8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017
Local
City Council
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 5
C. Resolution #3797 In-
terfund Loan from Equip-
ment and Vehicle Fund to
the Central Stores Fund
This resolution asks for
an approval for a deficit of
$35,000 in Central Stores
Fund, transferring those
dollars to the Equipment
and Vehicle Fund while
inventory is waiting to be
resold such as chip seal
rock.
Before any motions
were made, Councilor
Andersen raised the ques-
tion of selling the Golf
Course entirely, then the
City could collect property
taxes on the property thus
creating revenue and elimi-
nating expenditures.
It was explained that it
would be nearly impossible
to sell as there was little
interest in ownership of
Golf Courses, especially
rural Golf Courses.
Thomas said he felt that
was an option that should
be more carefully consid-
ered including looking at
other City-owned property
that could be sold for profit
and then taxed for revenue.
All resolutions were passed
unanimously by Council.
City Manager/Director
Comments
City Manager Fred War-
ner advised Council that
the Fire Department was
experiencing a “rash of
injury and sickness.”
He commended the De-
partment saying that they
have been running double
shifts and many that are
able were really “picking
up the slack.”
He noted however that
it also meant that there
would be an increase in
overtime pay.
He also noted that last
weekend had seen a very
successful Baker City Cy-
cling Classic and that there
were events back to back
for the next several weeks
with 4th of July celebra-
tions, the Hells Canyon
Motorcycle Rally and The
Miner’s Jubilee all coming
up.
Public Works Director
Michelle Owen updated
Council on the Auburn
Street project saying that
the storm work was ex-
pected to be completed by
the next day.
She said that the “big
tree removal at the corner
of Campbell and Resort
has gone well” and that the
area was still cordoned off
and would remain so for
the next day as the crew
continued to clear debris.
Thomas asked Owen
how the airport project was
coming.
Owen stated that it was
going well and expected
the first phase of the proj-
ect to be completed soon
and the second phase to be-
gin right on schedule after
completion of phase one.
Council Comments
Thomas informed ev-
eryone that a new exhibit
would be opening at the
Oregon Trail Interpretive
Center as soon as July 1.
He encouraged everyone to
come see it saying it was
most definitely not to be
missed.
With nothing further
Downing adjourned the
meeting.
County: Special session held to address
additional budget requests, budget adopted
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners held a
special session on Wednes-
day, June 28, 2017, 9 a.m.,
in the Commission Cham-
bers of the Baker County
Courthouse, which includ-
ed an additional budget
request from Baker County
Chamber of Commerce
and Visitors Bureau Board
President Jeff Nelson, and
adoption of the 2017-2018
County budget.
Present from the Board
were Chair Bill Harvey,
Commissioners Mark Ben-
nett and Bruce Nichols,
and Executive Assistant
Heidi Martin. Attendance
also included Baker Coun-
ty Administrative Services
Director Christena Cook,
Baker County Sheriff
Travis Ash, Baker County
Facilities Maintenance
Foreman Dan McQuisten,
and Baker County Parks
Director Karen Spencer.
Harvey called the ses-
sion to order, and provided
the Invocation, and led in
recitation of the Pledge of
Allegiance. The agenda
was adopted, with a few
additions, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Nichols.
Citizen Participation in-
cluded Nelson, who asked
the Board to consider
renewal of the contract
for the Bureau, normally
a two-year term, to be
reviewed annually.
Nelson said, “We are
promoting Baker in the
best possible way; our
Visit Baker website has
over a million hits a year...
and we are becoming more
and more involved with
events. The biggest event,
probably in history, is com-
ing up in August (the Solar
Eclipse, August 21)...”
Nelson said that the
Bureau will possibly hand
out over 100,000 pieces of
information, if the County
sees even half of the pro-
jected number of visitors
during the event, which
will be a “...huge influx.”
He said that the Bureau
will possibly mail out over
1,000 “Welcome” packets
(sending these is a yearly
practice), there is signifi-
cant cost associated with
this as well as with other
practices, and he requested
an additional $5,000 for
this fiscal year, if possible.
Harvey noted that
the Transient Lodging
Tax Committee (TLTC)
provided the Bureau
with $40,000 of $90,000
requested, and Bennett said
that he wished to see more
discussion regarding the
$5,000 request, including
speaking with the TLTC,
and holding a work ses-
sion. Nelson provided the
Board with copies of the
Bureau’s budget history
and projections.
Cook discussed the
County 2017-2018 budget
with the Board, and she
said that there weren’t any
changes to note except to
the TRT (Transient Room
Tax) Marketing budget
(she provided copies to the
Board).
She said, “The total
dollar amount ($522,120)
didn’t change...” but that
distribution of funding in a
few areas changed some-
what.
Resolution No. 2017-
1012, Declaring the Coun-
ty Ad Valorem Property
Tax, was adopted, with a
motion from Bennett, and
a second from Nichols.
The rate, according to the
resolution, is 3.7286% per
$1,000 of assessed value.
Resolution No. 2017-
1013, Adopting the 2017-
2018 Budget and Making
Appropriations Thereof,
was approved, with a mo-
tion from Bennett, and a
second from Nichols. Ac-
cording to the resolution,
$28,526,253 is the total
County budget.
