FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
City Council
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Owen added, “I’ll be
delving into a little more
extensive public input into
whatever our next step
is and DEQ can help us
determine what those next
steps may be.”
Owen also expressed
frustration with recent
studies done and prepared
for the DEQ with no for-
ward movement toward a
permit.
Mayor Mosier indicated,
if she had hear correctly,
the next steps would be
having a consultant give an
overview to Council, and
perusing a permit renewal
target for the 2017-2018
fiscal year.
Whatever recommenda-
tions are made, DEQ does
not require all work to be
completed by that target
permit date; they only
require the plan be in place
with the understanding
movement is made toward
completing tasks to comply
with the plan.
Ordinance #3346
Amendment of Ordi-
nance #3292 Property
Maintenance Dealing
With Graffiti
At the October 19 meet-
ing, an issue was raised
concerning the graffiti or-
dinance by members of the
community as well as the
Public Arts Commission
stemming from an incident
in which the Eltrym was
cited for not removing a
portion of what was, ac-
cording the ordinance was
considered graffiti, on their
building.
This incident and sub-
sequent citizen requests
prompted the Council to
look at the ordinance and
discuss options to amend
it to allow some flexibility
regarding enforcement.
The proposed amend-
ments will allow for an
appeal process of the
ordinance as well as give
property owners options
to keep “graffiti” that
they find appealing or add
something without the
need for prior authorization
as is stated in the current
ordinance.
Council debated over
some of the wording in the
amendment and Councilor
Augenfeld indicated that
the use of the term “free
art” was needed in the
amendment.
Mayor Mosier felt the
term “free art” and graffiti
were two very different
issues and that since the
ordinance specifically
pertained to graffiti the
“free art” issue should
be addressed in another
ordinance that perhaps the
Public Arts Commission,
which Augenfeld is the
council liaison, could be
involved in drafting and
bringing before Council.
Kee read the Ordinance
in full with the proposed
changes.
Councilor Downing
made a motion to accept
the first reading. Councilor
Lewis made a second.
A 6:1 vote was made
with Councilor Augenfeld
objecting.
Downing then made a
motion that Council hear
a second reading of the
ordinance with a second by
Councilor Abell.
A 6:1 vote was cast again
with Augenfeld disagree-
ing. A unanimous vote
must be rendered in order
for a second reading of
an ordinance at a Council
meeting.
With the vote not being
unanimous a second read-
ing was tabled until the
next Council meeting.
City Manager Recruit-
ment
At the October 19 regular
meeting Council accepted
Kee’s resignation and ac-
cepted an agreement that
will keep Kee employed
with the City an additional
six months.
Although that agreement
was made, it is necessary
to move forward with
recruitment and placement
of a suitable successor. Kee
brought forth to Council
options to consider for
retaining a replacement.
The first option was
to draft a request for a
proposal in the hiring of an
outside recruiter to assist
in the search at a cost of
approximately $15,000 -
$20,000.
His advised advantages
to this as relieving staff of
recruitment and screen-
ing of potential candidates
freeing them up to contin-
ue their duties as required
and expected.
An outside recruiter
would continually and
actively search for suitable
candidates and is able to
dedicate more time to such
activates.
An outside recruiter
would have better knowl-
edge of available candi-
dates and may be familiar
with those candidates as
far as successes as to better
aid the City in placement
of a Manager that will be
beneficial to our com-
munity and long term city
goals.
The second option Kee
presented was for the City
and Council to pursue the
matter themselves. This
would most definitely
allow more involvement
from those that have a
vested interest in the mat-
ter as well as those in our
community.
While most certainly
qualified and able the City
Human Resource Manager,
Luke Yeaton, who also
serves as the City Recorder
would be additionally
taxed adding to his already
demanding duties and pos-
sibly put in an uncomfort-
able position seeking out
an employee that would
ultimately be his supervi-
sor.
After discussion the
Council came to the con-
sensus that an RFP (request
for proposal) be sent out
immediately to help gain
insight as to which direc-
tion they wished to go on
the matter. No commitment
would be made by doing
so, the proposals would
just give council a better
idea of options.
Kee also advised that a
committee composed of
Councilors and staff be
created to attend to this
matter. Council agreed
to discuss formation of a
subcommittee at the Nov
10th meeting.
