News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
A3
Solar eclipse, Rainbows
and country music
City leaders
continue plans
for influx
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
A number of improvement
projects are underway in John
Day, including a new concert
hall, improved sidewalks and
potential urban renewal dis-
trict in the downtown area.
However, the Weaver
Complex, at 131 W. Main St.,
may require more restoration
than anticipated.
Following the award of a
$100,000 grant to the city for
the purchase of the Weaver
Complex, inspections show
it is actually four buildings
sharing one roof. The struc-
ture has issues, including
failing electric systems and
a number of voids in the
wall that pose a fire hazard.
John Day City Manager
Nick Green said he would
only advise the city coun-
cil to purchase the building
for the amount of the grant
plus an estimated $6,000 in
closing costs. If this were to
take place, the city would
become the landlord of a
building in need of consid-
erable work.
Green described the
building as “highly dan-
gerous” and a “playground
for fire.” Fire Marshall Dave
Fields said, if a fire were to
start in the building, the whole
block could be lost.
Despite being awarded the
grant, the city is not obligated
to purchase the building. The
grant will expire in May of
2018, and the city would lose
the funding.
No decision was reached
during the Tuesday, June 13,
city council meeting. Mayor
Ron Lundbom said he would
like to have an architect in-
spect the building. The issue
will be revisited during the
July 11 city council meeting.
Sidewalks
The city has decided to
move forward on a project to
install a sidewalk on the west
side of Canyon Boulevard
between Grant Union High
School and Sixth Avenue.
The selected project will
cost just under $1.34 million
and feature a 6-inch offset
curb and a 13.5-inch wide
swale between the curb and
sidewalk for draining water.
This option is the most
appealing of the four options
ODOT developed following a
July 2016 agreement with the
city, according to Green.
After settling a $23 mil-
lion lawsuit brought against
ODOT for not complying
with the Americans with Dis-
abilities Act, the price of the
project increased substantial-
ly.
The project was originally
estimated to cost $840,000,
according to Green.
The city applied for and
received a Small Cities Allot-
ment grant of $50,000, which
will cover the majority of the
city’s 10 percent matching
cost for the project.
Urban renewal district
During the meeting, the
city council gave Green per-
mission to look further into
creating an urban renewal dis-
trict in the downtown area.
An urban renewal dis-
trict is a geographical area in
which property tax rates are
frozen, and any increase in
property taxes from increased
property values goes into a
fund allocated for improve-
ment projects for the area.
Green said the technique has
been effective in Pendleton,
which has raised over $1 mil-
lion so far. Green described
it as a “long-term investment
vehicle” and said the money
could be used as matching
funds for future grants.
The idea is still in its initial
stages.
“We would probably define
it to include our entire gener-
al commercial and downtown
districts,” Green said. “Pri-
marily Highway 26 and por-
tions of (Highway) 395 but in
some areas it would go one or
two blocks into the city.”
Green said the district
would be a countermeasure
against economic decline and
could benefit business by al-
lowing the city to invest tax
revenue into downtown in-
frastructure. This would free
up revenue for businesses to
strengthen themselves and
expand.
New offices and concert
hall
The old Blue Mountain
Junior High School building
on Bridge Street is being ren-
ovated as office space and a
concert auditorium by Blue
Mountain Custom Homes.
The business is hoping to host
200-300 people for concerts
this summer.
Councilman Gregg Haber-
ly voiced approval for the
project and said he was tired
of hearing about people shoot-
ing down ideas.
The city council agreed to
issue a special events permit
for the summer concert series
as a pilot program.
Jesse Madden of Blue
Mountain Custom Homes
said the concerts could start
in early August, depending
on musicians’ availability. He
said he wanted to do this be-
cause he thought it would be
a great event for the commu-
nity.
One concern brought up
during the city council meet-
ing was parking for the event.
It was suggested both the fair-
grounds and public pool had
parking space that, if not in
use at the time, might be used
for an event at the former
school.
