FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Sheriff to supervise call center Clear Creek
Music Festival
starts in Halfway
Photos courtesy of the City of Baker City.
The above letter was presented during last Wednesday’s meeting, signed by multiple Dispatchers.
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PAGE 1
Mayor Downing called
the meeting that was held
in City Hall’s Council
Chambers to order saying,
“The main reason for our
meeting tonight is a 911
consolidated dispatch
discussion. We fund it to-
gether with the County and
need to get together all on
the same page. We’ve had
some discussions about
continuing to run it the
way it has been run with a
Director under the direc-
tion of the County Com-
missioners.
“Sheriff Ash has also
brought a proposal for-
ward. I don’t know of any
others so I guess we’ll start
the discussion.”
City Manager Fred War-
ner, Jr. stated, “Just for the
Commissioners, last night
we passed our budget (for
the City) and I am assum-
ing you passed your budget
today?”
Commissioner Harvey
nodded indicating they
had.
Warner invited Sheriff
Ash to speak advising
that he had just gotten
information that had been
presented by Ash at a
May 10th meeting to City
Councilors.
Ash stepped forward to
address Commissioners
and Councilors, saying,
“When I put this model to-
gether for operation of the
Dispatch Center under the
Sheriff’s Office, I looked
at the management style
that I have with the other
divisions such as the jail,
parole and probation and
the patrol division and the
way I set it up the dispatch
center would have em-
ployees that are sworn to
the Sheriff just like all the
other employees are sworn
to the sheriff’s office. The
model would be set up the
same as the other divisions
as well.
“I have a Lieutenant
that oversees corrections.
I have a Lieutenant that
oversees Parole and Proba-
tion and I have a Lieuten-
ant that oversees patrol.
With dispatch I would split
that patrol Lieutenant to
oversee both dispatch and
patrol and of course I over-
see it all and that would
include dispatch as well.
“Some key points of this
model: currently there is
an advisory board, I would
not have an advisory
board. I will have a user
group we can have Coun-
cilors, Commissioners, the
Chief of Police, the Fire
Chiefs, whomever.
“We would meet once
a month and I have no
problem coming to talk
to the City Councilors or
Commissioners anytime.
Transparency will be there,
have no concerns with
that.”
Ash then addressed the
budget. He said, “A couple
of requirements I have
with the budget, we have
to have adequate staffing
numbers.”
In Ash’s proposal, he
provided a breakdown of
how he intends to staff the
center with eight dis-
patchers and bringing in
a management assistant,
eliminating the director
position.
He said, “I take the re-
sponsibility of the Director
and I take full responsibil-
ity for the center. I brought
in a management assistant
to help out, there are some
contracts that need to be
looked at with the State
and with our repeater
sites, negotiations with
those sites. I am going to
need some help with those
things, there are just not
enough hours in a day for
me with overseeing the
jail, patrol and parole and
probation as well.”
Ash explained that he
had based his model on
information provided by
other area 911 centers that
are also under local sheriff
direction and how they
are staffed based on a per
capita population.
Ash said he used the
funds from the Direc-
tor position to offset the
cost of the creation of the
management assistant
position and his plan also
calls for promoting a first
line dispatcher from within
the 911 center to help run
the day-to-day operations.
Changes to the current
staffing schedules offer
savings as well in comp
time earned and in over-
time pay.
“Those savings will be
around $30,000 but you’re
not going to see that right
away, it’s not instant, that’s
over time.”
Ash also noted that cur-
rently the records division
in the Sheriff’s Office is
overwhelmed and with his
creation of the manage-
ment assistant position,
assistance to the records
division would be avail-
able.
Ash noted that he did not
ask for a pay increase in
this proposal for himself or
any of his Lieutenants.
Councilor Abell asked
Ash, “What do you see
as one of the benefits to
having this at the Sheriff’s
Office?”
Ash answered, “Well,
you’re going to get a
supervisor on call 24/7, if I
am not available one of my
Lieutenants will be 24/7
365 days a year.”
