LOCAL
lance service, should be angry that council-
ors two weeks later reversed their decision
about submitting a proposal to the county.
Continued from Page A1
Johnson said he wishes councilors
posal to Baker County for the city to con- would look at the ambulance service not
tinue operating ambulances.
as a money-losing operation — the city
“I don’t understand — it’s insane,” Ca-
collected about 50% of the bills it sent in
sey Johnson, a firefighter/paramedic, said 2021 — but as a source of revenue that
on Wednesday morning, May 25. “They
makes it possible to employ the number
pulled the rug out from under us, not
of firefighters it has now.
only the fire department but the citizens.
That ambulance revenue “is the only
The City Council is gambling with the
way we are able to provide that fire pro-
safety of their citizens.”
tection,” he said.
Johnson said he was stunned when
If the city does end ambulance ser-
the Council approved by a 4-2 vote a
vice Sept. 30, the fire department’s staff-
motion from Councilor Dean Guyer to
ing would drop from the 16.25 full-time
not send a proposal to the county by the equivalents in the budget for the current
June 3 deadline.
fiscal year, which ends June 30, to 10.5 in
Guyer said his proposal doesn’t pre-
the coming fiscal year.
clude the city fire department from po-
Cannon has told councilors that that staff-
tentially continuing to operate ambu-
ing level is sufficient based on the number
lances beyond the Sept. 30, 2022, date
of fire calls that the department handles.
the Council set in late March.
But Johnson contends that the layoffs
If the city discontinues its ambulance ser- would significantly reduce the department’s
vice, the county, under Oregon law, would
firefighting capacity, particularly in structure
be required to find a replacement provider.
fires, where a two-person crew would not be
After the Council sent a notice to the
able to enter a building unless there were at
county March 22, setting the Sept. 30 date,
least two backup firefighters.
county commissioners prepared a request
He took umbrage at Cannon’s contention
for proposals for running ambulances within that because other departments in cities of
Baker City and about two-thirds of the rest
similar size to Baker City operate with a sim-
of the county.
ilar number of employees as is in the pro-
Johnson described the Council’s approval posed budget for the coming fiscal year, that
of Guyer’s motion as a “complete 180,” not-
Baker City can do so as well.
ing that on May 10 the City Council voted
“I would invite him to put on turnouts
7-0 to have City Manager Jonathan Cannon and an air pack and drag a hose line into a
prepare a proposal that the city would send burning building with only one other fire-
to the county by the June 3 deadline.
fighter, and afterwards look the homeowner
Johnson said Guyer’s statement that the in the eye and tell them they were ‘effective,’
city could potentially enter into discussions ” Johnson said.
with the county after June 3 “doesn’t make
Johnson believes the city can afford to
any sense.”
continue operating ambulances for at least
“If you don’t come to the table you can’t
the next fiscal year, although he thinks the
negotiate,” Johnson said. “They’re hoping
county needs to contribute more than the
they can get invited back to the table after- $150,000 it has offered the city.
wards. This is infuriating.”
He agrees with other city and county offi-
Johnson said the more than 50 residents cials who have said that the long-term solu-
who crammed into council chambers at City tion to the situation is a voter-approved tax
Hall during the May 10 meeting, including
levy or new ambulance district. Currently,
18 who urged councilors to retain ambu-
city property owners contribute taxes to the
Union
Ambulance
Continued from Page A1
city still has the possibility of
stepping back into” the ambu-
lance service issue depending
on what county commissioners
decide after reviewing any pro-
posals they receive.
If the city did end up send-
ing a proposal to the county,
Guyer said he believes that
should be contingent on the
county agreeing to ask vot-
ers in the ambulance service
area in May 2023 to approve
a property tax levy or cre-
ate a new ambulance district,
which would also impose a
new property tax assessment.
“The city doesn’t have a long-
term solution to pay for the
ambulance service,” Guyer said.
City and county officials
have generally agreed that a
new, stable revenue source
would be required to have the
city continue to operate am-
bulances.
Guyer and Councilors Jo-
anna Dixon, Johnny Wag-
goner Sr. and Kenyon Dam-
schen voted in favor of Guyer’s
motion to not respond to the
county by June 3.
Mayor Kerry McQuisten
and Councilor Shane Alderson
voted no.
