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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2019)
2A — BAKER CITY HERALD MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2019 MONEY Continued from Page 1A B AKER C OUNTY C ALENDAR TUESDAY, OCT. 29 ■ Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Board of Directors: 9 a.m., OTEC Headquarters, 4005 23rd St. in Baker City. ■ Baker Airport Commission: 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 1655 First St. FRIDAY, NOV. 1 ■ Live Music by Keith Taylor: Ragtime piano, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Crossroads, 2020 Auburn Ave.; no charge. ■ First Friday Art Shows: Baker City art galleries are open late to showcase the month’s new artwork; opening times vary between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. MONDAY, NOV. 4 ■ Haines Fire Protection District Board: 6 p.m. at the Haines Library. (New time begins this month.) TUESDAY, NOV. 5 ■ Local Community Advisory Council in coordination with the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization (which serves Oregon Health Plan members in the region): Community meeting, noon to 2 p.m. at the OTEC Building, 4005 23rd St.; to hear public comment about health improvement efforts and shared strategies under the state’s next phase of coordinated care. T URNING B ACK THE P AGES 50 YEARS AGO from the Democrat-Herald October 28, 1969 The possibility of establishing a tri-county youth care center to serve Baker, Union and Wallowa counties will be explored further. 25 YEARS AGO from the Baker City Herald October 28, 1994 About 50 small earthquakes, the two strongest mea- suring 3.9 and 3.7 on the Richter scale, gently rocked the Baker County Panhandle this week. No damage or injuries were reported, though residents from Richland to Oxbow felt the 3.9 quake, which occurred at 8:35 p.m. Wednesday. 10 YEARS AGO from the Baker City Herald October 28, 2009 Baker City voters rejected by more than a 2-to-1 margin an effort to recall Mayor Dennis Dorrah and Councilor Beverly Calder. ONE YEAR AGO from the Baker City Herald October 29, 2018 Baker City Manager Fred Warner Jr. said a Michigan man has accepted the job as Baker City Fire Chief, contin- gent on a background check and drug test. John Clark would take over for interim chief Cliff Hall, who has been in that role since Chief Tom Wills retired this summer. Clark, 57, most recently served as chief of the Delta Township Fire Department in Lansing, Michigan. In July, he resigned from his position where he had served seven years as the chief. His stated reason for leaving was that he want to relocate to a new area, according to a story in the Lansing State Journal newspaper. Prior to serving as the chief, Clark worked for almost 40 years as a fi refi ghter. Clark was previously one of two fi nalists for another job in early September in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register. The city didn’t end up hiring either of the candidates after one of the candidates withdrew his application. The Pleasant Hill administration didn’t disclose which candidate withdrew. That problem has been — and until 2021 will continue to be — alleviated by the Baker City Fire Department’s award of a Staffi ng for Ad- equate Fire and Emergency Resources (SAFER) grant. The $426,099 federal grant allowed the city fi re depart- ment to add three additional 40-hour fi refi ghter/emergency services positions. Baker County added a $99,000 match over the life of the three-year grant to fund the positions. To prepare for the grant to expire, the county, which is responsible for establishing ambulance service areas and choosing allowed providers, sent out letters of interest to 21 potential providers last fall for the Baker service area, which includes Baker City and about half of the county, including Baker Valley. The Baker City Fire Department is the current provider for that area. Four agencies responded. And as part of the process, the county sent out requests for proposals seeking bids on the ambulance service contract to those four. In addition to the Baker City Fire Department, two private ambulance services submitted bids: Med Trans- port Inc. of North Powder and Metro West Ambulance Inc., a Hillsboro fi rm. At the advice of county counsel, those bids have not been made public. According to the schedule outlined in the RFP, the contract, for a minimum of 10 years, is expected to be awarded by June 1, 2020. In the meantime, Yencopal says he’s got a lot of work to do to prepare for that deadline. He plans to schedule public meetings starting in Novem- ber to hear what the public is willing to support in terms of ambulance service. The County will entertain any suggestions brought to the table, Yencopal said. But how that will look, who will be asked to pay, and how much is yet to be determined. Before the meetings are scheduled, the county will form a seven-member com- mittee (including Yencopal and county counsel as nonvoting members) to work through the contract-award process, Yencopal said. Baker County Commis- sioner Chairman Bill Harvey, along with Commissioners Mark Bennett and Bruce OCT 25-31 O REGON L OTTERY MEGABUCKS, Oct. 