FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Locked & Loaded to clean up road Friends of
ing in an
annual forest
road clean-
up in honor
of National
Go Topless
Day.
Just to
clarify, going
“topless”
in this case
doesn’t mean
what one
may think
(sorry).
Instead, it’s
a celebration
of the change
THE OUTDOOR COLUMN in seasons,
By Todd Arriola
by removing
the tops of
the off-road
vehicles,
and helping
to maintain
the forest
road areas
by collecting
trash, while
having fun
on a monthly
adventure.
Last year,
the group’s
successful
clean-up day
Submitted by Christina Whitham
included Elk
Anthony Lakes Highway as it looked Creek and
Washington
on April 18 of this year.
Gulch, with
barbecue food
provided afterwards. This
This weekend marks the
Saturday, said member and
fourth year local 4x4 off-
Oregon Sign Company co-
road group Locked and
owner Christina Witham,
Loaded will be participat-
the 5 corners split trail to
Sumpter (Old Auburn/Deer
Creek,/Union Creek/Cali-
fornia Gulch area) is on the
agenda. This is also the
group’s monthly destina-
tion for May.
She said, “Take the rest
of the day to explore your
National Forest, stop in
and visit the folks who
are open for business in
Sumpter and Granite, and
don’t forget the fi shing
worms while you’re at it.
The road from Granite up
over to the NF73 Road/
Anthony Lakes Highway
and back to Baker Valley
is passable. There may be
a snow drift here or there,
but Locked and Loaded
went over it on the 18th of
April with no problems.
Any snow drifts that re-
mained were packed.”
Witham suggested a
side trip possibility, from
Granite to Olive Lake, via
Grant County Road 24/
NF10 Road, with a stop
at the Historic Freemont
Power Station.
She said, “A few side
roads down the Anthony
Lakes Highway offer a
chance at fi nding some
edible mushrooms, scenic
views, spring fl owers and
superb photo opportunities.
Stop at Anthony Lakes and
try out the fi shing as well
as some hiking or moun-
tain biking around the lake.
Just beyond the lake is the
trail head to the Elkhorn
Crest Trail, and NF730/
NF31 at Little Alps offers
more hiking possibilities.”
Noting the lack in pre-
dictability of the weather
(it’s eastern Oregon, after
all), Witham added a re-
minder to dress in layers,
including cold weather
gear. It’s not a diffi cult
run, she said, but periodic
patches of snow should be
expected.
“We recommend books
on mushrooms, wildfl ow-
ers and plants, and of
course, paper maps of the
area. Don’t forget to pack
food, fi rst aid kit, water,
GPS, cell phone, shovel,
emergency gear, fi re
extinguisher and common
sense. Locked and Loaded
is not responsible or liable
for any mishaps that may
occur along the route,” she
said.
Locked and Loaded will
depart from the Baker
Truck Corral at 8 a.m., and
the public is invited to join
the group. Witham said
bags and gloves will be
provided, as well as lunch
after the clean-up is com-
plete, at a member’s cabin
in the Sumpter area.
Scenic views, cleaned-up
forest roads, and lunch at a
cabin with friends--call me
crazy, but that sounds like
a positive day.
Good luck with your
adventures!
Herbicide issue back at Council
• BUDGET
RESOLUTIONS
PASSED
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Tuesday evening’s City
Council meeting was a
quick one.
The meeting was called
to order by Mayor Mosier
as the clock tower chimed
the seven o’clock hour in
the background.
All Councilors were
present for the meeting.
The council approved the
consent agenda from the
previous meeting unani-
mously then Mayor Mosier
called for citizen participa-
tion.
Yvonne Da Torre ad-
dressed council again
regarding the use of chemi-
cal sprays asking what if
anything had been decided.
“When last we consid-
ered the matter it was sent
to staff to work towards a
vegetation plan. The City
Manager might be able to
give us an update,” Mosier
answered.
City Manager Mike
Kee advised Da Torre
and Council, “The public
works director is still col-
lecting data. She collected
costs of the way the parks
are sprayed now, she also
went out and got another
cost for a herbicide, I think
it was citric acid. She was
going to bring that back to
the council.”
In addition a couple
plans have been sent that
are being looked at.
