FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Sumpter Council business: grants, roads, fire and water
• ALTERCATION
BREAKS OUT
BETWEEN SUMPTER
RESIDENTS AFTER
MEETING
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter City Council
met August 11 to hear
reports and updates.
Head of Council Toni
Thompson also gave her
resignation at the end of
the meeting.
Mayor Melissa Findley
opened the meeting at 7
p.m. with the Pledge of
Allegiance. With minor
corrections, minutes from
July’s meeting were ac-
cepted. Bills were unani-
mously approved.
Findley read a report
from bookkeeper Kathi
Vinson with the current
amounts in City funds and
accounts. Findley stated
the amounts are low due to
bills and fees due and that
the City must be conserva-
tive with its funds.
Utility Manager Jeff
McKinney reported the
water situation is all right.
The sewer pond is being
pumped, and is on sched-
ule to be at the correct
level this fall. A few water
leak repairs and sewer con-
nection were accomplished
his month.
McKinney read an
explanation of the street
repair grant. The City
received a grant of $50,000
from ODOT Small Cit-
ies Allocation for street
improvements. The roads
specified in the grant,
which will be done be
done first, are Badge ,
Bonanza, and Gazley
Lane. Whatever funds are
left over will be applied to
additional City streets by
priority of use.
Resurfacing materials
are available in Baker City
at a cost of $25-30 per yard
delivered. The County
plans to pave between
Sumpter and Blue Springs
during the 2016 spring
season and will be crush-
ing material within five
miles of Sumpter. This
material will be available
to Sumpter at an estimated
cost of $8 per yard.
The County also offered
while in the area to pave
the portion of Austin from
the highway to S. Colum-
bia for a cost of $20,000.
The options for this
grant are to start gravel-
ing this fall, purchasing
the materials at the higher
cost; wait until spring to
start and obtain the materi-
als from the County at
the lower cost; or to have
Austin and other high pri-
ority streets resurfaced by
the County in Spring 2016.
McKinney recommended
the second option, as the
funds would go further.
Findley made a motion to
move forward with the sec-
ond option, and the motion
passed unanimously.
McKinney stated there
are several issues at the
treatment plant. The State
is requiring installation of
a new effluent meter at an
estimated cost of $40,000,
though McKinney stated
he thinks he can get it
replaced at a total cost of
$8-10,000.
This will require the
assistance of a contractor.
The state is also requiring
that the leaking redwood
tank be fixed. Estimated
costs for an attempted
repair are $18-20,000.
Estimated cost for a
liner for the tank is $30-
38,000. McKinney stated
he has had no feedback
on these issues, that they
are not going away, and
he does not want to see
the City fined. He stated,
“The safety quality of our
drinking water is at stake.”
Councilperson Robert
Armbruster asked about
the deadline. McKinney
said October. Findley
stated they can keep trying
for grants and asked for
any input to raise or obtain
the funds needed to ad-
dress these issues.
Councilperson LeAnne
Woolf stated, “Anyone still
wonder why we need to
raise water rates?” Findley
replied that she had no is-
sues with raising the rates,
but wanted a definitive
explanation of how the
decision came to raise rates
by $2. Rates have not
increased for the last 3-4
years. The auditor recom-
mended raising rates and
talked about 3% per year.
Council members Annie
Oakley and Toni Thomp-
son clarified that the i -
crease is due to needing to
have a surplus of funds in
case of emergency and that
$2 was looked at because
of the recommendation of
3% per year which had not
been acted on. Thompson
also clarified that the billed
amount of $57 would
increase $2 for water and
$1 for sewer, bringing the
amount to an even $60,
which is a good rate com-
pared to other cities.
Findley asked previous
mayor John Young why the
rates had not been raised
before. He stated they
hated to raise the rates,
considering people on a
fixed income, and that was
the decision of the Council
at the time. He said the
City infrastructure is going
downhill and the increase
of funds will not fix ever -
thing, but would help in
case something semi-major
goes wrong.
Findley said she is
concerned about this hap-
pening again a few years
from now and hitting
folks with another $2 rate
increase. Findley stated
Council will vote on the
water rate increase at the
meeting on 9/9. She asked
that anyone with concerns
please bring them to the
attention of Council before
that time. She also asked
to put a plan in place for
rate increases.
The Fire Chief’s Report
was given by John Young.
