FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
County Commissioners make it
through kerfuffle-free meeting
• MUSEUM,
SUMPTER VALLEY
RAILROAD, BIZ DEV
AND OTHER
UPDATES HANDLED
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners met for
the first regular session of
the month on Wednesday,
at 9 a.m., in the Commis-
sion Chambers—a meeting
that was controversy and
altercation-free compared
to recent meetings.
Present from the Board
were Commission Chair
Bill Harvey, Commission-
ers Mark Bennett and Tim
Kerns, and Executive As-
sistant Heidi Martin.
Attendance also included
Baker County Heritage
Museum Director Lea
Hoover, Baker County Fair
Manager Angie Turner,
Baker County Parks and
Recreation Director Karen
Spencer, Baker County
Sheriff Travis Ash, Baker
County Facilities Main-
tenance Foreman Dan
McQuisten, Baker County
Natural Resource Advisory
Committee Coordinator
Eric Wuntz, Art Sap-
pington, Tork and Wanda
Ballard, Ed Hardt, Chuck
Chase, Cynthia Long, and
Bobbie Danser.
After the Pledge of
Allegiance and optional
Invocation, both led by
Harvey, the agenda was
adopted, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns. The minutes
from the September 16,
2015 session were ap-
proved, with a motion from
Bennett, and a second from
Kerns.
The Citizen Participa-
tion segment of the session
included comments from
Hardt, Chase, and Sap-
pington.
Hardt voiced concerns
about traveling over
Dooley Mountain, with the
potential dangers left from
the wildfire.
He said, “I’m telling
you, something’s got to
be done up there…Look
at those trees along the
highway, look at the rocks
that fall down. Some-
thing’s got to be done. In
a couple of years, all those
trees are going to be right
over the highway, and it‘s
a danger.”
Harvey responded that he
spoke with Forest Ser-
vice officials, and they’re
currently working on a
remedy to that situation.
Chase stated the neces-
sity to separately designate
salvage trees and danger
trees in the areas affected
by wildfires, and Harvey
responded that that also
is a situation for which he
and others are currently
working on a remedy.
Sappington spoke about
a Memorandum of Law he
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Ed Hardt voiced concerns over the potential safety hazards on Dooley Mountain
following the wildfire.
provided copies of to the
Board, regarding public
officials and management
of public lands, including
property transfer.
Hoover presented the
Board with a Museum
update, saying, “We’ve had
a lot of changes in the Mu-
seum this year—complete-
ly new staff, new manager,
I had a new assistant hired
this year…We’ve had
a successful year. Our
numbers held steady
throughout.” Major points
she mentioned were a very
large Kid’s Camp this year,
with twice the number of
children, a military-themed
Central Gallery exhibit, the
attendance of 100 visitors
on Memorial Day, and a
grant to replace the roof of
the Leo Adler House next
spring.
Turner presented the
Board with a Fair update,
stating that it was a huge
success this year. She
said a new door had been
installed on the Show Barn
by Ne-Hi Enterprises of
Baker City, through a grant
provided, allowing for
more efficient people and
animal traffic. She said,
“Ne-Hi was great.”
She said the number of
sponsors had increased this
year, with a total in-kind
sponsorship of $8,979, and
cash sponsorship in the
amount of $11,145, which,
together, is about $5,000
more than last year.
Spencer discussed with
the Board a request for the
transfer of ownership from
Baker County Parks and
Recreation Department to
the Sumpter Valley Rail-
road Restoration, Inc. of
“…the property situated in
the County of Baker, State
of Oregon, known as the
Sumpter Valley Railroad
Park located approximately
five (5) miles southeast of
the City of Sumpter…”
according to the document.
She said that the Parks
Board recommended the
transfer, upon which Baker
County will be released
from the financial obliga-
tion to maintain the day
use area and sewer lagoon.
The transfer was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Kerns.
McQuisten discussed a
request to purchase MPulse
Silver Maintenance Soft-
ware, with funds which
have been set aside for this
purpose, in the amount of
$7,000. Implementation of
this Maintenance Manage-
ment Software (MMS)
program “…will provide
a database for scheduling
preventative maintenance,
integrating work orders
and repairs with existing
records and tracking inven-
tory,” according to Mc-
Quisten. The request was
approved, with a motion
from Kerns, and a second
from Bennett.
