With the holiday season upon us, I’m taking this time to reflect on the blessings and challenges of the past year.

My wife, Alisha, and I have enjoyed watching our young daughters grow and change. Adeline has entered the first grade and developed an interest in music. Music has always been a family tradition; seeing her at the piano and experimenting with new instruments brings me so much joy.

Our youngest, Ava, is now walking and learning to talk. As she explores her surroundings, our house is often filled with sounds, sometimes sending our dogs running for cover!

Alisha balances her time between caring for our children and working as a home-visiting hospice nurse. Recently, she started teaching Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) students. I see a sense of fulfillment in her as she engages with the community, mentors new nursing assistants, and nurtures our family.

This year, Baker County faced one of the largest wildfires in the United States. With little outside assistance, our communities came together to support one another, fighting to protect each other’s homes and livelihoods. I witnessed the heroism and dedication of our rural fire departments and the Rangeland Fire Protection Association. They were the first to respond and the last to leave.

I watched RFPA members work tirelessly to move cattle to safety during the day and return to fight fire at night. Volunteers opened shelters, and local families stepped away from their own tasks to prepare food and donate water to the firefighters.

I often speak about the pioneer spirit, and I see that same resilience in the families as they work to rebuild and restore our land to productivity.

I want to thank the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, and the Road Department for their long hours and dedication to keeping us safe.

As we transition into 2025, I am optimistic about Oregon’s new drug deflection program. Baker County was one of the first counties in Oregon to implement these changes, and I believe this is a significant first step toward healing our communities.

Increasing housing availability will also be a top priority for the upcoming year. We have many challenging obstacles to overcome in this area, but the benefits to our community will be well worth the hard work.

I want to thank Commissioner Nichols for his years of service to Baker County and welcome Commissioner-Elect Kaseberg; I look forward to working with her and Commissioner Witham in the coming years.

In conclusion, I want to express my honor to serve as your commission chair and my pride in the people of Baker County.

From our home to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a New Year full of joy and prosperity.