8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016
Local
Sumpter’s City Hall
gets a facelift
Bike patrol
activated
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Rejuvenation efforts at
Sumpter’s City Hall are
underway, with Sumpter
Valley Community Volun-
teers (SCVC) taking on the
venture of restaining and
repainting the structure.
John Young of SVCV
said, “Give us a few more
weeks and it will look re-
ally good.”
SVCV obtained permis-
sion from Sumpter City
Council at their June
meeting to undertake the
project. LeAnne Woolf of
SVCV explained City Hall
has been looking pretty
scruffy. Young said, “It
needed to be done.”
Much volunteer labor
has gone into the task,
from scraping to stain-
ing. Young said use of a
lift was donated by Kurt
Clarke and Leland Myers.
A small work crew met at
9 a.m. Friday, July 22nd,
to stain and paint trim
on the City Hall façade.
Myrna Clarke provided
coffee and goodies after
the work was complete.
Young explained this is
just one of the items SVCV
plans to tackle this sum-
mer. Their next project
will be building a covered
walkway into the Com-
munity Center. In addi-
Photo courtesy of the BCPD.
Reserve Officer Dan Kloopman.
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
Last Friday’s work party drew volunteers.
tion, SVCV has taken over
management of Music in
the Meadow and will also
be doing something at the
Labor Day Flea Market.
SVCV members are
looking forward to future
restoration projects at the
Superintendent’s House
(Wright House), if transfer
from Oregon Parks and
Recreation to the City of
Sumpter goes through.
Woolf said the final deci-
sion will be announced in
September.
Woolf mentioned that
she would like to someday
at least do some clean up
at the original steam plant
building, erected in 1897.
Other project ideas are
displayed in the Sumpter
Community Center.
Per the SVCV website
(sumptervolunteers.word-
press.com), the mission
of SVCV is “to provide
resources for organizing
and promoting fundraising
events and work parties
that benefit and enhance
the quality of life for
residents of the historical
Sumpter Valley area.”
The next meeting of
SVCV is Thursday, August
11th at 6:30 p.m. at the
Community Center. Meet-
ings are open to the public.
School Board chair, vice chair
elected, gifts received from China
BY SAMANTHA
O’CONNER
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker School
District met July 21 and,
for next the term, Kevin
Cassidy was elected Board
Chair and Melissa Irvine
was elected as Board Vice
Chair.
During their meeting, the
Board members were given
a gift of thanks from the
two teachers accompany-
ing the Chinese exchange
students. Mr. Xu is an
English teacher and Mrs.
Yuan is a computer and
technology teacher. They
presented the district with
a wall scroll with a scenery
picture and a video of their
hometown in China. The
district gave the teachers
things made in Baker City
or with Baker City on them
as gifts of thanks.
The board began with
discussions of the OSBA
Summer Conference
reports by Cassidy, Irvine,
and Autumn Harrell. The
OSBA was held in Bend
and Cassidy began by
discussing some topics he
attended during this Con-
ference. One of the topics
he discussed was Reimag-
ine Education in Oregon
which is, according to Cas-
sidy, Oregon’s plan for the
Every Student Succeeds
Act or E.S.S.A .
Cassidy discussed
how there were questions
regarding what that means
and how, as a locally elect-
ed school boards position,
they were concerned that
there is not a continued
overreach from the Federal
government.
They discussed the
OSBA’s position on the
three initiatives. The
OSBA was neutral on
IP28, the new Corporate
Tax Initiative, and IP68 the
outdoor school initiative.
OSBA were in favor and
support of IP65. This, as
it is written now, tackles
funding that is in margin
in lottery funds that will be
equivalent to roughly $800
per student in the current
formula.
Cassidy explained,
however, that it is targeted
to Career and Technical
Education Programs and
the way it is written out
says “new programs.” For
districts that have existing
programs or have invested
in programs, there may be
some flexibility in how the
integrating of the funding
should pass. Or the District
will evaluate and look at
new opportunities they
may have and how they
may target the funding.
Typically, OSBA does
not support any initiative
that does not allow local
control of the funds. They
want sustainable funding
that can be utilized for
districts specific needs and
not mandated with specific
boundaries.
The example Cassidy
gave was P.E requirements,
explaining that though well
intended, it does not allow
the district to fit what they
would want to do with
their students and commu-
nity as compared to what
a community like Salem
might do.
Irvine discussed a topic
at the conference she at-
tended regarding equity in
schools. She explained it
talked about equity does
not mean equality. It talked
specifically about how
it means giving students
the tools they need to get
to where they need to go.