Ash also advised Coun-
cilors and Commissioners
that he had been told by
Dispatchers,“We want you
to step forward, we want
this to come over to you.”
A letter, signed by
the majority of the 911
Center’s dispatchers,
confirming Ash’s state-
ment, had been distributed
to Councilors prior to and
Commissioners during the
meeting.
With the County budget
approving an additional
$65,000 to the 911 center
Ash’s proposal still lacks
$8,117 to function ad-
equately.
Ash did note that there
may still be savings that
have not been uncovered
but also that there may be
unforeseen expenditures
as well.
With both the City and
the County’s current
budgets stretched to their
absolute maximum, that
additional $8,117 seems
unattainable however,
Warner, Jr. did state that
there was a contingency in
the budget of $4,162 that
could be utilized bringing
the shortfall to around just
$4,000.
Warner state, “We are
going to have to figure out
how to increase revenue or
reduce expenses.”
With the City’s passing
of the controversial Public
Safety Fee to help with the
shortfall in the City budget,
no revenue increase ideas
were proposed.
Ash also stated that in
order for a transfer of over-
sight of the dispatch center,
an IGA (intergovernmental
agreement) was necessary
so that should Ash have
budget insufficiencies or
Commissioners and Coun-
cil decide the agreement is
not working they all have
the ability to come back to
the table to discuss resolu-
tions.
Commissioner Harvey
stated that the budget that
was approved just that
morning allotted for eight
dispatchers and a full-time
director.
He said, “Travis is very
admirable to try and be
a director as well. The
budget meets the needs
of the Center. Our Board
recommended the staffing
so we as the County came
up with $65,000 extra to
cover that.”
Harvey stated that the
approved budget meets the
needed requirements to run
the center at a cost that is
less than Ash’s proposal.
Harvey made clear, “The
County can’t come up with
any more money. We are
tapped out.”
Commissioner Nichols
said most citizens he spoke
with thought the Dispatch
Center was already under
the direction of the Sheriff.
He pointed out that
due to budget concerns
it would be difficult to
“attract a full-time direc-
tor, (the 911 Center’s last
Director Hope Lindsey
left the center in May),
ask them to move to Baker
City and then find out that
their position was being
eliminated six months later
because we don’t have any
money. I support Travis’
position on this.”
Commissioner Bennett,
who negotiated the original
consolidation of 911 20
years ago, stated he was fa-
miliar with the Center from
its infancy to today. He has
worked as a dispatcher, a
dispatch director, county
administrator and now a
Commissioner.
Bennett advised was also
in support of Ash’s propos-
al citing the same hurdle as
Nichols in attracting a new
director. Sustainability of
the Center was also noted
as a concern and he felt the
City and the County both
needed to find ways to
overcome budget obstacles
to ensure the 911 Center
functions at the level nec-
essary for all citizens.
Bennett said, “We as
governing bodies have not
established a good solid
funding mechanism.”
According to Bennett he
had “visited with dispatch-
ers and the public safety
community” and said that
it was their feeling that “at
this moment in time, this is
the best option.”
Bennett agreed with Ash
that a management agree-
ment was needed but felt
that some type of advisory
body was important for not
only users but the commu-
nity also.
He also said that it was
important for the City and
County to commit to work-
ing together so another
such situation did not oc-
cur the next year.
Harvey again voiced
his opposition to Ash’s
proposal stating, “In my
opinion we need to look
at a permanent fix. Having
a director has been a his-
torical process. You don’t
throw the managers out
and just have the worker
bees the only ones left. We
will come together and find
more permanent funding.
This budget meets the
needs, meets the require-
ments.”
