FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017
Classifieds / Local
FARM / RANCH
12 yr.-old
sorrel mare.
14 hands high.
$1000.
541-519-5035.
LAWN / GARDEN
LAWNMOWER.
Craftsman lawnmower.
Works great but owner
has upgraded to an
easier to start mower
for herself. Retailed for
around $350. Asking
$150. 541.519.0572.
Leave a voicemail.
RENTALS
Office Space for rent in Baker City. Prime downtown
location. Handicap accessible. Off-street parking. Air
conditioning. 541-523-5851.
NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING
A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the City
of Sumpter, Baker County, State of Oregon, to discuss the
budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018
will be held at the Sumpter City Hall, 240 N. Mill Street,
Sumpter Oregon. The meeting will take place on 1st of
June 2017 at 3:00 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget
message and to receive comments from the public on the
proposed budget.
This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Bud-
get Committee will take place. Any person may appear to
discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Commit-
tee.
A copy of the budget document may be inspected or ob-
tained on or after June 1, 2017 at Sumpter City Hall, 240
N. Mill Street, Sumpter, Oregon, between the hours of 8
am noon and 1 pm to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
At this meeting, a PUBLIC HEARING will be held to
receive written and/or oral comments on the possible use
of State Revenue Sharing Funds received by the City of
Sumpter.
The City of Sumpter complies with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Dis-
abilities Act. Assistance is available for individuals with
disabilities by calling 541-894-2314 or the Oregon Tele-
communication Relay Service.
—Julie McKinney, Budget Officer, City of Sumpter, OR 5.12
Commercial marijuana grow
ban discussed in Sumpter
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Thursday, May 4th
saw a public hearing in
Sumpter on a proposed or-
dinance to ban commercial
marijuana grows. Written
testimony was turned in
prior to the meeting, which
was conducted by the Plan-
ning Commission. Leland
Myers served as hearing
officer with Commission
member John Young also
present. LeAnne Woolf
served as secretary for the
meeting.
Woolf read aloud the
proposed ordinance and
clarified that did not serve
as an official first reading,
but was done for infor-
mational purposes. The
ordinance would prohibit
commercial marijuana
grows within the Sumpter
city limits and impose a
$500 daily fine along with
disconnection of water and
sewer service for viola-
tions.
Kathleen Whitesell
stated the City water is
stressed in the summertime
anyway and she is in favor
of the ordinance. Dennis
Farnsworth asked about
other types of agriculture
that would adversely affect
water, such as growing
tomatoes in a greenhouse
and stated the ordinance
should not restrict just one
product.
Greg Selig stated he
moved to Sumpter a
couple of years ago for the
unique environment. He
said he has been around
grows and the smell is hor-
rendous. He is in favor of
the ordinance.
Cary Clarke stated he
is for the ordinance “one
hundred percent” because
the town “just doesn’t need
any more of that element.”
He said there have been
a few issues in the last
couple of weeks.
Dick Brown was also
for the ordinance. He said
he has been around some
grows in Arizona and they
really do stink. He said he
also has an issue with the
elements that can come
in with the grows. He
already has a borderline
homeless camp near his
house and doesn’t want
any more. Brown later
clarified he has nothing
against people smoking
pot or the marijuana shops
in town.
Catherine Dodgens said
many have worked too
hard to make Sumpter a
historic zone. She stated
she was part of Neighbor-
hood Watch for six years.
She said she heard one
business is growing with-
out permission and that
she has seen one of the ele-
ments she chased out for
six years openly standing
in front of the business.
Jeff McKinney asked
what are the benefits to
the town of having a grow.
Myers replied that there is
not the same kind of tax
base from grows. Employ-
ment may be a benefit.
Portia Mittons stated
that benefits would be
employment, payment
of water bill “when they
have water”, payment of
electricity, and helping
Sumpter to “sort of be put
on the map.” She said this
a tourist town and when
people come in to visit a
grow, that would also bring
money to other businesses.
Mittons said she is
against the ordinance. Re-
garding water limits, she
suggested that if someone
wants to do a grow, they
could be required to put in
a well. She said smell is
relative and can be reduced
by charcoal. She said the
City would get tax dollars
from a grow, though not
as much as from the retail
sites.