Michael B. DesJardin
Dentistry, PC
Preventive, Restorative & Endodontics
New Patients
Welcome!
208 NW Canton
John Day
541-575-2725
mbddental@live.com
michaelbdesjardindmd.com
Highway
construction
projects planned
Nearly three dozen key
highway construction projects
are planned to be worked on
in Eastern Oregon this sum-
mer, according to an Oregon
Department of Transportation
press release.
Some are now complete,
and others are underway, or
scheduled to begin later this
year.
Eastern Oregon travelers
are reminded to watch for or-
ange traffic cones and con-
struction workers along Inter-
state 84, U.S. 20, 26, 395, 95
and numerous secondary state
B RIEFLY
highways. Pay extra attention
and be prepared for equipment,
flaggers and traffic pattern
changes when you see orange
on the highway. Distracted or
inattentive driving and speed
are primary causes of crashes,
so slow down and put cell-
phones and other distractions
away while behind the wheel.
ODOT encourages safe travel
to ensure everyone makes it
home.
This year ODOT crews and
their contractors will repair and
resurface hundreds of miles of
pavement, repair or replace ag-
ing bridges and culverts, and
perform other work necessary
to keep highways safe and
efficient.
JOHN DAY
VIDEO & ELECTRONICS
for all your
SONY TV’s, Audio, Video & Cameras
Thank You
The family of Joyce Dowdy wishes to express our appreciation
for the kindness and loving care that was given to Joyce.
We send a special thanks to the staff at the Blue Mountain
Care Center, Blue Mountain Hospice Team and her many
doctors and nurses. We thank all those who visited, sent cards,
flowers and called.
There will be a “Memories of Joyce” potluck at the Grant
County Senior Center on June 24th at 11 AM. We all hope
you can join us.
Sincerely,
Ron Dowdy,
Lloydene & Bill Thomas
Lenny & Sherri Dowdy
Lewis & Lynette Dowdy
05791
Mt. Vernon
now accepting
council applicants
The city of Mt. Vernon
is accepting applications for
a vacant position on the city
council until 4 p.m. July 10.
The applicant must be at
least 18, a registered voter and
a resident of Mt. Vernon for at
least one year.
Applications are available
at Mt. Vernon City Hall from
7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays
through Fridays.
VACANT COUNCIL POSITION
The city of Mt. Vernon has a vacant
position on the Council.
The Council is accepting applications to fill
this vacancy until July 10, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
The term of this vacancy ends
December 31, 2020.
The applicant must be at least 18 years
of age, a registered voter and citizen of
Mt. Vernon for 1 year or more.
Applications are available at:
Mt. Vernon City Hall
Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
05790
John Day
Methodist Church
presents the movie The Shack,
based on the novel by
William Paul Young
June 27th, 2017 @
7:00pm
located at
126 NW Canton Street,
John Day, OR
This will be open
to the public.
05555
Improvement
projects in John Day
moving forward
Everything from tres-
passing concerns, fire safety,
snakes, garbage and traffic
congestion was discussed at
the latest solar eclipse meet-
ing, hosted by the Grant
County Chamber of Com-
merce.
“We’re in all-hands-on-
deck mode,” said cham-
ber office manager Tammy
Bremner.
The solar eclipse will oc-
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
cur on the morning of Aug. Grant County Chamber office manager Tammy Bremner, right, speaks with Jeannette
21 with Grant County in the Sheridan after the June 16 solar eclipse meeting at Canyon City Community Hall.
line of totality. She welcomed
For those who have wel- to 7,000 people.
careful not to block access for
an audience of 36 on June 14
The Lazy Rockin’ Stirrup
comed visitors in their fields,
at the Canyon City Communi- emergency medical services.
Rebekah Rand, Blue dry grass should be mowed Ranch (LRS) Music Fest head-
ty Hall. Bremner said they are
still planning for an unknown Mountain Hospital’s ambu- down to an inch high.
liners include Jeff Foxworthy
“If someone is in a vehicle and Larry the Cable Guy and
number of visitors, but it could lance director, reminded the
range from 10,000 to 100,000. group that much of the am- with their motor running and Diamond Rio, along with sev-
John Day Police Chief bulance services are run by AC on, it could start a fire,” he eral country music artists.
