By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

In her nine years as the Harney County Library Director, Jolyn Wynn has worked what some would consider miracles.

She brought the library into the 21st century by automating the checkout system, getting the library connected to the Internet and joining the Libraries of Eastern Oregon network, which increased the library’s collection from 28,000 books to more than one million through inter­library loans.

Another huge accomplishment was raising enough money to build the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room, which features two special collections of rare books. Under Wynn’s direction, the library was also re-sided, the parking lots repaved and the interior spruced up with new carpet, paint and upholstery.

It hasn’t been easy, but through it all Wynn has kept her dobber up and her mind open to the possibilities. After nine years on the job, she feels it is her time to retire. “It’s going to be really hard to let go of this community,” Wynn said.

Tenure in Harney Co.

Wynn and her husband, George, who works for the Forest Service, will be moving to Wyoming, which is where Wynn grew up.

The Wynns moved from Montana to Harney County in 1989. Wynn worked as a librarian and teacher at Slater and Hines schools.

When the county library director position opened up, Wynn interviewed for the job. “There were a lot of things that needed to be done,” she said. “I went home and thought, ‘I hope I  don’t get that job.’ ”

But as fate would have it, she got a call from County Commissioner Jack Drinkwater telling her she had been selected, and she began the job in July 1999.
At that time, the library budget was small and the library director and assistant jobs were part-time. Wynn decided to run the library using volunteers to cut down on costs and ended up weeding $8,000 out of the budget. She also held a book sale to de-crowd the library shelves and helped raise a little more money that way.

The next year, a little more money was allocated to run the library, and Wynn decided to work on the building, which was built in 1969. Little had been done to maintain it over the years, and it was a task just replacing all the burned out light bulbs. “It made such a difference,” Wynn said. “People could actually see books on the shelves.”

Technology arrives

In Wynn’s second year as library director, the library only had one computer for both the staff and public to use.

She happened to receive a call from Oregon Trail Internet of Pendleton, who offered to wire the entire library for Internet use for free if the library would house its server. “Sometimes you just have to say yes to opportunities,” Wynn said. She agreed, and the library was suddenly hooked up with T1 Internet capabilities.

It was also in her second year that she was contacted by the Libraries of Eastern Oregon, a network of 66 libraries through which inter-library loans are conducted. The Harney County Library soon became a member. “Just the idea that we were no longer a self contained library — that just opened up the world to us,” Wynn said.

It was through this network that Wynn found out about an Eastern Oregon University grant that helped automate rural libraries. “It was an awesome way to do it,” Wynn said. In 2001, people came to train the staff and books were outfitted with barcodes.

Western History Room

The Claire McGill Luce Western History Room, completed in January 2006, has been a huge boon to the library and entices visitors from all over the state.
In 2001, Wynn said the rare collections donated by Walter McEwen and Edward Gray were just sitting in a back room in boxes because the library simply didn’t have a secure room in which to display them for the public to use.

Library patron and avid historian Sandra Crittenden (who would become the collection’s curator) thought it was a travesty to have such valuable books hidden away. “She just went head over heels for that collection,” Wynn said of Crittenden.

Hence began years of fundraising that would culminate in the remodel of the library and the addition of the Western History Room.

Wynn started with community fundraisers and then got together with the county grant writer to find other avenues from which to obtain money. The Harney County Library Foundation was created to manage the funds.

In 2005, the project was put out to bid, and the bid came in $100,000 under what they had originally thought. With the extra money, they were able to re-side the exterior and buy new cement for the parking lots. The back of the library was remodeled, and they were able to buy a new circulation desk. “It really changed the face of the library,” Wynn said.

However, Wynn wasn’t done with the building improvements. The library has since raised enough money to re-carpet the building, paint the interior and re-upholster all the library chairs.

In addition, the Ford Family Foundation adopted the library last year as one of its projects and relandscaped the exterior.

Another boon to the library occurred two years ago when members of the library foundation decided the Claire Luce McGill Fund, which consisted of $1,750,000 earmarked for library use, should be endowed to the library instead of run by the county.

The library foundation is now in full control of the money, and Wynn said it looks as though the library should be able to run itself off the interest of that endowment. “There are a lot of other libraries in Oregon that have had to shut down,” Wynn said. Thanks to this endowment, she doesn’t think that will happen to the Harney County Library.

