FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
Sumpter talks about rates Man menaces
BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH
Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Sumpter City Council
met the drizzly evening of
January 9th with Mayor
Cary Clarke and Council-
ors Linda Wise and Saman-
tha Rowan in attendance.
Council approved minutes
of December 12.
Clarke motioned to pay
all bills except for one
for himself for work done
for the City and one for
his brother related to the
Fire Department. Mo-
tion passed unanimously.
Rowan motioned to ap-
prove the other two bills.
Motion passed with two
votes, Clarke abstaining.
Reports
Julie McKinney reported
water is running fine. Jeff
McKinney can still run up
to McCully, due to the odd
weather and can get the
readings he has to take at
the intake. Clarke con-
ceded the weather is good
in that way, but “we’ll pay
for it later”.
Kurt Clarke reported for
the Fire Department that
it’s been a quiet month. He
thanked all who donated
and helped with the food
boxes. About eight were
put together.
There was one EMS call
this month. They also
had a pizza night for the
firefighters. The last meet-
ing was a CPR and AED
refresher class. For the
rest of the winter, they’ll
“hit medical pretty darn
hard”.
For the Planning Com-
mission, John Young
reported no quorum for the
regular monthly meetings.
The Commission planned
to hold a special meeting
Thursday the 11th at 2 PM
and Young asked anyone
with pertinent information
to get it to City Hall.
Resolution 343
Clarke asked LeAnne
Woolf to explain the raise
in sewer rates. Woolf
stated that related to the
DEQ-required upgrade is
a requirement that the City
have a coverage ratio equal
to 1.2 or more.
The sewer rate is made
up of the basic rate; a
monthly pumping charge
as insurance toward the
time when the tank needs
to be pumped, about every
10 years for a residence;
and user fees that will fluc-
tuate once the City starts
reading meters.
Woolf stated that the
coverage ratio is usually
calculated on residences
only, but because Sumpter
has so many that are occu-
pied only part of the year,
she included businesses
in the figure to take some
pressure off the residences.
She stated that increases
have all be going on resi-
dences.
Clarke stated it is his
feeling a business can pass
that number on to custom-
ers.
For residents, especially
those on fixed incomes, he
urged keeping increases as
low as possible.
Rowan asked the last
time business rates were
increased.
Woolf stated effective
November 2015.
Clarke asked how much
the rates will go up per
month.
Woolf stated residence
rates will raise by $3 per
month and restaurants by
$5 per month, although
it will look like $7 to the
restaurants because the
last increase of $2 did not
update in the accounting
software, so restaurants
have been undercharged
over the last couple years.
Woolf stated many fac-
tors and much research has
gone into this suggestion.
Rates will need to be revis-
ited in June of each year to
keep the 1.2 ratio.
Young asked if the ratio
this now a requirement as
opposed to a recommenda-
tion.
Woolf responded that this
is a requirement to receive
the funding for upgrades.
Young asked about the
shape of the sewer reserve
fund.
Woolf stated it stands at
about $17,000 currently.
Heather Wilson asked
about the meter reading in
relation to the City recom-
mendation that residents
keep their water running
all the time in the winter to
avoid freeze-ups.
Woolf explained she
looked at Baker City’s fee
structure, and they take
an average over certain
months for setting the use
rate. McKinney stated
John Day and all the little
towns around do the same
thing.
McKinney read the
resolution, which will
take effect February 1,
2018. Motion to approve it
passed unanimously.
Resolution 346
McKinney explained this
resolution is required every
year to pay for volunteers
Worker’s Compensation.
She read the ordinance in
entirety.
Wise asked if this is the
Worker’s Comp nobody
can use.
Woolf confirmed this and
that the State says nonethe-
less it is law that the City
have and pay for it. Mo-
tion to approve the resolu-
tion passed unanimously.
