By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

A number of visitors from around the state ventured into Harney County for the first time for the Oregon Association of County Clerks Annual Conference held Aug. 16-19.

Harney County Clerk Maria Itturiaga said 35 of the state’s 36 counties were represented at the conference, and for many it was their first visit to Burns. “This is the first time in 98 years it has been held here,” Itturiaga said. “It’s held each year in the home county of the association president, and because I was president this past year, the first from Harney County, we got to host it.”

More than 100 people attended the event, including county and deputy clerks, software and election machine vendors, as well as guest speakers Secretary of State Kate Brown, Attorney General John Kroger and State Representative Cliff Bentz.

Topics of discussion ranged from legislative and recording issues to the developing electronic recording.

“Electronic recording is coming, and we have to be ready for it,” Harney County Deputy Clerk Dag Robinson said.

Itturiaga said they accomplished a lot from the hard work by those in attendance, and the event also had a positive economic impact on the community.

“We used local vendors for all meals except the final banquet that was a Basque dinner catered by a friend of mine from Boise,” Itturiaga said. Meals included a barbecue at Sage Country Inn catered by Wendy Reid, lunch at Linda’s Thai Room, dinner at the Diamond Hotel and a catered lunch by Bella Java. Itturiaga noted that the breaks were catered by Reid as well, and gave her high marks for her work.

The group also visited the Round Barn and occupied more than 80 motel rooms for their three-night stay. “I think the economic impact on the community was huge,” Itturiaga said. “And thank you to the business people who were really gracious to our guests as they shopped around town.”

During the final banquet on Wednesday, Aug. 18, Terri Turi of Coos County was elected as the new president of the association, meaning the event will be held on the other side of the state in 2011.

“It was a lot of work, so I’m glad it’s over, but it was a lot of fun too,” Itturiaga said.