8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
Local
Citizen concerns heard at
Poet laureate
second interchange plan meeting to visit library
By Gina K. Swartz
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Matt Hughart and Nick
Foster from Kittleson and
Associates, consultants
hired by ODOT, facilitated
a second public meeting
Tuesday regarding the
Interchange Area Manage-
ment Plan (IAMP). The
meeting was conducted in
the fellowship hall of the
Nazarene church located at
1250 Hughes Lane.
The first meeting was
held January 29 at City
Hall in the City Council
Chambers. Hughart and
Foster took from that first
meeting input from those
present and adjusted plans
that had been previously
drawn up in an effort to
accommodate citizen
concerns.
This meeting saw many
more property owners than
the previous and sev-
eral were familiar with the
original planning efforts
from approximately 10
years earlier.
The meeting began very
informally as attendees
milled around poster
boards outlining some of
the plan ideas.
Hughart and Foster were
available to answer ques-
tions, explain plans and
take input.
Michelle Owen, City
Public Works Director,
Holly Kerns, Baker County
Planning Director and Pat-
rick Knight from ODOT
were also on hand to field
questions.
County Commissioner
Bill Harvey was in at-
tendance as well. Hughart
formally addressed the
crowd advising that their
part in the plan was to
assist ODOT in readdress-
ing the old plan and make
changes as necessary.
“The purpose of an
IAMP is a long-term plan,
20 plus years out, that
focuses primarily on inter-
changes, Freeway or State
Highway interchanges,”
Hughart explained. “The
state of Oregon realized
in the late 90s that they
needed to have a more
formalized process for pre-
serving and ensuring the
interchanges they’d built
and were going to build in
the future, they wanted to
make sure they were pre-
served from capacity and
safety standpoints.”
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
Left to Right: Nick Foster, Nazareth Church Pastor Johnathon Privett, and Holly
Kerns.
There is concern that
unforeseen growth would
inundate interchanges with
traffic and unsafe cond -
tions that weren’t original-
ly planned for when built
and constructed.
ODOT would like to see
all interchanges, even the
most rural, have a blue-
print for operation in the
future. That is as Hughart
explained, “What we are
trying to accomplish here,
we are trying to preserve
and generate a plan for
how ODOT, Baker County
and the City of Baker City
can all work together and
make sure interchanges
will operate in a manner
that meets standards by
identifying projects to ad-
dress changes that might
occur either in the near
future, 5-10 years or long
term 20 plus years out.”
Hughart acknowledged
that the possibility exists
that should things develop
differently than what is
projected, any adopted
plan would of course need
to be revised and should a
plan be adopted it is not so
set in stone that it can’t be
modified as necessar .
Several property owners,
obviously unhappy with
proposed plans expressed
concerns.
One concern raised dealt
with measurements of right
of ways. Don Beck said, “I
have a well that is 12 feet
from the road. My house is
only 20 feet away.”
Should expansion or
replacement of the existing
road be done Beck is con-
cerned about the impacts
that may affect his well
and home.
Another question posed
was selling of property,
once this plan was put
into place and what future
affects that may cause.
It was noted that once
completed and adopted the
plan is public record and
can be accessed by anyone
interested in purchasing
property in the future.
Another question raised
was although a specific
area of property may be
included in the plan, can
property owners continue
to do with that land as they
please. For example build
a barn on it.
Holly Kerns answered,
“Until an easement for
land has been purchased,
no it can’t be prevented.
From a land use perspec-
tive we would prefer to
work with that land owner
in an effort to avoid a
future issue.”
There was agreement
from those attending that
this was all unnecessary.
The recent project being
done at Biggs Junction was
brought up and the ques-
tion asked why expansion
simply could not be dealt
with when it was needed,
like was being done there.
“It is more costly to fix
a problem than to prevent
it. We want to be proac-
tive not reactive,” Hughart
replied.
Another concern voiced
was that once this plan
was adopted the State or
County could just make the
changes as they wanted or
when funds may be offered
to them.
Hughart assured land
owners that specific
language could be written
into the plan to assure that
would not happen. “The
use of ‘if and or when’ can
make the conditions for
change very specific,” he
said, indicating changes
could not be made on a
whim or simply because
funds may be made avail-
able but only when certain
requirements are being
met.
For anyone who was un-
able to attend the meeting
but wishes to review plans
or make comments there is
a link on the City’s website
bakercity.com.
The project team is
moving in the direction of
adoption of a plan by July
and more meetings and
work sessions are being
planned.
All future meetings
and work sessions will
be posted on the City of
Baker City’s website and
public input will continue
to be sought.
Mabry Anders bill passes House
The House of Represen-
tatives unanimously passed
House Bill 2981, legisla-
tion that directs the Depart-
ment of Transportation to
erect and maintain a Fallen
Hero roadside memorial
sign for Army Specialist
Mabry James Anders, who
was killed in action while
serving in Afghanistan
during Operation Enduring
Freedom.