Richard Gray said all the volunteers who have jobs and said. “Dry grass an inch high
“A little bit of patience with
camping spots at the Indus- other commitments, but they is not a problem — three inch- us will go a long way,” Gray
trial Park have been reserved are staffing extra ambulances. es is a different scenario.”
said.
Bremner said, when vis-
A man in the audience
— 125 RV and 58 tent sites.
Some are concerned with
Also, almost 1,000 people are asked about snakes and extra itors call, she suggests they the amount of garbage that
plan to arrive early and stay may be left in the wake of
expected at the Grant Coun- antivenin.
“It’s an expensive medica- late to free up the highways, the hordes of people traveling
ty Fairgrounds, and 35 at the
newly acquired Oregon Pine tion,” she said. “The hospital which are expected to be con- through and staying in Grant
property near the old Hudspeth has additional on hand. Yes, gested. She said it will take a County towns.
lot longer than five hours to
we are stocking up on that.”
mill.
Kathy Mosteit of Gran-
JDPD Officer Andrew Mar- travel from Portland to John ite, who owns The Outback
He noted the sites are likely
to have multiple people stay- tin said he used to work for the Day.
restaurant and store, said she’s
Gray said the police de- worried about the amount of
ing in each spot. If there were local pharmacy, and suggested
three visitors at each camping people have an extra month of partment is looking for re- litter that they may have to
serves to assist with the in- deal with.
spot, that would total 3,654 medication, if possible.
Bremner noted locals flux of visitors. A Monument
people — not to mention those
The town has 26 residents
staying at other camping sites should have their pets’ vacci- resident asked what they can in city limits, and 12 on the
and hotels. Gray said 50,000 nations up to date, as well as expect for help from law en- outskirts with tourists who re-
campers are also expected in themselves, particularly mea- forcement — the town is over turn to camp each year.
60 miles away from the sher-
sles and mumps.
Mitchell.
“We are on a scenic byway,
John Day Fire Chief Ron iff’s office. Gray said Under- and we’re going to have camp-
One audience member
expressed concern about tres- Smith offered some com- sheriff Zach Mobley is work- ers everywhere,” she said.
passers. Grant County 911 dis- mon-sense fire safety tips: ing on that.
“We have no garbage service,
Before the arrival of the and we are starting to get con-
patch manager Valerie Luttrell Clear grass that surrounds burn
suggested taking photos of any barrels, trim natural vegetation eclipse, the Rainbow Gather- cerned. We’re in the forest, and
trespassing vehicles and get the to under 3 inches, clean debris ing is expected to draw 10,000- everything is pack it in, pack it
license plate number, instead of around homes and stairwells, 30,000 people to the Malheur out — I think our forests are
clean rain gutters, stack fire- National Forest in Grant Coun- going to be a mess.”
inundating 911 with calls.
“Don’t call if it’s not a dire wood away from the house ty from late June through ear-
Bremner stayed behind to
emergency,” Luttrell said. and don’t burn past regulation ly July. Gray said many from chat with Mosteit about ideas.
the group are expected to stick Bremner said the chamber is
hours.
“That’s going to help us out.”
“We’ve had a wet spring, around for the eclipse.
Bremner reminded people
still looking for volunteers to
“We’re expecting that,” he help with the SOLV cleanup
to be proactive by posting no and the grasses will be 3 to 4
trespassing signs. Gray add- feet tall,” he said. “They will said.
and other tasks. For more in-
He mentioned another formation, call the chamber at
ed that those trying to avoid turn yellow, and they will
event in Paulina could draw up 541-575-0547.
unwanted visitors should be burn.”
05755
John Day Mayor Ron Lundbom makes a point during a
Tuesday, June 13, city council meeting.
For more information call
541-575-1326