Barb Ackerman, left, and Betty Dahlen recently closed their Hallmark store on Main Street in Baker City. (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr)

Barb Ackerman and Betty Dahlen wrapped up their going-out-of-business sale March 13 and now they’re busy dismantling and selling the shelves, card racks and other remnants of Barb and Betty’s Hallmark Store on Main Street in Baker City.

“It takes quite a bit to take the store down. We spent the last four or five days tearing down the fixtures and getting them out,” Dahlen said.

These programs are designed to strengthen local businesses, keep independent business owners competitive, and draw customers into the shopping district with special events, according to Ann Mehaffy, program director of Historic Baker City Inc.

Unemployment statistics show workers in higher-paying skilled positions are more likely to exhaust their unemployment benefits, and ultimately wind up in lower paying occupations.

However, a little-used Self Employment Assistance program at the Oregon Employment Department offers workers who fit that profile the chance to receive unemployment benefits while they start a business of their own.

“It’s been one of those programs underutilized in the past, and use has just skyrocketed,” said Tom Fuller, Employment Department communications director.

A study presented to the Baker County Small Woodlands Association last week showed a biomass-fueled power plant, together with a wood pellet factory and firewood operation, could provide a consistent market for wood wastes generated on private and public forests.

Ben Henson, CEO of Renewable Energy Solutions in Wallowa, said the study concluded that there’s plenty of woody biomass available in Baker County and within 35 miles to supply a $9 million, three-part project.

It would consists of a 1-megawatt gasification power plant that would use 35,000 green tons of wood a year, a 20,000-tons-a-year pellet mill and a firewood operation producing 2,000 cords of firewood annually.

Out of seven banks and one credit union that have branches in Baker City, just two businesses — Community Bank and Old West Federal Credit Union — haven’t received federal bailout money.

Officials at Old West Federal Credit Union (which isn’t eligible for the federal aid) and Community Bank credited their financial stability to their focus on using money deposited locally to make loans to local individuals and businesses, rather than investing in national or international sub-prime markets.

“We haven’t participated in the federal bailout, nor would we be eligible,” Old West President Ken Olson said. “I’m confident Old West can continue successfully without participating in the federal bailout.”

Even during a recession, striving to retain good employees is a smart investment for businesses and agencies due to the high turnover costs and the shortage of qualified workers, according to the Oregon Employment Department.

The cost of replacing workers varies depending on the the level of training and skill the job requires.

Although fast food restaurants, as an example, often thrive in a high-turnover environment because of the ease of training and deep pool of workers to draw from, recruitment and training costs in other industries can cost businesses tens of thousands of dollars, said Malcolm Boswell, a workforce analyst with the Employment Department.

Becky Guthrie (standing), talks with Jarod Bates, 17, and Fantasia Paschal, 15, about workplace safety, which is the topic of a training video the youths watched Wednesday afternoon. (Baker City Herald/Ed Merriman)

At the Oregon Worksource Center in Baker City, Eric Labonte and Becky Guthrie help workers hone skills ranging from resumé writing and interviewing to computer programs, customer service, math, work safety practices and others needed to land the right job when the opportunity arises.

Guthrie is a youth case manager worksource development specialist at the Worksource Center at 1575 Dewey Ave. in Baker City (across the street from the David J. Wheeler Federal Building).

The Oregon Senate approved two bills Wednesday containing a $176 million package of deferred maintenance and capital construction projects expected to create as many as 3,000 jobs statewide.

The projects, which are slated to begin by April 1, are located in all 36 counties, at all seven state universities and all 17 community colleges, according to a report issued by Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem.

Senate Republicans led by Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, opposed Senate Bills 5532 and 338, calling the legislation a “borrow-and-spend stimulus package” that “doesn’t do enough to ensure the creation of long-term jobs for families across Oregon.”

A procedural motion designed to send the bills back to the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee to craft a more bipartisan stimulus effort failed by an 18-12 vote along party lines.

2008 was a dismal year for the industry, but Community Bank posted significant earnings

Community Bank announced earnings Tuesday of $1.19 million for the fourth quarter of 2008, and $4.1 million for the year – both significant improvements from 2007.

The Joseph-based bank’s loans grew by $29 million, or 14.3 percent, last year mostly due to increased lending to agricultural and small business customers. Despite growth in the loan portfolio, credit quality remains strong, according to AJ Tarnasky, Community Bank’s chief credit officer.

 “We’ve steadily grown our loan portfolio by focusing on relationships with local farmers and businesses, not speculative real estate deals outside our market areas,” Tarnasky said.