Basin Business for February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

KLAMATH BASIN

Basin Business

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and News

Business

Local officials visit for a day at the state Capitol Page 5

Family affair marks 65 years

IDEA speaker an expert on innovation — Page 3

Travel Southern Oregon symposium coming to Klamath

Steve and John Bocchi, from left, have three long-haul trucks to bring product into the Klamath Pepsi-Cola warehouse. The distributorship, a locally owned, family business, has been in operation for 65 years. See details on Page 2.

— Page 6

Eastern Oregon job growth may lag behind state — Page 7

H&N photo by Gerry O’Brien

A publication of the Herald & News

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Chamber: www.klamath.org

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Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and

Basin Business

Pepsi retailers at 65

Distributorship a mainstay in Klamath

BY GERRY O’BRIEN

H&N Editor

Not many Basin families can boast they’ve been in business for 60-plus years.

The only locally owned beverage and vending distributor company in Klamath Falls is in its 65th year, marking that anniversary in January.

Pepsi-Cola distributing has been in the Bocchi family for as long as the nine siblings can remember.

The business was once co-owned by Leo Bocchi and Mario Pastega in the early 1950s.

“I remember walking down the street from Sacred Heart School to work in the warehouse on Spring Street,” recalls Tony Bocchi, 64, who heads up the financial office of the operation. The original plant used to sit next to Klamath Ice. The lot is vacant now.

Spring Street origins At that time, Spring Street was the hub of industrial life of Klamath ABOVE: John Bocchi Falls. It was filled with warehouses holds up a photoand industrial support operations for graph of the original the timber industry, among others. site of the Pepsi-Cola Rules regarding youngsters working indistributorship in plants were a lot less strict back then Spring Street. and the family learned the business AT RIGHT: Leo from the ground up; from bottling to Bocchi, center, was partners with Mario delivery.

Pastega, far right “When we turned 18, we took a in the 1950s. The delivery route,” said John Bocchi, article in Pepsi World the general manager of the firm. “As Magazine introduced kids we learned all about the equip- the new “swirl” ment, dismantling it, putting it back shaped bottle. together.” several other occupations. He manLeo and Margie Bocchi purchased one half interest in the local Pepsi Cola aged the plant from that time until his death in 1988. Upon his death, Leo’s Bottling Co. from Elmer Kennedy family bought the remaining half of on Jan. 1, 1952. Leo had actually sold the business from Mario Pastega. Of Coke products prior to that, among

the nine Bocchi siblings, eight remain owners in the business today.

Ironically, Pastega also operated a vending supply business in Medford, and the Bocchi’s purchased that from

him as well in 2015.

In 1973, the family relocated the plant from Spring Street to Miller Avenue, just behind Kiger Stadium.

Homerun balls from the ballpark sail right into its parking lot from time to time.

It is one of the few remaining family owned franchises within the Pepsi network, too, as the company has been buying back franchises across the country.

Today, the franchise employs some 65 workers, has an annual payroll of $2 million and distributes out of warehouses in Klamath Falls, Lakeview and Alturas, and the vending warehouse in Medford. It covers Klamath, Lake and Modoc counties plus Tulelake, and services hundreds of retail outlets from convenience stores to restaurants.

The firm has three long-haul trucks it uses to pick up product from one of only two major bottling sites in the Northwest: Mount Angel, Ore., due east of Woodburn, and Tumwater, Wash., near Olympia.

While the Bocchis used to bottle their own product, bottling has consolidated due to the cost — some $25 million for bottle-making equipment alone, and the strict regulations under Homeland Security to ensure something dangerous doesn’t get into the food chain.

The family runs some seven pop delivery routes; two local coffee and vending routes; and nine coffee and vending routes out of Medford. It has its own truck repair shop on the property to handle minor repairs, said Steve Bocchi.

The family also owns Quail Mountain coffee which it delivers locally.

See PEPSI, Page 3

Basin Business

Steve and John Bocchi, top photo from left, are seen inside the Klamath Pepsi warehouse. At right is a plaque to Leo Bocchi at a baseball field complex at Steen Park. Above, Quail Mountain Coffee is one of the distributorship’s vendors.

PEPSI....

Continued from Page 2 “My father thought that while we were delivering Pepsi, we might as well deliver snacks too,” said John Bocchi, 57. So that led to the expansion of the business.

