8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015
Local
Sumpter City Council has full Columbia Basin
agenda while mayor faces recall Helicopters
• VOLUNTEER PARK
RESTROOMS
VANDALIZED
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter’s City Council
met Tuesday night at City
Hall.
Mayor Melissa Findley
opened the meeting by
reminding everyone that
the proceedings were being
recorded and invited all to
stand and join her in the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of June’s meet-
ing were approved with
a minor adjustment to
wording.
After clarifying a
couple of the bills, all bills
were unanimously ap-
proved for payment.
Jeff McKinney, Utility
Manager, kicked off his
report by reminding folks
that water conservation
efforts should still be in
effect despite the recent
rains.
He said the City intake
rose 7” over the past week,
but who knows how long
that will last. He thanked
Fergusons for donation
of a shop vac and Phillips
for oiling the street by the
park.
McKinney is rebuild-
ing the metering pump at
the treatment plant. The
starter on the City truck
went out.
McKinney thanked
Lee German and Toni for
picking up the replacement
part and Mark Bork for
installing it.
The Volunteer Park
restrooms were vandal-
ized with feces and paper
towels.
Outside assistance
from Baker City Sewer and
Drain had to be brought in
and McKinney thanked all
who helped with that mess.
McKinney gave an
update on the street grant
and Findley asked him to
provide an outline of the
proposed improvements.
There was discussion
on the merits of paving a
portion of road to the Post
Office versus using those
funds to repair other roads
around the City.
McKinney stated he
would prefer to do more
street improvements.
There is a possibility
materials could be ob-
tained cheaper through the
County when they start
the Granite road project.
McKinney stated he will
get prices for gravel and
materials and bring them to
the next meeting.
Kurt Clarke gave his
Fire Chief’s Report.
Seven people are taking
the Firefighter 1 class on
Wednesday nights and
Saturdays. He estimated
about three more Saturdays
to finish. He thanked John
Young for the time he puts
into the class.
Clarke said it has been
pretty quiet except for
some medical calls. They
are geared up for fire,
training on suctioning out
of creeks.
He thanked the aux-
iliary and personnel for
all they’ve done and said
it would be cool to see a
lot more citizens come
through the food booth.
Dan Patton said the
Planning Commission has
not met, but is going to
McEwen Thursday eve-
ning for a walkthrough of
the primary muster point.
Findley opened her
Mayor’s Report with
information on a visit from
OSHA earlier in the day.
OSHA found that the
City was not holding and
documenting regular safety
meetings and there was
not a safety triangle on the
back of the City quad.
City was fined $300,
reduced to $100.
Monthly safety training
meetings will be initiated.
McKinney offered that he
has documentation of some
previous trainings.
Findley asked that he
provide those and put into
writing the safety proto-
cols already in place, so
that those can be provided
to OSHA with the other
documentation.
Findley read an office
policy sheet on emergency
situations and stated that
the definition of an emer-
gency needs to be clarified.
Does the situation truly
affect City citizens as an
emergency? She stated a
special meeting was called
regarding emergency
repairs, but as the meeting
was called improperly per
charter, the meeting was
cancelled.
Another policy states
that bills will be presented
to council for payment. If
council does not meet or
achieve quorum, the bills
will be paid timely, unless
questionable.
Findley stated there
needs to be more defini-
tion in this policy as well,
as questionable is open to
individual interpretation.
She stated she would like
to see the City’s policy
book.
Findley mentioned an
issue about campers in
Volunteer Park, stating the
City is already facing a
similar issue in the lawsuit
concerning grounds and
campers.
She stated caution
should be used in giving
permission to camp in a
Day Use only park.
Council member LeAnn
Woolf asked when the park
was declared Day Use
Only.
Findley recommended
that be defined, that ev-
eryone do their homework
on this, and be prepared to
vote next time. She asked
that meanwhile, permission
not be given to anyone to
camp there.
Findley next spoke
about two bills received
by the City for repairs
to showers at the Fair-
grounds. She stated that
after stopping the initial
leak, the situation was not
an emergency and should
have gone out for bid, as
the bills turned in were
over $500.
