FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
City Council
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PAGE 1
Council approved unani-
mously, upon a motion
by Councilor Thomas,
seconded by Councilor
Lowe, the consent agenda
consisting of the minutes
from the July 12, 2016
Council meeting and a big
deal grant for Glacier 45
Distillery. Mayor Mosier
then called for citizen
participation to which there
was none.
Consideration of City
Councilor Application
City Recorder Julie
Smith addressed council
advising that two applica-
tions had originally been
received from Chris Parker
and Loran Joseph for
the council seat recently
vacated by Councilwoman
Sandy Lewis.
Since being received
Parker had withdrawn her
application. Smith advised
Council that Mr. Joseph
was present and should the
Council choose to appoint
him she was prepared to
administer the Oath of
Office so that Joseph could
take a seat among Council
for the remainder of the
meeting.
Councilor Lowe moved
to appoint Joseph with a
second by Councilor Abell.
Mayor Mosier stated,
“Before we vote is there
any discussion? Would Mr.
Joseph care to say anything
to Council?”
Council declined the op-
portunity to further discuss
Joseph’s appointment and
Joseph declined to address
Council. Council then
unanimously voted to ap-
point Joseph.
Smith had Joseph come
forward and administered
the Oath of Office, then
Joseph took at seat among
his fellow Councilors.
Approval of Master
Arts Master Plan
City Manager Warner
addressed Council advising
that the plan before them is
what the Public Arts Com-
mission had forwarded to
them for final approval.
He did note a couple of
small clerical errors that
had been discovered and
corrected.
Mary Miller was present
Pie
auction
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PAGE 1
Sharon said, “I was
surprised. We hadn’t ex-
pected that at all...We were
really excited.” In speaking
about the return, Dallas
said, “I love Baker. I’m
very happy here. I always
knew I was going to move
back.”
Parker, who wrote the
original nomination for
the Defrees, said, “I think
they’ve got a really good
shot at the Nationals,”
speaking about the De-
frees’s Oregon Tree Farm
System’s Outstanding Tree
Farmer of the Year award,
for the Western Region.
National competition
includes four candidates,
from four regions.
“In terms of manage-
ment, and all the other
criteria looked at, they
just hit the ball out of
the park, on every single
item. They’re a century
farm, and their family is so
involved, and something
that’s always impressed
representing the Public
Arts Commission to an-
swer questions.
Mayor Mosier stated she
had taken some time to
review the master plan and
had a question regarding
the properties recom-
mended for public art
installation “The sites for
the art on loan program,
these sites are all fantastic,
but I just want to point out
the Baker City library is its
own district and not an as-
set of the City. It’s a great
idea to have public art
there but that would have
to be worked out through
the library and the library
board,” she said.
Miller questioned if that
needed to be removed from
the document and it was
decided that it did not as
long as the Commission
understood that it would
require a different ap-
proach to place art at the
location.
Mosier also noted the
document stated that it was
the Commissions inten-
tion to build a successful
relationship with the City.
Mosier suggested that the
Commission make the ef-
fort to address the Council
at their annual goal setting
meeting usually held some-
time in March.
Miller agreed saying
that the Commissions had
all agreed to make goals,
accomplishments and
financials readily available
to the public and Council
and thought the idea of a
presentation at the goal
setting session was a good
one.
After the discussion
Councilor Lowe made
a motion to approve the
Public Arts Commission
Master Plan with a second
by Councilor Downing.
The vote to approve was
unanimous.
Appoint Volunteers to
Boards and Commissions
Julie Smith addressed
Council stating that the
City had been advertising
for volunteers for open
positions on both the Parks
and Recreation Board and
the Sam-O Swim Commit-
tee. “It is probably best if
we do each one separate-
ly,” she advised.
• Parks and Recreation
Board
This board has two
positions opening with the
terms of both Lisa Jacoby
and Linda Collins expir-
ing. No new applicants
had applied; however,
both Jacoby and Collins
had submitted applications
reapplying for their posi-
tions.
Smith noted that both
had provided tremendous
service and recommended
each be reappointed. Coun-
cil all agreed that they
were aware of the contri-
bution both had given to
the Board.
Councilor Thomas
moved to reappoint both
women to the board, sec-
onded by Councilor Down-
ing. Both were reappointed
with a unanimous vote by
Council.
• Sam-O Swim Com-
mittee
One position is open on
this board, the position that
Chuck Everson filled after
the resignation of Rustin
Smith. Everson reapplied
as did Alan Blair. Coun-
cilor Langrell stated, “That
was part of Chuck’s job
when he worked for the
city, I would move that we
appoint him” That motion
was seconded by Coun-
cilor Thomas with Council
voting to unanimously
approve Everson’s reap-
pointment.
Mosier said “I want to
thank all of our volunteers
for applying and remind
anyone not selected to
keep applying as we do
have vacancies arise that
they could be utilized in.”
