FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015
Outdoor Rec / Local
City Council passes updated
marijuana ordinance
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
This Tuesday’s City
Council meeting was
called to Order by Mayor
Mosier followed by the
Pledge of Allegiance and
Invocation led by Council-
or Downing. City Recorder
Luke Yeaton called roll
to which all Councilors
answered with City Man-
ager Mike Kee and Public
Works Director Michelle
Owen also being present.
Mayor Mosier began the
meeting addressing the
first item on the agenda.
Consent Agenda
A. The Big Deal Grant:
Geiser Grand Hotel.
In May the Historic
District Design Review
Committee voted to ap-
prove funds in the amount
of $500.00 for replacement
of awnings on the north-
ernmost exterior windows.
In July Geiser Grand Hotel
owner Barbara Sidway, as
required to receive grant
money, sent a letter to City
Public Works Director
Michelle Owen stating the
work had been completed
by local company Ne-Hi
Enterprises. Attached was
the bill describing work
done and charges for the
work. Sidway also attached
a photograph showing the
replaced awnings. The
City budgets money to be
used in this way each year.
Funds are currently avail-
able to be utilized by new
and existing business own-
ers in the downtown core.
B. Minutes from meet-
ing of August 11, 2015.
Mayor Mosier acknowl-
edged no changes needing
to be made to the minutes.
C. Acceptance of FFA
Airport Improvement
Grants.
Council previously ap-
proved an airport construc-
tion project in the amount
of $158,225. The project
will be 90% funded by an
FFA entitlement fund grant
and includes apron design
plans. The grant awarded is
for $150,000 the maximum
allowed. This project is
expected to be completed
by mid-winter. Councilor
Downing motioned to ap-
prove the acceptance of
the consent agenda with
a second by Councilor
Thomas. Council voted to
unanimously approve the
agenda.
Citizens’ Participation
Mayor Mosier next called
for anyone that was there
to address any matter not
already on the agenda.
Whit Deschner stepped
forward to address
Council. “I run the Salt
Lick Contest and am here
looking for judges. I just
had this great idea that I
could use the City Council
as judges. I’d like you to
consider being judges for
the Salt Lick Contest and I
appreciate your participa-
tion,” he said.
City Manager Mike Kee
asked, “Can you tell us a
date and time?”
Deschner replied, “It is
September 19 and starts
at 6 but I would need you
there at 5.”
With a smile Mayor
Mosier said, “I’ll tell
you right now, I’ll do it.”
Several other Councilors
agreed to be judges as
well.
“I figured you all are
impartial,” Deschner said.
Kee advised Council
members, “As long as you
don’t address City issues
you can be together.”
Deschner told Council
he would be in touch and
thanked them all for their
willingness to help.
Third Reading of
Ordinance #3342 Pro-
hibiting Medical and
Recreational Processors,
Dispensaries, Producers,
Wholesalers, and Retail-
ers Within Baker City.
“This is the third reading
tonight and if this passes
it will take effect,” Mosier
advised.
Giving some back-
ground, Kee then added,
“There have been no
changes from the first and
second reading of this or-
dinance, the Council has a
lengthy history of address-
ing this issue dating back
almost two years.”
Before Kee read the
Ordinance for the third
time Mayor Mosier asked
if anyone wished to step
forward to speak to the
issue.
Blue Christian Ontive-
ros-Winterhawk, formerly
of Baker City and cur-
rently of Portland, stepped
forward saying, “I’d like to
maybe help change this.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
asked Council to recon-
sider their initiative to
prohibit marijuana activi-
ties or at least hold off on a
third reading and vote for
at least another month.
Ontiveros-Winterhawk,
his business partners and
investors, are now looking
to introduce a marijuana
production warehouse with
no outside sales or distri-
bution in Baker City.
“Having a warehouse
would be much less inva-
sive,” he said.
Councilor Langrell
asked, “Do you have any
idea how many people this
company would employ?”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
believes that number to
be approximately a dozen
or so.
He said, “We of course
want to hire all of our
regular staff locally, and
any of the specialty or
degree positions we would
try to source locally first.
We are looking to spend
$100,000 to $150,000 on
the warehouse and would
hire local for all renova-
tions. We are looking to
keep all of our money here,
it’s beneficial.”
Touting this venture as a
very quiet business in na-
ture he explained it as just
a warehouse with about
2,000 plants, non-descript
away from residential
homes and children in an
industrial zone and very
secure.
“Our security is awe-
some. Would be one of the
most secure buildings in
the city. We would even be
willing to give local law
enforcement an office in
the building,” he said.
Chief Wyn Lohner who
was present at the meet-
ing audibly said, “No,”
and shook his head to that
comment.