He explained Fire Chief
Kurt Clarke and Jim
Sheller were assisting
ODF looking for lightning
strikes. Due to the fire
activity in the Dooley Pass
area, they are now in a safe
zone, but can’t get out at
this time.
Last weekend, a draft
point was put in for use by
Sumpter, the USFS, and
ODF. The Fire Depart-
ment has permission from
Water Resources to draft
up to 20,000 gallons to
refill tanks after training.
Young stated he was told
that drafting point and
water from the creek can-
not be used to water City
Roads.
One firefighter class i
left, with the final exam to
take place September 26.
There was a joint train-
ing with Powder River on
Thursday. All Sumpter
Fire Department volun-
teers have been alerted to
keep radios on tonight in
case Powder River needs
backup.
Cary Clarke stated Kurt
Clarke wanted to also
congratulate John on over
300 hours of his own time
given to the Firefighter 1
class. Those in attendance
offered applause. Cary
Clarke offered clarific -
tion to an e-mail regarding
where the Fire Department
will respond if there’s a
call and said they will
respond anywhere.
Lila Young asked how
Sumpter will water the
streets during the Flea
Market. McKinney stated
the City has a backup
city well system, which
he prefers to exercise
and use several times per
year. Flea markets are a
good opportunity for this
and helps keep the well
healthy.
A report from the Plan-
ning Commission meeting
on July 23 was handed out.
The commission tabled
an application from Stan
Bessire for clarification of
what he is requesting.
A site inspection of the
McEwen railroad park
resulted in the Commis-
sion deciding this will be
the primary evacuation
assembly area, with alter-
nate assembly areas also
discussed.
Minutes from the meet-
ing on August 6 were not
available, but information
on four permits recom-
mended for approval by
the Planning Commission
were turned in to Council.
Council approved the zon-
ing permits and requests
unanimously.
Park Manager Anna
Stafford then gave her
report. She thanked
volunteers who replaced
the refrigerator at the
schoolhouse before their
breakfast event and said
the breakfast went well.
Volunteer Park restrooms
see a lot of use, no matter
what day of the week.
Stafford said there have
been more minor events of
vandalism and that she and
McKinney are both keep-
ing an eye on the area.
Stafford completed
a walk-through of fair-
grounds and museum with
an Oregon Deputy Fire
Marshall, and reported
there were just a few rec-
ommendations. There is
an upcoming energy audit
for all City buildings to see
about lowering costs.
Forty vendors are
already scheduled for City
property for the Labor Day
Flea Market. Volunteers
are needed to drive the wa-
ter truck. Volunteers with
side-by-side ATVS are
needed to assist with gar-
bage collection. Stafford
stated someone young and
fit would be provided to do
the work and volunteers
would just need to “drive
around looking cool.”
Interested individuals can
stop by City Hall.
There are continued leak
issues at the Fairground
shower building, which has
now affected the subfloor
a bit. The building is shut
down until further notice,
although the goal is to
have it reopened before the
Flea Market.
There was a wedding at
the grounds, which Staf-
ford said went beautifully.
A citizen commented that
some were still having
a good time at 1 a.m. in
front of her house. Staf-
ford commented that if
anything is wrong or funky
on the properties under her
management to please call
her, including if she needs
to come down and tell
people to be quiet.
Jeff and Julie McKin-
ney were thanked for
the donation of their
old refrigerator to the
schoolhouse. Lila Young
complimented Stafford on
how well the schoolhouse
had been cleaned for their
event. McKinney thanked
Clarke Construction for the
donation of water and dust
control with his tender.
Findley read signage
City Recorder Julie
McKinney put together
regarding snowmobile and
ATV use in the City limits,
including 15 mph speed
limit, no use after 10 p.m.,
and not driving on the
highway or shoulder, per
State regulations. Findley
asked to have the informa-
tion pinned in the usual
places for announcements
and to find out the cost for
putting up some signs.
Findley explained there
are issues with the Water-
shed Management Grant
Letter of Interest. The
Adobe form does not allow
scrolling in boxes. Find-
ley stated they bought the
Adobe program (adding
“don’t worry, on our own
dime”) and have been
trying to fix the issue. She
stated Sumpter is still in
the running.
Findley then stated she
wanted to, after council or
public input, adjourn the
meeting as soon as pos-
sible. She stated, “We are
evidently the dys in dys-
functional,” and encour-
aged everyone to make it
an early night.
