FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Swim committee reviews projects Behold the Bur
Buttercup
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
L-R: Paula Moe, Andrew Bryan, Noel Scott, Michelle Owen.
Submitted Photo.
The Bur Buttercup.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Monday night the Sam-
O Swim Committee held a
meeting to review projects.
The Committee met with
only Chairman Andrew
Bryan, Noel Scott, YMCA
Aquatics Director Paula
Moe, City Council Rep-
resentative Sandy Lewis
and Public Works Director
Michelle Owen in atten-
dance.
Bryan called the meet-
ing to order but without
enough voting members
present those in attendance
were unable to vote on ap-
proving minutes from the
previous meeting so that
would have to wait.
They did agree, how-
ever, that they could go on
with the meeting without
the rest of the committee
present.
Committee member
Jason Bybee had been
scheduled to speak about
his idea of adding a wa-
terslide and splash park to
the pool but was unable to
attend as he was travelling
from Seattle were he had
participated in the 25th an-
nual Scott Firefi ghter Stair
Climb, a fundraiser which
benefi ts the leukemia and
lymphoma society, along
with several members and
volunteers of the Baker
City Fire Department.
Owen said she had “no
good news” for the com-
mittee.
The circulating pump
that circulates hot water
to the showers had not
been working properly and
was taken out for service,
which of course required
waiting on parts. The pump
that was to supposed to
have been retuned that day;
however, it had not.
”There is enough hot
water in the tank for
some showers but it can’t
circulate anywhere but to
the women’s room because
it feeds directly into there.
So the rest of the building
had nice cold showers,”
said Moe.
“But, it’s just regular
maintenance stuff; its
being worked on,” added
Owen. “So, while on the
topic of showers, let me
jump into showers.”
She advised that she had
gotten a revised number
back to replace the poorly
functioning units currently
in place with newer units
to be closer to $12,500
rather than the $10,000
they originally thought.
“But that is with the
labor to install them,” she
said.
She also stated that that
number allowed a little
leeway for higher labor
costs just in case and was
for a “more robust unit
brand with parts and pieces
that I can get replacement
parts and pieces for easier.
Action Plumbing has a
good plan for us moving
forward.”
Bryan asked if when
plugging a number into
the budget to ask for it
shouldn’t be higher and
Owen said she could do
that maybe even account
for grab bars as they had
discussed.
All agreed that would be
a good idea. She did have
some encouraging news
that will help the current
units some parts were
located in the mainte-
nance shop that can help
repair them until they get
replaced.
They moved on to talk
about the family restroom.
Owen felt that the easiest
and least expensive way
would most likely be to
combine the men’s and
women’s restrooms in the
lobby into one bathroom
constructing a doorway be-
tween the two and recon-
fi guring the two into one
with a shower added and
full ADA accessibility.
She is having staff look
into how best the space
could be used, what would
be unable to be changed
easily and what was struc-
tural and what electrical
issues would require an
electrician to give her a
cost estimate to present to
the budget board.
City staff will be utilized
as much as possible to
reduce costs. They talked
about a few minor main-
tenance items and the
addition of an electrical
outlet needing to be added
to the pool deck near the
lifeguard table so that the
water aerobics classes
could have music since use
of an extension cord to get
a boom box out there was
as Moe stated “illegal.”
Owen then talked about
the heating system update.
Abacus Engineering
helped her in writing the
specs for the RFP however
upon a second look they
felt they did not budget
enough money.
They are now estimating
the project to be around
$230,000. $190,000 has
been secured for the proj-
ect, which until now was
thought to be enough to get
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it completed.
Owen gave options that
they could go to Council
and request a loan from
another fund to cover the
$40,000 shortfall or reduce
the project leaving them
still with manual controls
on the lobby air handling
system but have automated
controls on the natatorium;
however, she was unsure
how the energy saving
credits would be effected
with those changes.
Owen told the committee
what she wanted to do was
“Go out to bid with the
specs but have things as
added alternates so that we
can choose, piece it out,
kind of like we did for the
resurfacing project. Then
decide ‘do we need this…
do we not need this, is this
going to cost us energy
trust dollars or not?’”
Bryan asked, “So we
would have that in time to
make a recommendation
before you submit all your
budget numbers?”
Owen nodded.
Bryan noted that
originally the pool “was
supposed to be seven
lanes, there were sev-
eral supposed to’s and so
there’s this long history of
not quite accomplishing
what the goal was. So if
we could somehow fi gure
out how to do it right this
time.”