As to the element the
business brings in, she
stated it would be business
owners such as herself
who have never had more
than a speeding ticket. She
said employers do back-
ground checks and run a
tight business, not a party
for people to get high. She
said grows would be inside
a facility and not visible.
Linda Wise said she is
in favor of the ordinance.
Even if grown in a facility,
there are still odors and we
are “up in mountains for
clean, fresh air.” She said
the liveability of Sumpter
for those who don’t sup-
port this must be consid-
ered. Some people came
for a simpler, quieter life
and “we’ll have to decide
what’s more important—
another business or quiet
life in Sumpter.”
Wise said that if a nurs-
ery wanted to take a block,
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
Leland Myers, acting hearing officer, addressing the
public. John Young is to the left.
the City would have to
look at the water issue for
that, too.
Randy Joseph stated he
has been here over twenty
years and has watched the
town shrink over that time.
He does not see a grow
as a threat or the people
involved as criminals or
degenerates. Marijuana is
a big business nationwide
and he thinks it would be a
bigger benefit than harm.
Carson Farnsworth stated
as the town continues to
dwindle, these types of
businesses will bring in
people who purchase real
estate. Myers shared that
Sumpter is the only city
in Baker County that is
currently growing. Most
of the growth is retired
people. Wise stated
Sumpter is not growing by
hundreds but is not a dying
town. Clarke said he built
four new homes last year
and has five scheduled this
year. None have any ties
to the marijuana, but are
due to the recreational op-
portunities and “laid-back
way of life.”
McKinney asked what
happens next. Myers
stated the Planning Com-
mission will take all letters
and oral testimony, sit
down with it, and make a
recommendation to City
Council based on the
testimony. He said that
if those present wished
him to read the letters, he
would do so, but that of all
those received, only one
was against the ordinance.
Clarke asked if the Com-
mission could try to have
their evaluation to Council
before the next Council
meeting.
Samantha Rowan asked
if anyone has looked into
the real estate side of
things. She said she has
spoken with a local realtor
who has both listed and
sold houses for much more
than anticipated due to the
local marijuana businesses.
Dennis Farnsworth
asked if there are any
grows on the horizon.
Rowan stated there are
not; the City is just taking
proactive measures.
John Young asked where
the plants are processed af-
ter grown to maturity. Car-
son Farnsworth explained
that grows are allowed
to do trimming onsite.
Otherwise, the marijuana
must be processed else-
where. Dodgens asked
where businesses get the
product they sell. Mittons
explained they have to pur-
chase from licensed buy-
ers. Dennis Farnsworth
said it’s comparable to the
meat industry. If anyone
gets sick, the product can
be traced back to exactly
where it came from.
McKinney asked what
parts of the City grows
would be allowed in.
Woolf said that she has
spent quite some time
double-checking and
that currently the zon-
ing ordinance allows for
nurseries or truck farms in
residential areas. It also
states industrial areas can
be used for anything that
the State does not prohibit.
McKinney stated he wants
to make clear this could
happen in residential areas.
Myers stated that is cor-
rect, without the ordinance
restricting it.
Pulitzer prize winner coming to Ladd Marsh
An action-packed week-
end is coming up at the
12th annual Ladd Marsh
Bird Festival, May 19-21.
Friday night opens with
the Odd Strings band play-
ing original songs about
birds, birding and Ladd
Marsh at 7 p.m.
Following the short
concert is Pulitzer-prize
winning journalist Mark
Obmascik who’s book, The
Big Year: A Tale of Man,
Nature, and Fowl Obses-
sion was turned into a
movie starring Steve Mar-
tin, Owen Wilson and Jack
Black. Call 503.947.6232
for information.
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Public Safety
Utility Fee
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
One man who lives out of town but has property in
Baker City voiced concern about the fact that there was
no sunset clause on this “tax.”
He sees it as something that will “just hang around
forever and then what is to stop another tax from being
added in the future.” His example, “a safety road tax” to
fund fixing the City Streets.