“We’re just business
people. We will be regu-
lated and expect to abide
by the same rules as any
other business in Baker
City,” Ontiveros-Winter-
hawk said.
Mosier asked “So you
said you’d like to pur-
chase a warehouse, where
are you? I’m not clear
on where you are in your
business plan—if this is
just an idea with a lot of
brain power around it, if
you have money?”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
told her that he and his
investors are ready to go.
They are just waiting on
him to come back to them
with information from the
night’s meeting.
Mayor Mosier told
Ontiveros-Winterhawk,
“Council has been work-
ing on what to do about
legalized marijuana,
recreational and medical
for close to two years.
Council has taken a lot of
citizen comment. We’ve
heard from the medical
community. We’ve heard
from addicts, former ad-
dicts, the Health Depart-
ment, law enforcement,
school officials, average
citizens, and spent a lot
of time on the issue. Time
and again the Council, by
majority not unanimously,
has voted to wait. I for
one am not persuaded to
change course. Let me tell
you why. One reason is the
public comment knowing
that this county rejected
legalization by 57%. I’m
a public figure and public
sentiment weighs pretty
heavily.”
Mosier also cited the
roller coaster in the legis-
lature as another cause for
concern, rules keep chang-
ing nothing is set in stone
and there are still a lot of
lingering questions regard-
ing the entire process
including how regulations
will be enforced once set.
She said,“It’s just way
too early in the process
for me to think our little
community can absorb the
responsibility of doing this
right without state back
up.”
Mosier spoke to see-
ing a job posting with
OLCC, who is in charge of
overseeing compliance of
regulations, for a compli-
ance officer based in Bend
but being in charge of all
of eastern Oregon and in
her opinion that is not suf-
ficient.
She said, “You won’t
have my vote until we’ve
seen what comes out of
State resources for implan-
tation of this ‘new world’
and I’ve seen how it affects
other small communities.
Then we can have some
actual data that would tell
us whether or not it will be
a good thing for Baker and
whether we would have the
support to regulate it.”
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
told Mosier, “I completely
understand. I truly do.
The reason I’m here now
so early in the game is
because we want to begin
laying the infrastructure for
what is to come. I person-
ally would love to be part
of a regulatory committee
here in town. The truth
of it is it’s coming sooner
rather than later.”
Councilor Langrell
voiced his opinion that he
felt a huge disservice to
the community was being
done in regard to jobs that
could be had by this busi-
ness—the City was miss-
ing a huge opportunity.
Kee read the ordinance
by title only for the third
and final time. No further
discussion of the issue was
had. Downing moved to
approve the third and final
reading of the ordinance
with a second by Councilor
Merrill. A 5:2 Council Vote
was made with Downing,
Augenfeld, Abell, Merrill
and Mosier for the passing
of the ordinance and Coun-
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Baker City Police Chief
Wyn Lohner.
Kerry McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Blue Christian
Ontiveros-Winterhawk
cilors Langrell and Thomas
against.
With the passing of this
ordinance, while it is still
legal to possess and use
marijuana, it is not legal to
sell or distribute it within
the city limits of Baker
City.
The County recently
passed a similar ordinance
making it illegal to sell
or distribute marijuana
within the county as well.
This ordinance takes effect
immediately because of
the clause declaring an
emergency.
Sam-O-Swim Center
Committee Update.
Chairman Andrew
Bryan of the newly formed
committee was present at
the Council meeting.
He informed Council the
committee has met several
times to discuss proposed
improvements to the com-
munity pool.
Initially the committee
suggested trying to get all
projects completed this
year with the understand-
ing that money may need
to be reallocated or an
interfund loan obtained to
achieve this.
Consensus was that
may not be feasible.
Replacement of the pool
heating system may have
to wait until next year.
The Committee has
brought before the council
a request for approval to
spend budgeted money on
resurfacing the pool and
replacing the sand traps in
the facility.
The Committee felt
exploring crowd source
funding as a viable option
to not only raise money
for shower replacement
but to unite the swimming
community however, at
a committee meeting the
night before it was decided
that that option may be
challenging but was still an
option.
There is hope that there
will be savings in the proj-
ects to replace the showers.
Councilor Abell mo-
tioned for approval of this
plan allowing Public works
Owen to appropriate the
money in the budget for
these projects allowing a
small leeway in spending
without the need to read-
dress council unless esti-
mates go over the agreed
upon amount significantl .
A second to the motion
was made by Councilor
Merrill. Council voted
unanimously to approve.