The Klamath Falls warehouse has a footprint of some 31,000 square feet. On average, it stores some 20,000 cans and bottles of Pepsi; Starbucks coffee drinks, Lipton teas, Aquafina water, Cadbury-Schweppes drinks, and Dr. Pepper and Squirt products. It turns over nearly all its inventory every two to three weeks.

“We also recycle and crush cans and sell

them back to the recyclers,” said Steve Bocchi.

The family is a big supporter of the community. It dedicated a new baseball field at Steen Park in 2002 named for their father.

The brothers also reinvest in other businesses, such as Frontier Trailers owne by Randy Bocchi, Stagecoach Pizza owned by John and the Daily Bagel owned by Steve.

The company adapts to changes in drinking habits as well, as health-conscious people shift from sugar-based drinks to energy drinks, diet drinks and water. Pepsi and Coke have both shifted to smaller, 7.5-oz cans to meet the demand of smaller drinks.

As for the future, the family is holding tight to its franchise. Whether the next generation coming up will take the reins remains to be seen.

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and News

IDEA talk features innovation expert The Klamath IDEA (Inspire Development, Energize Acceleration) will host February’s IDEA Talk on Monday, Feb. 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at MC’s on Main.

This month’s presenter will be Kedma Ough, a fifth-generation entrepreneur who serves as the innovation lead for the Oregon Small Business DevelopmentCenter Network, as well as the Director of the Mt. Hood Community College SBDC. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Magazine, writing on funding and innovation topics. Prior to joining Oregon’s SBDC network she served as executive director of Micro Inventors Program of Oregon, a non-profit organization supporting inventors through training and advising for new product development.

Ough has recently agreed to actively support inventors in the Klamath Basin as a part of Klamath IDEA’s efforts.

From her Gresham office, Ough will teleconference into the Klamath SBDC to provide innovation-focused advising.

“In my opinion, there is no one better to help our local innovators work through the process.

She’s already working with a few of our inventors, but I am looking forward to further utilizing her as the partners in the IDEA draw even more of these innovative folks out of the woodwork,” said Kat Rutledge, director of the Klamath Community College Small Business Development Center and leader of Klamath IDEA. Ough holds a master’s in Busi-

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ness Administration and is a graduate of the LIMA product-licensing program. Her great-great grandfather peddled Ough various products throughout Ireland. She calls herself an ”educated hustler.”

IDEA Talks are designed as a networking opportunity for those with an entrepreneurial mindset and interested in learning, networking, and being inspired. Each gathering features one or more guest speakers discussing an inspirational or educational entrepreneurial related topic.

MC’s on Main is located at 617 Main St. in downtown Klamath Falls. Limited food, prepared by MC’s on Main, will be available by donation as well as a no-host bar. Networking begins at 5:30 and the presentation will start at 6:15 p.m.

Klamath County Chamber of Commerce

205 Riverside Drive, Suite A. Klamath Falls, OR 97603 Office: 541-884-5193 Fax: 541-884-5195 Heather Tramp, Executive director Email: heathert@klamath. org www.klamath.org www.facebook.com/KlamathChamber twitter.com/AccessKlamath

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Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and

Basin Business

Capitol visit paying dividends

By HEATHER TRAMP and CHRYSTAL VAUGHAN

Klamath County Chamber of Commerce

SALEM — ­ An impressive delegation of community leaders from Klamath County — including all three county commissioners — met with legislators, state agency leaders and governor’s staff at the Oregon state capitol on Feb. 7 and 8 to discuss issues critical to our community and ensure those issues are at the forefront of deliberations during the current legislative session.

Prior to the trip, the Klamath County Chamber, at the request of Klamath County Economic Development, researched the timeliness of Department of Environmental Quality wastewater renewal permits locally and statewide. These permits are required by the state before certain businesses can open and/or continue operations. The research found that 64 percent of the permits in the state are expired.

“This issue affects Klamath’s economy where at least one large business’ permit has been expired by more than 20 years. If a company were considering expansion, or relocation to our community, this could affect their desire to invest and/or remain here,” said Heather Tramp, the chamber’s executive director. “It may make them question the risk of that investment.”

The delegation met with Secretary of State Dennis Richardson and was able to persuade him to consider an audit of the DEQ’s permitting program. The group also met with DEQ officials about the issue.