Among those speaking in opposition were Alice Knapp
who owns low income apartment housing. She said,
“Not subsidized housing, just low income. Most of my
tenants—I keep it low because they just can’t pay more—
they are good tenants. I know $60 a year doesn’t sound
like much to you but it would be devastating to them.”
Ryc and Penny Rienks were very concerned about how
such a large shortfall came to be.
City Manager Warner said it was just realized as he and
City Finance Director were finalizing the budget proposal
over the last couple of weeks. Rienks bluntly asked just
how such a thing could just “hit you in the face” and
questioned Dexter’s abilities as a Finance Director if this
had just come to light.
“This sounds like a shakedown to me,” he said. “In my
time in this city I’ve seen surpluses of money wasted.
Maybe you all need to take a hard look at big salaries.
When money is short, it’s always police and fire to go.
Scare the people.”
Penny Rienks said she thought the City ought to do
what everybody else does when money becomes a hard-
ship and tighten the purse strings.
Warner and Dexter cited projected income from a third-
party Ambulance billing service, sale of a City owned
industrial property that prompted the hiring of one fire
department employee and a large increase in the City’s
PERS costs as factors in the shortfall.
The ambulance billing service, “which has increased all
other users revenue by 30% didn’t increase ours at all and
the sale of the industrial property, that prompt the hire of
a firefighter, did not happen. PERS we can’t do anything
about,” Dexter said.
“We joined in the 50s when costs were low but once
you join you can’t get out,” noted Dexter who expressed
hope that “the current legislative session will provide
some much needed fixes to the PERS system.”
Mrs. Reinks said about the fee, “This is a tax and
should go to the people for a vote.” She also used her
time to question the City’s audit wondering why it had
taken so long to complete.
Dexter addressed that concern by saying that the audi-
tors had staffing issues and some accounting practices
had changed.
Ken Hackett, also opposing the fee or tax, suggested
a “staff analysis” to see where other cuts may be more
effective.
Mary Miller, a retired nurse who practiced for 32 years
spoke in support of the fee saying, “I’ve seen what can
happen when help is delayed.”
She also said that with the anticipated 50,000 people
expected for the solar eclipse this summer the area needs
those police, fire and ambulance services. “We better be
ready,” she warned. She told Council, “Five dollars is five
coffees at McDonald’s. If people can afford Cigarettes,
snoose and beer. I think they can afford this.”
Calder spoke to this matter as well. She began by say-
ing that the gas taxes are raised all the time and citizens
don’t get to vote on that.
The one-dollar sidewalk fee will be taken away if this
is passed and Calder commented that she had been a fan
of that program because the money went into a fund that
could help those that could not otherwise afford to fix
sidewalks make repairs.
“I saw a lot of sidewalks get fixed,” she said. “Maybe a
hardship fund could be created where some that are more
fortunate than others can help others.”
After public comment Dexter stated that the shortfall
was not a surprise, she had been warning for some time,
including at budget hearing last year and Warner added
that he was aware but what he had meant when he said
it was just realized in the last couple of weeks was that
until it was on paper in front of them to see could they
understood the full severity of the situation.
Warner explained he had made as many cuts as he
could when going over the budget and that meeting with
the Budget Board were set to begin May 15.
Warner and Dexter also tried to explain that the short-
fall is in the General Fund and the General Fund is where
Police and Fire dollars come from.
After some discussion Council chose to not have a first
reading of the ordinance due to some language but the
majority did feel that having this ordinance available to
use might be a good idea.
The next meeting should see a first and possibly second
reading of the proposed fee ordinance once it is revised.
Public testimony will be allowed at the second meeting
regarding the matter.
City Manager/Director/Council Comments
Warner advised Council that a conference call was
scheduled on Thursday, May 11 at noon with Greg Smith
for some economic strategic planning.
There was also a 911 board meeting on the 12th at 2:00
p.m. and May 15th at 6:00 p.m. the budget board would
begin meetings.
Smith asked council if a staff analysis was something
they wanted her to pursue to which they all agreed would
be a good idea.
Dexter commented on the City Audit, saying it had
been completed and sent to the State.
Councilor Thomas reminded everyone that May 25th
was the Oregon Trail Interpretive Centers 25th anniver-
sary urging the public to attend.
With nothing further the meeting adjourned.