SEE CALL CENTER PAGE 9
The seventh season of the Clear Creek Music Festi-
val opens today in Halfway. Whatever music fills your
playlist, something is sure to catch your ear. Beginning
Saturday, July 8, local singers--adults, teens, and chil-
dren—have chances to join the music making:
• Community/Festival Chorus for teens and adults:
Ideal summer singing for Baker Community Chorus
members. Perform favorite tunes and the world premiere
of Blaise Ferrandino’s “Crossing the Divide,” travelling
through Wyoming on the Oregon Trail. The chorus meets
Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays June 8-21, 5:00-6:20
p.m., with performance June 21.
• “How to Sell a Song” for teens: tips on singing
songs—folk to rap, jazz to classical—with vocal, musical,
and dramatic techniques that grab the audience and make
performing fun. The camp will meet Saturdays, Tues-
days, and Thursdays June 8-21 at 4:00 p.m..
• “Clear Creek Kids”: fun, games, and singing Mon-
days, Wednesdays, and Fridays July 10-21, with a
featured song in “Crossing the Divide.” Sessions are at
3:00 or 4:00 p.m., depending on age with performance
June 21.
The opening concert is Sunday, July 9 at 7:30 in the
Pine Valley Presbyterian Church, preceded by a “meet the
music and musicians” at 7:00. Festival piano, oboe, voice,
and clarinet faculty perform familiar works by composers
like Chopin salted with Samuel Barber and peppered with
Bartok folk song arrangements.
Wednesday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m. students and faculty
present Jammin’ Jive, a casual concert of light music on
the Halfway Main Street Stage.
Sunday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. Festival students pres-
ent arias, songs, oboe pieces, and piano solos in the Pine
Valley Presbyterian Church. “Meet the music and musi-
cians” begins at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pine Valley Presbyte-
rian Church the closing concert features Festival students,
faculty, and the children’s and Community/Festival cho-
rus. Student composers premiere work done during the
Festival, pianists perform four-hand music, and everyone
will be involved in the World Premiere of Blaise Ferrand-
ino’s “Crossing the Divide,” the third part of Scenes from
the Oregon Trail. This concert also is preceded at 7:00 by
an opportunity to meet the performers and learn interest-
ing things about the music to be performed.
Concerts are free and open to the public. Pay-what-
you-can donations help defray Festival costs.
Information and registration forms are available at the
Hell’s Canyon Journal office in Halfway and online at
www.clearcreekmusicfestival.org/community-activities/.
E-mail your interest and bring the registration to the first
session. Questions? Please contact Dr. Sheila Allen,
Artistic Director at clearcreek@flash.net.
Routes closed
for parades
On Saturday, July 15, 2017, the following highways
in Baker City will be closed between the hours of 8
a.m. & 5 p.m. for the Miners Jubilee Parade: Broadway
Street (US30) between 4th Street and 2nd Street; Main
Street (OR7 / US30) between Madison Street and Valley
Avenue.
On Saturday, August 5, 2017, the following highways
in Baker City will be closed between the hours of 10 a.m.
and 12 noon for the East West Shrine Parade: Broadway
Street (US30) between 4th Street and Main Street; Main
Street (OR7 / US30) between Campbell Street and Valley
Avenue.
City has Board
vacancies open
The City of Baker City currently has vacancies on the
following boards/commissions:
• Planning Commission (1); Public Works Advisory
Committee (2); Tree Board (3); Parks and Recreation
Board (3); Golf Board (1); Airport Commission (2); Pub-
lic Arts Commission (2); Sam O Swim Committee (2)
Volunteer forms can be obtained online at: http://www.
bakercity.com/FormCenter/Boards-Commissions-2/Vol-
unteer-Form-33 or at City Hall, 1655 1st Street.
Labyrinth
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According to a card printed about the project, the laby-
rinth represents a journey to the center of our selves and
back again out into the world. The area is intended to be
a place of quiet contemplation.
Though the project only got off the ground last fall, the
labyrinth should be completed within the next month and
a half—before the influx of visitors anticipated for the
August 21 total solar eclipse.
“The Baker City Labyrinth will be on a worldwide
map of labyrinth locations that many tourists use in their
travels,” said Bonebrake.