Basin leaders cautious, but hopeful about Merkley

Concerns raised over loss of Sen. Smith’s knowledge of water issues

By TY BEAVER

H&N Staff Writer

November 7, 2008

Klamath Basin community and government leaders are generally hopeful Oregon’s new U.S. senator will be a good representative for the area once he is brought up to speed on regional and rural issues.

But others were more cautious, saying Democrat Jeff Merkley’s past legislative record wasn’t friendly to Eastern Oregon.

And many expressed disappointment about losing Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, calling him an experienced politician supportive of their issues.

After a close race , Merkley on Thursday clinched Smith’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

Klamath goes for Smith

Smith, who hails from Pendleton, garnered 68 percent of the vote in Klamath County to Merkley’s 24 percent. The other 8 percent voted for Dave Brownlow, the Constitution Party candidate. Merkley is from the Portland area.

One of the most contentious issues locally is the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, which advocates dam removal on the Klamath River and allocates water among stakeholders.

“We are very concerned,” said Greg Addington, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association and a supporter of the water settlement plan. “Sen. Smith understood what happened and where we’ve been.”

But Liz Schmitt, chairwoman of the Klamath County Democratic Central Committee, said she believes Merkley would be an excellent representative for the region’s interests.

Mill worker family

She cited his upbringing in a mill worker family and said he visited the Klamath Basin before any other state or national candidate.

“I don’t think he’s going to leave rural Oregon in the dust,” she said.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said he was disappointed he would n’t work with Smith in Congress, but added he still looks forward to working with Merley. He hadn’t had any conversations with him yet.

Rural Oregon

Walden said he’s hopeful the senator-elect will represent rural Oregon, though he doesn’t have much history dealing with its issues.

Wariness about Merkley’s priorities won’t keep officials and leaders from connecting with him , though. Addington said his organization will provide the senator-elect a briefing package on the region’s water issues and would also try to offer him a tour of the Basin.

Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott said county leaders and officials would establish contact with Merkley just as they did with Smith, Walden and Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden . He hopes Merkley will follow examples set by Wyden and Walden and visit the Basin regularly.

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