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

Rawlins

To the Editor: 

Thanks for the article on Union County’s efforts to purchase land on Mount Emily. I thought I’d offer a couple of insights, if I might.

I’m Wayne Rawlins and I manage the Grants Division at Oregon State Parks.

The article said, “... the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department turned down the county’s $1 million Local Government Grant application.”

The department didn’t turn them down. Not at all. Their application was fully accepted and they made a presentation along with 48 other applicants at the June 10-12 Local Government Grant Program Advisory Committee hearing. The applicants had already submitted their written grant request, and this meeting gives them an opportunity to personally present their projects.

This year, the grant program had $4 million available for grant assistance and there was approximately $16 million in funding requests. Just about every one of them were really great projects, but we knew early on that there wouldn’t be enough money for all the requests.

The citizens’ Advisory Committee scored the projects based upon established criteria, and while Union County did well (16th out of 48), the first 13 projects fully absorbed the $4 million. The grants ranged from as large as

$1 million down to $80,500.

Again, Oregon State Parks didn’t turn them down. The funds went as far as they could and at least got through 13 before being expended.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has a number of grant programs where they try to help local governments acquire or develop outdoor recreational opportunities. Union County again did well when they previously appeared in front of the ATV Account Allocation Committee (another advisory committee) who were impressed with the project enough to recommend $4.4 million in ATV funding to the OPRD Commission. The commission will hear that request July 17 in Baker City.

C. Wayne Rawlins

Manager, Grants Division

Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.

Salem