Councilor Jason Spriet was
absent.
Alderson said on Wednes-
day morning, May 25, that
he thinks the city, after telling
Cannon to put together a pro-
posal, should have followed
through on the plan set during
the May 10 meeting.
“Now we’ve lost a seat at the
table,” Alderson said.
After Guyer’s motion was
approved, councilors canceled
both the work session and spe-
cial meeting, since the purpose
of both was to review a pro-
posal the city now won’t send
before June 3.
Guyer
Dixon
less, given that the county is
required by state law to ensure
that happens.
“It may not have our name
on it, but that’s not necessarily
a bad thing,” Cannon said. “I
think the best thing we can do
is cheerlead the county.”
He lauded the county’s ef-
forts, through its request for
proposals, to have an ambulance
provider ready to replace the
city fire department if necessary.
“The county is responsible
and they are working hard on
this,” Cannon said.
Kent Bailey, a Baker City na-
tive and 40-year CPA who au-
dited the city’s financial records
for much of that time, told
councilors that the city’s bud-
get situation, were the city to
continue operating ambulances
without a new revenue source,
is “not a pretty picture.”
Bailey said the city likely
would need $600,000 to
$700,000 from the county to
continue operating ambulances.
The county has offered
$150,000 for the fiscal year that
starts July 1. The county has
pledged to give the city $100,000
for the current fiscal year.
But Bailey said the city would
need a larger county contri-
bution to cover rising costs,
including the city’s share of
Oregon’s Public Employees Re-
tirement System (PERS). The
city’s PERS liability is likely to
rise considerably, Bailey said.
He also estimated that the
new two-year labor contract
the Council approved with the
fire department union would
add $77,000 to $100,000 to the
fire department’s costs.
Bailey said the Council
Discussion of financial
could look at other revenue
sources, mentioning as one
challenges
Although the Council de-
example a $100 fee added
cided not to continue discuss- to each of the city’s approx-
ing Cannon’s draft proposal
imately 4,000 water service
to the county, Cannon said he connections. That would
and other staff wanted to give
raise $400,000, but he said the
councilors information about
county would still need to con-
ambulance service and the fire tribute about the same amount
department budget.
for the city to continue its cur-
Cannon described the cur-
rent fire department staffing.
rent situation as a “pivot point,”
Bailey noted with a
and he said he concluded, after chuckle that he’s considered
reviewing many documents
a senior citizen, and he said
and projections, that the city
he’ll eventually need ambu-
can’t afford to continue oper-
lance services.
ating the fire department, as a
He said the city fire depart-
dual-role agency that responds ment has done an “excellent
to fires and ambulance calls,
job” providing that service.
with the current revenue.
“I don’t ever want anybody
“I’m doing this because I
to say that I made any deroga-
have to for the financial sol-
tory comments about how the
vency of the city,” Cannon
ambulance service has been
told councilors. “We have put
provided. They’ve done an
a lot of blood, sweat and tears
excellent job. This is purely
into this issue. It’s not some-
money,” Bailey said.
thing you do as a city manager
for fun because it makes for
City contacted by possible
months and months of diffi-
bidders for ambulance service
cult, stressful, emotional days
Jennifer Spencer, the city’s
and nights.”
administrative services man-
Cannon emphasized that
ager, told councilors that she
the city will continue to have
has been contacted by rep-
an ambulance service regard-
resentatives from companies
city’s general fund, which includes the fire
department, but property owners outside
the city, but who are in the ambulance ser-
vice area the city covers, do not.
Johnson believes the City Council’s
goal should be to avoid layoffs in the fire
department until voters have a chance to
decide on the tax measure, which could
happen in May 2023.
If the city follows through on ending its
ambulance service Sept. 30, the 2023 tax
measure would be a moot point, he said, at
least as it applies to the city fire department.
“It’s just easier to maintain something you
have than to try to rebuild it,” Johnson said.
He acknowledges that operating am-
bulances is a tougher task today for the fire
department than it was in March, when the
City Council set the Sept. 30 deadline.
Two firefighter/paramedics have left since
then, and a third position had been vacant
for several months.
One of the two who left, Brian Johnson,
said in early April that he took a job with a
fire department in Washington state be-
cause he feared he would be among the
Baker City employees laid off if the city dis-
continues ambulance service Sept. 30. John-
son was hired in January 2018, and had little
seniority.
