FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
County Commissioners
Capa to arrive
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
The minutes of the
September 24, 2015, and
October 7, 2015 minutes
were approved with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Kerns.
Lee gave the Board a
Technology Department
update, which included
the following accomplish-
ments: replacement of the
aging County telephone
system with a more flex-
ible, advanced one; digital
archiving of Justice Court
records, for easy retrieval;
implementation of video
conferencing, including the
Commission Chambers,
Justice Court, and County
Jail; adding technical
support for the Sheriff’s
Office; replacement of
computers and other equip-
ment and software in sup-
port of Health Department
records; development of a
new website in association
with the Assessor’s Office,
with over 17,000 uploaded
maps, and adaptability to
mobile devices; improved
accessibility of Clerk’s Of-
fice records (from a public
terminal), with between
125,000 to 150,000 imag-
es; encryption of Juvenile
Department emails; and
efforts to resolve County
backup power source is-
sues, including a backup
generator test, tentatively
scheduled for Friday,
October 23, with a unit
borrowed from the County
Road Department.
Lee noted future projects
for the upcoming year,
including: the removal of
Windows XP computer
software; automated re-
ports for accounting; Juve-
nile e-Court implementa-
tion; wireless upgrades for
the Courthouse; facilities
software and office up-
grades.
The decision was made
to move ahead with the
process of purchasing the
old Oregon Department Of
Transportation (ODOT)
property, with a motion
form Bennett, and a second
from Kerns. This includes
the purchase price of
$107,000, with a 10-year
contract, at 3% interest,
for a reduced monthly
payment from $1,500 to
$1,038.03.
Todd Arriola/ The Baker County Press
Undersheriff Warren Thompson (left) with Sheriff Travis Ash.
Savage gave the Board
a property tax deferred
billing update, including
a discussion regarding
Tesoro Logistics NW Pipe-
line Company and Charter
Communications, both cur-
rently in the appeals stage.
Smith discussed with
the Board a petition from
Linda Price to vacate a
piece of undeveloped
property in the Huntington
area, in order to increase
the lot size of the property.
The decision was made to
vacate the original right-
of-way, and complete the
process of disposal, with a
motion from Bennett, and a
second from Kerns.
Order No. 2015-143,
Re-Appointing A Member
To The Transient Lodging
Tax Committee (TLTC),
was approved, with a
motion from Bennett,
and a second from Kerns.
Chelsea McLagan was re-
appointed, her term set to
expire on August 1, 2018.
Order No. 2015-144,
Appointing Members To
The Baker County Board
Of Property Tax Appeals,
was approved, with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Kerns. Tim
L. Kerns, (representing)
County Governing Pool,
Mark E. Bennett, County
Governing Pool Alternate,
Laurene Chapman, Non-
office Holding Pool, and
Sharon Bannister, Non-
office Holding Pool, were
appointed, their terms set
to expire on September 30,
2016.
Order No. 2015-145, An
Order Directing The Baker
County Sheriff To Make
Sale Of County Property;
Fixing The Minimum Price
And Providing A Portion
Of The Conditions And
Terms Of Sale, amending
Order No. 2015-115, was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns, with a mini-
mum bid set at $10,000.
This order is for the sale
of property located at 1716
Broadway Street in Baker
City, the real market value
of which is recorded as
$28,170 ($22,100 for land
and $6,070 for struc-
tures), with total expenses
owed in the amount of
$6,402.35 ($4,596 for
taxes and $1,806.35 for
other expenses). The sale
is expected to take place
on Tuesday, December 8,
2015, at 10 a.m., on the
steps of the Baker County
Courthouse, and a con-
dition of the sale is the
demolition and removal of
all improvements on the
property, to be completed
within 120 days from the
date of purchase.
Ash and Thompson
discussed with the Board
Order No. 2015-146, An
Order Designating “Status
Automation” As A Sole
Source Provider, which
was then approved, with a
motion from Bennett, and a
second from Kerns. Status
Automation’s system, orig-
inally installed in 1999,
electronically operates
the jail doors, intercoms,
phones, lights and security
gates.
