NEWS
BlueMountainEagle.com
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
A5
John Day urban renewal district could expand
Agency considers
adding Weaver
Building, Main
Street property
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Two properties outside the cur-
rent boundary of John Day’s urban
renewal district could be added to
the city’s housing incentive pro-
gram: the downtown Weaver
Building and a residential property
on East Main Street owned by Jim
and Sandy Bay.
Under the incentive program,
the city will provide a cash rebate
equal to 7 percent of the increase
in assessed value and pay for sys-
tem development charges for new
home construction. Incentives will
also be provided for substantial
remodeling.
The Weaver Building, at the
northwest corner of Main Street
and Canyon Boulevard, was
acquired by the city in 2017 using
a $100,000 Main Street Revitaliza-
tion state grant. Asbestos and lead
paint abatement work was paid for
using a state Department of Envi-
ronmental Quality brownfield
grant.
The city hopes to sell the build-
ing and see it remodeled into a
mixed-use property with commer-
Eagle file photo
The John Day Urban Renewal Agency is considering adding the Weaver Building on Main Street, which was
purchased by the city of John Day, and a residential property on East Main Street to the housing incentive
district.
cial businesses on the ground floor
and up to eight new residential
units on the second floor.
As discussed by the John Day
Urban Renewal Agency board Feb.
26, the program would need to be
amended to allow Downtown and
Residential-Commercial zoning
districts to be included in the pro-
gram. The East Main Street area
already went through the needed
rezoning process.
The newly formed board, which
is the same as the city council, also
reviewed its draft bylaws, which
brought up several financial ques-
tions. Until property tax revenue
from the program’s tax-increment
financing system sufficiently accu-
mulates, the city will need to pay
for the program’s incentives on a
loan basis.
How the city will pay sys-
tem development costs, which
are intended for capital improve-
ments for the water and sewer sys-
tems, also needs to be worked out.
There was also a question of what
to do with any money left over
when the incentive program ends
in 2039.
John Day City Manager Nick
Green also noted that property
owners will see a new line on their
tax bills required under state law
that reflects the program’s tax-in-
crement financing system.
Assessed values can increase up
to 3 percent per year, but revenue
from that increase for properties
inside the urban renewal district
will be used by the housing incen-
tive program and will not go to the
city, county, schools and other tax-
ing jurisdictions for 20 years.
The new line could confuse tax-
payers, Green said. If their taxes
increase, it would result from an
increase in assessed value, sub-
stantial remodeling or new con-
struction, not from the urban
renewal program. Green said a
public information effort would
be made to explain this matter to
property owners.
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
effort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Grant County
Circuit Court
Stanley Dehiya, 73, John
Day, pleaded guilty Feb. 28
to driving under the influ-
ence of intoxicants com-
mitted on Jan. 2. He was
sentenced to 15 days jail,
24 months probation and
$1,855 in fines and fees. His
driver’s license was sus-
pended for one year.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office reported the fol-
lowing for the week of Feb.
27:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 9
Average inmates: 16
Bookings: 6
Releases: 11
Arrests: 1
Citations: 1
"Fingerprints: 3
Civil papers: 11
Warrants processed: 0
Asst./welfare check: 1
Search and rescue: 2
Feb. 25: Marcia Kim-
ball, 73, Bend, was cited for
driving without a license or
insurance.
Justice Court
• Violation of basic rule:
Hawk Lee, 57, John Day,
Feb. 21, 71/55 zone, fined
$165; Robert G. Brinkley
Jr., 45, Colton, Jan. 5, 75/55
zone, fined $165.
• Exceeding speed limit:
Jennifer L. Ung, 31, Salem,
Feb. 4, 52/30 zone, fined
$265; Siler T. Head, 26,
Florence, Alabama, Jan.
21, 56/30 zone, fined $265;
Kyle R. Erickson, 23, Mt.
Vernon, Feb. 14, 35/25
zone, fined $115; Eric
McClure, 34, Meridian,
Idaho, Feb. 4, 70/65 zone,
fined $165; Troy W. Han-
son, 44, Baker City, Feb.