“The DEQ understands there’s a problem and we’ve offered to help with solutions,” said Greg O’Sullivan, KCEDA’s director. O’Sullivan stressed that streamlining the approval and issuance process will enhance their business retention and expansion efforts.

Bill may restrict employers from recovering fees

BY MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI

Capital Bureau

Submitted photos

ABOVE: Members of the Klamath Falls delegation, above, include Klamath county commissioners, business people and economic development agents.

AT RIGHT: County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot, left, chats with Secretary of State Dennis Richardson.

The issue with these backlogged permits is gaining attention around the state as news outlets have begun to pick up the story.

“I’ve been contacted and interviewed about my research on the subject this week,” said Tramp.

The chamber is hopeful the attention will prompt the DEQ to prioritize the issue and move forward quickly.

The group also met with 13 other legislators as well as the Governor’s Transportation Policy Adviser Karmen Fore to deliver the message that a commitment to Klamath would lead to the overall betterment of the state.

“This trip was a victory for our community and I applaud the efforts of our membership and leadership who helped make it happen,” said Tramp. The agenda and priorities were set with input from the cham-

ber’s membership, community leaders, and the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee spearheaded by Chair John Longley.

“Our GAC decided it was time to have a Klamath Day at the Capitol,” she said. “It was powerful to have this large a group represent Klamath and bring forth a united, focused message of opportunity. This will definitely become an annual event for us.”

Longley stressed that the committee’s work isn’t finished. “There’s a lot of follow-up we need to do from this trip,” Longley said, “and we remain committed to advancing a businessfriendly environment in Klamath County.”

SALEM — Oregon employers would be stripped of the ability to recoup attorney fees if they win a wage and hour lawsuit under a proposed bill before state lawmakers, while another would allow claimants to file liens on their employer’s property before winning a judgment.

Only employees who file and win such cases would be entitled to attorney fees under House Bill 2169, which is being considered by the House Committee on Business and Labor.

Currently, either workers or employers can recover such costs if they win legal disputes over wage and hour claims.

Proponents of HB 2169 argue the current system effectively prevents workers from filing lawsuits when employers have paid less than the minimum wage or made improper wage deductions.

“It serves as a real deterrent for low-asset households to proceed with legitimate claims,” said Michael Dale, executive director of the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, during a Feb. 13 committee hearing.

Judges would still retain the right to penalize plaintiffs and their lawyers for cases that are deemed frivolous, Dale said. “I think it balances out.”

Attorneys who represent workers in labor disputes said their clients are typically unwilling to risk paying tens of thousands of dollars in attorney fees over disputes involving several hundred dollars in wages.

Opponents of HB 2169 argue the law should remain impartial as to who can recoup attorney fees in wage and hour lawsuits.

Basin Business

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and News

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Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and

Basin Business

Travel Southern Oregon Startups, incubators on the Y symposium coming to rise in Oregon, report claims l Klamath Falls March 6 Registration is open for Travel Southern Oregon’s 21st annual educational and marketing symposium March 6 at the Running Y Ranch Resort, according to a news release.

An opening night reception will be hosted Sunday, March 5, at the Ross Ragland Theater.

Experts from throughout the state will present trends in lodging, hospitality and social media. A panel discussion on how to attract film and commercial productions and their impact on local economies also will be featured. Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, will share the state’s tourism news and updates.

“We’re excited about this year’s group of guest speakers,” said Kerrie Walters, Travel Southern Oregon interim executive director. “It’s our goal to provide insights to help attendees market their businesses and spread that Southern Oregon is a fantastic tourism destination. When more visitors discover Southern Oregon, the entire region wins.”

Two presentations will focus on wine tourism. David Woolson, president and CEO of Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce, will talk about how his community changed its reputation from a sleepy agricultural town to a world-class wine destination. Michael Donovan, managing director, Irvine and Roberts Family Vineyards, will offer tips on strategic messaging to reach wine country tourists and bring them to Southern Oregon.

Other speakers include: Jason Brandt, president and CEO, Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association; Charles Cunningham, account manager, Sparkloft Media; Rob Patridge, chair, Oregon Liquor Control Commission; Tim Williams, executive director, Oregon Film; Ginny Auer, executive director, Southern Oregon Film and Media; Anne Lundgren, independent film producer; Holly MacFee, principal, Lookout; and Jed Alger and Andrew Schafer, Must Be Something, Inc.

