8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
Local
City approves new crusher bucket, sale of property
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker City Council
met Tuesday, November 22
for a regularly scheduled
Council meeting.
With all Councilors pres-
ent with the exception of
Councilor Lowe, Mayor
Mosier opened the meet-
ing. Councilor Abell led
the Pledge of Allegiance
followed by an invocation
where she said a few words
about being thankful.
Council quickly moved
to approve the consent
agenda then Mayor Mosier
called for Citizen partici-
pation of which there was
none.
Council then turned its
attention to the agenda.
Justice Court Update
Trial Court Admin-
istrator Michael Finney
addressed Council stating
that in the previous quarter
there had been an increase
in cases from 162 to 235.
“Looks like business re-
ally picked up for the PD,”
he joked.
He stated that revenue
was up approximately
$2,000 for the quarter,
slightly higher than last
year at the same time.
“We picked up criminal
cases again—the new Dep-
uty District Attorney that
came on board last month
threw about 15 new cases
in our lap right out of the
gate,” Finney explained.
He told Council that
they have also been down
a Court Clerk. The Baker
County Tax office shares
an employee with Justice
Court and since the County
is in the midst of property
tax season that employee
has been solely in the tax
office but is expected to
return to Justice Court by
mid-December.
Finney indicated that he
handles the criminal cases
and although it has created
a bit more work for him
“We’re doing just fine,” he
said.
Criminal cases being
filed in Justice Court are
non-person misdemeanor
cases only.
Crusher Bucket Pur-
chase
Michelle Owen, Public
Works Director explained
to Council that this past
summer a process was
done that selected equip-
ment for work on the
Mountain Line project.
The selected equipment
was then rented, with
Council approval, for use
on the project.
“It has gone very well,”
Said Owen indicating a
larger than expected por-
tion had been completed
and she did not feel that
the crews would have to
return to the same area
next spring for further
work because the process
“just worked very well.”
A crusher bucket was
among the equipment
rented and as Owen said,
“During the course of the
project, we realized how
well the crusher bucket
worked to help us just be
very efficient. The pressure
bucket just attaches to the
excavator picks up the rock
that’s been dug out and
crushes it and makes it into
bedding material. We then
use that material to bed the
pipe and that saves us from
having to haul truckloads
of rock up there.”
Owen explained that she
wasn’t prepared to say one
should be purchased at
the time of rental because
she “hadn’t seen one in
action.”
After having used one
she feels that it would be in
the best interest of the City
to purchase rather than rent
this piece of equipment
based on efficiency and
cost effectiveness. Pur-
chasing the equipment vs.
renting it repeatedly.
Oregon Tractor and
Supply, who the crusher
bucket was rented from,
approached the City stat-
ing they would be willing
to sell the crusher bucket
and apply all previous
rental payments toward the
purchase.
The total cost of the
crusher bucket is $76,500.
After applying $18,000 in
rental credit the remaining
balance to outright pur-
chase the crusher bucket is
$58,500.
Councilor Joseph moved
to approve purchase of
the crusher bucket with a
second heard by Councilor
Thomas. Council cast a
unanimous vote in favor of
the purchase.
Historic District Design
Review Commission
Term Extension
Gail Duman, who cur-
rently serves on this com-
mission contacted Julie
Smith, Human Resources
Manager/City Recorder
regarding a discrepancy
in the way the ordinance
reads about the commis-
sion term expiations and
the way the Duman’s term
is currently set to expire.
Duman’s term has been
set to expire January 2017.
The term for that seat
should not have been set
to expire until January of
2018.
According to Smith, it
was unclear when or how
the mix-up happened but
was suggesting that Coun-
cil extend Duman’s term
by one year to realign with
the ordinance.
Smith advised Duman
was willing to continue her
service on the committee.
Councilor Joseph moved
to approve extending the
term by one year with
a second by Councilor
Downing.
The motion carried
unanimously.
