>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

The Observer’s series of interviews with Union County Commission candidates continues today with Mark Davidson, one of three candidates vying for the Republican nomination.

Davidson is a 37-year La Grande resident who owns and operates the machine shop at Blue Mountain Auto Parts. He has served as a La Grande city councilor and as a member of the city’s budget committee and urban renewal district advisory board. He is a member of the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority Board of Directors.

He has also served on the Union County Economic Development Corp. board and lists economic development as one of his top concerns.

The interview with John Lamoreau will appear Thursday, followed by the interviews with Democrats Greg Franklin and Jim Mollerstrom on Friday and Saturday.

Question: Because you sit on the Wallowa Union-Railroad Authority Board of Directors, you are in a good position to address the railroad’s long-term prospects. As the county tries to renegotiate loan terms with the state Economic Development Department, there has been talk of asset liquidation. Do you think the financial situation will improve, say, in the next five years? Why or why not?

Answer: The financial situation for the railroad can continue to improve, but it will be challenging. Negotiations with the state Economic Development Department will hopefully provide forgiveness of the interest owed on the loan, as well as a restructured payment schedule of the remaining debt.

WURA has put out a request for proposals to solicit offers from private operators to lease the freight and excursion operations. If successful, the use of a private operator would ease the burden of day-to-day operation of the railroad on the counties, while helping to improve the finances.

The Wallowa Union Railroad is currently involved in negotiations that could wipe out the outstanding debt, establish a reserve fund for the railroad and relocate a new employer to the area.

A liquidation of assets, such as salvaging rail and ties, should only be done as a last resort. In my opinion, though, we must recognize that the debt will have to be repaid without money from Union County’s general fund.

Question: At a recent meeting, the railroad board discussed the need to improve the appearance and comfort of the excursion cars. It was said some seats need to be fixed, toilets aren’t working efficiently and the cars are in need of paint. There doesn’t appear to be enough money in the budget for a major facelift. What do you think should be done?

Answer: The Friends of the Joseph Branch have been an invaluable partner in the operation and maintenance of the excursion cars. WURA and the Friends will have to continue to be innovative in our endeavors to improve the rolling stock. Fundraisers, grant writing and pursuit of corporate partners to sponsor the restoration and maintenance of the excursion cars are a few of the ideas that have been discussed and that I hope we will pursue.

Question: A recent report compiled for the City of La Grande and the Union County Economic Development Corp. suggests local leaders should place more emphasis than they currently do on retention and expansion of existing businesses. In your opinion, what role can county government play in that?

Answer: The importance of our existing businesses to our local economy cannot be overlooked when working on economic development. Existing businesses often feel taken for granted when they see the incentives that are offered to businesses being recruited from the outside. We should offer the same incentives to existing businesses to stay here and expand that we would to a business from elsewhere. Grant sponsorship, vacant land availability, zoning, utilities and other infrastructure improvements are ways that the county government can assist.

Question: Do you support establishment of a Mount Emily Recreation Area? Why or why not?

Answer: The proposal to acquire the property from Forest Capital to establish the Mount Emily Recreation Area has been met with a great deal of resistance from some here in Union County because of the county’s prior purchases of Buffalo Peak Golf Course and the Wallowa Union Railroad.

Opponents of the project have stated to me that there may not be anything wrong with the Mount Emily project, but they have lost faith, trust and confidence in the county commission’s decision-making. The past commissions erred by not holding enough educational and informative meetings with the general public prior to these purchases. The opponents have presented a petition calling for an advisory vote, and the commissioners have wisely heeded that request. The present commissioners have stated that they will follow the outcome of the advisory vote. I believe this is the correct course of action. This is an example of democracy in action — who can argue with that?

Question: After much discussion last year, Union County opted to continue with season passes for Buffalo Peak, despite a consultant’s recommendation they be phased out. Do you think the course’s business plan is being followed closely enough?

Answer: Buffalo Peak is in essence a startup business struggling to make ends meet while balancing the concerns of their financiers against the economic realities of trying to create a sustainable customer base in a rural area with a low median income. The management has accelerated the increase in fees for some play while continuing the sale of season passes against the advice in the plan. The annual passes are important to a large number of the core base of customers that the course has and cannot afford to alienate. It must strike a delicate balance in this case and retain the passes while increasing the revenue for the course.

The commission has hired a PGA professional to work on promoting the course. The performance-based contract they have with the pro ensures that his position is self-supporting or will be terminated. I am encouraged by this hiring.

Question: We know some contentious issues arose during your tenure on the La Grande City Council. How do you feel you handled those situations and how would you deal with contentious issues as a county commissioner?