26 14 — 20 — 25 — 30 — 32 — 48 Next jackpot: $5.2 million POWERBALL, Oct. 26 3 — 20 — 48 — 54 — 59 PB 4 Next jackpot: $140 million MEGA MILLIONS, Oct. 25 16 — 24 — 25 — 52 — 60 Mega 6 Next jackpot: $105 million WIN FOR LIFE, Oct. 26 27 — 28 — 55 — 76 PICK 4, Oct. 27 • 1 p.m.: 9 — 8 — 2 — 0 • 4 p.m.: 7 — 8 — 7 — 9 • 7 p.m.: 7 — 0 — 4 — 6 • 10 p.m.: 4 — 5 — 5 — 0 LUCKY LINES, Oct. 27 3-8-9-14-18-23-27-32 Next jackpot: $32,000 S ENIOR M ENUS ■ TUESDAY: Cheese manicotti with meat sauce, green beans, roll, fruit ambrosia, tapioca ■ WEDNESDAY: Meatloaf, potatoes and gravy, succotash, roll, pea-and-onion salad, birthday cake Public luncheon at the Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $4.50 donation (60 and older), $6.75 for those under 60. “We have a good relationship with the county. We just feel like the public needs to understand where the process is going.” — Baker City Fire Chief John Clark Nichols, next are expected to review information gathered in those meetings and from the evaluation committee near the end of January. Yencopal said information gleaned from the meetings will be used to gauge pub- lic sentiment about which aspects of ambulance service are deemed most important. As part of the consider- ation, the county will deter- mine whether funding would require voter approval of a bond measure, a tax levy or formation of a special district. Baker City Fire Chief John Clark wants Baker City resi- dents to pay attention to the process and to let their city and county representatives know their preferences as the process develops. And he will be asking the Baker City Council to chime in as well. Clark says he hopes Baker City residents, and those who live outside the city limits, ap- preciate the service provided by the city’s professional fi re department employees. About 76% of the fi re department’s ambulance calls are within the Baker City limits, Clark said. The other 24% of calls are outside the city. Clark is concerned that if the county should place a bal- lot measure before only those voters outside the city, they would be making the deci- sion on emergency medical services for everyone. “City residents need to make their position known and express their concerns,” Clark said. The chief concern is that if the county chose an ambu- lance provider other than the Baker City Fire Department, the department, due to a sig- nifi cant cut in revenue from ambulance calls, would have to make signifi cant staffi ng cuts. As Yencopal points out, decisions are yet to be made, and will take into account comments provided during the public meetings. In support of his employees, Clark wants residents of the 1,600-square-mile ambulance service area — slightly more than half the county’s area — to understand that Baker City Fire Department fi re and rescue workers live in the community and are rooted here. “We have a huge commu- nity connection,” Clark said. Because his employees are ELTRYM HISTORIC THEATER 1809 1st Street, Baker City www.eltrym.com JUDY PG-13 FRI & SAT: (4:00) 6:50, 9:30 SUN: (4:00) 6:50 MON-THURS: 6:50 ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP R FRI & SAT: (4:20) 7:10, 9:40 SUN: (4:20) 7:10 MON-THURS: 7:10 MALEFICENT PG FRI & SAT: (4:10) 7:00, 9:35 SUN: (4:10) 7:00 MON-THURS: 7:00 ( )Bargain Matinee Show Times: 541-523-2522 Offi ce: 541-523-5439 community members, they are involved in organizations such as the Elks Lodge, Boy Scouts and sporting events. And they participate in the Miners Jubilee, rodeos and the Shrine Parade. “This is their permanent career,” he said. “This is the only concern they have: Baker City and Baker County residents.” The level of training and experience refl ected in the staff would be hard for a contracting agency to beat, he maintains. “The average person has been here more than 10 years,” Clark said. “They have read through thousands of EKGs and they have had thousands of patient interac- tions.” And then there is their personal knowledge and experience with the region. They are familiar with re- mote areas of the mountains, including Forest Service roads, he said. Plus, the department has fostered relationships with the volunteer departments around the county over the years. “We work like clockwork,” Clark said. “We don’t miss a beat.” If an outside company were to be awarded the bid to provide ambulance service all of that would be lost, Clark believes. While the RFP requires a minimum of four people and two ambulances available per day, the Baker City Fire Department offers fi ve full- time EMT/paramedics, plus Clark, available daily. The department also has a small group of part-time emergency service workers to call in as needed as backup. Clark said over the past three years, two ambulances were on calls simultaneously an average of 200 times a year. Baker City Fire Depart- ment has the ability to cover four back-to-back calls. A contracted service with only two ambulances would not, Clark points out. The department also provides free training in the community to the quick re- sponse and rural fi re depart- ments throughout the county and CPR training monthly in the community at no cost. Ambulance revenue makes up 44% of the Fire Depart- ment’s budget and assures that current staffi ng levels O BITUARY four years. He Mathew Hubert, both of received train- Baker City; his stepchildren, Willard “Butch” Hubert Jr., ing as a diesel Malaina and Jimmy; and 73, of Baker City, died on Oct. mechanic and many grandchildren. 