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Friday, April 14, 2017 • Volume 4, Issue 15
City goal
planning
begins
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Monday evening the Baker City Council met to
discuss goals. All Councilors were present as were City
Manager Fred Warner, Fire Chief Tom Wills, Police Chief
Wyn Lohner, Public Works Director Michelle Owen,
Finance Manager Jeanie Dexter, City Recorder/Human
Resource Manager Julie Smith and Community Develop-
ment Coordinator Robin Nudd.
SEE CITY GOALS PAGE 4
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
City Council members and Department heads gathered Monday evening to begin planning efforts for the
coming year.
City Council talks fee
increases, watershed
Sumpter
readies for
Elkhorn
Crest Trail
race
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Gina K. Swartz/ The Baker County Press
L-R: Mayor Mike Downing, with Dispatchers Lindsay Hodgson and Jessica Lynch who accepted a 911
proclamation at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Mayor Downing called the fi rst April City Council
meeting to order. Councilor Nilsson lead the Pledge of
Allegiance and invocation sharing words by E.E. Cum-
mings. Julie Smith, City Recorder/Human Resources,
called roll with all councilors being present. Downing
asked for a motion to approve minutes from the March
28, 2017 Council meeting noting no corrections. Coun-
cilor Joseph made a motion to approve with Councilor
Nilsson seconding that motion. A unanimous vote was
cast. Downing then called for citizen participation, seeing
none he moved onto the agenda.
Ratifi cation of Baker City Professional Firefi ghters
Contract
City Manager Warner addressed Council that a tenta-
tive agreement had been reached. Employees had ratifi ed
the contract, which was now before Council for approval.
As with the recent police contract, this contract will
change the length to allow for expiration to coincide with
the fi scal year.
This contract will expire June 30, 2020 and will give
fi refi ghters a 1% pay increase retroactive to January 1,
2017 and 1.5% annual pay increases in 2018, 2019 and
2020. Upon a motion to accept the contract made by
Joseph and a second by Nilsson, Council unanimously
Friday
Mostly cloudy with rain showers and a few snow
fl akes mixed in. Highs in the upper 40s. Friday
Night: Mostly cloudy with rain/snow showers.
Lows in the upper 20s.
Saturday
Partly sunny with early lingering showers. Highs
near 50. Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows
near freezing.
Sunday
Partly sunny and milder. Highs in the mid 50s.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a few rain
showers. Lows in the mid 30s.
voted to accept the contract as negotiated. Warner then
stated to Council that “all three labor unions have now
been done.”
Agreement with GSI Water Solutions for ASR
Evaluation
Michelle Owen, Public Works Director, explained to
Council that before them was a scope of work task order
for their approval for GSI Water Solutions.
The money for this work has already been budgeted for
and was included in the water facilities master plan. GSI
Water Solutions’ work will include ASR (Aquafer storage
and recovery) operations evaluation, water rights optimi-
zation, groundwater well siting evaluation and prelimi-
nary design for a well.
Nilsson asked Owen, “Are the fees being charged
competitive?”
Owen acknowledged that they were.
Downing asked if the scope of work would include
an evaluation of the City’s current well to which Owen
stated they would.
Councilor Thomas moved to approve, Joseph made a
second and by unanimous vote the task order was ap-
proved.
911 Telecommunicator Week Proclamation
Downing read a proclamation declaring April 9-15,
2017 911 Telecommunicator Week.
Sumpter City Council met
on the drizzly evening of
April 11th.
Mayor Cary Clarke and
Councilors Linda Wise,
Samantha Rowan, and
Robert Armbruster were in
attendance.
Elkhorn Crest Ultra
Meghan Andersch /
Runners
The Baker County Press
Trevor Hostetler ad-
Trevor Hostetler
dressed Council regarding
describes the upcoming
plans to hold an Elkhorn
Elkhorn Crest Trail race.
Crest Trail race on August
19th. The Grounds in
Sumpter have been rented as the staging area. Runners
will be bussed up to Bourne, run up one of the Forest Ser-
vice roads to the Crests, run up and down several peaks,
and fi nish at the Sumpter Grounds after 50-ish miles.
There will also be a marathon course available.
SEE SUMPTER PAGE 8
Hearing set
in BMCC
lawsuit
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
A pre-trial hearing is set for late May in Baker County
Circuit Court Case No. 16CV36651, Peggy Hudson v.
Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC), in which
Hudson, former BMCC Baker County Associate Vice
President (AVP), seeks at least $463,225, for claims of
employment discrimination, to include whistleblowing,
age discrimination, and common law wrongful discharge.
SEE BMCC LAWSUIT PAGE 5
SEE CITY COUNCIL PAGE 3
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
‘Path of Totality’ art show
Chronic disease workshop
OTEC scholarship winners
Another wolf depredation meeting
County: Assessor’s software issues
Mining zone change fi nally approved
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