Umatilla County's Approach to Getting Stuff Done

Residents of Umatilla County and other rural parts of the state may lack traditional forms of power. But we are still able to get quite a bit done by using our own version of the Oregon Way.

A couple of months ago CNN brought a crew of three to Pendleton. The CNN team had flown to Portland from various points and then drove to Pendleton.

They interviewed me on the Courthouses steps about why so many of our residents are opposed to the vaccination. That interview was indicative of a larger trend. Umatilla County has received an unprecedented dose of major media attention. During the past eighteen months I have heard from friends all over the country who have seen my name and comments in or on the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, OPB, and a host of others who, other than OPB, had to rely on a map to find out where we are.

In one way or another, the county has been a poster child for COVID policy issues. Umatilla county seems to have dealt with all of things we see in headlines: a high incidence of cases, resistance to the vaccine, a spate of closures that have left the local business community reeling. 

More local press has also picked up on the county’s newsworthiness. The Oregonian often calls me for comment or picks up quotes from some other newspaper even though you can’t get it delivered or find it on a news stand east of Troutdale. Invariably, readers from Portland, whose opinion I wasn’t soliciting in the first place, call and try to set me straight. 

The narrative spun by the Oregonian and other outlets often misses the context of the original remarks. Let it be clear that all three Umatilla County commissioners have been vaccinated and have never wavered in being outspoken advocates for getting the vaccine, so we aren’t the ignorant Neanderthals the callers think we are. 

Normally, we are content to fly under the radar on almost every topic, except tourism. Attention from the Westside, including Salem, isn’t something we covet because we are happy quietly going about our business. Besides, no one calls to ask about yet another Amazon data center, a massive new wind project, or an innovative new water projects that are green as hell.   

My maiden voyage on these pages of the “popular media” was deemed “one-sided” by at least one reader who suggested we might not be seeing the bigger picture because I shared some of our frustrations regarding the fact Umatilla County residents and folks east of the Cascades are a political afterthought. 

Residents of Umatilla County and other rural parts of the state may lack traditional forms of power. But we are still able to get quite a bit done by using our own version of the Oregon Way.

Years ago, my great aunt gave me a copy of the Serenity Prayer which I still have. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The prayer has many applications including as a tool for guiding efforts on where to spend our political energy. We look beyond those issues we simply cannot influence and focus instead on those issues where we have a chance. It’d be helpful if the press did the same – covering some of our wins with state and federal leaders, instead of just our frustrations.

Over the course of the last eight years, I have become friends with Senator Ron Wyden even though we are hardly bedfellows on the political spectrum. There are, however, many things on which we agree and, on many of those things, we’ve made substantive progress.

As I noted in my first article, Senator Wyden is a strong proponent of breaking down political barriers and embracing good ideas no matter who gets the credit. In areas like mental health and water projects, we are developing some strong partnerships, just to name a few. 

Our county also has friends in the State Legislature who view their role as something more than appeasing voters in their district.  They recognize the fact that, in the end, we are all Oregonians and the Legislature was designed to be parts of the whole, not just parts. 

When I look across the aisle (though I am not a legislator), I see people like Senator Betsy Johnson, Senator Elizabeth Steiner-Hayward, Senator Michael Dembrow, and Speaker Tina Kotek.  All of them know where Eastern Oregon is located and each of them value our thoughts and opinions and they respect those who represent us.

Without them, this part of the state would get little.

In return, we owe it to them to treat our work together with respect, dignity, and civility. 

This important story of collaboration across the state and across party lines receives little, if any, attention

In my early days as a school administrator, one of our board members made a decision with which I did not agree.  As we were leaving the meeting, I boldly shared my disappointment and surprise at the direction this veteran board member had taken. She stopped, looked me straight in the eye and said, “Young man, do you honestly believe I am in love with all of the decisions you make?”

It was a watershed moment on my journey to adulthood. 

For us in Rural Oregon, the Oregon Way is having enough sense not to cut off our noses to spite our face. It may not grab headlines, but it’s helped us get stuff done.

George Murdock is chairman of the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners and president-elect of the Association of Oregon Counties. He is a former school superintendent and editor and publisher of the East Oregonian. He is also a cattle rancher.   

"Umatilla County Line" by jimmywayne is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0