LOCAL
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
A3
Enterprise urged to test for omicron variant
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — The
COVID-19 pandemic cast
its shadow over a couple of
issues dealt with Monday,
Jan. 10, by the Enterprise
City Council at its most
recent meeting.
The meeting started with
a work session during which
a presentation on wastewa-
ter testing was given by Sta-
cey Karvoski, quality direc-
tor and nurse at Wallowa
Memorial Hospital. Kar-
voski requested that the
council approve testing for
the new omicron variant. No
decision by the council was
included in a summary of the
meeting provided Jan. 11.
Motel tax
In another matter, during
the regular meeting, city
Administrator/Recorder
Lacey McQuead told the
council motel tax receipts
received from Wallowa
County (one payment per
year) were 284% more than
budgeted. The tax receipts
received from transient
lodging within the city are
172% more than what was
budgeted, with one more
revenue payment antici-
pated before the end of the
fi scal year.
McQuead said the city
had received $42,678.29
from county tax receipts
and $60,422.74 from city
tax receipts.
She said
that in 1997,
the
city
established a
2% transient
lodging tax,
L. McQuead
which was
raised to 3%
in 2002. There have been
no adjustments since then
other than to redefi ne such
lodging to include vacation
rentals. She said that upon
review, Enterprise has one
of lowest motel tax rates in
the state.
McQuead said she does
not anticipate a future
reduction or increase in tax
receipts, although she does
not know how things will
move forward.
“We budgeted conser-
vatively the past couple of
years because we antici-
pated a decrease in receipts
due to the pandemic,” she
said. “That is not what we
are seeing with the revenues
we have received. What the
future holds, I have no idea.
There is too much unknown
at this point.”
Pay scale update
Also during the regu-
lar meeting, the council
approved a corrected ver-
sion of a resolution deal-
ing with a three-year bar-
gaining agreement that took
eff ect July 1, 2020, with all
employees not directed by a
collective-bargaining agree-
ment of contracted employ-
ees. McQuead said there is
a need to change the wage
scale to refl ect the new
sewer plant assistant posi-
tion. Instead of staff receiv-
ing bonuses for certifi cates
received, the new wage
scale will now allow certi-
fi ed employees to move into
a new wage column. All
Public Works Department
staff agreed on the change
prior to the meeting. The
council voted to remove the
original wage scale from
the resolution and replace it
with the new scale.
Pump track
In another matter, the
council heard a report fol-
lowing a meeting with
Angela Mart of the Wal-
lowa Mountains Bicycle
Club, which hopes to see a
pump track built in town.
Committee members had
met with Mart at the Little
League fi eld before the hol-
idays, but after discussion
— and opposition by Lit-
tle League representatives
— it was decided the fi eld
was not the best option for
the track. Instead, the city
will look at a site north of
the city park, but contact
with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency will
be necessary fi rst, as it is a
riparian area.
McQuead also said she
will seek assistance from
Mart and her board in
obtaining grant funding to
build the track.
Goals for 2022
McQuead presented the
council with a list of goals
to be accomplished in 2022.
Those include:
• A new employee in the
Public Works Department
specifi cally for the sewer
plant.
• Budget changes: Bud-
get offi cer Christie Huston
was complimented on her
job assessing the budget and
fi nding ways to save the city
money. Each department
manager needs to take time
to review their budgets and
see if any changes that can
be made to better the fi nan-
cial position of the city.
• Downtown improve-
ment: New businesses mov-
ing in, Andy McKee has
fi nished a portion of the
Litch Building with more
upgrades to come and there
are fewer open store fronts
than last year. However,
ways to add some beauti-
fi cation to downtown are
sought.
• Managers’ performance
reviews are due June 30.
• McQuead recommends
that department managers
meet with their commit-
tees at least quarterly, but
monthly meetings would
make staff feel supported by
council.
• Review of the Munic-
ipal Code and Comprehen-
sive Plan: Due to the grant
the city received from the
Oregon Department of Land
Conservation and Develop-
ment, this will be a project
that starts this year, but will
not be “completed” until
late 2023.
In other business,
the council:
• Presented outgoing
Assistant Fire Chief Dan
Niezen with an award for
his 15 years of service to the
city in the Fire Department.
• Swore in Corey Otten
to replace Christie Huston
in City Council Position
No. 3.
• Read a letter from Bob
and Kathy Rietman express-
ing their concerns over traf-
fi c near the schools. The
council
recommended
McQuead prepare a let-
ter to the Enterprise School
Board informing it of the
safety concerns once again
brought to the council’s
attention.
also said the department
has put in many hours the
previous week, largely due
to the need to keep streets
clear of snow. The council
expressed its appreciation
for the crew’s hard work.
• Fire Chief Paul Kar-
voski told the council that
the fi re crew will vote on
a new assistant chief to
replace Niezen at its fi rst
meeting in February.
• Police Chief Kevin
McQuead said the city had
issued no DUII citations
over the holidays during the
safe driving campaign. He
also said he was unable to
provide his regular monthly
report because his computer
system was down.
The next council meeting
will be Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.
Births
A daughter, Harlee
Among the
department reports:
• Public Works Director
Shawn Young informed the
council of complaints the
city received the previous
week about plowing alley-
ways. The council agreed
that alleys have never been
plowed by the city nor
should the city start now, as
the focus needs to remain on
main thoroughfares. Young
Lynn Paine, was born
January 1, 2022 in
Enterprise to Mason and
Baylee Paine of Joseph.
Grandparents are Dana &
Kevin Shelton, and Sharon
& Winfield Paine.