City Manager/Director
Comments
City Manager advised
council of a letter that
had been sent to the For-
est Service concerning
maintenance of the fence
protecting the City’s wa-
tershed. Cattle have been
found to have breached the
fence and wandered into
restricted areas on several
occasions. Damaged fences
can also allow wildlife to
access the area. The City
upon those occasions has
repaired the fencing.
In the letter, the City is
advising the Forest Service
that the agreement made
was that they would also
be active in their role to
keep the watershed safe
and they were lacking in
their responsibilities.
Kee also said he was
looking into the option of
reinstating a city municipal
court.
Currently there is an
agreement with Baker
County Justice Court to
handle the City’s traffic
cases. That agreement
allows the County to split
revenue generated by the
City 50/50. Kee wants
to investigate whether it
would be financially sen-
sible to consider making
that change.
Council Comments
Mayor Mosier stated
she had been contacted by
a student from EOU about
doing some intern work.
She distributed his
resume among Council
and advised she thought
she might be able to utilize
him for research prior to
Council meetings.
Councilor Abell re-
minded everyone of the
downtown trick or treat on
Halloween, this Saturday
from 4-6 p.m. and Mayor
Mosier advised everyone
to watch for trick or treat-
ers and to be safe and have
fun.
Cattlemen ask for wolf comments
On November 9, 2015
ODFW Commission will
meet in Salem to consider
the status of gray wolves
under the Oregon Endan-
gered Species Act. Specifi-
cally, the Commission will
determine if sufficient in-
formation exists to justify
delisting the wolf from the
Oregon List of Endangered
Species and in making this
determination the Com-
mission will review the
best available scientific
information and other data
to determine if the criteria
set forth in the OESA have
been met.
In an effort to consult
— Contact Us —
with agencies, organiza-
tions, local governments,
tribes, other states and
interested persons, The
Oregon Cattlemen invite
comments.
Of interest is any infor-
mation, materials or input
which is related to the
biological status review
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
The Baker County Press
President Barack Obama
PO Box 567
Baker City, Ore. 97814
202.456.2461 fax
Open Monday-Thursday for calls
9 AM - 4 PM
Open 24/7 for emails
Office location: TBA
Phone: 541.519.0572
TheBakerCountyPress.com
202.456.1414
Whitehouse.gov/contact
US Sen. Jeff Merkley
503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
US Rep. Greg Walden
Kerry McQuisten, Publisher
Editor@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Wendee Morrissey, Advertising and Sales
Wendee@TheBakerCountyPress.com
David Conn, Advertising and Sales
David@TheBakerCountyPress.com
541.624.2400
541.624.2402 fax
Walden.House.gov
Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
Published weekly every Friday.
Subscription rates per year are $29.95 all areas,
e-mail delivery. $39.95 print issue, home delivery,
Baker City city limits only. $49.95 print issue,
mail delivery, outside Baker City city limits only.
Payment in advance.
A division of
Black Lyon Publishing, LLC
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201
Copyright © 2014
document. Please submit
any comments and materi-
als by October 30, 2015 to:
Russ Morgan, Wolf Pro-
gram Coordinator, Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife, 107 20th Street
La Grande, OR 97850
Points that address delist-
ing include:
1. Wolves have met
the population threshold
for delisting,(4 breeding
pairs/3 consecutive years).
2. In order to expect
human tolerance, the ex-
pectations and rules most
be followed.
3. Wolfs that originated in
Oregon have dispersed to
four different States,Wash
ington,Idaho,Montana,and
California. The Cascades
are rapidly populating.
4. Wolves are in the
first year of seven or more
breeding pairs, (the thresh-
old for phase three).
5. Wolves are present,
and reproducing in all three
neighboring States.
6. There is a federal ESA
that protects wolves over
2/3 of the State.
7. Ranchers have played
by very restrictive phase
1 rules. It’s time to move
forward.
8. Ranchers that didn’t
want wolves here to begin
with, have already made
the biggest compromise.
9. By asking ranchers
to tolerate wolves, every-
one needs to understand,
you’ve asked them to have
livestock killed by wolves.
NRAC topics:
East Face
project, water
rights, public
meetings law
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Natural Resource Advisory Com-
mittee (NRAC) met on Tuesday, at 3 p.m., in the Com-
mission Chambers of the Courthouse, to discuss Oregon
Public Meetings Law, Baker County’s response to the
East Face Vegetation Management Assessment (EA), and
to further review and edit the Water and Water Rights sec-
tion of the county’s Natural Resource Plan (NRP).