Passing the torch

While Wynn has accomplished much during her tenure with the library, she gives much credit to her staff. She noted that Suzanne Marchment, who runs the children’s program at the library, has truly brought the program into its own. “Suzanne’s program is second to none in Eastern Oregon,” she said.

The library’s new focus will be to offer more cultural programming. Since January, the library has had at least two cultural programs per month. Wynn has found a wealth of knowledge in the people of Harney County. “You’d be amazed of the talents in your own community,” she said. A former Marine instructor has given programs on orienteering and survival, and a local author gave a presentation on how to get published.

In July, Cheryl Hancock will take over as the library director. She hails from Prineville, where she was the assistant library director for a number of years. “She has a lot of experience,” Wynn said.

Wynn thinks it’s time to hand the job over to someone else. However, she wouldn’t rule out a job at a library in Wyoming. “I love working at libraries. It’s probably the best job in the world,” Wynn confided. “I want to get another library job —  but in the back room covering books.” She’ll leave the director position to someone else.

Wynn looks forward to moving across the country and being closer to family. But having lived in Harney County for almost 20 years, Wynn said it’ll be hard to say good bye. “You leave a big chunk of your heart when you’ve lived in one place for so long,” she said.

 Open house features barbecue

What: After nine years as the Harney County Library Director, Jolyn Wynn is retiring. Come say farewell at the library with an Open House celebration. The Appetizers and Snacks 4-H cooking club will be barbecuing and selling hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings and will offer salads as well. Desserts donated by the Friends of the Library will also be available for purchase, too.

WHERE: Harney County Library, 80 W. D St.

WHEN: 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 30

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

On Wednesday, June 18, the Harney County Court voted 2-1 to uphold the Harney County Planning Commission’s decision to allow a non-farm dwelling to be built in a Princeton area EFRU-2 zone, which  is designated for agricultural use.

The decision came as a result of Randolph Hogrefe’s request to build a home on 10 acres, and an appeal by a neighboring landowner, Thurston (Rusty) Inglis.

Before the vote was taken, Harney County Judge Steve Grasty said he found nothing compelling in recent testimony to change his decision to uphold the planning commission’s decision. Grasty added that he would  ask Mr. Hogrefe to combine the 10-acre parcel with his adjoining 40 acres.

Commissioner Jack Drinkwater agreed with Grasty and said, “This fellow has a right to build a house on his own property.”

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Commissioner Dan Nichols, who felt that allowing Hogrefe to build did not follow the rules of the comprehensive plan. “I’m trying to protect the agricultural industry in this county,” Nichols said. “I do believe in private property rights, but there’s two sides to that street. One more home opens it up for another down the road, then another and another. Having a few acres is different than having a working ranch.”

The motion, made by Grasty, did include the stipulation that Hogrefe combine his two parcels.

•••

Members of the Harney County Fair board approached the court with a request for more money, citing increasing costs.

Board member Bob Cargill stated that the fair is  a big community event, and the cost of maintenance and other things are getting bigger than what the fair can produce. “We feel we need more money to operate,” Cargill said.

Another board member, Wayne Evans, said they were trying to get the court to acknowledge that the county owns the buildings on the fairgrounds and could perform the maintenance on them.

Fair Manager Don Slone suggested they could possibly raise revenue by charging for use of the facilities. “How would it work?” he asked. “I don’t know. I guess we could set a fee and see what happens.”

Slone said that at one time, there was a policy that 20 percent of proceeds from food and beverage vendors would go to the fair. “That’s a way to raise several thousand dollars,” Slone said. “It may not go over real well, but they have to understand there are expenses in keeping the booths open.”

Drinkwater wondered if they might raise admission fees. “Most places charge more just to park than what you pay to get in to the fair here,” he said.
Cargill said they would be reluctant to raise prices, but they need to raise more money.

There was more discussion on allowing community groups using the facilities at no charge, and Evans said that with today’s economics they can’t do that anymore. “I think the community will understand,” he said. “I think we need to have 4-H help us out as well.”

The court pointed out that the board had exceeded their budget, and they needed to keep a closer watch on expenditures. “You have to pencil it out and see how you’re going to do it,” Grasty said. “I appreciate you kicking out ideas (for more revenue). There’s no way we could put another $100,000 a year into your budget.”

