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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2019)
S P OR SPORTS RT S Inside EOU finishes pool 2-1 FRIDAY-SUNDAY • December 6-8, 2019 • $1.50 Good day to our valued subscriber Matt Burrows of La Grande License fees could increase ■ CHD has not raised fees for food service licenses since 2014 By Dick Mason The Observer LA GRANDE — Union County restaurant owners may pay more for food service licenses for the fi rst time in fi ve years. The Center for Human De- veloped has asked the Union County Board of Commis- sioners for a 15% boost to the annual fees it charges restau- rant owners for food service licenses. The CHD’s request also applies to the owners of public pools and spas and the owners of tourist facilities such as motels. Under the proposed plan, the higher license fees to be put in effect would include $507 for a restaurant with 15 or fewer seats, and $725 for a restaurant with at least 150 seats. The food service license fee for operating a bed and breakfast would be $217 a year. The fees for temporarily restaurants would be $51 for a single day event and $72 for a seasonal or multi-day event. The inspection fee for tourist facilities, such as an organizational camp, would be $83, and the fee for pools and spas would be $221 for the fi rst pool/spa and $110 for the second. Carrie Brogoitti, public health administrator for the Center for Human Develop- ment, said CHD has not increased its food license fees since 2014. She said the increase would bring the CHD’s fees up to what they would have been if CHD had increased these fees by 3% each year since 2014. The fees cover inspections conducted by CHD to ensure these facilities are safe for the community. CHD is request- ing the fee increase because of the rising costs of operat- ing its environmental health services program, which cover food service, pool and spa and motel inspections. See Fees / Page 5A Budgets cuts at Buffalo Peak Golf Course, 2A New elk hunts, 1B “All you need to ask yourselves before you place your vote is did we go about the processes of fi ling for our permit correctly? We met every single standard we were required to meet in order to obtain our permit.” — Cody Vela, chair of the warming station board Staff photo by Phil Wright The La Grande City Council consid- ers testimony Wednesday night concerning the conditional use ap- peal that has delayed the opening of the town’s warming station. WARMING SHELTER GETS THE GREEN LIGHT ■ La Grande City Council votes to allow Union County Warming Shelter to open Oregon PERS initiative dropped By Jeff Mapes Oregon Public Broadcasting SALEM — A business- backed effort to get Oregon voters to reduce the costs of the state’s public pension system has quietly closed shop — at least for the 2020 election. Backers had fi led fi ve potential ballot measures sponsored by two prominent Oregon political fi gures — former Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski and former Republican state Sen. Chris Telfer — that would revamp the benefi ts provided by the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System. After earlier withdraw- ing three of the measures, supporters quietly dropped the last two the day before Thanksgiving. Tim Nesbitt, the former Oregon AFL-CIO president who has worked with state business leaders on the issue, said actions taken during the last legislative session helped reduce the immediate air of crisis around a retirement system facing a $27 billion debt. In addition, he said, the booming stock market should also help hold down increases in pension costs in the near term. See PERS / Page 5A School workers sue union Staff photo by Sabrina Thompson Proponents of the Union County Warming Station show their support for the shelter during the city council meeting Wednesday night at the La Grande Middle School. The council vote 7-0 to allow the facility to oper- ate at 2008 Third St. near downtown. By Phil Wright ■ Freedom Foundation is backing the suit The Observer By Claire Withycombe LA GRANDE — The La Grande City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night in favor of allowing the Union County Warming Station to operate in its new location near downtown. And Mayor Stephen Clements promised he would take a leadership role in working toward a goal of addressing local homelessness. Cody Vela, chair of the warming station board, said Thurs- day his phone was “blowing up all day” concerning the outcome at the council meeting. “We as a board are very satisfi ed with the city council’s decisions to overturn or deny the appeal on our conditional use permit,” Vela said. Developer Al Adelsberger in October appealed the city plan- ning commission’s decision to grant a conditional use permit for the warming station to open at 2008 Third St. near down- town. That move set up the four-hour public hearing Wednes- day night for the council to determine if the station would have adverse effects on the neighborhood, the main criteria to consider on the appeal. Adelsberger, as the appeal applicant, took the mic fi rst and told the council, “I’m ready for LUBA,” the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, before launching into a multitude of reasons for upholding his appeal and keeping the shelter’s doors shut. “It’s not the city council’s problem,” Adelsberger said. “It’s a EO Media Group See Shelter / Page 5A WEATHER INDEX Classified ..... 3B Comics ......... 7B Crossword ... 3B Dear Abby .... 8B Horoscope ... 3B Lottery.......... 2A Obituaries .... 3A Opinion ........ 4A MONDAY Spiritual Life. 6A Sports .......... 7A Sudoku ........ 7B Weather ....... 8B Staff photo by Sabrina Thompson Developer Al Adelsberger urges the La Grande City Council during its public hearing Wednes- day night to uphold the appeal he fi led to pre- vent the Union County Warming Station from opening at 2008 Third St. SALEM — Four Hillsboro school employees sued their union and school district Thursday in federal court, ar- guing the union slow-walks requests from employees who want to quit their unions in violation of their rights under the U.S. Constitution. The Freedom Foundation, a Northwest organization that urges public employees to quit their unions, is back- ing the suit. The four workers on Thursday sued the American Federation of Teachers, the Oregon chapter of the federa- tion, and AFT Local 4671, as well as the Hillsboro Unifi ed School District in U.S. Dis- trict Court in Portland. In June 2018, the U.S. See Lawsuit / Page 5A CONTACT US Full forecast on the back of B section Friday Saturday Sunday 37 LOW 43/37 43/30 Showers around A shower A little snow 541-963-3161 Issue 142 2 sections, 16 pages La Grande, Oregon Email story ideas to news@lagrande observer.com . More contact info on Page 4A. FILM GUYS FROM EASTERN OREGON Online at lagrandeobserver.com