301 W. Main, Enterprise • 541.426.3177
This week’s featured book.
IN BRIEF
Grange to hold chili
cookoff Jan. 22
JOSEPH — A competitive
chili cookoff is being hosted
by the Hurricane Creek
Grange to coincide with the
conclusion of the 2022 Eagle
Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race,
according to a press release.
The cookoff will take
place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22, at the
grange, 92930 Airport Lane
just west of Joseph.
There is an entry fee of
$10 each for the contest, with
a $50 cash fi rst prize and a
second prize of a basket fi lled
by local vendors.
Those who come to enjoy
the chili are charged $5 for
a bowl and some cornbread.
Dessert of pies also will be
available. Whole pies go for
$15.
There also will be a local
vendor market, the release
stated.
For information, call
Barbara McCormack at
541-605-8233.
Chamber off ers ag
business training
ENTERPRISE — The
Wallowa County Cow-
Bells Farm and Ranch Busi-
ness Training is being spon-
sored by the Wallowa County
Chamber of Commerce in
January, according to a press
release.
The session will take place
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday,
Jan. 21, at the Tomas Confer-
ence Room, 309 S. River St.
in Enterprise.
Cassi Johnson of Pacifi c
Intermountain Mortgage Co.
will kick off the day with a
QuickBooks training ses-
sion. She will cover data entry
(such as entering checks and
deposits), creating custom
invoices and using the invoic-
ing feature, setting up a chart
of accounts, reports and cus-
tomizing reports, using the
payroll feature and more.
Both QuickBooks Desktop
and QuickBooks Online will
be discussed.
The afternoon will feature
a panel of local experts who
have success in direct sales
of their products. Learn about
processing, storage, delivery
and marketing challenges and
how to overcome them.
Because this class is spon-
sored by the chamber, 50%
of the class fee has been cov-
ered to help keep costs low.
Cost of the class is $50, with
a $3 transaction fee. Regis-
ter at https://www.tickettai-
lor.com/events/3barconsult-
ing/625702#.
While this training will
have a focus on the agricul-
tural industry, anyone inter-
ested in learning more about
QuickBooks and running a
small business will benefi t.
Bikepacking tour
webinar is Jan. 25
WALLOWA COUNTY
— A webinar on the Wal-
lowas Bikepacking Tour will
be held by Dirty Freehub
at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25,
according to a press release.
Route designer Ben
Groeneveld will discuss his
latest adventure and why this
is his favorite place to ride in
Northeastern Oregon.
The webinar will be mod-
erated by Linda English, the
executive director of Dirty
Freehub, a nonprofi t 501(c)(3)
organization that is an online
guide for fi ve-star gravel bike
routes. Dirty Freehub’s goal
is to build a community of
gravel cyclists who care about
where they ride. The group
hopes to get participants
involved as advocates, volun-
teers or donors with organiza-
tions that protect and preserve
recreational lands.
To participate in the Zoom
webinar, visit https://us02web.
zoom.us/j/86410473402?p-
wd=TWV2bCtGRjFMZFI-
1YmY4c2V1THpzQT09.
The meeting ID is 864 1047
3402 and the passcode is
Bikepack.
Those without Zoom capa-
bilities can attend by phone
by visiting https://us02web.
zoom.us/u/kb1jspCctn to fi nd
a local phone number. The
meeting ID is 864 1047 3402
and the passcode is 36012512.
The Dawn of
Everything
by David Graeber & David Wengrow
107 E. Main St. Enterprise OR
541-426-3351
bookloftoregon.com • manager@bookloft.org
S teve K erby
ESTATE AND RETIREMENT PLANNING
SOPHISTICATED, UNBIASED SOLUTIONS
SAFE MONEY CHOICES
kerbyofg@AOL.com
503.936.3535
An introduction
to block printing
class set
JOSEPH — Learn the
basic techniques for block
(or relief) printing at a class
planned at the Josephy Cen-
ter for Arts and Culture on
Jan. 22.
The class will be taught by
Heidi Muller of Joseph from
1-4 p.m. It costs $65. A max-
imum of six students can be
accepted. Face masks and
proof of COVID-19 vaccina-
tion are required, according to
a press release.
The class will teach how
to transfer a design, carve
with cutting tools and ink
BARGAINS
Than up k p y o o rt u ing
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While supplies last.
In Ed
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40 lb. Clean and
Protect Water
Softening Pellets
F 748 947 B63
M-F 8AM-5:30PM • SAT 8AM-5PM • SUN 9AM-3PM
Hurricane Creek Road
Enterprise, Oregon
541-426-3116
and print an impression of a
carved block onto paper. Stu-
dents will use a soft, rubbery
medium that cuts easily and
burnish the images by hand.
Materials will be provided,
but participants are asked to
bring designs or images they
would like to work from. Stu-
dents will go home with a
new set of skills and fi nished
prints.
Muller fi rst learned print-
making in high school, and
returned to it in 2019 by tak-
ing classes at the Josephy
Center. She makes linocut
prints using the big press in
the print studio and enjoys
making small projects that
she hand-prints at home. She
draws inspiration from nature
and iconic women.
— Chieftain staff
Sale Good Jan. 5th - 31st
Dr. Jason Follett,
Wallowa Valley Dental Care
Log House RV Park
Mountain Crest Apartment
Ponderosa Motel
Viridian Management
Community Bank
Heavenly’s
Umpqua Bank
Valley Bronze of Oregon
WC Grain Growers
Winding Waters
800-781-3214
Bronze Antler B & B
Minam River Lodge