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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2016)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2016 Business & Ag County in moderate drought, agreements with various agencies enacted BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Board of Commission- ers held its first, regular session of the month on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, 9 a.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Courthouse. Present from the Board were Chair Bill Harvey, Commissioners Mark Ben- nett and Tim Kerns, and Executive Assistant Heidi Martin. Attendance also included Baker County Clerk Cindy Carpenter, Baker County Planning Director Holly Kerns, Baker County Planner Kara Harris, Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash, Baker County Roadmaster Jeff Smith, Baker County Emergency Management Director Jason Yencopal, John Creighton, Tork and Wanda Ballard, Ed Hardt, Art Sappington, Vicki Valenzuela, Guy Michael, Mary Miller, and Peter Hall. Harvey called the ses- sion to order, and led in recitation of the optional Invocation, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Shortly thereafter, the agenda was adopted, with a few addi- tional topics, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. Citizen Participation included Wanda Ballard, and Valenzuela. Ballard asked if there would be County representation during a couple of upcom- ing Resources Advisory Council (RAC) meetings in Baker City, and Har- vey responded that Terry Drever Gee, of the Baker County Assessor’s Office, would be representing the County, but he and Baker County Natural Resource Advisory Committee (NRAC) Coordinator Eric Wuntz may not be able to attend (Wuntz is on vaca- tion, he said). Valenzuela asked if the 60-page document from the American Stewards of Liberty (ASL), which was requested by the County, to assist the County with its response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed rule changes, “Planning 2.0,” had been given also to the NRAC, and Harvey said that it had been. The minutes from the Wednesday, June 15, 2016 session were approved, with a motion from Ben- nett, and a second from Kerns. Carpenter provided attendees with a Clerk De- partment update, with the following included, among the details: everyone with business dealings with the County (title companies, etc.) was required to initi- ate new contracts, which increases the County’s revenue by $75 a month, per contract, each year, and those can be reviewed again in 2018; CoreLogic and Zillow have contracted with the County for use of the County’s documents, and the two companies will provide monthly revenue for that service; the Oregon Motor Voter Act, passed in 2015, and taking effect January 1 of this year, means extra spending for the County, since ballots would still be mailed out, regardless of whether the recipients would vote (she said that the aver- age cost per ballot in the last election was $2.70); ERM (Election Reporting Manager) software was purchased, for $4,675, plus a $3,500 per-year license fee, and the system has helped save time, and streamline the election pro- cess; the Election Board, this May (10 people), was paid $4,107.09, at mini- mum wage, and the most recent PCP (Precinct Com- mittee Person) election cost the County $1,247.17 (just to count the bal- lots), a process Carpenter would like to see changed, legislatively; the Clerk’s office held a signature verification class last April; one of Carpenter’s goals is to provide voter education to students at Baker High School; and the current Sumpter recall closes on July 19. An agreement, between the County and attorney Ken Bardizian, for the services as Indigent De- fense Attorney for Baker County Justice Court, was approved, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. This includes payment from the County of $20,000, for up to 60 cases, payable in equal monthly installments. USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) Work And Financial Plan, between the County and the USDA, was approved, with a motion from Kerns, and a second from Harvey. This agreement includes the amount of $27,145.76 from the County to the USDA, for the listed, provided services, to in- clude: assistance to County residents experiencing con- flicts caused by predatory animals, and other wildlife; assistance in the form of educational information, or when appropriate, to utilize the most effective, and safe management tools, and techniques available; and a mechanism that enables other entities to partici- pate in the program, with shared responsibilities, for funding, planning, and evaluation. An Oregon Develop- ment Business Department (OBDD) Brownfields Re- development Fund Grant Contract, between the County, and OBDD, was approved, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. This contract is for the County’s Lime Cement Plant Asbestos Abatement Project, and the grant amount is $60,000. Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) No. 31350, Single Trip Permit Authorization, between the County, and the Depart- ment of Transportation (DOT), was approved, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. Smith explained the reason for the agreement, that it’s a renewal/continuation of a previous agreement, in order to simplify the issu- ance of permits. The first hearing in — Weekly Hay Report — Friday, July 1, 2016 — Eastern Oregon Hay demand was relatively steady while displaying some firmness in the Klamath Basin region. There was substantially more hay sold this week as hay producers are starting to finish first cuttings but a majority are right in the thick of their hay produc- tion. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa/Ochard Mix — Small Square Premium 10 165.00-165.00 165.00 Orchard Grass — Small Square Premium 12 165.00-165.00 165.