City Manager/Director
Comments
City Manager Warner
advised Council that he
and Greg Smith, the City’s
Economic Developer had
travelled to Portland last
week to meet with the
Vice President of Public
affairs and other officials
with Albertsons to express
concerns our community
had over a second Safeway
store open right across
the street from the current
Safeway.
The lack of the number
of jobs being created by
such a decision was also
concerning to the econom-
ic development of the City.
Warner acknowledged
the fact that while both
Albertsons and Safeway
are now one company
and that would create a
monopoly, Albertsons and
Safeway still offered dif-
ferent weekly items in their
ads and Albertsons used a
different pricing model.
He stated that it was
expressed to those officials
that our community was
experiencing a great deal
of “leakage” in that when
our citizens travelled to
La Grande or Ontario to
shop for groceries they
were also shopping for
additional items and dining
out in restaurants, spending
money that had they been
able to stay in Baker City
for groceries, that addition-
al money would have been
spent locally.
He stated he also
advised that there was
a general unease in our
community with déjà vu
of the Albertsons, Haggen
debacle where a new store
opened but then closed
shortly after, putting us in
the same situation of only
having one grocery store.
Warner stated that they
had expected “an answer
from them (Albertsons of-
ficials) last Friday but they
had requested more time,
we are expecting to hear
something this week.”
So it seems nothing de-
finitive has transpired yet.
Warner also briefly
advised Council that there
have been some mechani-
cal issues at the 911 center
and some improvements
were needed. Also men-
tioned were the Mayor’s
Council meeting Friday at
noon in Haines and Warner
urged any of the Coun-
cilors to attend with him.
Warner also stated that an
Economic Development
meeting was being held
on Thursday at the County
Courthouse.
Councilor Comments
Mayor Mosier stated she
had recently attended an
Oregon Mayor’s Asso-
ciation meeting advising
her fellow Councilors
she would be happy to
share information she had
learned should anyone
be interested. Councilor
Thomas formally wel-
comed Councilor Joseph
and with that the meeting
adjourned.
me, is their commitment to
the community...They’re
very conscientious about
everybody in the commu-
nity,” Parker said.
The Defrees family has
active membership in the
Baker County Chapter
of the Small Woodlands
Association, the Blue
Mountain Forest Coopera-
tive, Eastern Oregon Forest
Protective Association,
and OSU’s Tree School
East Planning Committee.
Parker said, if the Defrees
receive the American For-
est Foundation’s National
Tree Farmer of the Year
award, it will be the first
time for anyone from east-
ern Oregon.
The Fair Board includes
Chairman Ron Rowan,
Vice Chairman Dean
Defrees, and members
Christina Smith, Michelle
Kaseberg, Mark Johnson,
Cynthia Norton, and Cliff
Schoeningh. Fair Staff
includes Manager Angie
Turner, Assistant Man-
ager Rochelle Adams, and
Bruce Smith, Maintenance/
Janitorial. Terri Siddoway,
Janice Cowan, Rob El-
lingson, and Mark Bennett
serve as Advisory Board
members.
Last year, Rowan said,
the event brought in almost
$4,100 (and over 70 people
attended), and $1,000 from
Friends of the Fair was
used to purchase the stage.
New purchases included
tables as well, and, through
a grant of $7,000, and a
contribution from Friends
of the Fair of $1,000, new
fencing is planned for this
year.
Kaseberg announced the
Fair Family, the Defrees,
Kaseberg said there were
two letters of support for
the nomination, one of
which Kaseberg had writ-
ten. She read hers: “With
great honor, I would like
to nominate the Defrees
family of Sumpter Valley,
for 2016 Baker County
Fair Family. The Defrees
family has been a part of
the Baker County 4-H
program... Mr. and Mrs.
Defrees have instilled in
their kids a sense of pride
in their family heritage,
and pride in their ranch, in
keeping it ... sustainable
... Mr. and Mrs. Defrees,
along with their children,
Nancy, Dean, and Cheryl,
were very involved with
various programs, and
various projects...I can’t
wait for the next genera-
tion of Defrees family to
show their animals at the
fair...”
Kaseberg spoke about
Dean’s efforts serving on
the Board, and the im-
provements to the fair-
grounds, along with the
Defrees’s Tree Farmer of
the Year award.
Rohner read her nomina-
tion letter: “I believe the
Defrees family should be
the Fair Family of 2016.
Growing up, I remember
the Defrees kids, Nancy,
Dean, and Cheryl, always
having various projects at
the fair. Dean became in-
volved with the Fair Board
as an adult, soon after he
returned to the family farm
after college. Dean and
Nancy’s children all grew
up with the Baker Junior
Show as part of their sum-
mers. Dean and Sharon,
and Nancy and John were
very involved at this time...
