8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Local
IAMP issues heard in joint meeting
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
A mix of City Council and County Commissioners met. L-R: Rosemary Abell, Richard Langrell, Mack Augen-
feld, Bill Harvey, Kim Mosier, Sandy Lewis, Jack Thomas and Mark Bennett.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
A joint meeting between
the Baker City Council and
the Baker County Commis-
sioners was held Tuesday
evening to give both enti-
ties information about the
proposed Interchange Area
Management Plan project.
All City Council mem-
bers were present for the
meeting with exception of
Councilor Downing.
Commission Chair Bill
Harvey and Commissioner
Bennett were also present.
Commissioner Kerns was
not at the meeting due to
recovery from surgery.
Mayor Mosier opened
the meeting by stating,
“We are here tonight to
hear the recommendations
of the Planning Commis-
sion regarding the Inter-
change Area Management
Plan (IAMP). I’d like to
welcome the County Com-
missioners. Thank you for
coming to City Hall for
this joint meeting.”
Commissioner Harvey
said, “I’d like to thank you
all for coming out tonight.
I’m sure you had other
things to do— other than
come listen to us.”
Mosier read a statement
opening a public hearing
and the meeting began
with Planning Department
Director Holly Kerns ad-
dressing both the Commis-
sioners and the Council
with a summary about the
plan that was before them.
Kerns began by intro-
ducing and identifying
herself as the planning
director for both the City
and County Planning
Departments. “This Inter-
USFS
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 3
Terry George said he
heard some misleading
comments at the previ-
ous USFS-hosted meeting
of this type, held at the
La Grande Armory on
November 2, and then said,
“Now, Tom has turned
around tonight and said his
hands are bound on dif-
ferent subjects that we’re
going to be talking about.
80% of us were better for
talking about road access.
Why are we even here
discussing it, if the hands
are tied, and the decisions
have already been made?”
Montoya responded
about opportunities to
shape the Forest Plan
in terms of access and
management areas, and
change Area Management
Plan has been a joint effort
between the City, County
and ODOT. This plan has
been over 10 years in the
making and I recognize
that there are a number
of folks here that have
participated the entire time
throughout this process
that can speak to you about
the interest they have in
the plan and some of the
concerns they’ve raised.
We have made a real effort
to try and make sure those
concerns have been allevi-
ated not all concerns have
been alleviated but all of
the major concerns.”
Kerns noted issues that
were extremely problemat-
ic have been addressed and
cited those reason as why
the plan was not adopted in
2005 when first proposed.
Kerns advised that
there were code language
amendments, development
code changes and zoning
ordinance changes that
were needed to make the
project consistent across
the City and the County
and ensure the IAMP is
implemented in a care-
ful and fair way for all
involved including the City
and the County who have
some overlapping interests
in the areas.
She turned over the
presentation to Nick Foster
of Kittleson and Associ-
ates, the firm hired to help
in the development of the
plan. Foster gave a brief
highlight to Commission-
ers and Council.
He advised that there
have been three public
meetings regarding the
plan—the first in January
highlighting the existing
plan with a few minor
changes and updates, the
second in April that pre-
sented some alternatives
based on feedback received
from the January meeting,
and the third in May with
some responses to what
was heard in April.
Each meeting gave the
planners information that
was used to fine tune the
plan and that is what it ulti-
mately in the plan that is in
front of Council and Com-
missioners for adoption.
The IAMP addresses
three major concerns: the
first, spacing of accesses
(driveways and intersec-
tions) along OR 86 through
the interchange. ODOT
said it has a certain stan-
dard for those to maintain
safety and operational
capacity.
The second issue is
improving traffic safety
and operations at the exit
302 ramp including adjust-
ing guard rails to improve
sightlines in the area.
The third issue is the
Cedar Street and Hughes
Lane intersection address-
ing current and future
traffic there.
He quickly walked them
through a few points of the
plan including the plans
with Airport Road that
currently is closer than
what ODOT recommends
in their guidelines for an
access road near an inter-
change.
This particular change
has been the hot button
issue for many as the plan
affects Lindley Road, Hud-
son Road and properties in
that area.
Karen Yeakley testified,
“I can understand future
development and planning,
and what we are trying to
do. I want to see us protect
the rural nature of which
we live in Baker County.
Within the last week we
had cattle come out onto
highway 86 over the 84
bridge moving cattle, and
those are the kind of things
that are unique and I want
to see maintained. We also
have wetlands that we
need to protect out there
too and I respect that if
you approve this zoning,
that we also remember that
it’s rural out there and we
incorporate that into the
plan.”
Both the Council and
Commissioners agreed
more public hearings and
research to understand
the proposed IAMP were
needed. City Council
intends to have at least
three more opportunities
at City Council meetings
for concerns to be heard
before an ordinance could
be passed and the County
Commissioners spoke of at
least two future meetings
in which the matter would
be discussed before any
decisions are made on their
part.
Further questions can be
addressed to Holly Kerns
at the Planning department.
Future meetings regarding
the plan will be announced.
One interested party
stormed out of the meeting
at its conclusion yelling
and cussing that she was
not able to hear anything at
the meeting. She stated she
had no idea what went on.
Commissioner Harvey
offered her as much infor-
mation as she would like in
an effort to assist.
Mayor Mosier then
adjourned the meeting.
chances for the public to
provide dialogue.