Councilperson Oakley
stated she searched the
Internet and found plastic
tanks suitable for the water
truck for $2000. She then
remembered Neil Bork has
a tank and he said he will
sell it for $450. The tank
is a little larger than the
one the City is currently
borrowing. Vern Hollop-
eter said he thinks Bork’s
tank can be converted for
use. Council will discuss
this further on September
9 and McKinney said he
would go out in the mean-
time and look at the tank.
Head of Council Toni
Thompson gave her
resignation, saying it was
not due to the recall. She
said she has recently been
spending most of her time
out of City limits, and
is planning on spending
even more time out of City
limits. She also provided
copies of a letter in which
she encouraged everyone
to be thoughtful before
voting for any recalls.
Findley asked for any
public input and Clarke
stated he wished to address
the letter sent by the Mayor
to all citizens. Oakley
then asked if the Council
didn’t need to vote to ac-
cept Thompson’s resigna-
tion and Woolf confirmed
this. The resignation was
accepted unanimously,
though most Council
members stated it was with
reluctance.
Findley stated she ap-
preciates public input,
but they were not going
to get into all the letters
and Speak Up Sumpter,
etc. (Speak Up Sumpter
is a blog space located at
speakupsumpter.word-
press.com and dedicated
to the citizens of Sumpter
exercising their rights of
free speech.)
Findley said, “Unless
we address all letters, we
are not going to address
any.” She stated they will
see how things play out
over the next month and
adjourned the meeting.
Immediately after the
meeting, there was an
altercation between various
attendees in the street out-
side City Hall. It appeared
the imprecations and in-
sults being exchanged did
not relate directly to the
Council meeting, but were
related to long-standing is-
sues between residents.
Bandstand dedication
scheduled for Sept. 6
• BLUE YESTERDAYS
TO PLAY AT
DEDICATION
BY BRIAN ADDISON
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker City commu-
nity prepares to celebrate
the long-anticipated
dedication ceremony for
the new performing arts
facility in Geiser-Pollman
City Park. Final touches
are being applied to the
$250,000 structure and
Dave Hunsaker, Bandstand
Committee Chairperson,
expects project completion
in time for the dedication
ceremony Sunday, Septem-
ber 6th.
The dedication cer-
emony begins at 1:30 p.m.,
with special recognition of
those who made the project
possible including repre-
sentatives from the Leo
Adler Foundation, Soropt-
omist International, and the
Ford Family Foundation.
Also sharing the spotlight
on dedication day are Phyl-
lis Badgely and Al Durgan,
who first conceived the
idea of a community
performance pavilion and
then spurred the project for
nearly a decade to comple-
tion.
“We invite everyone to
come to the dedication,”
said Hunsaker. “This has
been a true community
project. We deeply appreci-
ate all the support we have
received from individuals,
businesses, organizations,
and foundations over the
last eight years.”
It has been 103 years
since Baker City residents
have celebrated the dedica-
tion of a new bandstand
in the city park. Ringing
in the bandstand in 1912
was none other than the
world-famous band led by
American march king John
Phillip Sousa.
This time around, Baker
City’s own big band, Blue
Yesterdays, have been
given the honor of being
the first to play in the new
“Powder River Pavilion.”
Blue Yesterdays, tradition-
ally a 17-piece swing era
style jazz and dance band,
has been working on a
few patriotic numbers, and
in honor of Baker City’s
extravagant musical past,
may include a Sousa march
or two.
“This truly is a great
honor,” said Blue Yes-
terdays representative
Brian Addison. “The Blue
Yesterdays have been play-
ing dances and commu-
nity events since 1981 but
Brian Addison / The Baker County Press
Still under construction, the bandstand in the park is slated for opening Sept. 6.
this is probably the most
important event we’ve ever
played.”
Final touches to be
completed by the end of
August include placement
of the bricks engraved with
the names of those who
donated toward the project,
some roof-work, and
placement of the letters
officially naming the new
structure. Those stepping
out of the Baker Heritage
Museum on Grove Street
will see the name of the
new structure, “Powder
River Pavilion.”
Those approaching the
Powder River Pavilion
from the west side will
read the words, “Heart
of the Park” emblazoned
on the backside of the
structure.
This permanent feature
and major community
project will likely host
musical artists for many
decades to come and is
itself a work of art created
by Baker City architect and
president of Historic Baker
City, Inc. Larry Abell
and constructed by local
builder Sid Johnson & Co.