Resolution No. 2015-
1007, A Resolution Nam-
ing A Portion Of County
Right-Of-Way “Gale
Garden”; Located In New
Bridge At The Intersec-
tion Of New Bridge Road,
Eagle Creek Road And
Governor Lane, was ap-
proved, with a motion from
Bennett, and a second from
Kerns. Harvey read the
Resolution, which explains
that the designation is in
honor of former Oregon
Governor Joseph Gale,
who was a resident and
active community member
of New Bridge, and the
property, a beautification
project, has been main-
tained by that same com-
munity.
Additionally, a letter of
support from the Board
to the community of New
Bridge for the project was
approved, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns.
Huntington’s homecoming
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Huntington High School
celebrated Homecoming
2015 October 12th-16th
with a variety of commu-
nity involved activities.
Kicking it off was
Pajama Day on Monday,
followed by a canned food
drive and bonfire on Thurs-
day and a parade, pep rally,
football game, volleyball
and dance on Friday.
The big football game
began at 1 p.m. with the
LocoNets, a combination
team of students from
Huntington and Harper
schools, playing against
the Mustangs of Crane
Union High School from
Crane, Oregon.
The stands were packed
with spectators rooting and
cheering for both sides.
Unfortunately for
Huntington/Harper it was
a 80-0 runaway win for
Crane but all players gave
their best effort right up to
the end.
There was also a slight
distraction a little before
half time when a life flight
helicopter, which would
normally land on the foot-
ball field when coming to
town, flew over the game
and landed in the lower
field at the school and
then took off again with
a passenger brought over
in an ambulance about 30
minutes later.
The football lineup for
the game was as follows:
LocoNets:
#1 Morgan Butler
#65 Dalton Bixby
# Trevor Fugate
#10 Joe Truscott
# Cyrus Scott
#11 Will Bezates
#? Nate Marker
# ? Clayton Garcia
#82 David Schweitzer
#63 Jacob King
#22 Greg Chandler
# Junior DeSantiago
# Dakota Allaire
# Julian Osorio
#88 Wyatt Sanchez
#80 Nash Hicks
#68 Gordon Harrison
#56 Nolan Nantz
#24 Charlie Ray
#25 Mauricio Montes
#60 Justin Clark
#9 Shawn Clark
#61 Steven Rasinski
#84 Justin Wilson
#? Andy Ngo
Mustangs:
#7 Joe Valentine
#8 Miles Maupin
#10 Elijah Epling
#11 JayJay Balowski
#15 Jack Bentz
#20 David Steeves
#21 Dustin Ramge
#22 Cashe Davis
#30 Casey Otley
#34 William Clark
#43 Adrian Huerta
#44 Sam Williams
#45 Joel Otley
#50 Joe Davis
#52 Warren Johnson
#53 Jacob Dunn
#62 Alex Defenbaugh
#64 John O’Toole
#66 Bryce Otley
#73 Zach Davis
#85 Matt Witzel
4 p.m. on Friday saw the
girlsvolleyball competition
between the Lady LocoN-
ets and the Lady Mustangs
with the Lady Mustangs
upsetting the Lady LocoN-
ets in a straight three-set
win.
The competition was
fierce and everyone had a
fun but exhausting time.
Volleyball lineup was as
follows:
Lady LocoNets:
#9 Alycea Wilson
#15 Megan Vahsholtz
#14 Shayla Joyce
#12 Bailey Bundy
#6 Shyanna Allaire
#16 Tyonna Ray
#2 Rose Harrison
#13 Haylee Lunt
#10 Brook Johnson
#3 Hannah Matthews
#5 Montanna Polke
#10 Alexis Wilson
#11 Kylee Jager
Lady Mustangs:
#1 Elizabeth Jenkins
#2 Savanah Maupin
#3 Dakota Perkins
#4 Claire Hammond
#5 Bryanna Dunn
#6 Hannah Maupin
# 8 Kaylee Newman
# 9 Grace Lillard
#12 Kayla Mims
# 14 Sadie O’Toole
This year’s Homecoming
Court was honored with
a Homecoming Dance on
Friday Night from 7-10
p.m. held at Huntington
High School and was spon-
sored by the Huntington
High School Sophomore
Class.
