FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Bus driver shortage
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“We get people who
come through the door
(the entrance of the Bus
Barn, located at 2990 D
Street, just west of 10th
Street), and they say, ‘I’d
like to talk to you about
bus driving,’ and, we lay
it all out for them. They
turn around and leave, and,
that’s the last time we ever
see them,” Osborn said.
This year, he said three
individuals approached the
District about the positions
in this manner, without
further contact.
The District has lost at
least 10 drivers over the
last couple of years, said
Osborn, because of other
employment opportunities,
retirement, etc. In addi-
tion to that, he said, “Not
to mention, you’ve got to
be a very special person to
drive a school bus. Not ev-
erybody can do it…You’ve
got to be able to think in 14
different directions at the
same time.”
He explained that many
individuals have made it
partially through training,
and were not employed
as drivers, because of the
inability to handle the dif-
ficulties of the position on
a regular basis.
Bus driver Shanna
Golden (Osborn’s sister)
added, “When somebody
gets on that bus, and you
have a bus load of kids-
-you’re out at midnight,
and you have a bus load
of 60 kids on board, we
don’t just answer to the
School District. Most kids
have two parents, which
we answer to. We have
to answer to a bunch of
people for what we do.
People don’t look at it like
that. Our responsibility is
huge out there, and people
think, ‘Oh, you’re just
a bus driver.’ Well, you
know what, come step in
our shoes …”
Osborn suggested just
that for interested parties—
a tour of what a bus driver
experiences firsthand—by
riding with them.
Osborn said that even
full-time drivers for the
District may log as little as
20 hours a week, and it’s
difficult to provide enough
driving time for everyone.
There are 14 drivers.
Paxton said, “We lost
all of our kindergarten
(mid-day, with six drivers)
routes this year, so, we’ve
got people who’ve lost
almost 10 hours a week.”
Osborn said, “We’re down
on the number of special
needs kids this year. We’re
only hauling three. Last
year, we hauled eight.”
Senior bus driver Wend-
ee Morrissey, who’s logged
over 25 years of driving
time, said, “Getting hours
is the big thing for us.
Because without the hours,
we don’t make our full
insurance …When I came
here, it was a good place
to come work because
you automatically had full
benefits, and there was no
pro-rating, and you worked
a split-shift, because you
worked mornings and
nights… I was considered
a full-time employee…
And now, even though I’m
the senior driver, they’ve
cut me clear back to where
I’m at 30 hours, so, I’m
going to be under full-time
this year, for my insurance.
We have bus drivers who
are out mowing lawns (for
the District), to make up
hours. Bus drivers who are
washing buses—whatever
needs to be done.”
“Right now, we would
really, really need two
substitutes, just to keep
our heads above board, if
something goes wrong,”
Osborn said.
He cited the possibility
of drivers calling in sick,
bus breakdowns, drivers
seeking other employment,
drivers retiring, etc.
He mentioned a specific
example of a driver calling
in sick one day, while Os-
born happened to be at the
home of a former driver,
prompting Osborn to re-
cruit the former driver for
several days. He was only
able to do this, because the
driver still held certifica-
tion in order to operate
buses.
Osborn explained that
trips—athletics, school
band, etc.—provide more
income for the drivers,
and they’re granted on a
rotating basis, with senior
drivers at the top of the list
when the year begins, but
even a scenario involv-
ing more potential income
spotlights issues, because
of the lack of drivers, and
the lack of trips.
He said, “You don’t
have that (the trips) on
a consistent basis. This
week, I might have enough
trips for six drivers. Next
week, I may have enough
for two drivers. So, you
can actually go three
weeks without getting a
trip. And, that can hurt.”
Osborn said that recently,
a school choir trip was
canceled because of the
lack of drivers to cover it
along with regular routes.
“My son was in choir for
four years, and it really
just killed me to tell Deann
(Sands, Baker High School
Choir Teacher), ‘Deann,
I cannot cover your choir
trip on the day you want
to go. There’s no physical
way possible.’”
A positive Osborn and
Paxton pointed out is that
there haven’t been major
maintenance issues with
the buses (there are 16 full-
size buses), and they’re
kept fully operational.
“That guy right there keeps
our buses at 100%. We
don‘t have buses sitting
down, broken,” Osborn
said, motioning to Paxton.
There’s one small bus
in the fleet, but, Paxton
said, “We can use it for
anything, except hauling
kids to and from home to
school,” because it’s not
equipped in the same man-
ner as the regular buses.
