News Blue Mountain Eagle John Day raises water, sewer rates Reserves still minimal despite recent increases though recent increases in water and sewer rates had generated slight reserves, the city was not collecting enough to cover the cost of By Sean Hart depreciation. Blue Mountain Eagle He said other small cit- ies that did not make small John Day residents will rate increases through the see an increase on their util- years, such as Vale, were ity bills in January. forced to implement dou- At the Dec. 8 City Coun- ble-digit increases to cover cil meeting, the councilors costs. unanimously voted to raise “You eat an elephant one the monthly base water rate bite at a time,” he said. E\ WR DQG WKH EDVH City Manager Peggy Gray VHZHU UDWH E\ WR HI- said the city’s fees were cur- fective Jan. 1. rently too low to qualify for Kent Bailey, an accoun- state grants, or even loans, to tant with Guyer & Associ- make any needed repairs or DWHV H[SODLQHG WR WKH FRXQ- improvements. cilors while presenting the The councilors discussed city’s annual audit that, al- raising the rates even fur- ther to have healthier reserve balances but eventually con- FOXGHGWKDWDQLQFUHDVHRI per month total would be dif- ¿FXOW HQRXJK IRU SHRSOH RQ ¿[HGLQFRPHV The council also in- creased the bulk water rate IURPWRSHU gallons and the commercial GXPSLQJ UDWH IURP WR SHUJDOORQ Also discussed was the possibility for a future town KDOOPHHWLQJZKHUHFLW\RI¿- FLDOVFRXOGH[SODLQWKHVLWXD- tion to residents, who could offer feedback. The Dec. 22 meeting was canceled for Christmas, and Gray said City Hall would close at noon on Christmas Eve. Wednesday, December 16, 2015 A5 PARADE Continued from Page A1 Morris Forestry (Brett Mor- ris) winning second place. Event coordinator Leslie Traylor works with 10 to 12 committee members, starting in October, to make the pa- rade possible. She said the truckers and other drivers put a lot of work into decorating their vehicles. Two people she saw put- ting lights on their trucks ZRUNHGIRU¿YHKRXUVHDFKLQ Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter preparation for the big night. 6KH VDLG WKHUH ZHUH VL[ Several young “elves” rode on the Santa’s Workshop- more entries than last year themed float, representing the Grant County Chapter and more served at the awards of New Hope for Eastern Oregon Animals. dinner this year. &/35DQFKHV/LVD3HUHLUDVHFRQG “It was a success,” she &/35DQFKHV&XUW3HUHLUDWKLUG said. Community Parade results: Timber ,URQ7ULDQJOH/RJJLQJ¿UVW 5XGH/RJJLQJVHFRQG 0RUULV)RUHVWU\WKLUG Commercial )URQWLHU(TXLSPHQW¿UVW -RKQ'D\$XWR3DUWVVHFRQG *UD\EDFN)RUHVWU\WKLUG Farm and Ranch +DQVHQ5DQFKHV0DUN+DQVHQ¿UVW 1HZ+RSH$QLPDO6KHOWHU¿UVW %OXH0RXQWDLQ+RVSLWDOVHFRQG &LW\RI-RKQ'D\WKLUG People’s Choice *UD\EDFN)RUHVWU\¿UVW 0RUULV)RUHVWU\VHFRQG Sweepstakes Iron Triangle Logging Shotgun winner /HV:RRGZDUG 3HSSHU:KLWH Grayback Forestry’s float featured the abominable snowman. Dec. 13: Responded for an 85-year-old man. Long Creek ambulance: Dec. 8: Transported a pa- tient to meet up with John Day ambulance. C OPS & C OURTS Arrests and citations in reported the following for the the Blue Mountain Eagle week of Dec 4-10: are taken from the logs of Concealed handgun li- law enforcement agencies. censes: 9 Every effort is made to re- Average inmates: 11 port the court disposition Bookings: 8 of arrest cases. Releases: 10 Grant County Sheriff CANYON CITY — The *UDQW&RXQW\6KHULII¶V2I¿FH 02131 +)0 #)*( #)& )-)+ Open House New/used books, Open Source computer stuff and distilled memes. V ETERANS : 10 am - 4 pm 120 S Washington rear, Canyon City Across from Post Office for more information, call Dave at 248-719-2122 Mercantile 10am Small Claims: ‡&ODXGH(:DNH¿HOGDQG