In other business:
• the court signed an order to distribute money, in the amount of $6,131.49, from the sale of county lands;

• the court signed an agreement with the Harney County Commission on Children and Families regarding provider contracts. Commissioner Nichols complimented the director, Patty Dorroh, and the commission board, and thanked them for their time and effort;

• Ted Tiller, tax collector, presented the court with a request for a tax refund. Tiller explained that a tax assessment had been placed on the wrong lot in the Trout Creek area. Tiller said with the new geographical information system (GIS), they discovered the clerical error and would refund money to the party who had been taxed, and then tax the right land owner;

• the court approved a number of resolutions dealing with the budget, including #2008-09 which adopted the the 2008-09 budget approved by the budget committee in the amount of $31,937,932.00, and #2008-10 which imposes taxes provided for in the adopted budget at the rate of 4.5016 per $1,000 of assessed value for operations;

• the court held public hearings before approving a revised wind energy facility fee schedule and the GIS fee schedule;

• the court acknowledged a letter of resignation from planning commission member Rick Johnson. Judge Grasty said he was sorry to see Johnson leave the commission and complimented him on his work;

• Commissioner Nichols reported that the Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB) had listened to the court’s concerns and had placed Harney County back into Region 5. “It’ll have a big impact on the community,” Nichols said. Grasty noted that Nichols had been instrumental in getting OWEB to change the designation and thanked him.

The next meeting of the Harney County Court is Wednesday, July 2, at 10 a.m.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

July 20 through July 25 several rodeo competitors will represent Harney County at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington, N.M. In addition, Harney County will have a contingency going to the Silver State International Finals in Fallon, Nev., June 30-July 5.

Executing strong showings in two rounds, and then coming back to compete in the short go at the Oregon State Finals Rodeo in Klamath Falls last week, Ross O’Sullivan, Brooke Nyman and Chase Creason earned their way to the national level.

O’Sullivan began the finals rodeo last week with possible top-five finishes in the tie-down roping and the team roping. In tie-down roping, he took second place in the first round with a time of 15.03, but didn’t place in round two. He did qualify to come back for the short-go on Saturday, and again took second place with a 16.55 run. For the season, O’Sullivan got second place and a trip to the finals.

In team roping, O’Sullivan and partner Cully Stafford from Prineville went into the first round in second place, and easily held on to that spot by winning the round with a time of 8.76. In the second round the team placed fourth, roping in 14.68. In the final short-go run, O’Sullivan and Stafford stopped the clock at 12.71, giving them second for the round and second for the entire season. O’Sullivan qualified again to head to New Mexico.

Nyman began the finals rodeo in Klamath Falls in third place in the breakaway roping. In the first go, she blistered the competition, winning the round with a time of 2.93. After not placing in the second go, or the short-go, Nyman’s year-end points held out, and she finished in third place.

Creason, Harney County’s lone rough stock rider at the state finals, went into the first round of competition with an opportunity to make the nationals in bareback riding. After three rounds of action, he was only one of two bareback riders to cover all three of his horses. Creason scored 67 points on his first ride for second place, 69 points on his second horse for third place, and in the short-go, he scored 60 points for another second place. The year-end totals had him in fourth place overall.

Joining O’Sullivan, Nyman and Creason at the National Finals Rodeo, will be Cody Henricks. Henricks won the rifle shoot and the trap shoot held in conjunction with the rodeo finals. He will compete in New Mexico in both events.

Qualifiers for the Silver State International Rodeo from Harney County will be Jesse Northrop, Pete Joyce, Nyman and Henricks.

Northrop took sixth place for the year in team roping, heeling for partner Kylee Jo Rogers. At the state finals, the team took sixth in the first round with a time of 17.24.

Joyce will compete in Nevada in steer wrestling, finishing the year in eighth place. In the finals, Joyce took second in the first go with a time of 6.60, fifth in the second go with a time of 25.39 and fifth in the final round with a time of 9.15.

Henricks qualified for Silver State in steer wrestling and team roping with partner Nyman. He finished the steer wrestling in sixth place. At the state finals, he placed fourth in the first rounds with a time of 15.12, and won the short-go with a time of 5.38.

Henricks and Nyman ended the season in ninth place in the team roping. They placed seventh in the first round of the state finals with a time of 19.09 and fourth in the final round with a time of 22.48.

Glenn Edgar Hardin of Twin Falls, Idaho, died on June 14. He was 62 years old.