13, 74/65 zone, fined $165.
• Violation speed limit:
Gary R. Rapp, 56, Prairie
City, Feb. 4, 38/25 zone,
fined $165.
• Driving uninsured:
Colton J. David, 23, Day-
ville, Dec. 20, fined $220;
Jimm E. Roba, 44, John
Day, Jan. 21, fined $265;
Heather M. Railey, 27,
Long Creek, Jan. 19, fined
$135.
• Driving while sus-
pended: Jimm E. Roba, 44,
John Day, Jan. 21, fined
$440.
• Operating with a non-
standard light: Colton J.
David, 23, Dayville, Dec.
20, fined $140.
• Failure to register vehi-
cle: Robert L. Shigley Jr.,
50, Winston, Sept. 22, fined
$115.
• Registration sticker
expired: Heather M. Railey,
27, Long Creek, Jan. 19,
fined $65.
• No operator’s license:
Heather M. Railey, 27,
Long Creek, Jan. 19, fined
$135.
• Billy R. Reeves II, 47,
Troy, Idaho, pleaded guilty
Feb. 6 to possession of
game with a falsely applied
tag. His hunting privileges
were suspended for 36
months, and he was ordered
to pay $1,690 in fines, fees
and restitution. A second
count of unlawfully taking
wildlife was dismissed.
Oregon State Police
Feb. 21: Investigated a
single-vehicle
noninjury
crash on Highway 26 just
past Dixie Summit. Linda
M. Cochran was cited for
failure to drive in the lane.
Feb. 21: Investigated a
single-vehicle injury crash
with a deer on Highway 26
near Indian Creek Road.
Feb. 24: Investigated a
single-vehicle
noninjury
crash on Highway 26 west
of Dayville. The driver was
unable to avoid a rock that
fell on the highway.
Feb. 27: Investigated
a single-vehicle nonin-
jury crash on Highway 395
south of Seneca. A north-
bound fully loaded log truck
pulling a trailer swerved to
avoid a southbound vehi-
cle during a snowstorm.
The trailer drifted into deep
snow and then slid off the
roadway and fell on its side.
The truck remained upright.
Dispatch
John
Day
dispatch
worked 72 calls during the
week of Jan. 27 to March 3,
including:
• John Day Police
Department
March 1: Following a
traffic stop on East Main
Street in John Day, Crys-
tal M. Joslin, 39, John Day,
was cited for driving with a
suspended driver’s license
and no insurance.
March 1: Received
a fraud complaint from
Northeast
Charolais
Heights in John Day.
March 1: Following a
traffic stop on West Main
Street in John Day, Fritz M.
Voigt, 37, Prairie City, was
cited for driving with a sus-
pended driver’s license and
no insurance.
March 1: Received a
report about drug activities
at a mobile home park on
West Main Street in John
Day.
March 1: Following a
traffic stop on Main Street
in John Day, Timothy
Keith, 35, Prairie City, was
cited for driving with a sus-
pended driver’s license and
no insurance.
March 2: Following a
traffic stop on South Can-
yon Boulevard at South-
west Fourth Street, Diane
L. Hartwick, 63, John Day,
was cited for using a cell-
phone while driving.
March 3: Following a
traffic stop on North Can-
yon Boulevard, William J.
Collier, 26, Mitchell, was
cited for driving with a
suspended license and no
insurance.
• Oregon State Police
March 1: Responded
with John Day ambulance,
sheriff’s deputies and John
Day police to Highway 26
near Golf Course Road for a
vehicle crash with injuries.
March 2: Received a
report of an injured elk on
Highway 395 near Battle
Mountain.
March 2: Advised of a
large hay bale on Highway
26 near Fields Creek Road.
• Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office
March 2: Search and res-
cue personnel responded to
Strawberry Creek Road.
March 3: Advised of a
suicidal person on Highway
26 west of Dayville.
• John Day ambulance
Feb. 27: Responded to
Southwest First Street in
John Day.