The Board discussed
an offer made to Kelly
Atkinson of the Oregon
Department of Transporta-
tion (ODOT) from Baker
County, for the purchase
of the Baker Maintenance
Shops (old ODOT build-
ing), in the amount of
$107,000 on a 10-year note
at 3% ($10,500 was paid
to date from the County).
This offer has not yet been
fully negotiated.
Following a break during
the session, several attend-
ees provided some public
comments regarding the
government-to-government
coordination meeting held
on Wednesday, September
30, between the Board and
personnel representing the
U.S. Forest Service, in the
Commission Chambers.
Several topics were dis-
cussed, including salvage
logging, which Harvey
regularly places a heavy
emphasis on implement-
ing. Other topics included
watersheds, road closures/
inventories, the Greater
Sage-Grouse, monument
designations, mining
permit processing delays,
restoration/reseeding, and
public involvement with
the National Environmen-
tal Policy Act (NEPA)
process.
A letter from the Board
in support of New Direc-
tions Northwest, Inc.’s
submission for funds to
implement the Strategic
Prevention Framework
Partnership for Success
(SPF-PFS) Initiative, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns.
The SPF-PFS “…will
be an effective initiative
that allows New Directions
Northwest, Inc. to plan and
implement strategies to
prevent substance abuse in
our community,” according
to the letter.
Resolution No. 2015-
1006, Designating An
Enterprise Zone Manager,
which amends Resolution
No. 2015-1012, was ap-
proved, with a motion from
Kerns, and a second from
Bennett. Baker County
Economic Development
Director Greg Smith was
designated, and the zone,
in Baker County, is jointly
co-sponsored by Baker
County, Baker City and the
City of Haines.
Order No. 2015-142,
Re-Appointing Members
To The Baker County
Development Corporation
(BCDC), was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Kerns. John Wilson and
Sandy Sorrels were re-
appointed, their terms set
to expire on October 1,
2018.
An Intergovernmental
Agreement in Support Of
a Community Develop-
ment Block Grant (CDBG)
was ratified, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns. This agree-
ment is in support of a
Union County housing
rehabilitation program.
A Medical Services
Agreement between Baker
County and Baker School
District 5J was approved,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Kerns. This agreement
is for the operation of the
School Based Health Cen-
ter, covering the term July
1, 2015 through June 30,
2017. The Center receives,
through state grants,
$60,000 in base funding,
and an additional $70,000
to run the new behavioral
health program, according
to the document.
An Agreement between
Baker County and New
Directions Northwest,
Inc. was approved, with
a motion from Bennett,
and a second from Kerns.
The agreement covers
the period of July 1, 2015
through June 30, 2016, and
includes psychiatric/mental
health services performed
at the Baker County Jail.
Hells Canyon traffic affected
Crews began cleaning
the roadsides along the
road between Brownlee
Reservoir and Hells Can-
yon Dam on Monday. The
work is expected to last
through November.
Travelers in Hells Can-
yon should use extra cau-
tion in the coming weeks
as numerous projects could
result in road restrictions
Community
Connection has
new vanpool
or traffic delays.
Starting Monday, Oct.
5, road crews will begin
clearing rocks, trash,
vegetation and other debris
along the road.
Crews will be work-
ing from 6 a.m.–6 p.m.
Mountain Time, Monday
through Friday, from Oct.
5 through Nov. 30. Traffic
will be restricted to one
lane in areas where work is
taking place. Flaggers will
be on hand to direct traffic.
Long delays are not ex-
pected.
Also on Monday, the
Homestead Tunnel will be
closed weekdays through
Oct. 16.
The tunnel, on Home-
stead Road near Oxbow,
will be closed from 8
a.m.–5 p.m. MDT, with a
30-minute opening at noon
to allow traffic to pass.
A detour road will be
available for passenger
cars and light trucks. Those
with recreational vehicles,
large trucks or trailers
should plan an alternate
route or travel on week-
ends.
A new opportunity has presented itself to Jodi Tool,
Transportation Options Coordinator for Community
Connection. Mick Pickler from Outdoor RV in La Grande
contacted Frank Thomas the transit manager at Com-
munity Connection in La Grande with an idea that would
be beneficial to his company as well as those seeking
employment.