Hardin was born on Jan. 5, 1946, on the Fort McDermitt Pauite-Shoshone Indian Reservation in Northern Nevada to Ross E. Hardin and Christine (Crutcher) Hardin.

He married Sherry L. Kirkpatrick on Oct. 10, 1970, in Longmont, Colo. They lived in Longmont and Heatherwood, Colo. until 1974 when they moved to Fort McDermitt, Nev. They moved to Idaho in 1985, and to Twin Falls in 1987.

He graduated from McDermitt Combined Schools in 1964, after which he attended Haskell Indian College in Lawrence, Kan., graduating with a vocational degree in welding in 1966. Hardin then moved to Cheyenne, Wyo., where he worked in welding until he moved to Denver in 1967. There he worked at IBM until 1974.
After moving to Nevada, Hardin was Tribal Chairman of the Ft. McDermitt Reservation, as well as Housing Chairman for a time. He also worked for the Nevada Rural Mental Health Department as a Mental Health Therapist.  Hardin attended school anytime he could. He attended the University of Utah, National Indian Training Center and the National Indian Judicial College for classes in Judgeship, Criminal & Indian Law. He also attended Boise State University receiving a bachelor of arts in criminal law.

After moving to Idaho, Hardin worked for the Idaho Department of Corrections as a probation and parole officer in Pocatello, Twin Falls and Boise. He left the department in 1994 and then worked as a tribal court advocate for many tribes throughout Idaho, Oregon and Nevada. He sat on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals as an associate judge and also on the Idaho Supreme Court as a tribal law advisor. He served as chief tribal judge for several tribes in Idaho and Nevada. Although he officially quit working due to his health in 2005, he continued to offer his services and knowledge of tribal law to any and all who requested it.

Hardin loved to camp, fish, hunt and spend time with his wife, children, grandchildren, family and friends, gathering to eat and share stories of times now gone.

Hardin is survived by his wife, Sherry; children, Gerland and wife Karla, Christina Proctor and husband Tommy, and Charles and wife Amy; nine grandchildren; four sisters; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, two brothers, four sisters and many others in his large family.

Services were held on Thursday, June 19, at Amazing Grace Fellowship in Twin Falls. Internment followed at Sunset Memorial Park. White Mortuary, “Chapel by the Park” was in charge of funeral arrangements.

Harney County Health District board of directors meets the fourth Wednesday of each month in the board conference room of the hospital, in the entrance off N. Grand, at 6 p.m.

Burns City Council meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at Burns City Hall, 242 South Broadway, at 6 p.m.

High Desert Park and Recreation District board of directors meets the fourth Wednesday of each month in their office at Lincoln Junior High School, 550 North Court, at 7 p.m.

Burns Sportsman Club will present Twilight Trap Practice every Wednesday night, from 5-7 p.m. at the shooting facility on Radar Hill. Members and non-members are welcome to participate.

Storytime for preschoolers is held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Harney County Library.

Burns Fire Dept. meets each Wednesday at the Burns Fire Hall at 7 p.m.

Burns Elks Lodge, 118 North Broadway, meets each Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Wednesday at the Foursquare Church at 7 p.m.

The 19th annual Bell A Cutting Horse Show will be held June 26-29. The shows will start at 8 a.m. each day. Admission is free; children must be accompanied by an adult. Concessions, shade, bleachers and vendors will be available. A barbecue will be held Saturday evening; reservations must be made by Friday, June 27, at noon, RSVP to 573-2201.

Disabled Services Advisory Council (DSAC) meets every fourth Thursday at the State Office Building small conference room, 809 West Jackson, at 1:30 p.m.

Harney County Soil and Water Conservation District board of directors meets the fourth Thursday of each month. June’s meeting will be held at the Hines USDA Service Center conference room from 3:30-5:30 p.m.  on June 26.

A book club for kindergarten through fourth grade students is held each Thursday at the Harney County Library, from 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Tai Chi  is held every Thursday at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. All ages are  welcome to participate.

Kiwanis Club of Burns-Hines meets for a no-host luncheon each Thursday at Glory Days Pizza, 690 Oregon Ave., at noon.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets each Thursday at Hines City Hall, 101 East Barnes, at noon. Call 573-2896.

The Boys & Girls Club holds karaoke each Thursday. Members of all ages are welcome to join Hanna in the education room for a program that promotes the art of singing, as well as a fun way to practice reading skills.