McKinney disagreed,
stating that they kept
finding additional leaks,
and that the situation was
handled and resolved ap-
propriately.
Woolf stated that the
facilities are important for
the comfort of vendors and
visitors, which help bring
revenue into the City.
Findley stated very
important is not the same
as an emergency.
Findley stated there will
be a settlement hearing
8/7 for the lawsuit against
the City and the hearing is
scheduled for 9/16-9/18.
She clarified that the Flea
Market committee posi-
tion that Lori Jean Pruitt
served on was not a hired
position.
She concluded by thank-
ing Keith Richardson for
his $500 donation to the
Fire Department.
Findley reported Park
Manager Anna Stafford
was unable to attend the
meeting due to training,
but did provide a written
report which was provided
to all in attendance.
Vern Hollopeter, who
drove the water truck over
the Fourth of July Flea
Market, reported that the
set-up put together using
the city snowplow and a
water tank worked great.
He suggested either
buying the spreader from
Kurt Clarke or having one
made, putting a 4” cleanout
on one end, welding chain
to the spreader to help hold
the tailgate of the truck
up as a diffuser plate, and
creating the ability to turn
the water valve on and off
from inside the truck.
This would improve
safety and efficiency and
can be accomplished with
a ¼ turn ball valve, electric
actuator and control box.
McKinney stated the
first step in moving for-
ward with this is finding a
tank as the one currently in
use is on loan from Clarke.
Findley asked Coun-
cilperson Oakley to work
on locating tanks with the
assistance of McKinney.
Findley asked to send
the newly updated Centu-
ryLink franchise ordinance
to the City attorney before
approving and signing.
The new agreement will
raise the franchise fee from
4% to 7%.
Findley thanked
everyone for all the input
and response on the SLOT
meeting.
They have not yet been
able to put them all into
order to pick the top five in
each category.
Woolf provided an
update on the IFA Grant
Application for DEQ-man-
dated sewer field upgrades.
They are chatting with
the new representative
about how the reduction in
the amount that the project
is going to cost needs to be
reflected in application.
They are also inquiring
about funding for the de-
sign and specs report that
requires hiring an engineer.
Meanwhile, DEQ did
grant an extension to the
project.
Councilperson Arm-
bruster asked about time-
frames and Woolf replied
she had hoped to vote on
the matter this evening, but
the IFA representative has
been out of the office for a
week.
Council members sched-
uled an Executive Session
for July 23 at 9 a.m..
Findley volunteered to
get information on poten-
tial for income from selling
the cell tower site as well
as another 27-acre piece
of City-owned property.
Woolf mentioned that the
May 2015 issue of focus
has the ORS numbers in-
volved in selling property.
Findley sent in an ap-
plication for a Watershed
Management Grant, which
could provide $30,000
for a source water protec-
tion plan. If Sumpter is
selected, the Council can
vote on going forward.
Council unanimously
approved McKinney to at-
tend a class next month for
further development of his
water certification.
The next item on the
agenda concerned water
and sewer rate increases.
While City Recorder Julie
McKinney made copies of
the resolutions for citizens
in attendance,
Findley mentioned that
she’d forgotten to include
something in her report.
She stated a petition is
circulating to recall her as
mayor and explained the
process.
A certain percentage
of Sumpter registered
voters who voted in the
last gubernatorial election
must sign the petition. It
will then be sent to county
clerk Cindy Carpenter.
She will review the list
and determine the validity
of signatures.
If it is determined to
be a viable list, the mayor
will be given five days to
respond or resign. Findley
stated, “I will be respond-
ing, not resigning.”
There will then be 35
days for a vote, and those
putting the recall together
will have to pay for the
special election.
Rate increases on water
and sewer were discussed.
Water-rate increases
were determined by budget
committee per auditor
recommendations.
Findley, as well as
others in attendance,
expressed concern about
a $2 per month increase
for residential water rates.
She also expressed concern
about some of the verbiage
in the resolutions.