Sumpter City Council-
man Bob Armbruster spoke
about issues with wildfires
and the effects on business
in Sumpter, designated
routes, and lack of feed-
back, and he said, “I don’t
have anything against the
Forest Service personnel. I
respect them all. It’s obvi-
ous that we have an issue
with Washington, D.C.,
and local issues…”
Gary Logan said, “I
resent having to be here
tonight to defend my right
to those mountains.” The
comment was followed by
another “here, here” from
an attendee.
“I resent the loss of
jobs. Ellingson’s Lumber
was three blocks from my
house,” he said. In refer-
ence to the cause of loss
of jobs, and the misplaced
blame, he said, “In truth,
the supply was cut off.”
Frank Mason said,
“Hopefully, the Forest
Service learned something
from the spotted owl.
Don’t trust the universities,
because somebody made
up the (scientific) data for
the spotted owl…”
Mason asked Montoya
if the best science had been
referenced for the current
plan.
Montoya replied, “I can
say our specialists have
used the best science that
they had available. If you
have other science which
you believe is better, we’d
like to see that.”
Mason used that op-
portunity to suggest to the
attendees that they provide
any science they may have
available to the USFS.
John and Ramona
Creighton, represent-
ing Forest Access For
All (FAFA), addressed
the issue of handicapped
access. “It’s one I care
deeply about,” John said.
“This, my friends, is a
minor annoyance,” he said,
displaying his right arm,
which is missing a hand,
but, explained that for
many people, mobility is
better on some days, worse
on others.
Both Creightons ex-
plained the importance of
keeping the roads open,
and being able to use ATVs
as a form of wheelchair if
necessary, and that Baker
County includes many
elderly individuals with
mobility issues.
Other speakers included
Ron Nash, Ed Hardt, Art
Sappington, Ken Ander-
son, Jake Brown, Tork
and Wanda Ballard, Dick
Fleming, Kody Justus, Bill
and Lorrie Harvey, and
Don Williams, discuss-
ing a range of issues with
the plan, and the USFS’s
management practices.
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Soroptimist
award deadline
approaches
The Soroptimist Live your Dream: Education and Train-
ing Awards for Women is a cash award given to assist
women who provide the primary source of financial sup-
port for their families by giving them the resources they
need to improve their education, skills and employment
prospects. The award amount is $1,000. The application
deadline is November 15, 2015. Qualified applicants may
send request for Soroptimist Live your Dream application
to jmacy@otecc.com. Women who plan to achieve their
GED certificate at a community college are eligible to
apply for the Award.
The Violet Richardson Award is for young women be-
tween the ages of 14 to 17 who exhibit leadership quali-
ties as a volunteer in their community or school. The cash
award is in recognition of young women leaders who
make the community and world a better place through
volunteer efforts. The program offers a $150 award to
the recipient and to $250 the organization for which they
volunteer. The application deadline is December 1, 2015.
Qualified applicants may send request for Soroptimist
Violet Richardson Award application to jmacy@otecc.
com.
The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who are
working to improve the lives of women and girls through
their personal or volunteer efforts, or through professional
avenues. The award recipient receives a $200 donation to
the charitable organization of her choice. The application
deadline is December 1, 2015. Qualified applicants may
send request for Soroptimist Ruby Award application to
jmacy@otecc.com.
The Live your Dream: Education and Training Awards
for Women, the Violet Richardson Award, and the Sorop-
timist Ruby Award are projects of Soroptimist Interna-
tional of the Americas. Soroptimist International of Baker
County is one of nearly 1,400 clubs that make up Sorop-
timist International of the Americas. Each year Soropti-
mists in the 19 countries and territories of our Federation
assist women in overcoming personal difficulties and
improving the lives through education and skills training.
Baker County
FBI crime stats
incorrect
Baker County Consolidated Dispatch has looked into
the 2014 FBI uniform crime report released earlier this
year. The FBI uses the OUCRs (Oregon Unified Crime
Reports) that are submitted to the state from the dispatch
center to create their report.
After reviewing the 2014 data there was a reporting er-
ror which, if corrected, would change the results to match
the numbers that Baker City Chief Lohner stated (11
reports of aggravated assaults, with seven reports actually
taken).
According to manager Jason Yencopal, Dispatch
contacted the state to update the numbers, which they
were willing to do, but informed the County that it would
not change the 2014 report as the FBI would not use the
updated data.
Changes have been made to ensure the accuracy of the
OUCRs that are submitted to the state for future reports.
Vivan Crawford
scholarships
awarded
Two Baker Girls have received $500 Vivan Crawford
Memorial Scholarships form Chapter CJ, P.E.O.
Anna Payton is a freshman at Gordon College at Wen-
ham, Massachusetts.
Annika Andersen is a freshman at the Oregon Institute
of Technology at Klamath Falls, Oregon.
The Vivan Crawford Memorial Scholarship was
established by Ken Crawford, Vivan’s P.E.O. sisters and
friends. An excellent, enthusiastic teacher for 25 years,
Vivan was always interested in promoting education.
$2.3K raised for
Special Olympics
Last week the local Fire Department was waiting tables
at Barley Browns to earn tips for Special Olympics of
Baker County. They raised $2,290 plus the donation
from Barleys of $600 with the highest total so far of
$2,890.
There is a wonderful competition between the local
Police Department’s “Tip-A-Cop” and local Fire Depart-
ment’s “Serve It Up Hot” to earn the highest number.
In the past three years of competition, the firemen have
finally taken the lead.
To support local Special Olympics, donate to Chapter
511 at PO Box 508 or call Stephanie Tweit at 541-523-
6767.