The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current, April 17, 2015, Image 10

The Baker County press., April 17, 2015, Image 10

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Newspaper Page Text10 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015 Local City Council approves goals CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Resolution #3745 Set- ting Sidewalk Utility Fee Allocations for 2015 was approved. Public Works Director Michelle Owen said there were “no pro- posed changes” to that fee this year. The fee funds a reimbursement grant of $3.50/square foot, which Owen says basically cov- ers the cost of product to replace sidewalk. Applica- tions will be taken through May 5, with distributions beginning in July. Resolution #3747 was approved, amending the 2014-2015 budget. A total of $10,000 will be transferred from the Community Development and Contingency Funds to the Golf Course Fund to cover a combination of an existing deﬁ cit, foreseen and unforeseen expenses related to maintenance at the golf course including mainline repair, shop door repair, and repair of the leaking hydraulic system on a tractor. $5,000 was also ap- proved to be pulled from the Contingency fund to complete an Environmen- tal Impact Study required by law as the City begins the process of transfering the sale of electricity gen- erated at its small hydro- electric plant from OTEC to Idaho Power. OTEC will no longer purchase that electricity as of June 30. Resolution #3746 was approved, setting a formal protocol for the Baker City Police Depart- ment’s Property Inventory Program—that’s the lost property room, of which Lt. Kirk McKormick was in charge prior to his recent resignation. Police Chief Wyn Lohner testiﬁ ed to Council that this resolution was unique to Baker City, triggered by the need to standardize how individual ofﬁ cers process items such as backpacks that might be full of other items. If an item is discovered that might be “evidentiary,” he said, the need for a deﬁ ni- tive process that eliminates offer discretion needs to be in place. Fees and Budget. Finance Director Jeanie Dexter reviewed a few select budget and fee items that need revision. In all, she stated she was look- ing for input rather than a vote by Council during this meeting, there were few changes, and no inﬂ ation- based increases recom- mended this year. The ﬁ rst change Dexter mentioned was a simple name change from “Large Animal Permit” to “Live- stock Permit” in order to clarify that permit. A new fee, tiered in na- ture, is currently being set for the wall for cremains at the cemetery. Fees will likely vary based on loca- tion of cremains placement within that wall. One typographical error for on site consultations at commercial buildings will change the $60.96 ﬂ at fee to read as an hourly rate. Another error corrects the permit fees on page 16 for sidewalk construction to read “in excess of 500 square feet” rather than 100 square feet. Implementation of a new hourly rate for the Building Department would target plan reviews and special review requests from members of the public. A “somewhat discounted” rate was also discussed for nonproﬁ ts. City Manager Mike Kee cautioned that he felt such an hourly rate would be used “sparingly” and stressed the need to talk more in depth with that Gary Bood from that de- partment before continuing further with development of that fee. The proposed hourly fees and other changes will be posted with the State so that the City meets the 45- day posting requirement before implementation; however, the City can still either approve or disap- prove these changes at a later date. Council decided to bring the full fee schedule back at the June meeting and make a decision at that point, and formally adopt a budget. Goals. Council voted unani- mously to approve the ten goals, and their sub-goals, as determined in a March work session, but not before a lengthy discussion on the wording beneath the enhanced water security goal. Mayor Kim Mosier said Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press City Manager Mike Kee (seated at right) says a new proposed hourly fee for the Building Department needs much more discussion. she “hesitated” toward putting “such a huge task as ﬁ res – fuel reduction” in the goal list. She said she’d spoken to the Forest Service and came away understanding that fuels reduction in the watershed was an overwhelming process. She pointed to Environmental Impact Statements she believed the City would ﬁ rst need to commission, and said that was “just the tip of the iceberg as to what that entails.” “The biggest risk of ﬁ re is from human sources around the watershed,” Mosier stated. She pointed out hunters and people who live near the wa- tershed speciﬁ cally, and recommended that “fuel reduction” be removed from the goals. Kee suggested that fuels reduction be kept in the goals. Referring to the For- est Service, Kee stated, “I don’t think fuel reduction is as important to them as it is to us.” Councilor Richard Lan- grell backed Kee’s point of view. “We’ve got to get started,” he said. “Or the problem continues to grow.” He urged leaving the goal on the list so staff would be able to begin fuel reduction efforts, maybe not this year, but soon. In the end, Council agreed to change the word- ing of the goal in question from “fuel reduction” to something along the lines of “reducing ﬁ re hazards.” The goals as presented are: • Continue support of parks and outdoor spaces. • Continue to promote communication and col- Estate / Moving Sale Ski Boat | Antiques | Guns | Furniture |Appliances April 25, 2015 Time: 10:00 A.M. Sale Located at: 452 Bitterbrush Dr., Nampa, Id. Terms: Cash or bankable check day of sale. No merchandise removed prior to settlement. 