Salmon Creek Prop-
erty Sale Approval
City Manager Warner ad-
vised Council that an offer
on parcel #2, of the 3 avail-
able parcels on Salmon
Creek, in the amount of
$87,500 had been made
with the provisions that
the City survey the north
and south property lines
and they reimburse the
buyer for the installation of
conduit to provide power
to the property at a cost of
$3,330.
Warner explained that the
surveying of the property
could be done at a very
minimal cost by the City
Engineer and the purchase
of parcel #2 and subse-
quent installation of power
added an important factor
for selling parcels #1 and
#3.
Having that underground
access to power would
potentially increase the
value of Parcels #1 and
#3 and therefore the City
could recoup the $3,300
in the added value for the
properties once sold.
He was recommending
the Council approve the
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
Justice Court administrator Michael Finney and Judge Don Williams addressing
Council.
sale.
Councilor Joseph moved
to approve the sale with
a second by Councilor
Downing.
Council voted to unani-
mously approve the sale
the property for $87,500
accepting the buyer’s
requests.
City Manager/Director
Comments
City Manager Warner
suggested to Council
that with the changing of
Councilors after the first of
the year, due to the election
and some Councilors terms
ending, he would really
like to see an Orientation
done to help new Council-
ors understand the inner
workings of Council.
He also felt that with
some midterm appointed
councilors there would be
a few that have never been
through the budget cycle,
including himself, and he
felt it would be helpful to
shed light on that process
as well.
He also indicated the
desire to begin looking
at dates for some work
sessions and goal setting
session as soon as possible.
He did note that the ac-
tual election results had not
yet been certified, but to
expect that at the Decem-
ber 13th Council meeting.
Mayor Mosier said
“You’ll have a couple of
new Councilors and some
newly returning Councilors
so getting everybody on
the same page early on is
smart.”
Mayor Mosier’s term is
expiring and she will not
be returning in January,
as is Councilor Langrell’s
term.
Warner also advised
Council that Tom Wills has
been hired as interim Fire
Chief.
Wills, like Mark John
the City’s most recent Fire
Chief who left November
19th to accept a position
in Spokane, WA., is from
Anaheim CA.
Wills has over 35 years
in Fire/EMS work and is
scheduled to begin Decem-
ber 5, 2016.
Until Wills is able to
take the helm, Cliff Hall is
serving the role as interim
Fire Chief.
Wills will serve for a
guaranteed six months
as the City assesses the
position and direction they
want to go.
At that time, Wills would
be able to apply for a
permanent position if he
chooses.
Julie Smith spoke briefly
to Council regarding an
evaluation of City Manager
Warner.
She said, “As most
of you remember in the
employment contract
between the City and the
City Manager calls for a
performance evaluation
after the first six months
of employment and then
yearly near the anniver-
sary date of hire. With two
councilors leaving this
would be a good chance to
provide feedback.”
She stated she would
like to have the evaluations
back before the next coun-
cil meeting, where Council
would meet in Executive
Session to discuss the
matter.
Council Comments
Councilor Abell re-
minded everyone about
the upcoming Christmas
parade followed by the tree
lighting.
This year’s theme is
“Sleigh bells, Snow and
Mistletoe.”
The Parade is Saturday,
December 3 at 5 p.m.
Homes for the Parlor tour
are still being compiled
but will be happening on
December 10 from moon
to 5 p.m..
Tickets are available at
Bella’s, Betty’s Books,
The Chamber, Crossroads
or the Baker Heritage
Museum.
With nothing further,
Mayor Mosier closed the
meeting.
Pilot program pairs BTI and DHS locally
In an effort to remove
barriers that prevent
Eastern Oregonians from
developing the skills they
need to pursue or grow
a career, earn higher
wages and provide for their
families, Baker Technical
Institute (BTI) in partner-
ship with the Department
of Human Services (DHS)
and local businesses have
collaborated to create a
program that builds and
strengthens the rural work-
force.
