CDA says no to Umatilla County once again

BOARDMAN – Once again, the board of directors for the Columbia Development Authority has voted 3 to 2 to give control of the former chemical weapons depot land in Umatilla County to the Port of Umatilla, ousting Umatilla County from control of land set aside for economic development. However, the matter will come to another vote at the next CDA meeting at 1 p.m. Dec. 11.

Board Vice Chairman John Shafer, Umatilla County’s representative, offered a compromise and said if it was accepted the county would withdraw its suit against the CDA. His proposal, which also has the support of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s board member J.D. Tovey, would allow each county to decide who controlled the land within its boundaries. So, while the members representing Morrow County and the Port of Morrow voted with the Port of Umatilla in rejecting Umatilla County’s control, both representatives said they would take Shafer’s proposal to their respective bodies before the next CDA meeting. Morrow County is reported to be willing to allow the Port of Morrow to be in control of economic development of that applicable land.

At the meeting on Tuesday, Shafer stated that his proposal would mean Morrow County and the Port of Morrow would have control of their land and the same would hold true for Umatilla County, the Port of Umatilla, and CTUIR.

Tovey made a motion that the CDA board take up the issue again after Port of Morrow Commissioner Joe Taylor and Morrow County Commissioner Jeff Wenholz explored the proposal that would include dropping the lawsuit for breach of contract.

Umatilla County has invested in the land as a founding member of the consortium that received the land from the U.S. Army. The county, along with the other parties, have worked together for about 30 years discussing how the land, which lies at the intersection of Interstate 84 and Interstate 82, would be divided.

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Elkhorn Media Group

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