Jim DeTro Issues facing Okanogan County Commissioner Dist 3

Jim DeTro
for Okanogan County Commissioner, Dist. #3

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	Jim DeTro The Issues facing Okanogan County
Reviving the Economy of Okanogan County and Protecting our Heritage and Lifestyle


It's not ME it's WE!!! Jim will enact his right as county commissioner to appoint volunteer advisory boards to Bring the best minds together to solve the issues facing Okanogan County. These boards will be made of of Okanogan County Citizens from all sectors of the business community (finance, banking, agriculture, business owners etc.) with representation for all areas of the county. It's time we stopped "Robbing from Peter to pay Paul" to balance budgets. When money is raised for projects it needs to be spent on those projects. When new projects are approved they need to be thoroughly researched as to need and benefit for the long run not just as there ability to be a quick fix. We need to Run the County Government with the same Common Sense as you would run your business or personal accounts. If the money is not there, we don't spend it until we figure out how to afford it. Jim believes that the county commissioners need to work with the private sector to revive our economy! Canola Oil Production....Will Bring livable wage jobs!! Utilizing the existing infrastructure in place at Zosel's Mill in Oroville. Closeness to Canadian border, heavy haul corridor, Rail head, Access to power, an available supply chain and Work Force. 10 years ago Jim brought Tim King into this area on a project to produce energy from hog fuel at Zosels Mill. He is back because of what this area has to offer in terms of Infrastructure, Location, Supply, and available work force. Todays economy and new energy technologies have expanded the need for alternative energy and fuel sources. The time is right by working together we can make this happen! The Canola plant will have the capability of operating 24-7 you're looking at around 30 livable wage jobs being created with salaries between $30,000 to $60,000 in annual income. The building of the plant will utilize local labor, but it will be quick because all that is needed is a steel building based on the infrastructure that is already in place in Oroville.. There will be electrical requirements for the installation of all the crushing and conveyor systems, so that is another source of immediate employment. Those figures do not include revenue created for area farmers. At $.15-$.16 a pound paid to farmers the worst case scenario for farms is $90 per acre in net revenue in a poor soil, dry-land setting. Which is still better than being paid not to farm. Average production will net a farmer $180 per acre in net revenue in good soil but still without irrigation. With irrigation those last figures can quadruple. S.O.S Save Our Sawmills work to create jobs by exploring options to put our sawmills and logging industry back into production. The infrastructure and the labor force is still in place we just have to think out of the box and utilize it!! Reviving our sawmills may not mean doing business the same as in the past, but by utilizing our existing infrastructure, focusing on green energy and cleaning up our forest floors for dual benefit (energy production - fire reduction without the waste), and marketing of the harvestable timber, we can create livable wage jobs. Some of the Jobs created would include; log cutters/thinning crews, truck drivers, loader and decking crews, mill workers, and energy plant workers, office personel. This can be achieved by reviving our power and Green Energy Sources such as those at Enlow Dam and Zosel Lumber in Oroville. Sawmills produce power by burning the byproduct from the production of lumber, called hog fuel or Bio-Mass, eliminating waste and utilizing every part of the tree. The wood from downed and thinned trees can also be utilized cleaning-up our forest floor and helping to decrease the danger of forest fires and disease. (potential "Hog-fuel/Bio-Mass" from thinned trees is currently being wasted and burned in large slash piles in the forest.) Excess "Hog Fuel" "Bio-Mass fiber fuel" could also be sold to other energy producing plants. Putting our Sawmills back into production would not only create jobs in the logging, lumber, power industries, It would also create jobs in all of the industries it takes to support the operations, mechanics, equipment, suppliers, food, lodging, clothing, housewares and hardware. By addressing these issue you have stimulated the economy, by created living wage jobs! Okanogan County has available resources and infrastructure that are underutilized. There is a 230,000 volt capacity transmission line that runs down the backbone of Okanogan County and connects to the mid C power grid with BPA, it is only being utilized at 15% of its capacity, by generating power at these locations and others, power could be sold back to the grid, creating an additional stream of revenue and jobs. Protect Our Property Rights Jim will work to protect the property rights of the individual land owner, from intrusive forced growth management plans. Sawmills and property rights are not the only issues facing Okanogan County but addressing and protecting these can help to turn our economy around. We need to reestablish our economic base in Okanogan County so that our residents can do more that just survive, so they have the opportunity to make a decent living. By rolling up our sleeves and working together we can accomplish these goals, not with more government but by putting the rights and needs of the people of Okanogan County first.

Let Jim know what issues are important to you.
Your input, ideas, suggestions and support are important to him.

Jim DeTro
for Okanogan County Commissioner, Dist. #3
You may reach Jim by phone: (509) 322-6326 or Email at: detrojim@gmail.com
Committee to Elect Jim DeTro
70 Crumbacher
Tonasket,Wa 98855