Jan 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
East Oregonian
January 22, 2020
ONTARIO — Commissioners from Baker, Harney, Grant, Malheur and Lake counties voted unanimously today to appoint Mark Owens, a Harney County farmer, to replace Lynn Findley as representative for Oregon House District 60.
Findley, a Republican from Vale, was appointed earlier this month to replace Cliff Bentz in state Senate District 30.
Bentz resigned to run full time for Greg Walden’s seat in Congress.
“I am thankful and humbled today to have been appointed to serve as the next state representative for House District 60,” Owens said in a press release. “I look forward to serving the communities and being a voice for Eastern Oregon in Salem.”
There were two other candidates for House District 60 — Tom Van Diepen of Baker City, and Tim Smith of Burns.
Baker County Commissioner Mark Bennett said neither was present when commissioners voted Tuesday in Ontario.
Owens, a Harney County commissioner, filed Nov. 4, 2019, as a candidate for the House District 60 Republican primary in May.
He will be sworn in later this month. The Oregon Legislature convenes Feb. 3 in Salem.
“At the state level, there is a lot of work to be done to protect our way of life in Eastern Oregon and to provide a better path for future generations of Oregonians,” Owens said. “We need to make sustainable natural resources a top priority. Our kids deserve stronger schools and greater opportunities for their career paths. Families need financial stability instead of living paycheck to paycheck and having to worry about the next tax increase coming our way from Salem.
“Most importantly, my top priority and my No. 1 job will be to listen, learn and represent the constituents in Eastern Oregon.”
Jan 21, 2020 | News
Owens, who has been a county commissioner since 2016, will represent House District 60 which includes Baker, Grant, Harney and Malheur counties in addition to parts of Lake County.
The Enterprise
January 21, 2020
ONTARIO – County commissioners chose Republican Mark Owens on Tuesday, Jan. 21, to serve as the next state representative for House District 60, filling the vacancy left by Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale.
Malheur County now will be represented in the House by Owens, a Harney County commissioner, farmer, and small business owner.
Owens has been on the Harney County Commission since 2016.
“I am thankful and humbled today to have been appointed to serve as the next state representative for House District 60,” Owens said. “I look forward to serving the communities and being a voice for eastern Oregon in Salem.”
The district includes Baker, Grant, Harney and Malheur counties in addition to parts of Lake County.
“At the state level, there is a lot of work to be done to protect our way of life in eastern Oregon and to provide a better path for future generations of Oregonians,” Owens said. “We need to make sustainable natural resources a top priority. Our kids deserve stronger schools and greater opportunities for their career paths. Families need financial stability instead of living paycheck to paycheck and having to worry about the next tax increase coming our way from Salem.”
“Most importantly, my top priority and my number one job will be to listen, learn and represent the constituents in eastern Oregon,” Owens added.
Due to be sworn in later this month, Owens will serve in the short legislative session beginning Monday, Feb. 3.
Jan 6, 2020 | News
County commissioners from across Eastern Oregon picked Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, on Monday to replace Sen. Cliff Bentz, an Ontario Republican and longtime lawmaker who resigned before his term was up to run for Congress.
Findley’s step up to the Senate means commissioners from the five counties in his current House district will need to appoint a replacement. They’ll choose from among three to five nominees recommended by Republican precinct committee people in the district. No date has been set for that vote.
Findley, a former Vale city manager who worked for the Bureau of Land Management for three decades, is the only Republican yet to have filed to run for the Senate seat in the November 2020 election.
Mark Owens, a Republican, hay farmer and Harney County commissioner, has filed to run for Findley’s House seat this year.
Bentz is running against former Republican gubernatorial nominee Knute Buehler and some lesser-known Republicans to replace Greg Walden in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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