Present were County Commission Chair Bill Harvey,
NRAC Chair Doni Bruland, NRAC Coordinator Eric
Wuntz, and NRAC members Ken Anderson, Jan Kerns,
Alice Knapp, Jan Alexander, Chuck Chase, George Keis-
ter, Lyle Defrees, Dick Fleming, Kody Justus, Cynthia
Long and Laurene Chapman.
Also in attendance were Craig Bruland, Ed Hardt,
Wanda Ballard, and Bobbie Danser.
Documents were passed out to the group after the meet-
ing was called to order, including the agenda, the minutes
from the September 10 and September 22 meetings, the
proposed changes to the Water and Water Rights section
of the NRP, and a draft response to the East Face Vegeta-
tion Management EA.
Bruland asked if there were any public comments from
the attendees, and there were none voiced initially. Each
member of the public is granted five minutes to speak on
natural resource topics only, during two separate seg-
ments of Public Participation during the meetings.
She discussed Oregon Public Meetings Law (Oregon
Revised Statutes 192.610 through 192.690) with the
group. “Because we (the NRAC) are appointed by the
Commissioners, we have to follow all full laws with the
State of Oregon (even in advisory positions)…At any
time, as soon as this meeting is over, and, at the discretion
of Heidi (Martin, Executive Assistant to the Commis-
sioners), we always have recorded the minutes,” she said.
She went on to explain that the abbreviated minutes Bru-
land supplies the group have to, according to law, include
how each member votes.
The minutes from the September 10, 2015 meeting
were approved, with a motion from Fleming, and a sec-
ond from Long, and the minutes from the September 22,
2015 meeting were approved, with a motion from Justus,
and a second from Fleming.
Long discussed with the members the East Face Vegeta-
tion Management EA, and said that, after contacting the
U.S. Forest Service ((USFS), she was immediately sent a
hard copy of the document, which she received the next
day via United Parcel Service (UPS).
“Basically what it is, is there are five alternatives, and
it is to do (fire prevention) management from, basically
Ladd Canyon up to Anthony Lakes. A lot of it is in Union
County, but, some of it is in Baker County, so, obviously,
it will have an impact on Baker County,” she said.
She explained that she had drafted a letter to Josh
White (jpwhite@fs.fed.us, 541-523-1340) of the USFS,
and she suggested the more ambitious alternative, that the
project is a “good start,” and she urged the other members
and the public to also draft similar letters, in support of
the project. She also mentioned that comments need to
be submitted by Friday, November 6, 2015.
Wuntz discussed a three-page draft document, cop-
ies of which he provided the group with, regarding a
response to the East Face Vegetation Management EA.
“I spent several days pouring through this (the original
project EA), again, mostly on Chapter 2, where the alter-
natives are, and they’re spelled out,” he said.
Among the issues he addressed in the EA were: lack
of mention of thinning for fire hazard reduction; large,
blank areas on the maps with no forest health treatments
planned; over planting discrepancies; lack of ripar-
ian treatments; lack of post and pole removal; lack of
biomass removal; lack of mortality limits for differing
tree size classes or species; lack of road access mention to
mining claims; connectivity corridors issues; road closure
issues (he provided a copy of an East Face Vegetation
Project Post Sale Road Management map to the group to
view); and issues with elk cover/forage ratios.
He also suggested that designation by prescription be
considered with harvest tree selection, to reduce marking
costs in appropriate stands, and that precommercial thin-
ning be completed between the ski runs at Anthony Lakes
ski area.
Ballard, speaking during the final Public Participation
segment of the meeting, said, “I like what I heard here
today. As always, my concern is the roads, and the loss
of roads, and it (the EA) doesn’t mention the roads that
have already been lost up there…It’s very important for
us to comment…I don’t understand why it takes 10 years
to do this project…”
The group also discussed Water and Water Rights sec-
tion corrections/additions, using the copies handed out
during the start of the meeting. The changes made during
the meeting included grammar and more appropriate
wording, and the copies included suggestions by Oregon
Water Resources Eastern Region Manager Jason Spriet.
Spriet was invited to speak with the group, be he was un-
able to attend the meeting because of other commitments.
Further discussion regarding the Water and Water
Rights section, and other topics, will be at the next NRAC
meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2015, at 3
p.m. The December meeting has been canceled.