During his remarks,
HB 2981 chief sponsor
Representative Cliff Bentz
(R-Ontario), read excerpts
from a letter written by
Specialist Anders’ parents,
who shared their son’s love
for the outdoors and his
fellow servicemen:
“Mabry was a fun-lov-
ing young man. He lived
his life to the fullest. He
loved the outdoors, riding
dirt bikes, off-roading in
his Jeep, horseback riding,
and flying helicopters
“His humor, strong sense
of friendship, encourage-
ment and compassion
touched many lives. Mabry
was dedicated to his fam-
ily, his friends and his
brothers-in-arms. He loved
serving his country and
those he served with.
“A friend quoted Mabry
as saying, ‘If you want to
learn something in this life,
learn how to live.’"
“Let us today promise
that we in this Oregon
House deeply appreci-
ate the value and life you
have given to the protec-
tion of our state and our
nation. And we realize, as
we vote, that the actions
we take in this wonderful
room —so peaceful and so
quiet, so safe—are in great
part possible because of
the sacrifice made by your
family and your son,” said
Rep. Bentz as he addressed
Specialist Anders’ parents
and grandparents.
Immediately following
Submitted Photo.
Specialist Mabry James Anders.
Rep. Bentz’s remarks,
the House passed the bill
to erect a Fallen Hero
roadside memorial sign
for Specialist Anders
near milepost 36 on
Oregon Route 7. Special-
ist Anders and his family
also received a standing
ovation from the House
for Mabry’s service and
sacrifice
On Saturday, May 16, 2015 Oregon’s Poet Laureate Pe-
ter Sears will be doing a special reading at Baker County
Public Library. The event takes place from 6:00 to 7:00
p.m. in the Riverside Meeting Room.
Peter Sears is an award winning and nationally recog-
nized poet. He is a graduate of Yale University and the
Iowa Writers workshop. He was appointed Oregon’s sev-
enth Poet Laureate in April 2014. Some of the previous
Laureates include Edwin Markham, Ben Hur Lampman,
and Ethel Romig Fuller. He has written four full length
poetry books titled Small Talk, The Brink, Green River,
and Luge. Sears’ poems have been featured in major
publications like The New York Times, Rolling Stone,
and Poetry Northwest. He currently teaches in the Pacific
University low-residency MFA department. Sears’ poetry
collection, “The Brink,” was named one of Oregon’s 150
best books by the Oregon State Library.
During his two-year term as Poet Laureate, Sears is
committed to fostering the art of poetry and encourag-
ing literacy and learning across the state of Oregon. He’s
looking to use his position to attract new readers and
highlight the creative work of writers from diverse com-
munities across the state.
For more information visit the Oregon Poet Laureate
site at oregonpoetlaureate.org or the library’s webpage
www.bakerlib.org.
Spring concert
to be April 17
The Baker Community Orchestra will hold its Spring
Concert Friday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Veteran's
Advocates of Oregon and Idaho Events Center at Court
and Main Streets in Baker City. There is no admission
and all are welcome.
The orchestra, under the direction of Kelly Brickman,
will perform a mix of classical, show music, as well as
original compositions. Composers include Leonard Ber-
nstein, Ludwig von Beethoven, Rimsky-Korsakov and
W. A. Mozart. Hymn from Beethoven's 6th Symphony,
The Russian Sailors' Dance from The Red Poppy, and
an original composition, Fantasy on a Slavic Theme, are
among the pieces the Orchestra has prepared.
The Baker Community Orchestra is made up of volun-
teer community members who have a passion for making
music. The orchestra is open to any community member
who can play a band or orchestra instrument. There is no
audition requirement, just come and play!
OTEC ballots
mailed out
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative announces that bal-
lots for its proposed bylaw revisions and Board of Direc-
tors elections were mailed on Friday, April 3rd. There
are three positions on the OTEC Board up for election,
as well as, 15 proposed changes to OTEC’s governing
bylaws.
Board of Director candidates on the ballot this year
include:
• Incumbent Austin Bingaman for Union County posi-
tion #4.
• Incumbent Aletha Bonebrake and candidate Wayne
Overton for Baker County position #5.
• Incumbent Gary Miller for Grant County position
#6.
All candidates are running to serve a 3-year term. The
election results will be announced during OTEC’s Annual
Membership meeting set for Saturday, May 2nd at the
Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day.
Included with the ballots are a voter’s guide, biog-
raphies of each of the candidates, and a summary of
the proposed bylaw revisions. Complete details of the
proposed bylaw changes are available on OTEC’s website
(www.otecc.com). Voting members will be able to cast
their ballots by mail or deliver them in person at the an-
nual meeting. Members who elect to vote by mail can also
enter a contest to win a flat screen TV.
Registration for the 2015 Annual Membership meet-
ing will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 2nd followed
by a business meeting at 11 a.m. A complimentary lunch
catered by the Snaffle Bit will be served at 12:30 p.m.
Entertainment will be provided by Frank Carlson and
door prize drawings will be held throughout the annual
meeting.
Hospital book
fair this month
Saint Alphonsus Auxiliary-Baker City will be holding
their annual book fair Thursday, April 23rd from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m.. The book fair will be located in the hospital
breezeway. There will be a wide selection of books as
well as other gifts at 40% to 70% off retail pricing. Come
and bring a friend.
Proceeds will go to benefit Saint Alphonsus Medical
Center – Baker City and our Auxiliary Scholarship Fund
for students seeking a career in the medical field. Credit
Cards accepted.