Elwood Staffing hires development manager Elwood Staffing — a temporary employment agency — welcomes the newest member to the team, Amanda Ribal, as the business development manager.

Ribal has more than 10 years within the business industry. She is currently recruiting businesses along with potential associates for the Klamath Falls and Medford branches of Elwood Staffing.

Elwood Staffing is committed to obtaining meaningful relationships with their associates and clients. It strives to keep those relationships strong with our code of ethics and knowing the importance of keeping

your business running smoothly.

With Ribal added to the team, Elwood Staffing feels the continued confidence of becoming the number one source for employment seekers Ribal and businesses needing positions to be filled.

We look forward to working with our community on a personal basis and adding valued members to our staffing family.

The office is located at: 3815 S. Sixth St., suite 150, Klamath Falls, OR. Call 541-884-1410 for details.

Entrepreneurs and those who support them across Oregon have a newly updated resource to aid in their search for funding to best suit their company’s financing needs.

The Oregon Capital Scan is a comprehensive analysis of the funding landscape in Oregon, designed to support entrepreneurship in the state.

The report was compiled by John Hull, assistant dean for Portland Programs and Center Development at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business.

In addition to information about funding sources ranging from Kickstarter campaigns to angel investors to traditional bank loans and more, the Oregon Capital Scan highlights the emerging roles that foundations are playing in economic development and the various state programs available to entrepreneurs.

As opposed to viewing startup financing on a “just in time” basis, the Oregon Capital Scan provides entrepreneurs with the ability to

strategically plan for funding throughout the various stages of h their company’s lifecycle.

This year’s report also finds that theo s number of accelerators and incubators serving Oregon entrepreneurs is t increasing year by year. p Since the 2014 Oregon Capital Scan,i the number has grown from 38 to 70, and this growth represents a signifi- I cant change in the landscape for early — stage company formation and growth. s “The 2016 Oregon Capital Scan M represents a collaborative effort by s key partners in Oregon’s nonprofit, l business and education sectors to help grow the state’s economy by fostering c an environment where entrepreneur- t ship can thrive,” said OCF President t and CEO Max Williams.

“Oregon remains a place where a t lack of knowledge about the capital I C ecosystem and capital accessibility still limits the rate of new company r formation and growth. We’re hopeful N r the Scan helps reduce this barrier,” c added Hull.

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Oregon farm regulators may cut down federal inspections SALEM (AP) — Oregon farm regulators may reduce the number of inspections they conduct for federal officials so they can catch up on a backlog of state inspections.

The Capital Press reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pays the Oregon Department of Agriculture $700,000 per year to make sure food manufacturers are following sanitation standards and other regulations.

f a n h l m

A state audit found that the pron gram had a backlog of 2,800 facilities I that were overdue for an inspection by A at least three months. m n Stephanie Page, director of food safety and animal health for the ODA, h says the agency is considering cutting c a down its yearly federal inspections c from 500 to 400.

The change would free up about f 700 hours a year and reduce the agen- e cy’s federal funding by one-fifth. f

Basin Business FINANCIAL FOCUS

Yipes! IPO hype can lead to risky investing All investors probably wish they had gotten in on the “ground floor” of Apple or Microsoft or any other big success story.

And, in fact, you can indeed “be there from the beginning” by taking part in a company’s initial public offering (IPO).

However, the ground floor of many IPOs may be shakier than you’d think — and might not provide you with the solid footing you need to invest wisely.

Of course, not all IPOs are the same.

Many large, profitable companies, seeking to raise capital, have gone public in recent years through IPOs. However, IPOs of newer, unproven companies share some characteristics that should give pause to serious, longterm investors. Consider the following: ■ Hype — Let’s face it: A big part of the appeal of IPOs is the “wow” factor.

It looks really cool when the company’s CEO — or perhaps a visiting celebrity — rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. And the rush to buy shares in the now-public company always garners big headlines.

Yet “hype” is just one letter removed from “hope” — and hope alone is not a good reason to invest. Furthermore, no single stock — even one that might have strong growth potential — is likely going to be the ticket to investment success.

■ Lack of track record — By definition, newer companies that launch IPOs don’t have long track records.