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 320 Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press County Clerk Cindy Carpenter talks about the new Motor Voter law. the matter of Order No. 2016-134, Naming A Private Road Wildhorse Loop, Located Along The Western Boundary Of Tax Lot 200 and 300, In Township 8 South, Range 48 East, W.M., Baker County, Oregon, was held. Holly Kerns and Harris introduced and explained the request, from applicant Idaho Power, owner of the majority of the property surrounding the proposed road. This matter was con- tinued to the next, regular session, on Wednesday, July 20, 9:45 a.m., with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns (it requires two public hear- ings). Ash spoke with the Board about an agreement, between the County, and Idaho Power Company (IPC), for enhanced law enforcement services to be performed by the County, in the area between the United States Forest Ser- vice (USFS) Center below Hells Canyon Dam, Idaho, and upstream to the Adams County property line. IPC would provide housing for a Resident Deputy Sheriff, and IPC would pay the County up to $94,972.56 in total, for the services performed. The agreement was approved, with a mo- tion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. A County Counsel RFP (Request for Proposals) Award was approved, with a motion from Kerns, and a second from Har- vey. This agreement is for legal services District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff would not be performing. Attorney Drew Martin was approved, his per-hour County rate listed as $190. Yencopal provided the Board with a County drought update, and he discussed the possibility of a drought declaration. Yencopal gave the Board copies of information provided by the USDA (he had planned to use the County’s interactive Smart Board, but he had printed information instead). This included predicted soil moisture, weather outlook, water levels, fuel moisture levels, and other data. He said the County is in a D1 state (moderate drought, on a scale of D0, to D4, D4 being excep- tional drought, according to the Drought Monitor). Included in the details: Phillips Reservoir was (at the time of this writing) at 35% capacity; Thief Valley Reservoir was at 62%; and Unity Reservoir was at 63%. The Baker Valley Irrigation District allocated 1.2 acre-feet of water per acre this year, and last year, the District allocated 1.25 acre-feet of water per acre. According to the data, the District rates this year about the same as last year, or a little worse, based on the trend so far, with no rain. Yencopal was directed to draft a County Drought Declaration, with a motion from Kerns, and a second from Bennett. The Board discussed the Sumpter Valley Dredge Tailings Reclamation Proj- ect. The interest first ex- pressed in this project was voiced by Yellow Eagle Mining, in 2012, according to documentation. After significant discus- sion (no motions were made at this time), the Board decided to con- tinue the conversation, which would involve more input from Sumpter area residents. Michael and Hardt expressed concerns, including the limited size of the allowed exploratory acreage for interested min- ing parties, and Harvey suggested a tentatively- scheduled meeting with residents at Sumpter City Hall, next Wednesday, July 13, at 6 p.m., which Martin would confirm. Order No. 2016-135, Re-Appointing A Member To The Baker County Fair Board Advisory Commit- tee, was approved, with a motion from Harvey, and a second from Bennett. Ann Kniesel was re-appointed, her term set to expire on July 1, 2017. Order No. 2016-136, Re- Appointing A Member To The Baker County Cultural Coalition, was approved, with a motion from Har- vey, and a second from Bennett. Brian Vegter was re-appointed, his term set to expire on July 1, 2019. Order No. 2016-137, Ap- pointing A Member To The Baker County 911 Consoli- dated Dispatch Oversight Board, was approved, with a motion from Bennett, and a second from Kerns. Harvey was appointed, his term set to expire on December 31, 2016. Order No. 2016-138, Ap- pointing A Member To The Regional Coordinated Care Committee, was approved, with a motion from Kerns, and a second from Harvey. Bennett was appointed, his term set to expire on December 31, 2016. Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 129.00 - 154.00 Top 156.00 400-500# Bulk 142.00 - 159.00 Top 166.00 500-600# Bulk 137.00 - 157.00 Top 160.50 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A 400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A 500-600# Bulk 127.00 - 136.00 Top 138.00 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 134.00 - 143.00 Top 145.00 700-800# Bulk 125.00 - 132.00 Top 134.00 800-900# Bulk 123.00 - 131.00 Top 135.50 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 122.00 - 131.00 Top 132.00 700-800# Bulk N/A Top N/A 800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 56.00 - 69.00 Butcher Cows 76.00 - 83.50 Butcher Bulls 83.00 - 92.00 Older B.M. 1000.00 - 1250.00 Hfretts. 83.00 - 96.00 Stock Cows Young - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon Currently the local log market is flooded with fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they need under contract and are not accepting any new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has receive so many burned fire salvage logs they are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering $280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/ mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White Fir they are offing $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a 12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/ mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: $1,367.40 Silver: $20.14 Platinum: $1085.06 Palladium: $606.87 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $340.25/bu/USD Wheat: $425.50/bu/USD Soybeans: $1045.50/bu/USD Oats: $193.25 bu/USD Rough Rice: $10.41/cwt/USD Canola: $476.90 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $113.20/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $145.08/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $81.13/lb./USD Bloomberg.com