Jeff McKinney ex-
pressed a desire to com-
municate with other cities
regarding policies and
sewer rates for RV parks.
Both resolutions were
tabled to obtain further
information and work on
wording.
Findley recommended
that Head of Council Toni
Thompson write up an
addendum in the employee
handbook concerning time
off and the process, who
must be asked, and how
the communication should
take place.
Council unanimously
approved Guyer and Asso-
ciates’ letter of agreement.
During the public input
portion of the meeting,
Clarke asked if the
City received any thanks
regarding the bicycle event
and was told an e-mail of
thanks was received.
Sumpter City Council
meets the second Tuesday
of the month at 7 p.m. at
City Hall.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The appeal hearing was held on June 8. On June 30,
Judge Pahl ruled that under ORS 30.938, the prevail-
ing party, Columbia Basin Helicopters, owned by David
McCarty, was entitled to receive payment from Baker
County to cover the attorney fees expended by the com-
pany in defense of the lawsuit.
The original suit was decided in McCarty’s favor on
March 6 of this year after nearly five years of involve-
ment in the litigation process.
The County, headed by then-commission chair Fred
Warner Jr. and advised by attorney Dan Van Thiel, argued
as reported by Brian Addison in the March 20, 2015 issue
of The Baker County Press, that “though the land use
ordinance allows farm use in the Rural Residential zone,
the county itself has the ability to enforce and interpret
that ordinance. The County however, was unable to show
in court that the use of helicopters in farming is not a
generally accepted agricultural practice.”
Pahl found that McCarty’s business activities, such as
spraying, coincided with agriculture practices and sched-
ules, and was also in compliance with Federal Aviation
Administration regulations.
Though the amount spend in attorney’s fees has thus
far been unspecified, Joelleen Lindstrom, a spokesman
for the company, has indicated the defense ran close to
$200,000.
High-speed
chase
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Lohner said after evaluating the threat of harm, they
had an obligation to pursue.
A second police unit, driven by Officer Colton Smith,
joined in the chase and was able to apprehend the driver
when the Kia suddenly ran out of gas near milepost 327
outside Durkee.
The female passenger was quickly removed from the
vehicle—safe, but shaken.
Schulte was charged with Reckless Driving, Reckless
Endangering, Eluding an Officer, Driving over 100 miles
per hour, Coercion, having an open container—and a
DUII.
“The whole thing lasted about 18 minutes,” said
Lohner.
Sheriff warns
against PCH
phone scam
The Baker County Sheriff's Office would like to warn
residents about a fraud/money scheme that is surfacing in
the area.
There have been reports of citizens being contacted by
phone and told they have won cars, cash and a multi-mil-
lion dollar prize from Publisher's Clearing House (PCH).
The very convincing operator informs you (s)he is
going to guide you through the very lengthy process and
starts by instructing you to send payments to pay for "tax
form fees."
Most of the instructions will request you wire or
transfer funds to various accounts but they also ask that
payments be mailed with cash or checks.
In an effort to gain your trust, once the process begins
they will send you funds from various sources for you to
deposit into personal accounts, only to be reversed later
and leave you with overdraft charges.
The originating phone calls are untraceable and the
number they give you to call back, goes to Jamaica
which results in extensive long distance phone charges.
This scam is very elaborate and has a network of victims
spanning all over the United States with individual loses
in the thousands.
The Baker County Sheriff's Office is currently inves-
tigating an open case with local reports and working with
many outside agencies to recover losses.
Although PCH does have legitimate prizes, please
consider that if you receive an unsolicited call stating you
have won a grand prize or a large amount of money, it is
most likely a scam.
Because of the international judicial limitations it is
recommended you hang up on these persistent callers but
more importantly do not give out any information and
especially do not send any form of payment to receive
prizes or large amounts of money without first research-
ing and confirming the caller's identity.
Any form of suspicious funds sent to you without
knowing the origination should be reported to local law
enforcement. More detailed information about this scam
can be found at PCH web site.
Subscribe today! Three subscription options available for as little as $29.95/year.
See the form on page 13! All local. All relevant. Every Friday.