Pickler has teamed up with Kelly Jenkins of Enterprise
Ride Share, a division of enterprise rental cars, in an
effort to provide a vanpool service to strengthen his work-
force and provide an option for potential Baker County
employees to join his team. Thomas contacted Tool about
the opportunity.
Tool said, “They contacted us several months ago
in regards to vanpool options, transportation options
because they were having difficulty finding employees
due to transportation issues. There wasn’t a big selection
of people in La Grande that were applying at that time
but because of unreliable transportation for Baker County
residents they didn’t want to go that route either as far as
having to rely on the employees driving themselves.”
According to Tool, in the past there have been a high
number of hired employees that are not able to commit
to work because of transportation issues, vehicle break-
downs or missed rides and as Tool explained Pickler
indicated they want to hire people, they have just had
such bad luck with employees once they get hired and if
Outdoor RV is unable to meet their supply then ultimately
everyone suffers. They have to find reliable employees
and therefore, Outdoor RV seeking secured rides. With
the assistance of Tool Community Connection can help
connect vanpool vehicles, maintained by Enterprise Ride
Share, employers and employees. Enterprise Ride Share
guarantees if a vehicle breaks down they will repair or
replace it by the next business day.
Tool said, “They (Enterprise Ride Share) also have
backup rides in place to assist with getting employees
where they need to be just in case of unforeseen issues. If
there are alternating schedules, those can be coordinated
too.” Tool indicated that Community Connection was also
willing to put riders on the inner city bus they operate to
accommodate employer and employee. “Between Ride
Share and Community Connection we are going to verify
that there is that transportation is available.”
She is coordinating with the Oregon Employment
Department to find employees interested in the prospect.
“We could pick up somebody in Haines, North Powder,
even Union. We can coordinate so people can be picked
up mid trip,” she said. In order for the Vanpool to work
effectively there would need to be 4-6 employees so that
it could be financially doable for an employee.
“When you break down the costs over the month it is
$6-$8 per day,” said Tool. “So, If you have someone who
only has one vehicle amongst their family they could be
looking at going and having to purchase another vehicle,
so you have a car payment, insurance, maintenance on the
vehicle and gas so you are looking at upwards of $800 per
month. That is the national average. We have had several
people interested but we are not quite up and running yet.
We have to have a driver. What we have run up against is
that even though we had some that were hired and wanted
to go to work there, they didn’t have a driver’s license. So
we are trying to opening up things more and now have the
employment department working with us trying to find
more candidates. We have put flyers in the Union, North
Powder and Haines utility bills also trying to get the word
out. The vanpool is a suggested requirement for being
hired at Outdoor RV and they have excellent benefits,
excellent pay. Right now we are looking for employees
that want to go work there. There are lots of different jobs
out there. There are people that clean the trailers there are
people who weld all kinds of different things and what
I’ve heard is they will do the training if necessary, they
are just looking for hard workers that are going to show
up and going to do the job.”
Tool said, “I don’t know the extent of the driver’s
record that they check but they do check to make sure the
driver’s license is valid and insurance is included in the
monthly fee and of course the more people you get riding
it the cheaper the cost is going to be to the employees.”
Community Connection will not be providing the driv-
er. Tool said, “We’d like to go and visit with the County
Commissioners as well. I mean why wouldn’t your
County Commissioners want to help support something
like this when it is going to benefit their County. Hope-
fully we will have workers traveling in both directions
one day. Maybe a business here, say Natural Structures
needs employees, we can help with the transportation for
employees to Baker from Union County.”
Even though they are only working with one specific
employer right now, Tool would like to see this program
expanded down the road. “We want to use this as our suc-
cess story. A model of ‘look this is working for them and
this is what can work for everybody.’”
Community Connection is so behind getting this
program initiated, they have offered to sponsor a seat in
the first vehicle started for an unspecified period of time.
This program appears to be a win-win for everyone. The
Oregon Employment Department confirms that Outdoor
RV is looking for approximately 50 employees and with
this vanpool prospect, transportation is no longer a barrier
for potential candidates.
“The Employment Department has been actively work-
ing with us to promote this and find employees,” she said.
Contact Dan at the Baker City office to apply or for
more information.