And while it’s true that “past performance can’t predict future results,” it’s nonetheless useful to see how a stock has performed in various economic climates and how the company management has responded to different challenges over time.

■ Exceptional volatility — All stocks fluctuate in value. But IPOs tend to be especially volatile — not just in their first few days of trading but also in

their first few years of availability to the public.

■ Higher risk potential — Generally, IPOs of newer companies are better suited for aggressive investors — those who can handle a higher degree of risk in exchange for potentially higher returns.

■ Nonstandard accounting — Some IPOs, particularly Internet start-ups, use nonstandard, or “customized,” accounting measures to depict their companies in the best possible light.

While these measures are not illegal — and in some cases, may even be useful in illuminating a company’s performance — they tend, overall, to make it more difficult for potential investors to accurately evaluate a business’ profitability, or at least potential profitability.

At the end of the day, good old-fashioned profits and cash flow are still the key driver of companies’ stock prices.

As an alternative to pursuing an IPO, you could use any extra “investable” money you may have to fill gaps in your current portfolio, based on your goals. Or, if you are truly attracted to the type of business in which an IPO is involved, you might want to consider investing in a more established company in the same industry.

Taking part in an IPO sounds fun and exciting. But as we’ve seen, IPOs can have some serious drawbacks. And while it may not sound glamorous, a steady approach to investing — one that involves diversification, responsiveness to one’s risk tolerance and a constant focus on both short- and longterm objectives — is usually the right choice for most of us.

Submitted by: Meredith Hoffman Financial Advisor-Edward Jones 1307 S Alameda Ave, Suite B Klamath Falls, OR 97603 541-273-2483

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and News

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Eastern Oregon job growth expected to trail behind state

BY CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE

Capital Bureau

SALEM — Job growth in Oregon’s rural areas — particularly southeastern Oregon — is projected to trail behind the rest of the fast-growing state until 2024, according to the Oregon Employment Department.

Oregon’s jobs are expected to grow 14 percent between 2014 and 2024, more than double the national expected rate for that period.

But in Harney and Malheur counties, the number of jobs is expected to increase merely 3 percent until 2024.

That’s compared to 6 and 7 percent in neighboring counties to the north and west, which is a rate on par with expected job growth nationally.

Counties near the central Columbia River Gorge, meanwhile, are expected to see 11 percent job growth until 2024.

The outlook comes in the broader context of the slow post-recession jobs recovery in rural areas of the state.

While Oregon as a whole has made up the jobs it lost during the Great Recession, that’s not the case for many of the state’s rural areas — such as Gilliam and Wheeler counties. But the future may be brighter for them: Both are projected to exceed the

Mark Fay, M.D. Scott Stevens, M.D. Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye

country’s jobs growth rate until 2024.

Construction, health care and professional and business services jobs are expected to grow the fastest, according to a presentation employment department officials made to lawmakers on the state’s workforce committee Thursday.

The high-tech sector is also expected to continue growing — a recent dip in jobs can be attributed to layoffs in the semiconductor industry, but the overall trend is upward, said Nick Beleiciks, a state employment economist with the Oregon Employment Department.

Filling those new jobs may be a challenge in rural Oregon, too, though.

Some employers in rural areas say they struggle to attract and retain young talent, Melisa Drugge, a business development officer for Business Oregon’s Eastern region, told lawmakers.

There are a number of factors at work. For example, many millennials gravitate toward urban centers with cultural amenities.

And finding adequate housing for workers in communities such as Joseph in Wallowa County — where many homes are vacation properties — is a challenge, Drugge said.

Edwin Tuhy, O.D. Optometrist

Jennifer Sparks, O.D. Optometrist

New Patients Welcome

2640 Biehn St. • 541.884.3148 • www.klamatheyecenter.com

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Basin Business

Thursday, February 23, 2017, Herald and

Febr uar y 2017 Newsletter Ore gon State Senator Dennis Linthicum – District 28 I represent the citizens of Senate District 28, which includes all, or part of Þve rural, mostly-eastern Oregon counties: Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Deschutes and Crook.

Senator Dennis Linthicum OR Senate District 28

As Senator of one of the largest Senate districts in our state, it Capitol Phone: is extremely important that my constituents remain in contact Capitol Address: with me about the issues and concerns that affect their lives.

