The president of Bank of Eastern Oregon, adamant that the bank is “not for sale,” is calling on Community Bank to end its attempt to acquire BEO.

“Frankly, the continued overtures are a waste of resources and time,” Jeff Bailey said in a prepared statement this week. “I would think they would spend less time trying to limit competition and more time tending to their own business.”

Bailey was referring to legal notices posted this week by Community Bancshares, parent of Community Bank, indicating that it is filing with the Federal Reserve Board to acquire as much as 100 percent of the shares of BEO Bancorp, parent of BEO.

It is a follow-up to a spurned offer in April to acquire BEO.

“This decision to reject the offer followed polling of a large number of BEO Bancorp shareholders who unanimously urged us to reject the offer,” Bailey said. “It is obvious that Community Bank simply does not want to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

BEO “has been staunchly independent for over 65 years,” Bailey said, “and we will do whatever it takes to maintain our independence.”