ACTION
ALERT—Please Write Letters of Support, Proposed Mt Emily Recreation Area
FROM: Mt Emily Recreation Area
Coalition (Coalition)
Public use of the MERA is seriously threatened.(1) We need your help—now !
Coalition’s
Goal: Acquire the proposed Mt Emily Recreation Area to ensure, for
perpetuity, that it continues to be a producer of wildlife, watershed, timber
and related natural resources, is a showcase of sustainable resource
conservation practices, and provides diverse opportunities for public
recreation..
Issue: Forest Capital
informed the Coalition that the 3,646 acre area will be listed for sale on
their real estate web site on March 30, 2007 (John Warness, FCP 11/17/06). Forest Capital Partners has
refused multiple requests to negotiate a reasonable sale price for MERA with
the Coalition or Union County—prior to them listing the property on their real
estate web page (www.westslopeproperties.com). Instead,
Forest Capital has publicly stated that they will sell it for the “best
price it can get” (Matt Donegan, FCP
1/14/07).
Please send letters as outlined below by January 29, 2007. We need 200 + letters sent !
What you can do to help !
Please write a personal letter and, or send a
personal email to John Warness, Kevin Boling, and Matt Donegan, Forest
Capital Partners. Send a copy of your
letter or email to the Union County Commissioners and others shown on the
address list below. Make your letter
personal.
For letter ideas go to: www.mtemily.org or www.BlueMountainSTC.or.
Please emphasize the following in your letter:
1) Ask Forest
Capital to please work with the Coalition and Union County to ensure that
the Coalition’s Goal becomes a reality (see above). Tell them why this is
important to you ?
2) Emphasize to
Forest Capital that they have the power to ensure that liquidation of
the timber and subdivision of MERA does not occur. Forest Capital can
ensure this does not happen by negotiating a reasonable price for the property,
trees, etc., with the Coalition and Union County. Tell them why this is a win,
win situation for Forest Capital and residents of Union County. NOTE: Two years ago FCP paid Boise Cascade an
average of $750/acre for Boise’s property and timber holdings in the
U.S., which included the MERA. FCP has alluded to a sale price of up to 3 times
this ($1,500/acre)—The Coalition does not believe this is a reasonable price !
3) In your
letter to Forest Capital, ask that they respond to your request—you
expect the courtesy of a response to your letter !
Two quotes from Forest Capital’s web page (www.forestcap.com) that you should consider in your letter
are:
“Forest Capital Partners is owned by professional foresters with a deep
commitment to the land, the environment, and the communities in which we live
and operate.”
“As a large well capitalized organization…FCP is not forced to
over-harvest or sell land to meet debt obligations.”
John
Warness, Region Manager, 1607 27th Street, La Grande, OR 97850,
541.962.2045, jwarness@forestcap.com
Matthew W. Donegan, Co-President,
Forest Capital Partners, LLC, 111 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 3650, Portland, OR
97204. Phone: 971.244.8660, Email: mdonegan@forestcap.com
Kevin
Boling, General Manager, Inland, 6500 Mineral Drive, Suite 101, Coeur d’Alene,
ID 83815, 208.292.2462, ext. 102
kboling@forestcap.com
Colleen
MacLeod colleen@union-county.org
Nellie
Bogue Hibbert nhibbert@union-county.org
Steve McClure smcclure@union-county.org
The
Observer City of La Grande OregonParks
And Recreation
1406 5th St Steve Clements, Mayor Wayne Rawlins, Grant Manager
La Grande, OR
97850
PO Box 670 725
Summer Str, NE Suite C
541.963.3161 La Grande, OR 97850 Salem,
OR. 97301
news@lagrandeobserver.com 541.962.1309 503.986.0705 wayne.Rawlins@state.or.us
State of
Oregon
Greg Smith, Representative David Nelson, Senator
PO Box 219 1407
NW Horn
Heppner, OR. 97836
Pendleton, OR. 97801
541-676-8719 541.278.2332
rep.gregsmith@state.or.us sen.david.nelson@state.or.us
Ron Wyden, US Senator Gordon Smith, US Senator
105 Fir St #210 116 South
Main, Ste 3
La Grande, OR 97850 Pendleton, OR 97801
541-962-7691
541-278-4109
wyden.senate.gov gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm
Greg Walden, US Representative Ted Kulongoski,
Governor
843 E Main St, Ste 400 254 State Capitol
Medford,OR 97504 Salem, OR
97310
800-533-3303
503-378-3111
walden.house.gov
governor.oregon.gov
QUESTIONS: Mark Barber 963.8147,
Lance Coburn 562.5339, Mark
Lewis 962.9355, Bart Barlow 963.9740,
Mary McCracken 963.8917, Ron Babcock 962.9529, Rick Bowen, 963.0480, Darin
Larvik 963.5459, Norm Paullus 963.2646,
John Lamoreau 963.8503, Susan Geer 963.0477, Scott Wilson 963.8681, Linda
Carter 962.7491, Gary Price 963.4746
Critical Dates:
February 7, 2007. Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept., ATV Account Allocation
Committee meeting. Committee will
decide whether to fund the grant application submitted by Union
County/Coalition.
February ? 2007.
Public meeting in La Grande to review proposed acquisition and funding
package. Date and location to be
announced.
March 30, 2007. Forest Capital Partners LLC/Gallatin NE Oregon Land and Timber
Co., LLC, puts Mt Emily Recreation Area on real estate web page and offers
property for sale (see www.westslopeproperties.com)
Documents (to view, go to:
www.MtEmily.org or www.BlueMountainSTC.org
Feasibility Study/Management Plan. Proposed Mt Emily Recreation Area. Prepared
by the Mt Emily Recreation Area Coalition,
January 5, 2007.
Grant Application ATV Grant Program, Oregon State
Parks and Recreation Dept. Prepared by the Mt Emily Recreation Coalition,
January 5, 2007.