Dean continues to be on
the Fair Board, long after
his children’s involvement,
showing their dedication to
the children of the com-
munity. You can count
on Sharon and Dean to
adhere to the rules, that a
Fair Family must smile all
week (followed by laugh-
ter from the crowd). Enjoy
your week.”
Nonpartisan
issue
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Last week, the County Clerk’s office confirmed that the
group had successfully gathered in excess of the 430 sig-
natures needed by the end of August, meaning the issue
once again returns to the voters in November.
To recap past coverage of the issue, Oregon has always
had a closed primary, meaning Republican voters receive
Republican ballots and Democrat voters receive Demo-
crat ballots.
Rohner has stated that she believes only the voice of
one party is heard as a result when it comes to elections,
including that of County Commissioner.
“That’s nonsense,” counters Baker County Republican
Chair, Suzan Ellis Jones. “The local Democrats have just
as much opportunity to find a viable candidate to run for
any of these positions. They have failed at a County level
to produce an electable candidate.”
Jones believes that by removing party affiliation,
candidate transparency is diminished, and voters may be
tricked into believing a candidate is conservative when
they’re not, or vice versa.
Rudi, who is registered as a nonaffiliated voter or NAV,
is quoted in another media source as being displeased
with having to re-register during each primary in order to
vote.
“This shows the ignorance we’re dealing with here,”
said Jones. “Under Oregon Statute, NAVs can just put in
writing to the County Clerk which ballot they’d like to re-
ceive, and vote either way without re-registering. They’ve
never been disenfranchised.”
“They don’t know the system at all, and yet they want
to change it,” said Jones.
Jones also points out one nasty side-effect of changing
Commissioner seats to nonpartisan: loss of local control.
She said, “If a commissioner resigns, under a nonparti-
san system we lose a whole layer of local representation.”
At present, under the partisan system, there are up to
48 precinct committee people from all corners of Baker
County, elected by voters to represent them at a precinct-
level. These grassroots elected officials would be tapped
to serve during the nominee selection process when
replacing a commissioner.
“The decision, if we went nonpartisan, would be left to
just two remaining Commissioners or even worse—the
Governor if two commissioners resign. The governor
would choose the first commissioner, and then the new
commissioner and the remaining commissioner would
select the third person themselves. Who would want Kate
Brown deciding who our County Commissioner will be?”
Jones asked.
Solar pilot project
proposed
Idaho Power customers may soon be able to participate
in a Community Solar Pilot Program if the company’s
proposal is approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Com-
mission (IPUC).
Under the proposal, Idaho Power would build a
500-kilowatt (kW) solar array on property it owns near
its Boise Bench substation on Amity Road. Interested
customers could purchase subscriptions entitling them to
a portion of the electrical output from the project. They
would receive a monthly bill credit based on the amount
of solar generation. Additional details about the program
are available at idahopower.com/solar.
Kaseberg presented Dean
with the award and gift
basket. Dean said it’s been
a privilege serving, and
thanked everyone.
The dinner included
sliced beef, broccoli
salad, dinner salad, beans,
potatoes, garlic bread, des-
sert, and beverages. The
beef—about 120 pounds
of ball tip, provided for
the dinner—was acquired
through Country Natural
Beef. The rest of the meal
was prepared by Turner,
and Kaseberg.
The beef was barbecued
on the “Titanic,” a grill
owned by Dan and Jo War-
nock of Sumpter Valley,
converted from a large tank
found on their property,
by a friend from Eugene
over 20 years ago. It was
dubbed the Titanic by Jo
when she first noted the
size of it, and saw the rivet
pattern, which reminded
her of the ship with the
same name, she said. This
Titanic’s crew included the
Warnocks, and Butch, Kay,
and Del Markgraf.
Tyler Brown, Manager
of Barley Brown’s Brew
Pub in Baker City, was
present again this year,
serving Barley’s Coyote
Peak Wheat, and Pallet
Jack IPA.
Following the dinner was
the lively pie auction, with
donated pies and desserts
from members of the com-
munity. Extra beef was
also auctioned, with Baker
City Manager Fred Warner,
Jr. at the microphone, as
auctioneer, and Dallas as-
sisting him as his “Vanna
White,” he said.
Brown, who was the high
bidder last year with his
purchase of a pie for $300,
held that honor this year,
purchasing one for $450.
Previous Fair Fami-
lies of the Year included:
Markgraf family (2001);
Barr family (2002); Bunch
family (2003); Wendt
family (2004); Cockram
family (2005); Rohner
family (2006); Jacobs fam-
ily (2007); Phillips family
(2008); Gerald and Bonnie
Colton (2009); Coomer
family (2010); Crabill fam-
ily (2011); Rob and Dianne
Ellington (2012); Warner
family (2013); Siddoway
family (2014); and Morris
family (2015).
The mission of the Baker
County Fair Board is to
“...manage, maintain, and
promote the Baker County
Fair Grounds for the ben-
efit of its citizens.”