The research had not
been completed in time for
the meeting.
“Would you expect that
we will see something on
the next agenda?” Mosier
asked Kee, who answered
“I would expect that, yes.”
Mayor Mosier spoke
to Da Torre advising her
things were obviously
progressing forward and
the matter would soon be
before council again.
Da Torre replied by
stating, “It’s baffl ing to
me how quickly you folks
can vote on the marijuana
issue because you want to
protect the children and
yet you’re poisoning the
playgrounds. It’s like the
wild west out here. They’re
whipping out their spray
guns and spraying every-
where and they have no
idea what they’re doing or
the dangers that are being
presented to the commu-
nity. I have a suggestions
for a spray ordinance.”
Da Torre presented
council with those sugges-
tions on a typed out sheet
of paper that read, “1.
Survey areas before spray
to assess need. 2. Require
property owners to get a
permit to spray (as with a
burn or building permit)
Application for permit
should test applicant’s
knowledge of safety and
disposal. 3. Committee
approval on all chemical
sprays. Purpose healthier
choices. 4. Hand spray
only. No trucks, planes.
5. Limit spray to problem
areas. 6. Ban all overhead
sprays. 7. Signs should stay
up two weeks. 8. Applica-
tor must wear protective
clothing and read MSDS
before application.”
After her presentation
Mayor Mosier thanked her
and the meeting moved
ahead.
Jeanie Dexter, fi nance
manager, addressed council
regarding resolutions 3748
amending the 2014-2015
budget and 3749 address-
ing an interfund loan.
Resolution 3748 amend-
ing the 2014-2015 budget
falls under ORS 294.338
unforeseen conditions.
It will take $33,000
from contingency and ap-
propriate it into the admin-
istrative services depart-
ment. City Council has the
ability to amend the budget
in such circumstances.
“The particular unfore-
seen issue that we are look-
ing at is the settlement of
the case Langrell vs. The
City of Baker City,” Dexter
explained. “Council voted
to approve on April 14th a
settlement in the amount of
$50,000.”
Questions were raised
as to how the breakdown
of the settlement worked.
Dexter said, “$33,472 was
a reimbursement for attor-
ney fees on opposing coun-
sel. Paid for by the General
Fund. $ 9,647 was a reim-
bursement of double water
fees. Paid for by the water
fund through refunds.
$6,881 was reimbursement
of double wastewater fees
and that was paid out of
the wastewater fund again
through refunds.”
Dexter went on to say
that the question was also
raised as to why money
was not budgeted for this
since the suit was fi led in
April 2014.
Dexter stated, “The
City Attorney thought the
City would prevail in this
matter and did not believe
we would have a settle-
ment to pay.”
Dexter also fi elded the
question as to why since
the claim was fi led in 2014
the 2013-2014 budget was
not impacted to which
she explained “generally
accepted accounting prin-
ciples say that claims and
judgments are only accrued
when it becomes due, this
didn’t become due until the
city accepted the settle-
ment in April of this year.”
Langrell asked, “Why
is this being brought to
the Council now? The
check has already been
dispersed.”
Dexter replied, “That
fund is not overextended
at this point in time. It will
be by the end of this year
which is why I am bringing
it to you now and not at the
June 24th meeting when
we adopt the budget. I
could have gotten it to you
at the last meeting but it
wasn’t ready and I was in
the middle of budget stuff
so that is why it’s here in
front of you today.”
Councilor Downing
moved to approve the
resolution, it was seconded
by Councilor Thomas.
Councilor Langrell did
not vote on the approval.
All other Councilors
voted to unanimously ap-
prove the resolution.
Dexter then spoke of
Resolution 3749 approving
an interfund loan.
Dexter explained that
she had brought forth a
budget resolution in March
of this year to appropriate
the recreational trails grant
received to extend the Leo
Adler Memorial Pathway
and construct a trailhead.
“You have to incur the
expenditure and then send
in for reimbursement. This
will be done in phases
along this construction
project. However during
that time it may be that we
are in a defi cit cash posi-
tion.
“It doesn’t mean the City
is defi cit in the cash we
have in the bank just the
cash in that fund. So what
that means is we will need
to do an interfund loan for
that fund and council must
approve all interfund loans.
