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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2019)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, July 3, 2019 A5 911 tax bill passes in Oregon Senate Findley’s bill will provide increased funding for dispatch centers By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle After numerous failed attempts, Oregon legislators recognized the statewide sig- nificance of a bill that will increase the existing 75 cent fee on phone bills to support 911 dispatch centers. The Oregon Senate passed House Bill 2449 by 22-5 on a busy June 30, the last day of the session. The bill, which passed in the House by 48-10 on June 6, was carried in the Senate by Sen. Chuck Riley, D-Hillsboro. This was not just a rural issue or an East-West bill, said Mark Spross, execu- tive director of METCOM 911 in Woodburn. Skyrock- eting costs and new commu- nication technologies made the long-simmering need for increased funding evident across the state. While support for the bill came from both sides of the aisle, from small rural com- munities to large metropol- itan areas, many pointed to the work of Rep. Lynn Find- ley, R-Vale, for introducing the bill and seeing it through. “Rep. Findley deserves so much credit on carrying this bill all the way,” said Val- erie Maynard, director of the Grant County Emergency Communications Agency. “He knew there was a fund- ing deficit for this crucial emergency service, and he took the time to educate him- self on all of the facts and pushed forward.” “Findley did an amaz- ing job,” said Margie Mou- lin, director of the Emer- gency Communications of Southern Oregon agency in Medford. Moulin noted that the bill was first met with pessimism, as past attempts to shore up 911 funding had failed. Pas- sage needed a big team effort, she said. The latest legislative Eagle file photo Grant County Emergency Communications Agency director Valerie Maynard, right, was credited with helping get an increase in the phone tax that supports 911 centers. attempt to increase a tax that was last raised 24 years ago originated in John Day and from its city manager, Find- ley pointed out. “Nick Green played a sig- nificant role in the creation of HB2449,” Findley told the Eagle. “The initial bill was his concept, and his tes- timony helped convey how critical the increase in fund- ing is for communities all across the state.” He also cited the support from a long list of cities, counties and first responder agencies and organizations. Passage of the bill was “truly a group effort,” Findley said. “Without the support of all of the different public service answering points, the League of Oregon Cities, the Association of Oregon Counties, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, and the APCO/NENA (Associa- tion of Public-Safety Com- munication Officers and National Emergency Num- ber Association), it’s doubt- ful that HB2449 would have made it through the Legisla- ture,” Findley said. Spross credited the bill’s sponsors in addition to Findley for the bill’s suc- cess: Republicans Ronald H. Noble, McMinnville, and Greg Smith, Heppner, and Democrats John Lively, Springfield, and Pam Marsh, Ashland, as well as Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, who chaired the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness, which held the first hearings for the bill. “I also want to thank Nick Green and Valerie Maynard,” Spross said. As amended in the House, HB 2449 will increase the fee for wireless and wired telephone accounts and pre- paid wireless retail transac- tions from 75 cents to $1 in 2020 and $1.25 in 2021. That won’t be enough to address rising 911 costs, Spross said, but it was a crit- ical first step. “This will not cover us for the next 20 years,” he said. “We will need to find effi- ciencies or other resources.” The Grant County Emer- gency Communications Agency was established last year by an intergovern- mental agreement between the county, eight cities, one community and three rural fire districts under an Inter- governmental Council. The agency went into operation Jan. 1 and moved into the John Day Fire Hall in April. Under a funding for- mula, costs not covered by revenue from the statewide phone tax will be distrib- uted among local 911 users, including the sheriff, police and fire departments, gov- ernment agencies and Blue Mountain Hospital, as well as the member jurisdictions. report of suspicious cir- cumstances on Patterson Drive in Canyon City. June 25: Advised of a fight on Ingle Street in Mt. Vernon. June 29: Received a complaint about a pig run- ning loose on Pine Creek Road. • John Day ambulance June 25: Paged to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a man with difficulty breathing and chest pain. June 25: Responded to Second Street in John Day for a 68-year-old man. June 26: Dispatched to North Canyon City Boule- vard for a 66-year-old man. June 26: Responded to a bar on Main Street in John Day for a woman. June 26: Dispatched to East Fifth Street in John Day for a transport to the hospital. June 28: Responded with Long Creek ambu- lance to a repair shop in Long Creek for a person with a head injury fol- lowing a four-wheeler accident. June 29: Transported a patient to the airport in John Day. June 29: Dispatched to a senior home in John Day for a woman who was not feeling well. June 29: Responded to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a man with difficulty breathing. June 29: Dispatched to Southwest First Street in John Day for a 77-year-old man with a diabetic issue. June 30: Responded to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a 53-year-old man with difficulty breathing. June 30: Dispatched to a senior home in John Day for a man with leg pain. • Forest Service June 25: Advised of a fire in the Antone Road area near Dayville. June 25: Received a report of smoke seen in the Fields Creek or Moore’s Crossing area east of Dayville. June 26: Dispatched to the Waterman Flats area on Highway 26 in Wheeler County. June 26: Received a report of a fire on Clear Creek Road in Granite. June 28: Responded with Mt. Vernon fire and Oregon Department of For- estry for a lightning-caused fire near Picnic Creek Road in Mt. Vernon. • Mt. Vernon fire June 25: Received a report of a forest fire on Highway 395 north of Mt. Vernon. June 