The Homecoming Court
this year was Queen Me-
gan Vahsholtz Senior, King
Justin Clark Senior,
Prince Shawn Clark Junior,
and only one in his class,
hence no Junior Princess,
Princess Hannah Matthews
Sophomore, Prince Mau-
ricio Montes Sophomore,
Princess Cassidy Lawhon
Freshman and Prince Justin
Wilson Freshman.
Photo courtesy of the BCPD.
Officer Smith’s training with Capa will continue
through October 30, after which point the two will
travel to Baker City together.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Smith said, “When I told them (at Southern Coast K9,
Inc.) what I was looking for, they said, ‘We have the
perfect dog for you.’”
The company is not a smaller “mom and pop breeder”
as Lohner mentioned, but a larger professional organiza-
tion with 60-80 dogs available on site. The company, he
said, is also rare in that it offers canines that have not
been trained to detect marijuana, therefore attracting
business from Colorado and Oregon where that particular
drug is now legal.
“This was a long process,” Lohner said—more than a
year. When Oregon’s new legalized marijuana expedited
black lab Turbo’s retirement, private donations poured in
through a variety of efforts, providing 100% funding for
Capa, the training, and even Smith’s flight to and from
Florida.
“I sent inquiries to and researched multiple vendors,”
Lohner said. “Eventually, we heard back from two that
potentially fit: one in Texas and the other in Florida.”
After more research and exhaustive reference checks,
the decision pointed toward the Florida-based company.
The cost of Capa himself was $7,500 and the training was
$1,000.
Lohner wasn’t just focused on the canine. He said that
finding the right officer with the temperament and athletic
ability to handle a dog was also critical. “This had to be
well-aligned with that officer’s career,” he said.
Smith said that while the company had a variety of
animals for him to meet and view, he and Capa hit it off
famously—almost immediately. “They asked me then if I
still wanted to see the different dogs and first I thought I’d
take a look, but no. I ended up not wanting to. We just got
along really well.”
Smith, who will complete his second year at the BCPD
in November, credits his wife, Julie, and his father-in-law
with introducing him to a love of dogs. Living with them
and three “big” labs during his college years “made me
into a dog person,” he said.
Smith is already essentially living with Capa. A crate
has been set up in his hotel room, a simulated cage in the
back of his rental car. During this interview via phone
from Florida, Capa was sitting in his crate next to Smith.
“I’m just impressed with him,” said Smith.
During the ealier part of this week, Smith trained beside
Capa, repeating all the training efforts Capa had gone
through alone before a handler was determined. The first
part of the training involved simple room searches, but
eventually, the training was planned to move off-site to
locations where drug residue didn’t offer up a persistent
smell.
“In those rooms, drugs are planted there every single
day, so even when the drug isn’t, the odor is still there,”
Smith said. “We’re training on how the dog is supposed
to alert. We’ll go from one room, one hidden drug to mul-
tiple locations and letting him off the leash.”
“He’s pretty impressive,” Smith reiterated. On Monday,
Smith and Capa were taken to a large open field where,
from 30 yards away if Smith had to guess, Capa made a
beeline for a single stash of hidden drugs that had been
buried out in that field. “I didn’t even know there would
be drugs buried in the field, but he went to them right
away.”
Phoebe Wachtel, how works the front desk at the
BCPD, set up the details for Smith’s return flight home
with Capa on Halloween, the day after their training
completes, making sure the two would be able to come
home together.
According to Lohner, it was essential that Capa would
in no way be detained for the weekend at the Boise Air-
port.
“When I come home, he comes home with me,” said
Smith.
Capa begins work at the BCPD immediately during
Smith’s first scheduled shift after his return.