Johnson concedes it would likely be diffi-
cult for the city to hire new firefighter/para-
medics given the uncertainty.
“Who’s going to come work here?” he
said. “There’s a lack of job security.”
Johnson said the city could partially al-
leviate the staffing shortage by reassigning
three department’s three division chiefs to
the 24-hour shifts that other firefighter/para-
medics work. Two of the three chiefs were
moved in July 2021 to a 40-hour weekly
schedule.
Johnson blames that schedule change
for much of the increase in the fire depart-
ment’s overtime bill since July 2021.
According to city records, the fire depart-
ment’s overtime bill for the nine-month
period July 2021 through March 2022 was
$135,600 — an increase of $69,900, or 94%,
from the same period the previous year.
BAKER CITY HERALD • THuRsDAY, MAY 26, 2022 A3
Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald
Baker City firefighter/paramedic Casey Johnson, left, president of the local union
chapter that represents Baker City firefighters, and Ron Morgan, a district vice
president for the Oregon State Firefighters Council, went door to door in Baker
City May 3, 2022, to urge residents to oppose a city proposal to end ambulance
service Sept. 30, 2022, forcing Baker County to find a different provider.
here that we have to deal with,”
Cannon said the city has
not made extensive and ob- Cannon said.
vious cuts to its general fund
budget directly attributed to Other business
Also during Tuesday’s meet-
the cost of operating ambu-
lances, but as expenses con- ing councilors ratified a two-
tinue to increase, the city has year labor contract with the
Waggoner
Damschen
Alderson
McQuisten
firefighters union, which will
had to make spending pri-
continue through June 30,
orities.
considering responding to the the past several years — that
“This means skipping proj- 2024.
county’s request for proposals. subsidy is happening, Spen-
The contract includes a 5%
ects which need to be com-
Spencer said she has been
salary increase retroactive to
cer said.
pleted, foregoing necessary
“gladly” supplying data about
“That’s what the city has
maintenance and upgrades on July 1, 2021, as the union has
the city’s ambulance operations been doing for a very long
been working without a new
facilities,” Cannon said.
to those who have asked for it. time,” she said.
contract since then. For the
He cited as examples a
She said that although the
two years of the new contract,
Spencer told councilors
roof for the fire station, new
city has tried to maximize its
employees will receive a min-
that under Oregon law, a pri- fire trucks, oxygen apparatus
ambulance revenue, including vate ambulance service would and more. The police depart- imum of 3% and a maximum
submitting $2.1 million in un- have to give priority in hiring ment needs upgraded equip-
of 5%, the amount depending
paid bills to collection agen-
employees to current city em- ment and the finance depart- on the Consumer Price Index.
cies, the city, as a municipal
Councilors also awarded a
ployees.
ment needs updated software,
provider, isn’t reimbursed by
bid to Sid Johnson & Co. of
The city’s proposed budget
he said.
Medicare or Medicaid at a rate for the fiscal year starting July 1
“Those projects and equip- Baker City for $163,971 to re-
as high as a private ambulance is based on the fire department ment, vehicles, have been
build a warm storage building
at the city’s public works shops
company would get.
curtailing ambulance service
trimmed year after year and
Spencer said city property
Sept. 30. The budget would
so there is a gap in the budget that burned this winter.
taxes are intended to help pay reduce staffing in the fire de-
for public safety, including the partment from the 16.25 full-
fire and police departments.
time equivalents in the current
Charles Richard “Dick” Kirby
“We will have a fire depart- budget — although two slots
June 22, 1940 - May 2, 2022
ment,” Spencer said. “We have are vacant and a third soon
an excellent fire department,
will be — to 10.5.
Charles Richard “Dick”
we have an excellent police de-
Cannon said he has looked
Kirby,
age 81, of Baker City
partment. And that’s what the at fire departments all over the
died
peacefully
at his home
property taxes are supposed to state, and he believes the staff-
while surrounded by his family
go for, not to subsidize people’s ing level in the proposed bud-
on May 2, 2022. A celebration
medical bills and that’s what
get would work in Baker City
of his life will be held at 1 p.m.
the city’s been doing for a very based on call volumes.
on Wednesday, June 8, 2022,
long time.”