10% buyers premium. Concessions available on site. • 1997 Rinker Captiva 192 ski boat • Winchester collectable riﬂ e • 1800s pump organ • Duncan Pﬁ ffe • Drexler • Laz-E-Boy • Top quality appliances • Power tools and welders • Quality household items • Recreational/ camping equipment • Brand new whizzer bike • Hovearound • Mantis tiller and garden tools • Much more! This is an exceptional estate. For a complete description and pictures go to: www.snakeriverauction.com Sale Conducted by Snake River Auction L.L.C. P.O. Box 672, Payette, Idaho • (541)212-5918 Roger K. Nakashima, Auctioneer laboration with community partners and government entities. • Develop a wastewater disposal plan • Enhance community liveability • Evaluate and enhance the economic development plan • Implement an asset maintenance schedule • Increase citizen in- volvement • Maintain and enhance water security • Promote Government integrity • Require cost-effective budget management Each major category contained two to ﬁ ve sub- components. Kee stressed that the goals were not listed in order of impor- tance. Council Mack Augen- feld mentioned he would have liked to have seen the goals have more “focus.” Rural Fire Districts and Annexations. In 2005, several prop- erties were annexed by the City with the under- standing that they would be served by Rural Fire Departments rather than the Baker City Fire Depart- ment (BCFD) until further notice. Council agreed to begin contacting those property owners to notify them of the City’s intent to begin shifting them under the BCFD during the 2015- 2016 year. The process is likely to be lengthy, including correspondence, public hearings, etc. and gathering feedback from those property owners was emphasized. Langrell v. City of Baker City. Richard Langrell de- clared a personal conﬂ ict of interest and stepped down, both ﬁ guratively and physically, for a vote on whether or not to ﬁ nal- ize the settlement arrived at between the City’s attorney and Langrell’s attorney. Langrell’s suit put forward that the City had illegally charged Langrell and his wife double sewer and water fees for years regarding their property The Always Welcome Inn, as part of an annexation agreement. That agreement was silent on water/sewer fee assessment. The $50,000 settlement amount, to be paid to Langrell, was unanimously approved, with the original motion made by Mosier and seconded by Councilor Ben Merrill. This ﬁ nal issue on the agenda was wrapped up in a matter of minutes, an anticlimactic end to a months-long process. The meeting wrapped up around 9 p.m. By that time, that dusting of snow from two hours earlier had already melted outside. Huntington man sentenced On April 13, 2015 Chet Schisler (dob 04-04-83) of 165 E. Monroe St., Huntington, Oregon, was sentenced to 30 months with the Oregon Department of Corrections. Schisler pled guilty to Unlawful Delivery of Metham- phetamine within 1,000 Feet of a School. Schisler was also sentenced in Grant County on April 9, 2015 to 30 months in prison for an Unlawful Delivery of Metham- phetamine charge. The Baker County prison time will run consecutive to the Grant County prison time for a total of 60 months in prison. The plea was part of a plea agreement with the Baker and Grant County District At- torney’s Ofﬁ ces. The case was investigated by the Baker County Narcotics Enforcement Team. The team was able to utilize an undercover informant who purchased metham- phetamine from Schisler and his co-defendant Jeremy Mclean. Mclean was also sentence to ﬁ ve years in prison between the two counties back in January. The under- cover sale in Baker County occurred near South Baker School. Schisler was further sentenced to 3 years post prison supervision which will follow his ﬁ ve year prison sentence. He also must complete alcohol and drug treat- ment. “Schisler was eligible for prison as he had two prior drug convictions and had previously served prison time,” said D.A. Matt Shirtcliff. Hamilton gets jail time in Ace Hardware theft On April 14, 2015, Theresa Marie Hamilton, 45, of Oregon City, Oregon, pled guilty to one count of Theft in the First Degree, a Class C Felony and one count of Theft in the Second Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. Two other counts were dismissed in a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Ofﬁ ce. Hamilton was sentenced to ﬁ ve years of formal proba- tion on the felony count and must serve 60 days in the Baker County Jail. She was ordered to pay $24,091 in restitution to Scott and Diana Thatcher, the victims in the case. On the misdemeanor count, Hamilton must serve an additional 30 days in jail consecutive to the 60 in count one, for a total of 90 days in jail. She was also ordered to complete alcohol and mental health treatment as part of probation. Hamilton stole cash from Ace Hardware where she was employed as a bookkeeper. The thefts occurred between February 2013 and July of 2014. Hamilton utilized a scheme where she altered deposit slips that she took to the bank thereby allowing her to steal cash that belonged to the business. “The victims were pleased with the sentence as Ms. Hamilton is serving jail time, but will also be required to pay back full restitution as a requirement of her probation.” Community Bank holds new contest Community Bank is announcing a new contest start- ing in April. The “Traveling HAMilton Photo Contest” involves taking and entering a photo of HAMilton, the Community Bank pink piggy bank, on an adventure. You do not have to be a customer to enter. You can pick up your own HAMilton piggy bank now from a local Com- munity Bank branch to get started. Entry into the weekly contest begins April 17th. Win- ners will be determined by a Facebook voting platform. Each week there will be one winner of $100, distributed as “Hamiltons” (ten dollar bills). There will be one win- ner each of the nine weeks. Weekly winners are automati- cally entered into the Grand Prize voting period occurring from July 6, 2015 to July 20, 2015. The winner of the Grand Prize will receive $1000, also distributed as “Ham- iltons” (ten dollar bills with Alexander Hamilton’s face). Entrants must be 13 years old or older to enter. To see complete details and a schedule of the entry and voting periods for this contest, please see the Ofﬁ cial Rules online at www.communitybanknet.com/ﬁ les/Traveling- HAMilton.pdf. Inmate dies at Snake River An inmate died unexpectedly early Tuesday morning at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario. As with all unanticipated deaths in state prisons, the Or- egon State Police is conducting an investigation. At approximately 11:25 p.m., Monday, April 13, inmate John McKinley's cellmate alerted staff that McKinley, 53, needed medical attention. McKinley was found unresponsive, at which time staff began CPR. He was pronounced dead at 12:18 a.m. McKinley entered DOC custody on November 19, 2008, on one count of sodomy in the ﬁ rst degree and one count of unlawful use of a weapon out of Multnomah County. His earliest release date was March 3, 2038.