Resolutions No. 2017-
1014 through 2017-1023,
in relation to the budget,
were each approved sepa-
rately, and Cook explained
that prior to approval,
these resolutions were nec-
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Jeff Nelson speaks to County Commissioners regarding an annual renewal of the Visitors Bureau contract.
essary primarily because of
different funding needs and
transfers of funds.
Intergovernmental
Agreement (IGA) No.
153115, between the
Oregon State Health
Authority (OHA) and the
County, for the financing
of Community Mental
Health, Substance Use
Disorders, and Problem
Gambling Services, was
approved, with a motion
from Nichols, and a second
from Harvey.
According to the agree-
ment, OHA will provide
funding to the County for
these programs, and the
expiration of the agree-
ment is June 30, 2019.
Bennett discussed with
the Board one of the addi-
tions to the agenda, a letter,
dated June 28, 2017, and
addressed from the Board
to numerous representa-
tives and senators, in sup-
port of the Oregon Agricul-
tural Heritage Program,
House Bill 3249.
According to the letter,
“This bill would help Or-
egon farmers and ranchers
plan for succession and
maintain agricultural land
for future generations. It
includes funding for work-
ing lands easements, cov-
enants, and conservation
management plans, as well
as succession trainings and
a tax study.
“There is an urgent need
for the programs that this
bill provides.
“With the average age
of farmers and ranchers in
Oregon nearing 60, 64% of
Oregon’s farmland (10.45
million acres) is estimated
to change hands in the next
20 years, and the major-
ity of Oregon farmers and
ranchers do not have suc-
cession plans.
“An estate without a plan
is almost certain to have
higher estate tax liability,
family strife, and attorney
fees.
“To pay these bills, farm-
ers and ranchers often sell
all or part of their property.
This trend is growing.
“It results in the frag-
mentation of our land-
scape, which makes it
more difficult to run a
farm or ranch operation, as
well as to manage on-site
projects that benefit both
agricultural productivity
and natural resource con-
servation...”
The letter was approved
to be signed and sent, with
a motion from Bennett,
and a second from Nichols.
Harvey discussed with
the Board another let-
ter, dated June 28, 2017,
and addressed from the
Board to Senator Ron
Wyden and Congressman
Greg Walden, in support
of continued funding for
the purpose of diabetes
research, the Special Dia-
betes Program.
According to the letter,
“The Baker County Com-
mission serves more than
16,000 residents of Baker
County, Oregon and one
of our main focuses is
on providing health care
resources for those living
with disease.
“This is why we are fully
supportive of continued
funding into diabetes re-
search to help address this
terrible illness...
“The Special Diabetes
Program has been inte-
gral in funding essential
research into cures and
treatments for diabetes for
almost twenty years and
its importance cannot be
understated.
“Health care costs as-
sociated with diabetes
continue to plague our
state, with an estimated
$3 billion dollars spent in
Oregon each year to treat
those living with diabetes
and related complica-
tions...”
The letter was approved
to be signed and sent, with
a motion from Nichols,
and a second from Bennett.
Fire Marshal urges fireworks safety over 4th
The Office of State
Fire Marshal, Oregon fire
service, Keep Oregon
Green, the Pacific North-
west Wildfire Coordination
Group, natural resource
agencies, Oregon fire-
works wholesalers, and
safety experts encourage
Oregonians to "Keep it
Legal and Keep it Safe"
when using fireworks. The
2017 Oregon fireworks
sales season opens Friday,
June 23 and runs through
Thursday, July 6.
"I want to remind all
Oregonians that consumer
legal fireworks can only
be purchased from Oregon
permitted fireworks retail-
ers and stands," says State
Fire Marshal Jim Walker.
"And, regulations limit
where those fireworks may
be used.
July 4th holiday for-
est visitors are advised
to leave all fireworks at
home. The use of fireworks
is prohibited on all national
forestland, and most other
public lands.
Oregon law prohibits
possession, use, or sale
of any firework that flies
into the air, explodes, or
travels more than 12 feet
horizontally on the ground,
without a permit issued
by the OSFM. Fireworks
commonly called bottle
rockets, Roman Candles,
and firecrackers are illegal
in Oregon.
There were 192 reported
fireworks-related fires
in Oregon during 2016,
resulting in more than
$519,000 in property dam-
age.
Over the past five years,
from 2012 through 2016,
there were 944 reported
fireworks-related fires in
Oregon resulting in one
death and more than $2.1
million in property dam-
age.
Officials may seize illegal
fireworks and fine offend-
ers up to $500 per viola-
tion. Those who misuse
fireworks or allow fire-
works to cause damage are
liable and may be required
to pay fire suppression
costs or other damage.
Parents are also liable for
fireworks damage caused
by their children.
The OSFM encourages:
Be Prepared before light-
ing fireworks: keep water
available by using a garden
hose or bucket.
Be Safe when lighting
fireworks: keep children
and pets away.
Be Responsible after
lighting fireworks: never
relight a dud. Wait 15 to
20 minutes then soak it in
a bucket of water before
disposal.
Be Aware: use only legal
fireworks and use them
only in legal places.