Alley Vacation between
Bonanza and Ibex
Clarke stated he doesn’t
like doing alley vaca-
tions, because in fifteen or
twenty years, the City may
need to get utilities down
there. He asked if the City
can vacate the alley to let
residents do things without
relinquishing ability to
come in later. Present
property owners stated
they signed right of way
with hammer
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Meghan Andersch / The Baker County Press
Heather Wilson inviting all to attend a preliminary
planning session for the 2018 Christmas Bazaar.
for the power company.
McKinney explained if
the City vacates the alley,
the land goes on the prop-
erty owners’ deeds.
A determination was
postponed to research the
correct verbiage to allow
affected residents to use
the land with the under-
standing the City may need
to access it in the future.
McKinney agreed to get in
touch with Bend, as that
City recently did some-
thing similar.
Council Input
Rowan mentioned the
marijuana sales tax. Woolf
said she can’t report
specific numbers for the
amount received, as laws
prohibit telling anything
about taxes from certain
entities.
However, the City has
so far received more in
the 3% sales tax than in
property taxes for this fis-
cal year.
Property taxes received
for this fiscal year are
about $22,500.
Funds from the sales tax
are going evenly into gen-
eral and street funds.
Marijuana tax funds
cannot go in the water and
sewer accounts where the
City has federal loans.
Jennifer Lake asked,
with Jeff Sessions going
against marijuana federal-
ly, will Sumpter potentially
have to fight in the future
to retain the dollars from
the sales tax. Woolf stated
if anything happens, the
State of Oregon will fight
it first. Young said the
reason they are now going
after it as a federal crime
is because of interstate
commerce. Sumpter’s
marijuana businesses are
operating solely within the
State of Oregon and in the
City of Sumpter, not cross-
ing state lines.
Linda Wise asked the
status of the City shop
building, which collapsed
from the snow last winter.
McKinney stated the City
has the money from the
insurance and the project
can go out to bid and have
construction started in the
spring.
Woolf stated the City
was paying insurance for
a $164,000 building and
the insurance company is
now saying the building
was worth only $84,000.
After their deductible, the
City received $79,000,
which Woolf placed into an
interest-bearing account.
The insurance company
also stated the City cannot
put in a concrete floor as
the building did not have
one previously, and must
put up a metal building
as that is what was there
before.
Woolf stated the insur-
ance broker, though not the
adjuster, lives in La Grande
and has offered to come
over after the ice subsides
and help them understand
the policy.
Clarke asked that meet-
ing be set up so they can
get the discussion going as
to the discrepancy between
what the City was paying
and what the building was
worth.
Public input
On behalf of the
Sumpter Volunteers, Young
thanked everyone who
helped put up and take
down the town tree.
Rowan thanked Heather
Wilson for what she did
with the Christmas bazaar,
stating Sumpter had triple
the vendors that they’ve
ever had and she has heard
nothing but positive com-
ments.
Wilson stated there were
so many who helped and it
wasn’t just her.
She announced there will
be a preliminary meeting
at the Schoolhouse January
25 at 6:30 for anyone who
wants to help next year.
Everyone is welcome.
Lego robotics competition at EOU
Lego robots, pro-
grammed by teams of local
young people, attempted to
water plants, put out house
fires, complete irrigation
systems and replace broken
pipes during the annual
FIRST Lego League tour-
nament at Eastern Oregon
University last month.
More than a 100 par-
ticipants, ages 9 to 14,
compete in the tournament
each year. They design ro-
bots using Lego bricks and
program them to complete
a series of tasks autono-
mously.
Computer science profes-
sor Robert Croft has been
at the helm of EOU’s tour-
nament since its inaugural
run in 2004.
Participants also build
social and communication
skills. The popular Robot
Game is only one of four
components each tourna-
ment includes. Teams
also go head-to-head in
Technical Judging, Project
Judging and Core Values
Judging. These categories
feature a panel of pro-
fessionals who evaluate
students’ abilities to com-
municate effectively, think
critically and creatively,
and work as a team to
solve real-world problems.
This year’s tournament
centered on hydrodynam-
ics, and every aspect of
competition touched on
water use. Students pro-
posed solutions to water
shortages, selected loca-
tions for a new water treat-
ment facility, and designed
their robots to address
various water-associated
tasks.
