[September 06, 2008]

Cigarette tax funds boost transportation projects

(The Observer (La Grande, Ore.) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sep. 6--The Union County Board of Commissioners has approved the annual allocation of Special Transportation Fund dollars in the county.

At its regular meeting Wednesday morning, the board accepted the recommendations of the STF Advisory Committee for the recipients of the money, which is generated from state cigarette taxes.

STF dollars must be used for transportation services for the elderly or individuals with restricted mobility.

All four agencies that applied for the funding were granted some portion of their request following the STF Committee's Aug. 22 meeting. The Center for Human Development Inc. will receive $7,903; Community Connections will receive $21,821; Elgin Edge (affiliated with Community Connections, aiming to provide transport in Elgin) will receive $4,395; and New Day Enterprises will receive $10,000.

The board congratulated the committee on its efforts. Commissioner Nellie Hibbert said, "This transportation that's developing in Union County has got to be a model. It's just growing exponentially."

In other business, the board accepted the recommendations of J.B. Brock, the county's emergency services manager, with regard to bid proposals for the construction of a new tower and building at the communications site near the Mt. Emily summit.

The county accepted a $41,000 bid from Gyllenberg Construction and one of $53,280 from James Challis Construction for installation of a tower and communication building, respectively.

Brock said the work should be completed by the end of this year.

After a brief presentation by Bob Kelly, public works assistant director and vegetation specialist with Union County Weed Control, the commissioners approved an expense of $30,000 from the weed fund to finance mitigation treatment of yellow star-thistle and knapweed, both invasive plants.

"We've had good comments (from landowners) from how well this program is working," Kelly said.

Lisa Dawson, executive director of the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District, told the board that a non-profit organization administered by the district, Northeast Oregon Business Development, was seeking matching funds for an application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NOBD borrows money from USDA Rural Development and loans it to businesses in Baker, Union and Wallowa counties.

The non-profit is seeking a commitment of $25,000 from Union County.

Historically, Dawson said, NOBD applies 50 percent of the amount of its loans to Baker County, 41 percent to Union County and 9 percent to Wallowa County.

Dawson is taking the request to each of the three counties.

Like its counterpart in Wallowa County, the board decided to defer discussion of the issue to the upcoming district meeting of the Association of Oregon Counties Thursday.

At the start of the meeting, Commissioner Hibbert showed her colleagues and the audience a certificate of appreciation granted to Union County by the Eastern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross. The award was in gratitude for the county's support of the relief agency.

The next scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of Commissioners is Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. at 1106 K Ave. The public, as always, is welcome to attend.

To see more of The Observer or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Observer, La Grande, Ore.
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