SEE CITY COUNCIL
PAGE 10
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Ladies golf
and bridge
results
The August 5th golf winners, throw out 4 holes are:
1st Flight— 1st Place, Judy Karsten; 2nd Place, Jennifer
Godwin; 2nd Flight—Tie for 1st Place, Karen Wollard:
Kathy Hopkins: Virginia Babski; 3rdFlight, 1st Roxanne
McAdams; Birdies: Kinda Vore and Kathy Hopkins.
Bridge winners are 1st Marlene Cross; 2nd Shannon Sul-
livan and 3rd Judy Karstens.
The August 12th Bridge winners are: 1st Dianne El-
lingson; 2nd Della Steele, and 3rd Barbara Prowell. 9-
week winners: are 1st Della Steele, 2nd Marlene Cross,
and 3rd Zena Edwards. August 12th’s golf winners are:
1st Flight Judy Karstens; 2nd Flight Karen Wollard.
The August 19 golf winners are: 1st Flight—1st Judy
Karstens, 2nd tie: Linda Vore-Jennifer Godwin; 2nd
Flight—1st Karen Wollard. Bridge winners on August
19 are: 1st Martha Cassidy; 2nd Shannon Sullivan; and
3rd tie Lavelle Woodcock and Carol Stevens.
Hunting seasons
not delayed
A request to the Governor by Baker County Commis-
sioners to delay, but not cancel upcoming hunting seasons
due to extreme fire conditions, was not granted as the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Board of Com-
missioners pressed to maintain the seasons as they stood.
Statewide deer and elk archery seasons will open as
scheduled on Saturday, Aug. 29.
“The archery season is starting soon and we hope
bowhunters have a fun, safe and successful experience,”
says Ron Anglin, ODFW wildlife division administrator.
“Because of the extreme fire dange , hunters should be
aware that there are fire restrictions throughout Oregon
and some local closures of public land associated with
active fires and firefightin
Hunters need to know what those fire restrictions and
closures are before they go afield. The InciWeb website
has information on fires and closures due to firefi -
ing, plus maps of closure areas in some cases. Currently,
there are active fires and related closures on the Malheu ,
Rogue-River-Siskiyou, Umatilla, Umpqua, and Wallowa-
Whitman national forests. Closures are also in effect on
some BLM lands where there is fire activit .
All state, federal and industrial forests are also under
public use restrictions to prevent more fires. Restrictions
vary by area but some key rules to follow are:
• No smoking except in vehicles on improved roads, in
boats or at designated locations.
• No open fires such as campfires, charcoal fires
cooking fires except in designated locations. (Currently
campfires are prohibited, even in designated fire pits, i
all Oregon state parks, Tillamook County and in some
national forests, too.) Portable cooking stoves using liq-
uefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
• No off-roading by motor vehicles, including motor-
cycles and all-terrain vehicles. Vehicles are only allowed
on improved roads. Keep your vehicle off vegetation, it
could start a fire
• No exploding targets or tracer ammunition.
• Carry firefighting tools (one gallon of water or 2.
pound fire extinguisher and one shovel at least 26 inches
long with an 8-inch blade) when travelling in a motor
vehicle in timber, brush or grass.
“We currently have no plans to close access to Oregon
state forestlands,” says Oregon Department of Forestry’s
Tony Andersen. “But we ask that hunters and everyone in
the outdoors this time of year follow fire restrictions and
be vigilant about preventing any new fires.
“Anyone visiting a national forest, grassland, or BLM
land should take every precaution to prevent human-
caused fires,” says Patrick Lair with the Ochoco N -
tional Forest. “This includes taking care not to discharge
firearms into dry du f and pine needles or driving over
vegetation. Also, always maintain a fire watch for several
hours if you think there could be a potential spark.”
Private land closures
Due to extreme fire danger and few firefighting reso -
es left, many private forestlands are currently closed to
public access, including hunting.
For a partial list of these closures, visit ODF’s web site
at Oregon.gov/odf under Wildfires /Forest Restrictions
& Closures / Landowner / Corporate Closure Chart. This
chart is updated frequently and also contains a phone
number to get the latest information about restrictions
directly from the timber company. If the land where you
hunt is not represented, call the landowner directly for
access information.
“Private landowners will reopen their land when condi-
tions significantly improve and it is safe to do so,” says
Mike Dykzeul, director of forest protection at the Oregon
Forest Industries Council.
Public Notice:
The private lands owned by members of the Jones/
Racey family making up the Devil’s
Canyon Ranch in the Clark’s Creek area of
Bridgeport, the lands owned by Ann Racey of
Hereford, and the lands owned by the same
family in Logtown near Mormon Basin are closed
to hunting this year due to a combination of the
extreme fire season and lack of federal
management culminating in a significant dry fuel
load on the public lands touching our fence lines.