EOU professors from the
College of Science, Tech-
nology, Mathematics &
Health Science volunteered
to judge presentations
alongside local engineers
and computer scientists.
EOU students joined their
professors in support of the
tournament, helping set up,
take down and referee the
all-day event in Badgely
Hall. Taylor Hunt, a junior
studying mathematics at
EOU, served as a referee.
On Sunday, January 7,
just around 9:35 p.m., Bak-
er City Police were called
to a residence at 2630
Resort Street, after a female
victim in her early twenties
called 911 to report that her
husband was threatening
her with a hammer.
According to information
from Chief Wyn Lohner,
Photo courtesy of the Baker County
Eric Wayne Sherman, age
Sheriff’s Office
40, “used a claw hammer to
menace his wife Millicent
Eric Sherman.
Sherman and locked her in
a bathroom to prevent her
from leaving.”
Officers Shannon Regan and Coleton Smith responded,
and Sherman was arrested on Menacing and Kidnapping
2 charges, a felony with a mandatory prison sentence if
convicted.
According to prior scanner traffic, police had responded
to a late-night 911 call more than a year ago from the
victim during which she accused Sherman of threaten-
ing to tear up the mattress and/or other belongings in her
apartment with a knife. No arrests were made as a result
of that call.
5J evaluates
facilities
The Baker School District’s Long Range Facility
Planning (LRFP) Committee hit an exciting milestone
last month. On Wednesday, November 15, Committee
members held an engaging, collaborative conversation
around potential scenarios addressing the District's facil-
ity needs, including how each scenario might best serve
the educational needs.
The LRFP Committee, formed in March 2017, consists
of 24 community members and district staff representing
a wide variety of Baker City’s citizens.
The goal of the Committee is to build upon the work
of the Facilities Master Planning (FMP) Committee
by reviewing the FMP Committee’s factual findings of
the District’s aging instructional buildings, addressing
concerns about student and building capacity and safety,
and crafting a vision of how to best deliver 21st century
education in the Baker School District.
"Reviewing those results along with taking tours of our
overly crowded, deteriorating schools, it is easy to con-
clude that our district needs to address serious issues and
address them soon," said Beth Shirtcliff, LRFP committee
member.
A wide variety of options were discussed in the Novem-
ber meeting, from renovations of existing buildings, to
exploring possible new construction, and how to address
the needs of the current facilities.
As part of the planning process, the Committee toured
neighboring facilities, gaining insight into what regional
communities have done to improve their educational
delivery.
"One of the highlights was touring the Pendleton Early
Learning Center," said Chris Knoll, committee member.
"This beautiful facility was previously an elementary
school, which has been completely renovated to deliver
care and education from birth to kindergarten."
The Pendleton center collaborates with several agen-
cies to deliver multiple services under one roof, includ-
ing health care, mental health, family support, special
education, WIC, childcare, Head Start, preschool and
kindergarten.
"It would be great to bring a similar facility to Baker,"
Chris said.
The LRFP Committee meets again in December to con-
tinue discussions on viable solutions for the District with
the intention to provide a comprehensive report to the
Board of Directors in early 2018. It is expected that the
Board will discuss possible next steps, specifically how
to share LRFP Committee findings with the Baker com-
munity and engage a broader representation of citizens in
this discussion.
The Baker 5J schools exist to be the center of com-
munity vitality eliminating the barriers for gratifying indi-
vidual educational experiences in order to have capable
contributing citizens with character.
“One of the things that I have particularly appreciated
about serving on this committee is its consistent commit-
ment to do what is best for the students and, at the same
time, keep uppermost in our discussions the community’s
needs and financial means to meet those needs," said
Richard Chaves, committee member.
The LRFP Committee has had several discussions about
how to inform the community of the various facilities
options.
"In my opinion, informing the community of school
facilities options and student needs, combined with
understanding what the community wants, provides the
best opportunity for serving our students now and in the
future," Richard said.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the
LRFP Committee, or how to become involved in the
process, please feel free to reach out to the District at
541-524-2260 .