She explained that it was
interesting and how Baker
is not seen as very diverse,
but it is. She explained
In years past, as the availability of officers permitted,
the Baker City Police Department (BCPD) utilized a
bicycle patrol in selected areas of the city. The Leo Adler
Parkway, all city parks, and the downtown area benefitted
from the access afforded by bicycle as opposed to motor
vehicle patrol. With an increase in calls for service it
became difficult, in fact nearly impossible, to free up full
time personnel for this assignment.
This year the Department’s Reserve Officer corps,
which numbers ten personnel, was asked to take on this
assignment on an as available basis. Several Reserves
volunteered for this duty and were trained by Officer
Lance Woodward who is a certified police bicycle patrol
instructor. It is anticipated that several more Reserve
Officers will complete this training in the near future and
add to the hours and days of the week when such patrols
occur.
The focus of our bicycle patrol program is on areas of
the city which cannot be readily accessed by patrol car.
In particular the Leo Adler Parkway and all city parks
benefit from these close up patrols. Such offenses as dogs
off leash, minors in possession of alcohol, smoking in city
parks, and narcotics related offenses are the most deterred
by this type of patrol.
In addition, bicycle patrol officers have contact with
youthful bicycle riders and can offer them tips on safe
operation of their bikes. Thus far members of the public
encountered during such patrols have expressed great
support for the program.
The BCPD anticipates the bicycle patrol remaining in
operation, staffed by Reserve Officers, as long as weather
permits.
DUII arrest
made during
tournament
Samantha O’Conner / The Baker County Press
Kevin Cassidy accepts art work presented by Mr.
Xu.
how it would be beneficial
to think about how they
can provide the students
the tools they all need to
succeed.
Andrew Bryan explained
Baker Technical Institute
(BTI) will be in a number
of announcements in the
next two or three weeks,
and the integration at the
high school is continuing.
The district is finding ways
to find ways for BTI to be
involved with K6 as with
high school students.
Irvine discussed that she
had worked with her as-
sociations at the Y and
became involved with the
summer academy. She
did Zumba classes and a
general fitness class with
the children. She explained
how the students were hav-
ing fun outside and how it
was neat for her to see stu-
dents, who had struggled,
having fun at school in
those classes.
In a pamphlet given at
the meeting a BTI entity
has been created and the
IRS should rule on tax ex-
empt status within 60 days.
DHS announced that they
are approved to partner
with BTI to assist with the
creation and implementa-
tion of a career prep course
for BTI students. DHS will
contribute approximately
half the salary of the pro-
gram coordinator for a year
to accomplish this. They
have also dedicated ap-
proximately $30k to assist
with tuition for learners
that cannot otherwise pay.
The district is negotiat-
ing on a partnership to
launch a heavy equipment
operating school and more
information is to come re-
garding these negotiations.
According to the pamphlet,
the Baker High School
Boiler construction has be-
gun, the South Baker roof
drains have been repaired,
and bus land and sidewalks
are under construction.
They are widening the
sidewalk for safety and
adding a new curb, land-
scaping and lighting.
SEE SCHOOL BOARD
PAGE 9
Since last Saturday, a State Softball Tournament has
been held at the Baker Sports Complex. The event has
drawn teams from throughout the state and has generally
been a very positive event for the community and for the
participants. Several incidents involving verbal disputes
over officiating decisions have occurred. That is not
unusual in competitive sport environments. Those have
been resolved without the need for enforcement action.
On Saturday, Sergeant Wayne Chastain was doing a
“walk through” patrol at the Sports Complex when he
was approached by a citizen who reported a possible
driver under the influence of alcohol operating a vehicle
in the parking area of the complex. The citizen provided a
description of the vehicle and driver. With the parking lot
crowded with those attending the event, including many
children and young adults, an impaired driver posed a
danger to public safety.
Chastain responded to the parking area where the
driver was last observed, spotted the car and made con-
tact with the driver. Sgt. Chastain, a certified drug and
alcohol recognition expert, quickly determined that the
driver (Teressa Lynn Leech, 52 years of age, of Baker
City) was operating a motor vehicle under the influence
of alcohol. As Chastain placed her under arrest and began
to handcuff her for transport to jai Leech began to physi-
cally resist. With the assistance of Officer Daniel Pelayo,
Leech was handcuffed and was transported to Baker
County Jail for booking.
Leech was booked on the charges of: Reckless En-
dangering, Driving under a suspended license, Resisting
Arrest, and Driving under the Influence of an Intoxicant.
New wolves
In early March 2016, four wolves were found within
the traditional Imnaha Pack wintering area. A 10-month-
old pup was radio-collared and released. That wolf
dispersed from the area in mid-April. DNA analysis
showed that the wolf was not related to any Imnaha Pack
wolves, indicating a new group of wolves were using
the area. What is now believed to be the entire Imnaha
Pack was removed in late March in response to chronic
depredation. As of July, resident wolf activity has been
documented again in the area. Biologists will continue
monitoring activities to learn more about these wolves.