Answer: Contentiousness can occur anytime people feel strongly about an issue. In my view, to be an effective board member you must be able to disagree and debate with your fellow members, but when a decision is made you leave the disagreement behind and move on to the next issue. I am a consensus builder, will work together as a team and believe that we accomplish more through partnerships and cooperation than we can alone.

Question: In years to come the county faces budget shortfalls due to shrinking revenue and elimination or reduction of federal timber programs. What do you think are the keys to “balancing the books” in the future?

Answer: The loss of timber receipts is a grave concern, but Union County’s budget has been under pressure for quite a while now. The property tax limitation measures that have been passed by the voters have also reduced available funds. The county has trimmed money from every department in the past and we will have to continue to look for technologies and other efficiencies that enable us to make our tax dollars go further.

We must continue to lobby the federal government to manage the forest lands, within our county and Eastern Oregon in general, in a manner that yields a sustainable harvest to provide timber revenues to the county and raw materials for our timber and wood products industries.

The federal Forest Service would be well-served to change their policies on wildfires. The unbudgeted money that they spend every year on fire suppression would be better spent on thinning and other types of projects that would reduce the fuel loading in the forests. The resulting reductions in fires would reduce the carbon emissions put into our environment while creating jobs and raw materials, such as wood fiber, that could be used for renewable energy.

Of course other economic development must also be pursued to try to bolster our tax revenues and create jobs for our residents. Hopefully more renewable wind energy projects will come our way, but we must do a better job of negotiating the Community Service Fee portion of the Strategic Investment Program agreement when siting these projects. Former Commissioner Lamoreau gave away over $290,000 of tax revenue in the first year alone to the Horizon Telocaset Wind Partners project when he negotiated their Community Service Fee. Gilliam County has negotiated several Strategic Investment Programs that do not give away local tax revenue, but instead provide for a stable, consistent payment to the local taxing districts every year for the life of the project.

Question: The primary is a three-way race between you, Kyle Corbin and John Lamoreau. Please say why you think you are the right man for the job.

Answer: I believe that my background and experience make me the best choice for Union County commissioner. I am a native Oregonian, a 37-year resident of Union County, a lifelong conservative Republican and for the past 18 years I have been a self-employed small-businessman. My work experience is varied; I have worked in different phases of construction and real estate development, and I’m currently a machinist and engine builder. My father and uncle were partners in a rock crushing and road construction business; my brothers and sister and I were instilled with a strong work ethic at an early age. We were raised to believe in being involved in our community, to give back to our community and make it a better place to live, work and raise our families.

I would make economic development one of my highest priorities as county commissioner. We need to further diversify our economy while supporting our existing businesses and industries.

I understand that the natural resource issues facing our farming, ranching, timber and wood products industries are not only important to our economy but also to our way of life here in Union County. I also appreciate the importance of and the contributions that Eastern Oregon University makes to our community.

No less important is the fact that stable funding must be maintained for basic county services, such as law enforcement and the county public works department. It is my goal to maintain and preserve county services through efficiencies and fiscal responsibility.

I have more than a decade of experience as a community volunteer. I have served on La Grande’s City Council, Budget Committee, Planning Commission, Urban Renewal Advisory Committee, the Union County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, and the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority Board.

I promise to be a fair and rational voice that represents all of the areas of Union County. I have no hidden agenda, no political axes to grind, only an unabiding love of our home here in Northeastern Oregon. I believe that my background and experience as a conservative, fiscally responsible, small-businessman makes me an ideal candidate for Union County commissioner.

Question: What other concerns do you have as a candidate?

Answer: I am disheartened that over the last several, and in the current election season, we have seen the type of highly exaggerated, overly-sensationalized, and negative political campaigning creep into our local races that used to be only seen at the national and state level. It is discouraging to see local elected officials and candidates lower themselves to this level. I hope that we can avoid the partisanship and dysfunction that plagues our Congress and state Legislature. It does the citizens a great disservice.

Question: What public service accomplishments are you most proud of?

Answer: While I was a member of the La Grande City Council we acquired the site for and set aside $1 million to construct the La Grande Fire Station.

I was a member of both the UCEDC board and La Grande City Council that revived the dormant corporation and rebuilt the partnership between Union County, the City of La Grande and the private sector for economic development.

As a member of the UCEDC board I helped attract businesses to the Baum Industrial Park, including Eagle Cap Steel & Supply, Eagle Carriage & Machine and HNS/USA Rock.

I helped negotiate a land swap at the Baum Industrial Park to Boise Cascade in exchange for industrial land in Elgin that became the Berta Churchill Industrial Park.

I also helped negotiate land acquisition for the City of La Grande and UCEDC at Gekeler Lane and Highway 30 that became the La Grande Business & Technology Park, and pursued and obtained funding for the infrastructure improvements at the park.