He said there is no evi-
at the Baker City Christian
Yet with the city collecting dence to suggest that fire
Church, 675 Highway 7, with
only a portion of the amount insurance costs in the city
it bills for ambulance runs — would increase if the city re-
a reception following. Pastor
about 50% during the current duces the fire department
Jesse Whitford will officiate.
fiscal year, an increase over
workforce as proposed.
A private family urn burial at
Mount Hope Cemetery will take place following the
reception.
Jerry Lloyd Franke
He was born to Skinner and LaVaughn (Glen) Kirby
April 16, 1941 - May 18, 2022
in Baker on June 22, 1940. He grew up ranching in
Durkee with his family. It was in Durkee that he and his
Jerry Lloyd Franke of Nampa,
first wife, Gayle, decided they would start their family
Idaho, (formerly of Irrigon) was
and would welcome their three children: Stacey, Angela
born April 16, 1941, in Bemidji,
and Rich.
Minnesota, the son of Lloyd and
In the early 1970s, Dick left full-time ranching to
Helen (Reinarz) Franke. He entered
work for Grizzly Bear Pizza and would spend the next
into his final rest on May 18, 2022,
several years managing pizza parlors until he became a
at the age of 81 in Nampa, Idaho,
licensed real estate agent. He spent a few years selling
where he has resided in 2017.
real estate until he went to work as a property appraiser
Jerry
attended
several
elementary schools in Minnesota,
for the Baker County Assessor’s Office, from which he
Michigan, Oklahoma, Washington
would retire in 2008.
and Oregon. He attended high school in Irrigon,
Dick married the love of his life, Lana, in December
Oregon, graduating in 1959. He then enlisted in the
of 1991. They spent many happy years together until
U.S. Air Force.
her death in April of 2018.
Jerry’s Air Force career lasted 20 years and he retired
Throughout Dick’s years, he took much pride in
in 1980. He was stationed in several locations around
serving. He served six years in the Army National Guard
the world, including Japan, the Philippines, England,
of Oregon. He and his family had large involvement in
Turkey and several bases in the United States.
the Durkee Steak Feed, making their famous pan bread
Jerry married Patricia Fyvie in San Antonio, Texas,
over the open pit. He was a member of the Oregon
on July 2, 1964, where they were both stationed with
Cattlemen’s Association. He served on Baker County
the U.S. Air Force.
Search and Rescue, Baker County Election Board
They were blessed with two children, Curtis Lloyd
and spent many years within the Masonic Lodge as a
and Ramona Lynn, both currently reside in Nampa,
Shriner. Of all of the things he served in, nothing gave
Idaho.
him as much pride as being a Shriner and the work he
After retirement Jerry worked for several years for
did as such. Most notably, Dick was instrumental in
the West Extension Irrigation District in Irrigon. He
getting the East-West Shrine Football Game to Baker
later worked for the Burnt River Irrigation District in
City and was the game coordinator for many years.
Unity, Oregon.
Dick was survived by his children: Stacey (Kevin)
Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia,
Tatlock, Angie Mawhinney, Rich (Stefanie) Kirby,
in 2013; parents, Lloyd and Helen; and his siblings,
stepson; Richard (Beth) Garrett, sister; Cheryl Cornett,
Joanne, David and Judy.
He is survived by his children, Curtis and Ramona;
14 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and four
brother, Richard (Karen) of Hartville, Missouri; sister,
nieces and their families.
Sharon (Jim) of Nampa, Idaho; and granddaughter,
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; Skinner
Trisha of Nampa, and many nieces and nephews.
and LaVaughn Kirby, brother; Robert Kirby, brother in
A funeral dervice will be held at 1 p.m. Friday,
law; Marshall Cornett, granddaughter; Ashley Colton,
May 27, 2022, at the Burns Mortuary Chapel, 685 W.
and late wife; Lana Kirby.
Hermiston Ave., Hermiston, Oregon, 97838. Burial with
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Shriners
military honors will follow in Desert Lawn Memorial
Hospitals for Children through Gray’s West & Co.
Cemetery in Irrigon. Burns Mortuary, of Hermiston, is
Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, Oregon
in care of arrangements.
97814. To light a candle in Dick’s honor or to offer
To leave an online condolence for the family please
online condolences to his family, please visit www.
go to www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
grayswestco.com.