When asked about a
solution to the situation,
Paxton replied that it’s dif-
ficult to say, but, he said,
“I think, wages have come
up a little bit, or stayed
about the same. The total
amount of (driving) hours
over the week has gone
down drastically, since
last year…We’re seeing a
bunch of fluctuation, and
everything is hitting now.
I‘ve made some comments
to them (District staff), but
they haven‘t come up with
anything. We have a new
Superintendent now (Mark
Witty), and a new bud-
get—last year’s (the 2015-
2016 fiscal year budget)
already been set,” as he
explained that, in January
of next year, District staff
will begin the process of
analyzing the budget once
again.
Paxton cited issues
including a wide-ranging
spectrum of restrictions for
bus and other commercial
drivers, covering prescrip-
tion medications and train-
ing, for example.
Osborn said, “Every-
body we talk to, we say,
‘Hey, do you want to be
a bus driver?’ But, here’s
the other side of the coin:
even if you have a Class B
(endorsement), you’ve got
to go through a minimum
of 23 hours of training.”
Doug Dalton, Chief
Financial Officer (CFO)/
Business Manager for the
District, said, “It comes
and goes. You can say
that about, really, any
area within the School
District, and probably any
company in Baker. There
are times when you have
more employment base
than others. I don’t think
there’s anything unique
to that, that other employ-
ers in Baker County don’t
see. There’s a shortage
of a work force. Eastern
Oregon sees that, whether
you’re hiring welders, bus
drivers, or heavy equip-
ment operators …”
Dalton said, “Their
budget (the Transportation
Department) has got a lot
in it … The cost of fuel
goes up, and we try and
project that, repairs go up
and down, bus leases and
bus costs… It’s a pretty
involved budget to run
Transportation. It depends
if the bus routes change,
if the length of the routes
change—there’s a lot to it
… It just depends on the
year. The cost of diesel
alone changes every day,
so, depending on what I
project for diesel next year,
the budget will change.
We don‘t know until next
Spring, and then, we start
running those projections
for next year.”
As far as recruiting new
drivers, Dalton said that
job listings are posted
periodically, when there’s
a need. He said, “It’s a
confluence of events. It’s
the time we’re in, and
there have been times, you
know, when you can post
one of those positions, and
have what you deem an ad-
equate amount of respons-
es, and there are times
when you don’t. That’s
where a lot of eastern
Oregon is, when it comes
to the work force… I think
we’re doing the things we
need to do…”
“Sooner or later, it’s go-
ing to catch up to us,” Os-
born said, explaining that,
with the shortage, Paxton
also is filling in as a driver,
though his normal duties
are that of supervisor.
Morrissey said, “Yes, it’s
going to catch up to him
even (Paxton)… I called
in while I was on a route.
One time, I had a bee get
up under my glasses and
sting me, and instantly, my
eye went shut,” as she and
Osborn discussed how easy
it could be for a bus to be
put out of service while out
on a route, or for an em-
ployee to call in sick, etc.
“He talks to them (Dis-
trict office staff) probably
every day, telling them
they need to get something
fixed,” Osborn said, of
Paxton. “Sooner or later,
having him out (Paxton, on
routes), and having every-
body strung out, is going to
catch up to us.”
Paxton said, “I don’t
know if there’s going to be
a solution, or if there could
be …”
Those interested in a
potential career as a bus
driver are strongly encour-
aged to contact the school
district.
Long’s WaterWorks
celebrates first year
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Co-owner Jenny Long
and employee Bonnie Al-
len, along with co-workers,
family and friends, pre-
sented a Customer Ap-
preciation Day last Friday,
October 9, in celebration of
Long’s WaterWorks’s one
year anniversary as a new
business in the community.
Those attending the
event, which included a
yard sale, were treated
to a hot dog lunch, with
bottled water and chocolate
chip cookies, while they
mingled and shopped.
Long said, about the yard
sale, “When we bought
the place, it was just a big
mess, and so, we’ve been
organizing and cleaning,
and trying to sort things
out. We just thought we’d
pull out a bunch of stuff,
and see if anybody’s inter-
ested in any of it.”
Included in the yard sale
were items dating back as
far as the 70s and 80s, she
said.