I encourage you to use the information here as a resource and to contact my ofÞce by either phone or e-mail so that I can know how to best serve you. I am honored to be here in Salem Þghting for your freedom and liberty.

Ordered Liberty As I read the thousands of lines of detailed legalese streaming through my committee meetings, I quickly realize that government has overgrown its boundaries, While this, in many instances, is due to government overreach, much of it has come at our own hands.

The desire for government regulation is rooted in the basic notion that government always acts according to the best interests of itÕs citizens. Yet, the more I see, the more I realize this isnÕt necessarily so. Countless examples illustrate that our regulatory bent is more often aimed at securing marketplace advantages rather than at stopping dangerous or harmful practices.

I would like to unpack a few of the concepts worth contemplating as we consider how Oregon should approach social, political and economic arrangements along with our own commitment to promoting the prosperity of our citizenry.

The formation of our constitutional government had a glorious beginning. The single most important concept in AmericaÕs founding was straight-forward and simple, yet, profound, and sublime. The idea is that all people have an inherent right to freedom. Self-governance was the goal because if one could run his own affairs and do as he pleased he was free. Within that mindset various forms of government representation have been instituted to maintain individual freedom, along with that same freedom for everyone else.

In simple terms, no one had the freedom to steal their neighborÕs AM radio or iPod, because that would infringe on the neighborÕs freedom to own a radio or iPod. Government power represented

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503-986-1728 900 Court St. NE, S-305 Salem, Oregon 97301

E-Mail: sen.DennisLinthicum@OregonLegislature.gov Website ebsite:

the codiÞcation of rules that could be used by everyone to secure public safety and happiness.

This is what is known as, Òordered liberty.Ó This can be seen, for example, with rules-of-the-road.

Driving on the right-hand side of the street, trafÞc speed-zones and obedience to the green, yellow, and red trafÞc signals represent Òordered liberty.Ó Your liberty to drive on the street is only constrained by a series of rules so that trafÞc can ßow in a free and orderly fashion.

In 1777, one of our nationÕs founders, Dr. Benjamin Rush composed a series of essays analyzing PennsylvaniaÕs form of government along with thoughts on some errant tendencies.

Rush came to the conclusion that a Bill of Rights should always come Þrst in outlining governmental obligations. He also thought it should never be subject to modiÞcation, because these rights belong to people as individuals, not to people as a collective unit. He wrote: “EVERY free government should consist of three parts, viz. I. A BILL OF RIGHTS. II. A CONSTITUTION, And III. LAWS. “The BILL OF RIGHTS should contain the great principles of natural and civil liberty. It should be unalterable by any human power.

“The CONSTITUTION is the executive part of the Bill of Rights. It should contain the division and distribution of the power of the people.ÑThe modes and forms of making laws, of executing justice, and of transacting business: Also the limitation of power, as to time and jurisdiction. It should be unalterable by the legislature, and should be changed only by a representation of the people, chosen for that purpose.

“LAWS are the executive part of a constitution.

http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/linthicum They cease to be binding whenever they transgress the principles of Liberty, as laid down in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.”

RushÕs thoughts focused on ordered liberty. He stressed manÕs inherent rights. He understood the need to limit governmental authority because government represents those who wield power at any given point in time. Rush realized that over time, that power would change hands.

He also knew that manÕs rights were unalienable.

No government could take away or restrict manÕs self evident and natural rights. This is why he put the Bill of Rights Þrst on the list. These rights should garner the foremost consideration, if one wanted to create a Òfree government.Ó Secondly, the constitutional compact would describe the whys and wherefores of how governing bodies pursuing freedom would operate. Again, this was a set of rules to ensure that the government processes stayed within the limits which were identiÞed during the governmentÕs original creation. The constitution would also constrain governmentÕs regulatory power within described boundaries so that citizenÕs rights were never infringed upon by the growth of arbitrary government power.

Lastly, in RushÕs analysis, the representative body of legislators would strive to achieve ordered liberty by using laws to inform, organize and secure the blessings of liberty for the people.

In closing, everyoneÕs rights are self-evident endowments granted by virtue of our human nature. They carry enormous weight because all men are created equal. These principles must guide our words, actions and lives as we strive to Òsecure the Blessings of Liberty for ourselves and our posterity.Ó

If we don’t stand for rural Oregon values and common-sense – no one will!