Teen Night is held at the Boys & Girls Club each Thursday, from 6-7 p.m. for all teenagers.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Thursday at the Foursquare Church, at 7 p.m.

The 19th annual Bell A Cutting Horse Show will be held June 26-29. The shows will start at 8 a.m. each day. Admission is free; children must be accompanied by an adult. Concessions, shade, bleachers and vendors will be available. A barbecue will be held Saturday evening; reservations must be made by Friday, June 27, at noon, RSVP to 573-2201.

The Harney County Watershed Council June monthly meeting  will be held on Friday, June 27.  The meeting will be held at the Frenchglen school with a tour of the WJMA project starting about 1 p.m.  A picnic at the school with the monthly meeting will follow, along with a “town hall” meeting for all Frenchglen area residents who are interested in learning more about the Guano Sub-basin Watershed Assessment that is being conducted this summer.

The Boys & Girls Club presents People in Uniform the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month, from 1-2:30 p.m. Professionals from around Harney County come give kids a peek into their profession.

Oregon Old Time Fiddlers, District 9, meets the first, third and fourth Friday of each month. Call Julia at 573-2770, for time and place.

Hines Middle School Reading Club meets each Friday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Harney County Library.

The Boys & Girls Club has the Club Bucks Store open each Friday. This is an incentive program in which members earn “club bucks” by doing good deeds and helping out around the club.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Friday at Foursquare Church at 7 p.m.

A traditional stock horse competition will be held on June 28 at Roaring Springs Ranch in Frenchglen. Classes will include novice, 1,500 rider, open and youth. National Reined Cow Horse Association rules will apply. Entries are open to anyone interested. The public is welcome to come and watch the competition. For more information, call Reneé Baker at 589-3458 or Debbi Otley at 493-2702, or e-mail  renbaker@gmail.com.

The 19th annual Bell A Cutting Horse Show will be held June 26-29. The shows will start at 8 a.m. each day. Admission is free; children must be accompanied by an adult. Concessions, shade, bleachers and vendors will be available. A barbecue will be held Saturday evening; reservations must be made by Friday, June 27, at noon, RSVP to 573-2201.

Alanon holds an open meeting each Saturday at Foursquare Church at 5:30 p.m.

The High Desert 4-H Saddle Club will hold an open horse show on Sunday, June 29, at the Harney County Fairgrounds. The show is open to everyone with youth, adult, green horse, novice and reining divisions. Sign up is at 7 a.m. and the show will start at 8 a.m. For more information, call 589-1519 or 413-0075.

The Harney County Ministerial Association holds services every fifth Sunday. The community is invited to join in a time of music, fellowship and praise. For information, contact Pastor Jean Hurst, 573-4141.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Sunday at Foursquare Church for 12X12 study, at 7 p.m.

Oregon Meat Goat Producers, Area 2 will meet on June 30, at 42511 Jackalope Lane, in Crane. Dinner will begin at 7 p.m., followed by a presentation on common goat disorders. RSVP to 589-0830.

A retirement party for librarian Jolyn Wynn will be held at the Harney County Library on June 30, from 3-7 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to the open house to say “thanks” and “farewell” to Wynn.

Harney County Library Advisory Board meets the last Monday of each month (except for those dates that fall on national holidays) in the library, 80 West D St., at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. Use the back door to the left. For more information, call 573-7339.

The Torch Club, a teen leadership and service group at the Boys & Girls Club, meets each Monday from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

ImageMakers, a photography program is offered to members of the Boys & Girls Club each Monday from 4-5 p.m. All ages are encouraged to learn and practice black and white, color and digital photography skills as well as image editing.

PRIDE meets each Monday in the Courthouse basement meeting room, 450 North Buena Vista, at 7:30 a.m. to network for community betterment.

The Burns Lions Club meets each Monday at noon at the Burns Elks Lodge, 118 N. Broadway, for lunch. Those interested in serving the community are welcome.

Narcotics Anonymous holds an open meeting each Monday at 7 p.m. at Foursquare Church.

HDH Sports & Physical Therapy will offer a free athletic injury clinic at that facility, 559 West Washington, every Monday from 5-6 p.m. A physical therapist will assess and treat athletic injuries and provide education for athletes and parents on self management of injuries. For more information call 573-1543.