5, 2019, at his home. worked for the He was preceded in death A celebration of his life will City of Baker by his father, Willard Hubert take place on Saturday, Nov. from 1979 until Butch Sr.; his mother, Laura Tom- Hubert 9 at 2 p.m. at the Baker City 1998, where linson, and his stepfather, Eagles Lodge, 2935 H St. he started as a Roland Tomlinson. Butch was born on July mechanic and was promoted To light a candle in 17, 1946, at Oregon City to shop foreman. memory of Butch, or to leave to Willard Hubert Sr. and Butch loved riding his a condolence for his family, go Laura Nettleton. He attended Harley-Davidson, taking care to www.grayswestco.com Powers High School in Pow- of his family and helping ers, Oregon, and graduated people out. He was a member EWS OF in 1965. After high school, of the Eagles, Elks and VFW. Butch joined the United Survivors include his ECORD States Army and served for sons, Raymond Hubert and ‘Butch’ Hubert Baker City, 1946-2019 N R “Youʼll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR C ONTACT THE H ERALD 1668 Resort St. Open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone: 541-523-3673 Copyright © 2019 Fax: 541-833-6414 Regional publisher Christopher Rush crush@eomediagroup.com Publisher Karrine Brogoitti kbrogoitti@lagrandeobserver. com Jayson Jacoby, editor jjacoby@bakercityherald.com Advertising email ads@bakercityherald.com Classifi ed email classified@bakercityherald.com Circulation email circ@bakercityherald.com ISSN-8756-6419 Serving Baker County since 1870 Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays except Christmas Day by the Baker Publishing Co., a part of EO Media Group, at 1668 Resort St. (P.O. Box 807), Baker City, OR 97814. Subscription rates per month are: $10.80; by mail $12.50. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Baker City Herald, P.O. Box 807, Baker City, OR 97814. Periodicals Postage Paid at Baker City, Oregon 97814 can be maintained, Clark said. But that money also funds dual service — ambu- lances as well as fi re trucks. “A fi refi ghter paramedic or a fi refi ghter EMT can treat and put out a fi re,” Clark said. Without the ambulance contract, the department’s staffi ng likely would be re- duced to two people per day, he said. Four people are required at a fi re scene before any of them can go inside a build- ing. “It’s the two-in, two-out rule,” Clark said. “We have to have two outside before we can put two inside.” Staff reductions also would likely result in higher fi re insurance costs for property owners, he said. And it would affect the de- partment’s ability to provide mutual aid to the rural fi re departments. “Clearly, because of the staffi ng model we have, we have the ability to help them,” Clark said. “If we return to two people in the station, there would be no mutual aid.” The same would be true for fi re calls involving vehicles that might include the need for extricating vehicle occu- pants along Interstate 84. The city has a contract with the Oregon Department of Transportation to respond to freeway calls between Weatherby and the south Baker City limits. That practice would end with reduced staffi ng, he said. Clark hopes the county will look at all of the examples he has pointed to when award- ing a contract for ambulance service. “We have a good relation- ship with the county,” he said. “We just feel like the public needs to understand where the process is going.” And Yencopal echoed that sentiment from the county’s view in a press release about how the county plans to proceed: “I want to assure you that the County has not under- taken this process due to any issues or hard feelings by any group or jurisdiction. “This process is to gather information so Baker County residents can make an informed decision about the care they’d like to receive, and the costs of that care.” County Commissioner Mark Bennett said this sum- mer that the city fi re depart- ment has “provided excellent levels of service” in the am- bulance service area and that the county does not intend to harm the department. 225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK WWW. BAKERLIB.ORG 2400 Resort Street, Baker City (541) 523-6419 FUNERAL PENDING Liz Peyron: A celebration of her life will take place Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Baker City Christian Church, 675 High- way 7. Friends are invited to join the family immediately following for lunch, a time to mingle and share stories. Online condolenc- es can be made at www.tamispi- nevalleyfuneralhome.com POLICE LOG Baker City Police Arrests, citations DRIVING UNDER THE INFLU- ENCE OF INTOXICANTS: Ronald James Carter, 45, of Omaha, Nebraska, 2:53 a.m. Sunday, in the 1500 block of Campbell Street; jailed. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF II (Mal- heur County warrant): Ronald Ervin Franek, 51, of Durkee, 6:23 pm. Sunday, on Interstate 84 at the north Baker City limits; jailed.