“We opened last year,
and we had a really soft
opening, and we spent
most of the time count-
ing inventory, and I didn’t
even get the new sign up
(a lighted sign, visible on
the 10th Street side of the
building) until, I think, the
end of May…It was such
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Long’s Waterworks celebrated a year in business
with a customer appreciation day.
a valuable business when
they had it (Larry Blum,
and son Bob, of the former
location of the nearly 40
year business Municipal
Pipeline Supply Co., 2330
10th Street). It was missed
greatly, so, people would
stop in and say, ‘Oh, I’m
so glad to see this place is
open again,’” Long said.
SEE LONG’S
WATERWORKS PAGE 7
Sheriff’s office
responds to
ATV accident
• LA GRANDE WOMAN TRANSPORTED TO
HOSPITAL
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Last Saturday just before 1 p.m., Dispatch received a re-
port of an ATV accident in the Bennett Peak area. Deputy
Robb, Deputy Rilee, and BLM Ranger Cox responded.
Information was given to Forest Service. Search and
Rescue (SAR) also initially responded.
Said Sheriff Travis Ash, “We sent several resources to
the area, not knowing exactly where the crash happened.
In previous crashes on Bennett Peak, we have had to use
SAR to assist in getting injured out. In this case, they
were able to get victim back to Tamarak Campground
where she was treated and transported by ambulance.”
Eagle Valley Ambulance responded and transported
53-year-old Jamie Thiesfeld of La Grande to St. Alphon-
sus in Baker City. Thiesfeld’s injuries were not life-
threatening.
Hunter injured
on Dooley
At around 8:16 a.m. on Tuesday, Baker Consolidated
Dispatch received a call for assistance from David
Krieger.
While hunting in the Dooley Mountain area, David's
father, Jack Krieger, fell and rolled down a steep moun-
tainside.
Baker City Fire Department, a Baker County Sheriff's
Deputy and members of Baker County Sheriff's Search
and Rescue responded to the scene and were able to reach
Jack at about 9:10 a.m.
Jack was stabilized and the rescuers worked together
to transport Jack up the steep hillside where he was
transferred to a LifeFlight helicopter and flown from the
mountain to a hospital in Washington.
Alpaca killed
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Madson opened her door to witness a pack of three
dogs—two pitbulls and one mix—mauling her alpaca,
Amaretto, a mere 100 feet from the house.
“The scary part is the attack was silent,” she said. She
wouldn’t have known the attack was occurring at all, had
it not been for the poodle.
Madson was able to shoot and kill one of the pitbulls in
an attempt to save the alpaca, but not before the damage
was done. “I hated taking the life of domestic dog,” she
said, “but I had to protect Amaretto ... This is just a bad
situation all the way around.”
When the dogs dispersed, Madson saw they had
completely torn the ears from the alpaca, and inflicted a
substantial amount of damage around the head and neck
areas. Madson called out veterinarian Mark Berthelson,
who determined there was no way to save the alpaca, and
“put her down humanely,” said Madson.
Madson said between the cost of the alpaca and the
veterinarian bill, her losses near $750 at first estimate.
According to Madson, neighboring ranchers from
around her area have reported cattle returning from
pasture with ears torn off, while others have discussed
witnessing livestock being harassed by dogs, but no of-
ficial connection has been made between those various
incidents.
Due to the rural location, no City ordinance exists that
would guide local law enforcement on how to proceed
with the case, including how to deal with the two remain-
ing dogs.
An Oregon statute exists, 609.155, Impoundment for
harming or chasing livestock, stating in part, “In a county
with a dog control program, upon finding a dog engaged
in killing, wounding, injuring or chasing livestock or
upon receipt from a complainant of evidence that a dog
has been so engaged, the dog control officer or other law
enforcement officer shall impound the dog.”
Madson hopes the incident and discussion of existing
laws will address county-wide dog issues, particularly in
regard to shedding light on or perhaps creating a formal
“dog control program.”
“No one really cares who enforces it, just so someone
does,” she said.
Such a program could combine with state law to help
law enforcement determine penalties, sanctions again of-
fending owners, and remedial actions.
Other laws may also apply county-wide, but have yet to
be determined specific to this case.
The dogs’ owner, neighbor Brian Marshall, has been
contacted by Baker County Sheriff’s deputies as part of
the investigation, which has also included photographing
the attack scene.
Sheriff Travis Ash said he is still in the process of talk-
ing with responding deputy, and due to the investigation
being in such an early stage, was unable to provide more
definitive information before this article went to print.
More details on the case will be available for future
updates to the story.