12 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016
Local
Interim
Budget
Committee
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Kee did advise the
group that because this
was an interim meeting a
couple of items could not
be discussed those items
included specifi c estimates
or appropriation amounts
associated with any fund,
line item, resource or
requirement the law does
not allow talk about the
question of whether to
fund specifi c programs or
expenditures in the next
budget process.
Also off limits is discus-
sion about the question as
to whether to impose any
tax or levy or the amounts
of any levy.
Jeanie Dexter, Finance
Director for the City, gave
a presentation to the group
outlining the process. She
supplied the group with
minutes from the interim
meeting last year and ex-
plained that at this meeting
no formal actions would
be taken, however these
minutes would be voted on
for acceptance at a future
meeting and asked each
member to take the min-
utes with them and review
them. She advised every-
one that her presentation
was also available online at
the City website bakercity.
com and she was always
available for questions.
She ran through the
presentation that outlined
what a budget is including
laws encompassing a mu-
nicipal budget, explaining
the budget process, roles of
the budget committee, how
the budget gets funded
and the different types of
funding.
Bob Seymour, the City’s
auditor, also was present
and spoke as to the status
of the City’s funding and
commented favorably on
the last City audit.
Dexter’s presentation
went on to explain how
things are structured within
the budget and explained
how Council makes the fi -
nal approval of the budget
after the Budget Com-
mittee votes to approve it
and send to Council for
adoption.
She explained how
Council can change the
budget after it is adopted
by a resolution. In her
presentation Dexter gave
examples of what they
committee would be look-
ing at and explained how
to “read” the columns of
the budget pages before
them.
She also explained how
property taxes effect the
funding of the budget and
what compression is and
what that means to the
funds. Compression basi-
cally means that special
levies for certain projects
may not be entirely funded
due to property tax collec-
tion rate decreases due to
measures 5 and 50.
Many voters do not real-
ize when voting for special
levies that this is taken
into account and those
project may not receive
all the funding necessary
to be completed. Dexter
reminded those present
that all meetings are public
meetings and citizens have
the right to attend and
speak at those meetings.
They should also expect
to be addressed by each
department, committee and
board at that time also.
Dexter advised that
while only a quorum is
necessary to conduct
business a majority is
required to vote therefore
it was important that each
member do their best to
make themselves available
for each meeting and when
scheduling they would be
as mindful as possible of
everyone’s time.
Budget Meetings will
commence in May.
Crossroads to swap art with Garden Valley
Crossroads Carnegie
Art Center in Baker City,
Oregon and Garden Val-
ley Center for the Arts
(GVAC) in Garden Valley,
ID are partnering for a
unique cultural exchange
of art and artists in April
of 2016.
In 2014, the Garden
Valley Center for the Arts
approached Crossroads
Subscribe online
today at
Th eBakerCountyPress.com
Carnegie Art Center with
the idea of doing an art
exchange where artists
from the Garden Valley/
Crouch area of Idaho
would showcase their work
at Crossroads in Baker
City, Oregon an emerging
regional arts market.
In turn, Crossroads
would showcase a selec-
tion of the artists they
represent and have a month
long show in the Garden
Valley Center for the Arts.
In the last two years,
each organization has been
building organizational
capacity and funding to
undertake both groups fi rst
traveling exhibition of art.
The Garden Valley
Artists show will open on
First Friday April 1st at
5:30-8:00 p,m, (PDT) at
2020 Auburn Ave in Baker
City, OR.
Pasta Night’s Back!
Every Wednesday, choose from dozens of the best.
$18 includes salad & sourdough.
St Patty’s Day Corned Beef Dinner Mar 17
Easter Brunch 11a-4p Mar 27
Reservations please. 541.523.1889
Everyone Deserves a Loving Home,
Even our Furry Friends.
During the month of March,
Zephyr’s Bakery and Deli at 1917
Main Street is off ering a FREE hot
beverage to those who join or renew a
membership in Best Friends.
Best Friends of Baker, Inc.
541-519-7387
Bestfriendsofbaker.org
bestfriendsofbaker@yahoo.com
Find us on www.petfi nder.com
A no-kill 501(c)(3) rescue organization provid-
ing spay/neuter and vaccination before placing
pets in loving homes.
Best Friends of Baker, Inc.
rescues and fi nds homes for
Baker County pets. You can
help by becoming a member.
All money earned is directly
used to rescue homeless pets
and fi nd them a forever home.
100% of donations benefi t
local pets with no paid help.