WALLOWA COUNTY — A new ranch manager for the Bob Dean Oregon Ranches in the Upper Imnaha area has arrived in the county, after the outgoing manager, B.J. Warnock, submitted his resignation notice, according to Wallowa County Sheriff Joel Fish and Warnock.

“We put in our two-week notice on Jan. 12,” Warnock said in a statement received Monday, Jan. 17. “The gathering crew will be done the end of the month, as well. We wish the Deans and any future employees the best of luck going forward.”

Warnock said he would have no further statements on the issue.

Fish said the new manager is Katie Romero, someone he hasn’t met and knows nothing about.

Fish said that his department’s criminal investigation into possible animal neglect is continuing.

“I am interviewing all those involved and/or collecting statements,” he said. “This will take time as I have many other duties and am short staffed.”

Warnock said in an email earlier this month that “when we began gathering (cattle) in September, there were 1,613 mother cows on summer range.”

He acknowledged bovine casualties during the recovery efforts, even though he and his crew were assisted by neighboring ranchers.

“Despite the efforts of our crew and the community, 10 cows have been found unrecoverable,” he said, adding that “1,548 Dean Oregon Ranches mother cows were successfully gathered by Dean Oregon Ranches crew before the snow. After the snow, 34 mother cows have been gathered through the joint efforts of our crew and the community. Of those, 26 were Dean Oregon Ranches cattle; the others were owned by neighboring ranches.”

Fish said in his investigation he has spoken with Karen Dean, wife of Bob Dean, who is ailing.

“The cattle are still under Dean Oregon Ranches,” he said.

Dean attorney Christopher Gramiccioni, of South Carolina, said Joseph Law Firm in La Grande is representing Dean locally. There was no response to email and telephone requests for comment from the firm.