Using TANF (Temporary
Assistance for Needy Fam-
ilies) reinvestment dollars,
the coalition of private and
public stakeholders work
to promote self-sufficiency
and economically viable
communities. Programs are
being offered to provide
specific job skills train-
ing while addressing the
workforce needs of local
businesses.
The partnership is fo-
cused on providing oppor-
tunities to participate in ca-
reer and technical courses
along with skills training in
areas that are critical to ca-
reer success like customer
service, professionalism,
interviewing skills, resume
writing, accountability and
teamwork.
The goal is to develop
technical career skills and
incorporate soft skill com-
ponents so learners will
be more prepared to retain
jobs. Following completion
of the training program,
students are offered an
interview with a local busi-
ness for which their skills
are a match.
“Education is the key
to ensuring that Eastern
Oregon remains a thriv-
ing region, now and in
the future,” said Tammy
Pierce, program coordina-
tor of Baker Technical
Institute. “By implement-
ing collaborative programs
that address the workforce
training needs of rural
businesses with innova-
tive solutions that address
the social and economic
challenges of poverty, we
not only create economic
stability but a sustainable
future for rural Oregon.”
As an example, since
early 2016 BTI has offered
three, four-week weld-
ing courses that prepare
students for an immediate
career with Baker City’s
Behlen Manufacturing.
The company, in turn,
provides the materials for
the course.
DHS identifies clients
to participate in the class
and uses TANF dollars to
finance their skills educa-
tion, while also addressing
social barriers to education
like food, housing and
transportation. In addi-
tion to instructing welding
skills in a replica of the
Behlen Manufacturing site,
BTI is teaching learners
about the importance of
safety, drug and alcohol-
free workplace, punctuality
and job site visits.
“We understand the criti-
cal need for adult learners
to have access to job skills
training close to home,”
said Rhonda Culley, Self-
Sufficiency Program Man-
ager. “We were interested
in the partnership because
of BTI’s innovative and ac-
cessible training programs
that take weeks, rather than
months, to complete, and
because of BTI’s existing
relationship with employ-
ers.”
About Baker Technical
Institute:
Baker Technical Insti-
tute (BTI) is a leading
provider of Career Techni-
cal Education programs
focused on developing the
next generation of skilled
workers, technology in-
novators, entrepreneurs,
and community leaders
in rural communities.
Headquartered in Baker
City, Oregon, BTI offers
cutting-edge education
and training, leading to
certification in high-wage,
high-demand careers, such
as agricultural sciences,
building trades, natural
resources/environmental
sciences, engineering,
health services, welding,
and manufacturing.
For more information, go
to bakerti.org.
Community Bank charity drive underway
Community Bank is con-
ducting its annual Charity
Drive. The program is an
effort to collect funds from
the community, to be used
in that same community
during the holiday season.
Funds collected will
be matched at .50 on the
dollar up to a maximum
of $500 in matching funds
per branch. Last year, over
$24,000 was able to be dis-
persed to over ten charities
in the region.
Since the Community
Bank Charity Drive began
in 2010, the total amount
given to area charities now
exceeds $119,500, that’s an
average of almost $20,000
per year.
Charities that will benefit
this year: Baker City is
collecting for food banks in
the Baker City area; Col-
lege Place & Walla Walla
Branches are collecting for
playground at Fort Walla
Walla; Elgin branch, for
the Elgin Food Bank; En-
terprise & Joseph Branches
are collecting for the Com-
munity Connection Food
Bank; Heppner branch is
collecting funds for the
Neighborhood Center Food
Bank; Hermiston branch
is collecting for CASA of
Umatilla Morrow County;
La Grande Branches are
raising funds for the Union
County Friday Backpack
Program; Milton-Freewater
for the City Light and
Power Energy Assistance
Program; Pendleton branch
is collecting for the Chil-
dren’s Museum of Eastern
Oregon; Wallowa branch
collects for the Wallowa
Food Bank.
Branches will have jars
available through the 20th.