Owen agreed but said,
“It just always costs more.
You’re darned if you do
and you’re darned if you
don’t.”
Moe asked if the boiler
that they were planning
to replace could handle
an expansion of the pool
should Bybee’s idea of a
waterslide and splash park
be realized. Owen stated
that she had been told that
the new boiler system
could handle an expan-
sion as long as it was not a
massive expansion, which
it would not be, so they
would be fi ne.
As the meeting wound
down, the committee
bounced around ideas of
fencing between Truck
Corral property and the
YMCA property, addi-
tion of a misting pole and
children’s water features in
the already existing park
area, which Moe said she
thought would be a really
great addition and deter-
rent to keep skate park us-
ers from entering the pool
facility to “cool off” or get
a drink in the summer.
A sandy beach volleyball
court was also mentioned
as was approaching the
public arts commission to
partner in beautifying the
space.
The Sam-O Swim Com-
mittee has some innovative
and exciting ideas ahead
once they get beyond the
initial phase of restoring
our community gem of a
pool.
Submitted by Arnie Grammon
While we’d all prefer crocus and daffodils to remind us
of spring’s arrival, too often we’re confronted with Bur
Buttercup instead. You can choose to ignore it, at your
own peril. Just don’t plan on going bare-footed this sum-
mer.
In any case, conditions are perfect right now to treat this
weed. As long as we have temperatures near 50 F and
low wind conditions, it’s go time.
Originally from southeastern Europe, it is a member
of the buttercup family and grows two to fi ve inches in
height. In early spring, bur buttercup sends up narrow-
leaved stems tipped by solitary, yellowed-petaled fl owers.
By mid-spring, it forms solid, three to four-inch-tall mats.
The real problem with this weed is seen later on in the
summer, when spiny seed heads appear. When the seed
head dries out it becomes hard and sharp, regularly lodg-
ing in shoes, bare feet, clothing, and even thin bicycle
tires. It is also a nuisance with dogs and cats, and actu-
ally can cause mild poisoning when they try to clean their
paws.
Bur Buttercup can also be toxic to livestock, especially
sheep and horses. Problems usually arise when animals
are dry-lotted. When there is little alternative forage pres-
ent, it forces animals to consume large quantities of this
weed. In most cases, a lack of general health within the
herd is the result, although mortality is not uncommon.
This weed is found primarily on disturbed sites, but can
also spread out onto range and pasturelands with suf-
fi cient spring moisture. Bur Buttercup can also quickly
spread into sagebrush range ground, occupying sites once
held by native forbs and grasses.
Bur buttercup can be controlled, but action is needed
before it fl owers and drops seed. In its late-winter seed-
ling stage, it’s susceptible to foliar-applied herbicides
like glyphosate, Weedmaster, or 2,4-D. Use glyphosate
(Roundup is a common brand) only as a spot-treatment
on driveways and similar areas, as it will kill non-target,
preferred vegetation if not careful. As always, please
read, understand, and follow label directions when apply-
ing herbicides.
Solid stands of healthy, competitive grasses will not
allow bur buttercup to gain a foothold. If you’d rather not
spray, digging will work, but can be very labor-intensive.
More information on control methods can be obtained
by calling Arnie Grammon, the Baker County Noxious
Weed Supervisor at 523-0618, or stop by at Weed Offi ce
at 1050 South Bridge in Baker City.
OCA endorses
Sen. Ferrioli
John Day, Ore. - "The Oregon Cattlemen's Associa-
tion is proud to endorse Ted Ferrioli as a candidate for
Senate District 30," said Oregon Cattleman's Association
Executive Director Jerome Rosa. "Ted understands the
issues facing ranchers in Eastern Oregon and he's willing
to do what's best for small businesses in our state. At a
time when our industry faces increasing regulatory chal-
lenges from government and more diffi culty competing
regionally and globally, he has been an outspoken voice
of reason and sensibility. The livestock industry couldn't
have a better champion in Salem."
Senator Ferrioli has represented Senate District 30,
the largest Senate district in the state, working hard to
advance Oregon's agricultural and forestry industries,
fi ghting for common-sense land use laws and protecting
rural small businesses from excessive regulations.
"I have appreciated worked alongside the Oregon
Cattlemen's Association and other groups advocating
our way of life in rural Oregon throughout my time in
the State Senate," said Ferrioli. "I am proud to have the
support of the Cattlemen in my campaign for re-election
and pledge to continue fi ghting for rural Oregon values in
Salem."
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