“This means council will
need to approve a loan
of up to, although I don’t
anticipate needing this
much, $108,200 while we
are waiting for reimburse-
ment of the grant funds,”
she said.
After some clarifi cation
including Mayor Mosier
questioning how long the
expectation of reimburse-
ment could be
Councilor Downing
moved to approve the
resolution with a second by
Councilor Merrill.
The council voted again
unanimously to approve
the resolution. Dexter
mentioned that the budget
committee would be hold-
ing a public hearing on
May 19th from 4-6 p.m. in
the Council chambers and
encouraged the public to
attend.
She also stated that the
proposed budget was on
the city’s website.
NRA banquet
Submitted Photo.
Friends of the NRA Banquet attendees enjoyed live
and silent auctions, as well as coming together to
support the Second Amendment.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Some of the live auction items that stood out at the auc-
tion were a Stars and Stripes guitar autographed by pro-
2A rocker Ted Nugent, and a fi rst issue “The Punisher”
comic book. Other items included a .22 rifl e, a 20-gauge
shotgun, a Ranger Assault Rifl e, a Red Stag Hunt for one
in New Zealand, a traegger smoker, and a South African
hunt for four.
Silent auction items, for which the audience bid before,
during and after their dinners, included a variety of NRA
logo items, shotgun and bullet themed household items,
and more.
Several of the live auction items were labeled “Key
Items,” which meant the winners of those became eligible
to win a Springfi eld XD-S 9 mm pistol.
The Pioneer Sponsor for the banquet was Powder River
Precision. Mountain Valley Dental was the Freedom
Sponsor. Triple C Redi-Mix was the Heritage Sponsor.
Liberty Sponsors were Dianna and Jerry Alam, Andy
Anderson, Britt Sand and Gravel, Eagle Valley Colli-
sion / Allied Mortgage, Grumpy’s Repair, Inc., Scott and
Becky Guthrie, Cynthia and Dean Overton, Fred and Beth
Phillips, Victor Savage, Dennis and Kathy Spence, Marco
Valerio, Maurizio Valerio, and Elwood and Sue Wirth.
Donors and underwriters of the event were: Albertsons,
Baker Aircraft, Black’s Distributing, Cashway, Clarke
& Clarke Insurance, Commercial Tire, Courtesy Home
Furnishings, D&B Supply, David Spaugh, Eastern Slope
Ranch, Buck and Hope Buckner, Esa Murrell, Gamer
Haven, Godes Horseshoe Creations, Grumpy’s Repair,
Inc., Hogue Inc., J. Tabor Jewelers, Josh Decarl, Lefty’s
Tap House, Les Schwab, Natural Structures, P&E Dis-
tributing, Premier Auto Body, Professor Algernon, Sears,
SnapOn Tools, Sycamore Tree, Trader Ray’s, Triple C
Redi-Mix, Victor Savage, Maurizio Valerio, The Wind-
shield Doctor and Walt Wood.
Wicked
Ways
MASQUERADE BALL
HALLOWEEN 2015
Brought to you by the baker county press and
the geiser grand hotel in baker city!
Some of the add-ons available for purchase at the
event:
• Professional portrait photography.
• Paranormal author book signings.
• Celebrity appearances.
• Horse-drawn carriage rides.
• A limited, themed meal menu.
• A specialty bar with a variety of gothic
possibilities—a Death Fairy cocktail anyone?
Go to www.thebakercountypress.com to see
more details on what we have confi rmed for
the evening and what’s in the works!
I nspired by Anne Rice's famous
Halloween Ball in New Orleans,
this night is all about the
costumes & the atmosphere!
W
hen: Halloween Night 2015, beginning at 7:30 p.m.,
ending 11:30 p.m.
W here: The Geiser Grand Hotel on Main Street in
Baker City, Oregon
T
icket Price: $20 per adult, ages 21 and over only, for
event entry including access to “haunted” areas, a live DJ
with music, dancing, mist and gothic lighting. Add-ons
available at venue!
G o to the front desk of The Geiser Grand
or online to www.theBakerCountyPress.com
to buy your tickets now! We don’t anticipate
any sales at the door & expect tickets to sell
out well in advance of the event. Don’t wait!