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Public Comments - Media

Boise Cascade dedication a statement against terrorism
Polk County Itemizer-Observer
June 27, 2001

A new foot and bike path connects west Monmouth neighborhoods to Highway 99W. Thanks to Boise Cascade.

Tom Henderson
June 27, 2001

MONMOUTH -- A new foot and bike path connects west Monmouth neighborhoods to Highway 99W.

Thanks to Boise Cascade.

As company executives rebuilt their regional headquarters along the way, they enhanced their presence as a community partner by creating a walking and bike path for the community.

The bike path and new building were dedicated June 21.

Independence Mayor John McArdle took the opportunity to say a few things about terrorism.

McArdle said he has waited two years -- since arsonists torched Boise Cascade's old building on Christmas Day 1999 -- to say them publicly.

It makes him angry when environmental terrorists say they don't hurt people. Firefighters feel differently, McArdle said.

"An arson fire is really personal. It's like shooting a gun at police officers."

It's ironic that Monmouth Mayor Paul Evans is heading off for 70 days in Kuwait with the Oregon Air National Guard, McArdle said.
Yet, as a volunteer firefighter, Evans faced as much danger from domestic terrorism than anything he will likely encounter in Kuwait.

"The fire could have cost firefighters their lives," McArdle said.

A group called the Earth Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the fire.

The building was a complete loss. Although it was insured, it cost more than $1 million to rebuild.

Monmouth city officials offered Boise Cascade tax breaks and other incentives to rebuild locally by including Boise Cascade in an enterprise zone with Independence and Dallas.

Being in the zone gave Boise Cascade breaks on taxes and building permits -- to the tune of $125,000.

Still, Boise Cascade executives were hesistant to rebuild in Monmouth. Security and economic factors weighed heavily in their deliberations.

County Commissioner Mike Propes said he already respected Boise Cascade as a company. "But my respect really went up a few notches when they decided to rebuild in Monmouth."

It may not have made the most sense from a financial point of view, he said.

"Morally, however, this was a very good decision. You can't let people push you around," Propes said. "That would have been disastrous to our county, our state and our nation."

Former Fire Chief Roy Palmer of Polk County Fire District No. 1 said environmental terrorism should not be a problem with the new building.

From the new security features to the very design of the building, he said, "it's built hell-for-stout."

"I wish every building was built like this," Palmer said. "It would put us out of business."

Palmer has been an outspoken opponent of environmental terrorism since the Christmas Day arson. He was interviewed on the CBS newsmagazine "60 Minutes" on the subject.

While firefighters devote resources to an arson fire, he said, the rest of the community is left largely unprotected.

"That fire put firefighters and a whole community at risk," he said.

The fire also changed the way local firefighters do business. Now they have to worry about booby traps and unexploded devices instead of simply getting down to the business of fighting fires.

Other changes have been made on the state level. As a result of the fire, State Rep. Lane Shetterly of Polk County successfully introduced legislation to toughen the penalties for environmental terrorism.

When such acts can be proven to be part of an organized campaign, perpetrators can be prosecuted under the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) statutes originally passed to bust up the Mafia and other organized crime syndicates.
Although tragic, the fire has had some positive results on public policy, Shetterly said.

"In some ways this is like returning to the scene of the crime," he said at the dedication ceremony. "But it's also returning to the scene of the opportunity."