiger and DeYoung talked about how they are “fed up” with letters to the editor of the Courier that accuse them of doing nothing about the pandemic, how the story about the refrigerator trucks being brought in because of an overflowing morgue is misleading, and how the Courier is exaggerating the dangers of COVID.

“Look at the way the Courier described the morgue refrigerator trucks. They talked about a massive death rate but didn’t say the hospital morgue capacity is exceeded quickly because it’s based on an average of 3.4 deaths a day. You can’t depend on the Courier to provide facts without opinion,” said Baertschiger.

During their discussion of how to use the $538,000 they finally accepted for vaccine promotion, they talked about doing a radio blitz, ads in small publications around the county, press releases, mailers, mobile vaccination clinics, providing rides to vaccination sites…anything other than “local newsprint,” they said.

“We need our message to get out not through reporter or editors…we need to get our word out without being filtered through editorial staff,” said DeYoung.

Baertschiger talked about using the grant to show people they can do other things to slow the spread of COVID, like washing their hands.

Finance Director Sandy Novak reminded Commissioners the grant is for promoting and encouraging the vaccine. County Attorney reminded Commissioners they need to be careful about giving too many assurances as that can be libelous.

DeYoung continued his SOREDI praise, took a swipe at Grants Pass Mayor Sarah Bristol for expecting to get money designated for counties because the paperwork would be too much to allocate it to every city, then revealed he was sick last week so went out and bought a self-COVID test to see if he needed to quarantine himself. The test was negative, he said, so he felt free to go out and spread whatever it was he had. He claimed he’d just “run myself ragged” and needed to rest.

Commissioners’ meeting on the first day of September opened with a public hearing quickly closed by a hoarse Chairman Dan DeYoung who recommended postponing the hearing until they can spend more time getting input from concerned citizens. The hearing was to be the first reading of amendments to the county code beefing up search warrants and citation authority. Several people waiting on phone lines to speak, including local Republican Party Chair Holly Morton, were disappointed but said they would wait to comment until the full public hearing is held.

Commissioners also approved an emergency drought declaration, allowing people to use well water for irrigating crops. They assured people listening that people can’t just go out and dig wells to use. They have to have rights to water no longer flowing and apply for a permit to use well water.

Public Comment time was conducted by phone as Commissioners are meeting by Zoom again because of the governor’s mask requirements indoors. Comment regular Judy Hinkle, who talks about vaccines being the vehicle the government is using to turn everyone into transhumans, said Bill Gates has included in the vaccines digital birth control with a remote connected to the 5G system which is blanketing Medford, Rogue River, Grants Pass and is creeping toward Illinois Valley. Her husband got on the phone to take up another three minutes with his ramblings, ending by saying people calling them conspiracy theorists don’t know they are well researched and just ahead of everybody else.

When Joseph Rice got on the phone he chastised the sheriff’s department for doing nothing about a big party out in Wilderville involving a “cartel grow.” He said there were about 1,000 rowdy people out there threatening residents who complained. He said they were told to shelter in place because the sheriff couldn’t do anything about the gathering. He also chastised the Planning Department for making someone tear down a fence, said masks cause respiratory issues, economic development causes economic collapse and described Afghanistan as a “fiasco.”

The next phone call in was from Katherine Austin who’s cheery “good morning Commissioners” devolved into a rant about vaccines, a lack of alternative therapies like Ivermectin, the doctors who spoke before the board, Public Health Director Michael Weber and how the hospital is getting paid by the ventilator. She said her People’s Rights organization was holding a rally at 6 pm in front of the hospital to support staff that won’t get vaccinated. She recommended people stock up on supplies after mumbling something about medical tyranny and manufactured lockdowns.

Holly Morton, who called in to comment on the code amendments, said she’d make an appointment to talk to Commissioners individually. An elderly woman called in worried that the drought declaration would make her neighbors’ wells run dry and Jay Meredith called in to urge Commissioners to take legal action against Senator Ron Wyden and others trying to pass the River Democracy Act. Commissioners told him they don’t have the money do that. Meredith said he could come up with financial support. He also ripped the Daily Courier for not covering his appearance last week with several people who spoke against Wyden’s legislation and not printing a letter to the editor he wrote about his situation. The last caller called Governor Brown the “Salem witch” for her mask mandate.

Commissioner Darin Fowler interjected with a lame joke about Bill Gates’ “666” plan, saying it wasn’t wise to align with the devil. He said Weber was a good man but facts are hard to pin down. About the doctors who appeared Aug. 17 to appraise the board of the dire situation at the hospital from a huge spike in COVID “some of us took them with a grain of salt.” DeYoung reminded him to save his comments until all callers voiced theirs.