Feb. 28: Dispatched to a
senior home in John Day for
a 90-year-old woman.
Feb. 28: Responded with
Prairie City ambulance to
West Sixth Street in Prai-
rie City for a man who had
slipped and fallen.
Feb. 28: Dispatched to
Picnic Creek Road in Mt.
Vernon for a medical alarm.
Feb. 28: Transported a
patient to the airport in John
Day.
March 1: Responded with
Grant County search and
rescue personnel to Ricco
Ranch Road in Prairie City
for a medical call.
March 1: Transported a
patient to the airport in John
Day.
March 1: Dispatched
to an acute care facility on
Ford Road in John Day for
an unconscious 51-year-old
man.
March 3: Responded with
Dayville fire to West Frank-
lin Avenue in Dayville for
a person with a breathing
problem.
• Oregon Department of
Transportation
March 2: Advised of a
large amount of standing
water on Highway 26 east of
Dayville.
Committee Volunteers Needed
G r a n t S o i l & Wa t e r C o n s e r va t i o n D i s t r i c t ’ s 2 0 1 9 A n n u a l
M e e t i ng
T h u r s d ay, M a r ch 7 t h , 6 - 7 : 3 0 p. m .
G r a n t C o u n t y A i r p o r t M e e t i ng R o o m i n J o h n D ay
A q u i fe r S t o r age a n d R e c ove r y P r e s e n t a t i o n
Aq
Water is abundant within the stream systems of Grant County, but is
seasonally consolidated to times when out-of-stream water demands are
at their lowest. The result of receiving seventy percent of annual
precipitation in the winter, these streams normally reach their peak flow
in early spring fed by melting snow. Water discharge then declines
rapidly to its lowest levels in late summer as precipitation diminishes
and air temperatures rise. In contrast, agricultural irrigation increases
to its highest level, creating a seasonal water deficiency that is
suppressive to agricultural production, limits area development
opportunities, and represents an ongoing concern to ecological
conditions.
Managed groundwater recharge is a practicable option to retain surface
water at times of surplus to enhance stream flows and supplement
irrigation withdrawals during shortage periods. These types of systems
further avoid the significant costs and environment impacts of above
ground storage projects, making their authorization and implementation
much more feasible.
Hydrogeologist Phil Brown will be presenting information and
professional experiences in the design and implementation of
groundwater recharge and recovery projects, along with his
accomplishments to successfully address water supply imbalances
throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Please join Grant Soil and Water Conservation District for this
informative event as part of its 2019 Annual Meeting. Complimentary
refreshments will be served. Contact Jason Kehrberg at 541-575-0135
ext. 110 or mailto:jkehrberg@ortelco.net
Grant County is now recruiting volunteers to serve on
active boards and committees.
Obtain an Application to Volunteer from County Court,
201 S. Humbolt, No. 280, Canyon City, OR 97820;
(541-575-0059) wrightl@grantcounty-or.gov or online at
www.grantcountyoregon.net. Applications are due by
Friday, March 29th, 2019
Committees are formal public bodies required to comply with Oregon
Public Meetings Law ORS 192.610.
Extension & 4-H Service District Advisory Council.
Eleven members serve three year terms and meet semi-annually to provide
guidance and assistance to local OSU Extension staff in planning, developing,
and evaluating balanced educational programs directed to high priority needs
of county residents. Membership is limited to one re-appointment.
Senior Citizens Advisory Council
ORS 410.210. Five members serve three year terms and meet semi-annually
to define the needs of older adults, promote special interests and local
community involvement, and represent senior citizens as an advocate to the
local, state and federal government and other organizations.
Wolf Depredation Advisory Committee
OAR 603-019-0015. Members include one County Commissioner, two
members who own or manage livestock and two members who support
wolf conservation or coexistence with wolves. These members agree
upon two business representatives to serve as additional members. The
committee oversees the procedure established by Grant County for its Wolf
Depredation Compensation Program. The current vacancies are for one
business representative and one member who supports wolf conservation or
coexistence with wolves
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