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

The Union County commissioners have made the right move in letting voters have a chance to weigh in on the county’s proposed plan to buy 3,700 acres of land on Mount Emily. The May advisory vote won’t be binding. But it will allow the commissioners to see which way the wind of public opinion is blowing.

Groups for and against the Mount Emily Recreation Area now have a chance to raise campaigns to increase public awareness. The area three miles north of La Grande is owned by Forest Capital Partners, and the county would buy the land in part or in whole with grants from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The land would be used not just for recreation but also would be managed for timber harvest, grazing and other historical uses.

Proponents of the purchase fear a critical juncture in preservation and balanced use of the land may be coming soon. They say Forest Capital Partners, a timber management firm that owns the land, could sell it to developers, which would close off access to the public. Proponents say the land has long been open to, and popular with, a wide range of users from ATV riders, archers and rifle hunters to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders, and should be put into the public trust so people today and in future generations to come can enjoy this easily accessible parcel.

Opponents worry about the long-term obligations to county taxpayers and want to see a lot more proof that such a deal would pay dividends down the road. They worry about wildlife management and law enforcement issues. Opponents also are concerned that the county may be already over-obligated with its still developing Wallowa-Union Railroad tourist train and Buffalo Peak Golf Course projects.

The coming months will give voters time to educate themselves on the issue before voting. Commissioner Steve McClure promises there will be at least one more information session where people can ask questions and make comments. In the meantime, voters need to dig beneath the surface, sort out the truth. They should avail themselves of every opportunity to get as informed as possible on the Mount Emily issue before voting.