LOCAL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2020
COUNCIL
Continued from Page 1A
Councilor Lynette Perry, who said
during the Council’s Oct. 13 meeting
that the proposed policy “terrifi es”
her, said Tuesday that she believes it
should be called the Baker City Exces-
sive Force and Civil Rights Demonstra-
tion Policy “because it is covering both
of those.”
“We got a little lost in it being called
‘excessive force’ which really was not
as much the issue as the demonstra-
tion portion as far as I was concerned,”
Perry said.
The proposed policy reads:
“It is the policy of the City of Baker
City that:
1. Its law enforcement personnel
shall not use excessive force against
any individuals engaged in nonviolent
civil rights demonstrations, and
2. Applicable state and local laws
that prohibit physically barring
entrance to or exit from a facility or
location which is the subject of such
nonviolent civil rights demonstra-
tions within its jurisdiction shall be
enforced.”
Councilor Doni Bruland, who also
has objected to the language in the
proposed policy, said she wants the
city to help New Directions Northwest
acquire the federal grant to build the
fi tness center for its clients in mental
health and addiction treatment. The
facility wouldn’t be open to the general
public.
“I think the center is needed and
I appreciate, honestly, the work you
did and the people that can use it,”
Bruland said. “It still comes down to
us as a group, as a governing body,
being forced to sign something that we
already have in existence.”
Bruland compared the block grant
requirement to blackmail, with the
federal government enticing the city
with money.
She reiterated her belief that the
Baker City Police’s existing 8-page use
of force policy already covers the issues
listed in the proposed policy.
“You’re asking an entire community
to sign on to a redundant policy to get
money for a few,” Bruland said. “And
it’s that blackmail that I’m against. It’s
the idea that we are being forced to
sign something that we already have
as a law, not just a policy.
“This is opening a huge can of
worms and setting a precedent that
‘we’ll take your money and agree to
“You’re asking an entire
community to sign on to a
redundant policy to get money
for a few.”
— City Councilor Doni Bruland
whatever you want to tell us to say’
and that’s not right,” Bruland said.
Perry agreed with Bruland.
“I’m in total awe that you got the
grant and what you want to do, it’s a
wonderful project. My objection is the
wording,” Perry said.
Mayor Loran Joseph, who has urged
his fellow councilors to approve the
policy and secure the grant for New
Directions, said Tuesday that elected
offi cials in more than 15,000 other
communities nationwide have adopted
the policy since 1990.
Perry said she would support
adopting a policy if the wording was
changed.
“If we could have something that
refl ects what we have in place (as a
use of force policy) and state it for their
approval that this is what we have in
place, that would be wonderful. But
for them to say you have to have it in
these words, that doesn’t really defi ne
what we’re signing off on, is where I
object,” said Perry.
Councilor Larry Morrison was
absent Tuesday, and councilors did not
take any action.
A motion to table the matter failed
by a 3-3 vote, with Perry, Bruland
and Arvid Andersen voting yes on the
motion, and Joseph, Jason Spriet and
Randy Schiewe voting no.
Several residents attended the meet-
ing to comment about the controversy
over the proposed policy.
Ethan Wolston, a member of the
Baker Community Justice Project,
endorsed the policy and grant.
“Our group seeks to make Baker
City a more open, welcoming, and just
community for all people,” Wolston said.
“We value respect, human dignity, and
inclusive values. We resist racisim, xe-
nophobia, homophobia, and other forms
of discrimination.”
He said the group’s support of the
grant for New Directions is driven by a
desire to include and provide opportu-
nity to all members of the community.
“In building their wellness center,
New Directions will provide opportuni-
ties to traditionally underserved popu-
lations here in Baker City,” Wolston
said.
BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A
Troy Lepley of Baker City objected to
the proposed policy.
“People I’ve talked to across the
board, the concern is the way this has
come about,” Lepley said. “This has
come about through a grant, through
money, that is requiring us to enact a
policy that has absolutely nothing to
do with the grant itself. And I’m also
concerned about, does that mean any
policy? If someone could wave enough
money in front of us, we’ll enact what-
ever?”
New Directions CEO Shari Selander
asked councilors to consider “what is
the cost to our community if we don’t
approve adopting the policy.”
“Loss for economic development, loss
of being able to have a positive impact
for our at-risk youth and adults, the
vulnerable population here in Baker,”
Selander said. “It makes a difference for
the 17-year-old suicidal young man that
we continually deal with. It makes a dif-
ference for the adolescent girls that are
cutting and struggling with inner pain.”
Selander said traditional therapy
doesn’t work for everyone, and the fi t-
ness center would allow people in treat-
ment to spend time with friends.
“It makes a difference in their lives
and that’s what I see every day, that’s
what my staff sees,” Selander said.
She reminded councilors that Baker
City Police Chief Ray Duman is not op-
posed to the city adopting the proposed
policy. Duman told councilors Oct. 13
that he doesn’t believe the policy would
affect how officers do their jobs.
Shad Thomas, addictions program
director for New Directions, told coun-
cilors that about 37% of Baker County’s
population qualifies for Medicaid and
would be eligible to use the proposed
fitness center.
“Additionally, that population of 37%
has a huge impact on everyone else,”
Thomas said. “You take into account
mental health, substance abuse issues,
these are kids and families that are
growing up that your children and your
grandchildren are going to be involved
with. They are people that are going to
be owning businesses in the next 10, 15,
20 years. What type of community are
we trying to build and support to leave
our children?”
Thomas said there is no effective
medications to treat methamphetamine
abuse, saying the best treatment is
exercise.
“It increases the probability that they
will remain sober, it also decreases their
withdrawal symptoms,” Thomas said.
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Wallowa-Whitman National Forest / Contributed Photo
A fi re on Tuesday night damaged the historic Peavy
Cabin in the Elkhorn Mountains.
CABIN
escaped from the fi replace
chimney, setting fi re to a wall
Continued from Page 1A
and the cabin’s ceiling, ac-
The cabin, along the North cording to Cikanek.
Fork of the John Day River
Flames burned a section
between Anthony Lakes and of logs on the outside of the
Granite, was built in 1934 by cabin in one area.
George Wilcox Peavy, then
The hunters spent much
dean of the School of Forestry of the night pouring water on
at Oregon State University.
the fi re, Cikanek said.
A Forest Service employee,
North Powder Rural Fire
Larry Bilyeu, restored the
Protection District and
cabin in the early 1990s.
Wallowa-Whitman National
The Forest Service makes Forest fi re staff arrived early
the cabin available for rent
Wednesday and confi rmed
through a contract admin-
that there was no heat left,
istered by Anthony Lakes
he said.
Mountain Resort.
Jay Moore, recreation
“While the fi re at Peavy
specialist for the Wallowa-
Cabin was an unfortunate
Whitman National Forest,
incident, it was also a shining said: “Clearly, the cabin will
example of cooperation and
need to be repaired, although
shared stewardship,” said
we are relieved to see that
Kendall Cikanek, Whitman
it remains sealed from the
District Ranger. “Everyone
winter weather. We will also
is safe, and the cabin is still
explore alternatives to fi re-
standing, and that is thanks wood heat to reduce the risk
to a coordinated response
of a future fi re.”
from the hunters staying at
Peavy Cabin was slated to
the cabin, the North Powder close for the season on Oct. 31
Rural Fire Protection District, regardless.
and Anthony Lakes Moun-
The Whitman District’s
tain Resort.”
goal is to have it ready for
The fi re started when heat rental by May 1, 2021.
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