BUSINESS: Food Co-Op’s 40th open house,
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Baker County Press
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Friday, May 13, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 20
Three interview for City Manager
• INTERVIEWS,
MEET AND GREET
HELD THIS WEEK
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
After some of the fi nal
candidates for the City
Manager position, soon
to be vacated by retiring
Mike Kee, either dropped
out of the running or ac-
cepted other positions,
three remaining candidates
interviewed in front of City
Council early in the week.
The three fi nalists also
attended a meet and greet
Monday afternoon, which
was open to the public.
Only one member of the
public who was unaf-
fi liated with the City or
a candidate attended, as
did various City staff and
department heads.
Interviewed were:
• Cheryl Beatty—Cur-
rently the Assistant City
Manager/Finance Direc-
tor of the City of Junction
City, Kansas. She has held
several other City Admin-
istrator positions since
1997. She holds a Bach-
elors of Science degree in
Business Administration.
• Jim Nichols— Former-
ly the County Manager of
Douglas County, Nevada.
He has held several Man-
ager and Assistant Manag-
er positions dating back to
2005. He has a Master of
Science degree in Environ-
mental Engineering as well
as a Bachelor of Science in
Civil Engineering.
• Fred Warner Jr.—Cur-
rently employed by Nelson
Real Estate, Baker City. He
held the position of Baker
County Chair from 2003-
2014. He has a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business
Administration.
Though not confi rmed by
any member of City Coun-
cil, speculation has quickly
spread through town that
one of these candidates has
already been selected as
the top candidate, and the
hiring process may have
already entered the nego-
tiation phase.
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Kerry McQuisten/
The Baker County Press
Cheryl Beatty.
Jim Nichols.
Fred Warner, Jr.
Regardless, outgoing
City Manager Mike Kee
stated he anticipates a con-
tract could appear on an
agenda as soon as the May
24th Council meeting.
On Wednesday after-
noon, the City announced
in a press release that it
has an executive session
scheduled for Thursday at
5:45 p.m. “to consider the
employment of a public of-
fi cer, employee, staff mem-
ber or individual agent.”
Greater Bowen Valley Rural
Fire holds open house
911 calls
not being
recorded
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board of Commissioners held an
emergency, regular session on Wednesday, May 11,
2016, 10 a.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker
County Courthouse, in order to address the critical issue
of Baker County 911 Consolidated Dispatch Center’s
failed Stancil Recorder, which has been inoperable since
Monday, according to newly hired Center Director, Hope
Lindsey.
Present from the Board were Chair Bill Harvey, Com-
missioners Mark Bennett and Tim Kerns, and Executive
Assistant Heidi Martin.
Lindsey passed out copies of a staff report she prepared,
and proceeded to explain the emergency situation: all
incoming 911 calls, administrative calls, and radio traffi c
could not be recorded with the Center’s equipment. Since
Lindsey began work as Director in February, she said that
the recorder has been experiencing issues, and had com-
pletely failed to function on Monday evening.
SEE 911 PAGE 8
Meghan Andersch/ The Baker County Press
Future fi refi ghter Gabriel Jensen says goodbye to his mom before heading out to the scene of a fi re.
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Greater Bowen Valley Rural Fire Prevention Dis-
trict hosted an open house on Saturday, May 7th. Besides
grilled burgers and dogs, drinks, and sides, the event fea-
tured information on fi re alarm installation and fi re safety,
and offered giveaways for kids and adults.
Beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures had the
kids running outside, fl inging fl ying discs, and clamber-
ing over the fi re trucks. Tables set up inside the building
gave ample space for the adults to sit and visit.
A sign-up for smoke alarms was available. These are
provided and installed free of charge to community resi-
dents. Anyone in need of smoke alarms can contact their
local Fire Department or the Red Cross. Smoke alarms
should be replaced every ten years.
Many of the Department members mentioned the need
for more volunteers. Tabbitha Jensen said she lives on
the far side of Baker City, so has a 20 or more minute re-
sponse time to a call out. Volunteers for the Department
live locally and throughout the district. Jensen said it
would be nice to have more volunteers in the local area to
cut down the response time for emergencies. The depart-
ment has been providing services to the Bowen Valley
area from Baker City to Phillips Lake since 2001.
SEE GREATER BOWEN VALLEY PAGE 5
Water
rates go up
11.2%
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
• CITIZEN RECOMMENDS AXING PUBLIC
WORKS DIRECTOR TO SAVE $500K
Meghan Andersch/ The Baker County Press
Tabbitha Jensen explains the free fi re alarm
program.
It wasn’t the 17.5%, 19% or even the 25% water rate
increase that had been tossed around over the past month,
but in the end, City Council still voted to increase Baker
City water rates by 11.2% total. The increase means a
10% jump in base and usage rates, with an additional
1.2% increase to adjust for infl ation.
Councilor Richard Langrell presented the lone vote
against the rate hike.
Councilors Lewis and Lowe were absent for the vote.
The idea of a water rate increase is consistently un-
popular among Baker City residents, many of whom are
on a limited budget and fi xed income. The councilors
who were present at Tuesday’s meeting, and Mayor Kim
Mosier, indicated many of those citizens had called or
emailed to express their concerns.
SEE WATER RATES PAGE 5
Friday
Sunny and warm. Highs in the mid 80s. Mostly
cloudy with a chance for showers. Chance of
precipitation is 20%. Lows in the upper 40s.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and
storms. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of
precipitation is 60%.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms.
Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of precipitation
is 60%.
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Huntington: Chamber auction
Bike parts go to prison program
First Friday meeting
More County/Sunridge MOU
Homemade Goodness: Catfi sh
Burnt River fl ashfl ood
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