Consistent candidate
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 2:39 PM PST
County judge Russ Hursh has become a fixture in local politics
Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
ONTARIO
From the first time he ran for office, one of Russ Hursh's main issues has been jobs, or the lack of them, and he said economic growth continues to be a key focus as he prepares to run for a third term as Malheur County Judge.
As in his last race, Hursh will be running against one of his fellow county court members - Commissioner Dan Joyce - and this year there is a third candidate for the office, Ontario businesswoman Cheryl Cruson. The three will face off in the May 18 primary.
Hursh is a life-long resident of Eastern Oregon. He grew up just across the county line near Huntington, on a dairy and beef cattle farm. After graduating from high school in Huntington, he served three years in the U.S. Army.
After working in fertilizer and livestock feed and supplement sales, Hursh said he went into the banking industry for about 20 years and just prior to becoming judge, in 1993, he worked in the insurance and securities business.
Hursh said he decided to run for county judge after watched the decline in the availability of family wage jobs, and spotted young people departing the area to find employment after receiving an education. He said he is very concerned about the number of people who leave the county to work. Another issue Hursh said has been working to deal with is the added federal and state regulations on local communities. Hursh served on the public advisory team for the Snake River-Hells Canyon Total Maximum Daily Load planning process.
While the county has seen two companies come in and process diatomaceous earth into products for a variety of uses, and the continued growth of cattle feedlots, Hursh noted the county has also lost opportunities as companies, such has Resers, have chosen to situate new facilities elsewhere.
"We've got to diversify," Hursh said.
Having served about 11 years as county judge, Hursh noted he has enough tenure to get on key boards, particularly with the Association of Oregon Counties to lobby for the county and region. Being able to serve on those boards has provided him the opportunity to try to bring additional dollars to the community, he said.
Hursh serves on the Southeast Regional Alliance Board/South East Area Commission on Transportation. He serves with the other three judges as the Region 14 Workforce Investment Board.
As county judge, Hursh has been providing, guardianship and wedding services; and represents Malheur County on the Association of Oregon Counties executive, legislative and public safety committees, the latter which he chairs. That committee is working to restore funds expected to be lost to the community corrections program, with the defeat of the income tax surcharge, he said. Hursh is a board member of a number of Oregon workforce and training agencies, including the Oregon Consortium/Workforce Alliance. Hursh is also a member of the Eastern Oregon Telecommunication Consortium, the Malheur Rural Development Council and the Malheur Council on Aging,
"I enjoy what I'm doing," Hursh said. "I'm enjoy working with Lou (Wettstein) and Dan (Joyce). It has been pleasant experience." Wettstein and Joyce are the other two Malheur County Commissioners.
Among the additions and improvements to county facilities since he first took office, he noted, the development of a work release center, construction of a new jail, the renovation of the old jail to house the juvenile department and other county offices, plus enlarging the space on the second floor for the state courts and the district attorney's offices.
'"The most disappointing is the inability to find a niche for 4,000 people who travel to Boise to work," Hursh said, explaining he would like to see them be able to work in the county.
Another disappointment is the unresolved issue of the county being in the Boise long distance calling area, he said. This complicates and increases the cost of telephone communications with the rest of Oregon and caused at one company to locate in another area instead of Malheur County, he said. Referring to his opponents, Hursh said, "I'm thankful we have county that is open and that people like Cheryl and Dan feel free to run."
