Local News

Summer is nearly over but city councilors and county commissioners saved a few fireworks for their Monday night work session where they clashed over a proposed urban renewal district around the Bend airport.
The urban renewal district, which would help subsidize infrastructure improvements at the airport, is something that the city badly wants to bolster its economic development efforts. However, the proposal requires the blessing of the county commission, and commissioners remain split over it. Earlier this month the commission tabled the discussion on the proposal indefinitely over its concerns about the impact on other taxing districts in the county, which would see their future revenues impacted by the urban renewal plan.
The Council and Commissioners debated heavily the budget for a proposed air traffic tower, emergency services and Urban Renewal Zone for the expanding businesses around the airport.
An economic debate erupted with council members squaring on the sides of both business and residences alike. At one point Commissioner Dennis Luke simply refused to discuss the topic.
Commissioner Mike Daley voiced his opinion in favor of the increased industrial base caused by a busy airport.
Advocates point out that the Bend Municipal Airport has grown drastically in the six years since its master plan was reviewed. Currently there are roughly 50,000 flights taking off from the airport a year.
"What I see at the Bend airport,"said Mr. Daley, "is a lot of really good jobs, a diversification of our economy."
Although his remarks brought a single loud applaud from a member of the attending public, the two governing bodies are sure to debate this topic for quite some time.

A revamp of state ethics laws has closed the door on lavish gifts and trips for lawmakers. However, it doesn’t prevent members of Crook County's staff and planning commission from accepting bar drinks on a resort developer's tab, local and state officials say.
Rumors had been swirling for months around the small community of Powell Butte about how the developer of Crossing Trails resort picked up two bar tabs for members of the planning commission during a period of time where the commission was weighing approval of the 500 home resort and golf course. In late August the chair of the planning commission, Bill Gowen, went on the record to state the several members of the commission had eaten and drank on a tab that was ultimately picked up by Crossing Trails developer Gene Gramzow.
Two of those commissioners ultimately recused themselves from the final decision on the resort, which passed by a 4-1 margin earlier this month.
But the episode has caused some to question the relationship between developers and local officials, who critics say have taken an overly accommodating approach to resorts that they say are chewing up farmland and changing the character of the rural community of Powell Butte near Prineville.
"Our first reaction was our jaws dropped," said Mollie Eder, a neighbor of the proposed resort who also authored a measure forcing the county to withdraw its underlying authority to establish resorts.
Under Oregon's new law, public officials can take up to $50 in gifts, including food and drinks, over the course of a calendar year without disclosing it publicly, said Ronald Bersin, executive director of Oregon's ethics commission.