During Commissioners’ comments Fowler didn’t have much more to add but Commissioner Herman Baertschiger said he’d been talking for hours on the phone with Congressman Cliff Bentz who advised county Commissioners who opposed Wyden’s legislation to write a collective letter opposing the bill, to show that not everyone in Oregon is for it. DeYoung talked about wells and how “leaky old irrigation ditches” replenish the groundwater. He complained about getting hate mail regarding the board’s stance on COVID, claimed the letters to the Courier editor and comments he gets seem “boilerplate” and called Weber a “rubber band man” for having to balance what the state wants with what Commissioners want of him. They told Rice the sheriff doesn’t have the staff to deal with large gatherings because the people of Josephine County don’t want to pay for it.

A consent item involving road maintenance in the burn area south of Redwood Highway revealed the road to Happy Camp may not open “any time soon” because it’s still strewn with burnt trees and bordered by dangerous trees. After they groused about not being able to sell black timber because of lawsuits someone mentioned the timber had been put out to bid but no one wanted it.

During matters from Commissioners, Fowler said he met with the company doing an assessment for broadband services. He said Josephine County is working with Jackson County and will possibly include other neighboring counties as well as they seek to spend ARPA money to improve broadband in rural areas.

Commissioner’s September 2 meeting was again taken up with a discussion about spending the vaccine promotion money and ARPA funds. Apparently in allocating money for essential workers the county’s custodial staff got left out. DeYoung wanted to carve out money for them even though it didn’t meet the criteria they set for “tangible projects.” He said they were front and center during COVID, cleaning the jail during outbreaks and making sure everyone in the courthouse came to a sanitized workplace. They decided to put the item on the agenda for a vote during a later meeting. They decided their theme for the vaccine promotion would be “check with your doctor and make up your own mind.” Then they closed the meeting after complaining about all the negative emails and notes they get.

Help with the California Recall

September 6, 2021

I’m writing you today on a matter of utmost importance for the Democratic Party agenda. I’m asking you to sign up for a shift of phone banking to help stop the California recall election.

Ballots are due next week in California’s recall election, and we need all hands on deck.

Democratic governor Gavin Newsome’s progressive administration has managed to keep the California economy booming despite the COVID pandemic. And while the delta variant of COVID is raging everywhere, California’s policies have kept case numbers to less than a third of their January peak. Should the recall election succeed, this would all come to an end.

Larry Elder, the leading candidate to replace Newsome if the recall wins, opposes California’s vaccine and mask mandates, would reduce the minimum wage to $0, opposes sex education in public schools, and would set up barriers to reproductive health.

Polling is too close for comfort on this one, and there are signs that the Republican electorate is much more engaged than the Democrats right now. We need your help to re-engage folks. This is why I’m asking you to sign up for a shift of phone banking to help stop the California recall election.

California isn’t Oregon, and we can all be glad for that; but what happens in California definitely affects Oregon, and vice-versa. Global warming in particular affects both of our economies in profound ways. And Larry Elder has made it clear that he does not believe in global warming and would end California’s renewable energy surge in favor of increased dependence on carbon-polluting fossil fuels. We in Oregon cannot afford to let that happen.

Recall ballots are due the night of Tuesday September 14th. Between now and then, we need to call as many Democrats and D-leaning voters as possible to turn out their votes. Please sign up for a shift of phone banking to help stop the California recall election.

Oregon_Congressional_Districts,2013-2022

Redistricting – Status

September 4, 2021

Yesterday, the Oregon Legislature released proposed maps. Here is the link to see all of them.

This post highlights Congressional Districts. As you know, currently Josephine County is split up between CD 2 and 4. Here is the current map (click on map to enlarge):

There appears to be two alternatives being considered. Plan A puts all of Josephine County into CD2 with Eastern Oregon along with all of Jackson and half of Douglas. Plan B puts all of Josephine County in CD4 along with a portion of Jackson and all of Douglas.

What do you think about both maps?

For the next step in this process, committee members will hear testimony from the public, as well as consider additional maps created and submitted using the ESRI map drawing program, which can be found here. Members of the public are highly encouraged to submit written or oral testimony during the scheduled hearings, and/or craft and submit a map of their own. The deadline for submitting alternative maps is September 8th at 5pm. You can find much more detailed information about this and the entire committee hearing process here, including how to submit testimony.

A Summary follows:

NOTE: Deadline to submit written testimony is September 14 at 5:30pm.

Congressional District

Dates and Times

Link/Instructions to sign up

Congressional District 2

Wednesday, September 8:

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m