30: Responded to a fire in the Clarks Creek Road and Dustin Creek area near Mt. Vernon. • Bureau of Land Management June 25: Advised of a fire on Highway 402 near Monument. • John Day fire June 28: Responded to West Main Street in John Day for a tree on fire. June 30: Dispatched to Main Street in John Day for a report of fireworks causing a small fire on the sidewalk. • Prairie City fire June 30: Advised with Forest Service of a fire in the Reynolds Creek Road area. COPS AND COURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agen- cies. Every effort is made to report the court disposition of arrest cases. Grant County Circuit Court James G. O’Neill, 51, Bend, pleaded guilty June 27 to driving under the influence of intoxicants and refusing to take a test for intoxicants, both com- mitted March 11. He was sentenced to 10 days jail, 24 months probation, 40 hours community service and $2,355 in fines and fees. His license was sus- pended for one year. A sec- ond charge of refusing to take a test for intoxicants was dismissed. Sharon M. Korff, 64, John Day, was found guilty June 27 of violating proba- tion in two cases. For a 2016 case of driving while under the influence of intoxicants, she was found guilty of fail- ing to complete treatment and pay fines and fees. For a 2017 case of driving with a suspended license, she was found guilty of failing to pay fines and fees. For both cases, her probation was extended 12 months. Sheila A. Owens, 49, John Day, pleaded no con- test June 21 to driving under the influence of intoxicants committed on March 3. She was sentenced to 30 days jail, 24 months probation, 80 hours community ser- vice and $2,255 in fines and fees. Her 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 June 26: Concealed handgun licenses: 10 Average inmates: 17 Bookings: 7 Releases: 10 Arrests: 2 Citations: 4 Fingerprints: 5 Civil papers: 17 Warrants processed: 4 Asst./welfare check: 0 Search and rescue: 0 June 24: Tammy Winton, 51, John Day, was cited for violating the speed limit, 43/25 zone. June 24: David Bohnert, 51, Burns, was cited for violating the speed limit, 86/65 zone. June 24: Margaret Samp- son, 68, Portland, was cited for violating the basic rule, 79/55 zone. June 24: Sergio Her- nandez, 30, Hillsboro, was cited for exceeding the posted speed limit, 65/45 zone. Justice Court • Violation of basic rule: Dominique Del Sarto, 52, Henderson, Nevada, May 23, 80/55 zone, fined $265; Austin M. Schmitt, 23, Edwardsville, Illinois, May 23, 81/55 zone, fined $265; Lee R. Kramer, 44, Long Creek, April 8, 79/55 zone, fined $265. • Exceeding speed limit: Megan N. Workman, 28, Bates, 79/65 zone, fined $225; Alex C. Black, 31, June 3, 74/65 zone, fined $165; Danese D. Linder- man, 66, Roseburg, June 3, 77/65 zone, fined $225. • Violation speed limit: D. Byron Bean, 61, Mur- rieta, California, June 6, 62/50 zone, fined $265. • Driving uninsured: Darline P. Hancock, 29, John Day, March 23, fined $265. • Driving while sus- pended: Christina R. Ramey, 48, Woodland, Washington, June 15, fined $440. • Careless driving: Dar- line P. Hancock, 29, John We’re hiring for the 2019- 2020 School Year! Join our team of teachers! We are looking for fun, creative, and passionate early childhood educators. Teacher Assistants and substitute positions are available. 24 hrs -30 hrs per week, $12.50 an hour. Holidays are paid as well. A teaching license or certifications is not required. Contact Us Today for an application! Our Summer Office Hours are Tues-Thurs 9:00 am-1:00 pm Or call 541-575-1895, 541-968-9867 send your resume to: office@johndaynazarene.com Include a short paragraph about yourself, and why you want to teach with us. Day, March 23, fined $265. • Exceed maximum weight: Chase A. Gies- brecht, 33, Baker City, June 6, fined $150. • Failure to register vehi- cle: Talon W. Collins, 25, Prineville, June 14, find $115. Oregon State Police June 27: Investigated a fatal crash on Highway 26 near the Wheeler and Grant county line. A eastbound Chevy Equinox failed to follow a left-hand curve and went off a steep embank- ment into Rock Creek. The driver was ejected. Brian A. Hubble, 63, Milwaukie, was pronounced deceased at the site. June 29: Following a traffic stop on Highway 26 east of Moon Creek Road, David A. Bergin, 72, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of cannabis. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 164 calls during the week of June 24-30, including: • John Day Police Department June 24: Responded to a grocery store parking lot in John Day for a hit-and-run crash. June 25: Advised of a hit-and-run crash on West Main Street in John Day. June 25: Following a traffic stop at First Avenue and Brent Drive, Audrey Johns, 40, John Day, was cited for failing to register her vehicle. June 26: Responded to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a report of illegal fireworks. June 26: Advised of an assault at a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. June 28: Received a report of a suspicious vehi- cle at a restaurant on West Main Street in John Day. June 28: Advised of sus- picious circumstances at a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. June 29: Received a report of a verbal dispute over loud noise at a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day. June 29: Responded to a report of a woman stand- ing and sitting on Highway 26 at the west end of John Day. June 30: Dispatched to a mobile home park on West Main Street in John Day for a report of phone harassment. June 30: Advised of fraud at a bar on Main Street in John Day. June 30: Following a traffic stop on Main Street in John Day, Charles Toft- dahl, 83, Junction City, was cited for speeding. • Oregon State Police June 25: Received a report of suspicious cir- cumstances on Belshaw Creek Road. • Grant County Sher- iff’s Office June 24: Advised of criminal mischief at Hum- bolt Elementary School. June 24: Received a report of a suspicious per- son at a fuel company’s office in Canyon City. June 25: Advised of a hit-and-run crash on North Mountain Boulevard in Mt. Vernon. June 25: Received a Blue Mountain Eagle Office Closure Our office will be closed on Thursday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day. No early deadline will be in place. We hope you spend this day celebrating with friends and family!
