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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 A7 City receives two local bids for Weaver Building By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle The city of John Day received bids from two local parties for the Weaver Building on Main Street. Harsh Patel bid $70,000 for the downtown mixed-use building with plans to complete remodeling work by next year. Tyler Sheedy and his wife, Krista Qual, bid $125,000 with plans to complete the remodeling in three phases that could last 3-5 years. Both parties wanted the city to carry the financing and planned to use income from commercial rent- als on the ground floor and residen- tial rentals on the second floor to pay the city. The city bought the 120-year- old, 12,000-square-foot building in November 2017 using a $100,000 Main Street Revitalization Grant from the state. At the time, the building housed four businesses on the ground floor, Naturally Yours, Etc., Karen Barntish LTC and H&R Block, along with six upstairs apartments, one of which was occupied. Natu- rally Yours moved out of the build- ing in February 2018, which freed The Eagle/Richard Hanners The city of John Day received two bids for purchase of the Weaver Building on Main Street. up one of the retail spaces for dem- olition and remodeling. The city hired Alpine Abate- ment to remove asbestos and lead paint from the interior walls of the vacant ground floor unit and all 6,000 feet of the second floor. Many of the walls were stripped down to studs, with most of the $75,000 abatement cost covered by a state Department of Environ- mental Quality brownfield grant. The council held a public hear- ing on proposed conditions for the sale of the building on May 28. City Manager Nick Green said the real market value of the build- ing and lot was $138,960. The city agreed to accept installment pay- ments for the building, which qual- ifies for a 15% rebate on eligible improvements through the city’s urban renewal incentive program. Patel, whose father owns Dreamers Lodge Motel in John Day, said he wanted to create eight quality residential units upstairs. He estimated the total cost to remodel the building at about $500,000. Patel said an engineer and an architect looked over the building for him. He said the ground floor units were not ADA-compliant and did not meet fire code. He said he was advised to demolish the build- ing and start over but didn’t want to do that. Patel said the city loan could be paid off in a couple years, but the sale would be contingent on fur- ther due diligence by the city. He said he wanted assurances about termite damage or rotting founda- tions in the aging building. Sheedy, a local building con- tractor, and his wife described their experiences in the rental business in the John Day area. They also planned to build eight residential units upstairs. Sheedy said he planned to do much of the remodeling work himself but noted that the proj- ect would require engineering that could make the project more expensive and complicated. A fire-protection barrier of dou- ble sheetrock was needed between the ground floor businesses and the upstairs residences, so the three current tenants would need to move out one by one while the work was underway, Sheedy said. He esti- mated remodeling costs at about $236,000, excluding engineering, and about $43,000 in rebates. The building has at least five levels of historic construction, Sheedy said. His plans include a facelift for the front of the building in line with the downtown vision promoted by Kim Randleas. Use of brick or stone veneer could cre- ate a similar look to the historic Grant County Bank and Johnson Bros. buildings on Main Street, he said. Mayor Ron Lundbom asked what would happen if an inspec- tion found termite damage or rot- ting foundations, but both bidders assured the city the project was doable. Airport receives City to apply for big federal highway grant $10 million grant John Day estimates The Grant County Regional Airport received more good news with the announcement it had been awarded a $10 million grant by the Federal Aviation Administration. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced $3.18 billion in Airport Improve- ment Program grants on June 24. A total of 358 grants were awarded to 327 airports in 46 states. Airport Manager Haley Walker informed the Grant County Court of the news during its June 26 meeting. She told the Eagle the FAA funding is directed at proj- ects described in the regional airport’s five-year capital improvement program. The airport’s largest CIP item is to rehabilitate and widen runway 17-35 at a cost of $6 million, she said. A deci- sion on how to use the $10 million will be made by the airport commission, she said. In May, the airport learned it was awarded $6.25 million to decouple its two runways and make takeoffs and land- ings safer. The court agreed to front the airport funding for design and environmen- tal review to get that proj- ect started. The county will be reimbursed by the grant award, Walker said. Work on apron repairs will take place sooner, but insuffi- cient funding exists to com- plete all the work so it will be done in phases, Walker said. The first phase will address the north corporate apron, which provides parking and access to other aprons and the Forest Service SEAT base. That work will cost $1.3 mil- lion, she said. Work on the general aviation apron will take place at a later date, she said. In other county court news: • The court approved the sale of the Grant County Health Department building on East Main Street in John Day to Community Counsel- ing Solutions for $400,000. The county will pay about $1,400 in closing costs. • Fair Manager Mindy Winegar requested that repair work to the concrete floor of the Trowbridge Pavilion be addressed as soon as possi- ble. The uplifted and cracked floor poses a serious tripping hazard, she said. The court had already agreed to remove the large cottonwood trees whose roots were the cause of the problem, she noted. Grant County Judge Scott Myers advised Winegar that she could loosely word a request for bids if the cost of emergency work was under $150,000. He said the court would assist in finding a con- tractor who could grind down the raised portions of the concrete. County Commissioner Jim Hamsher noted that some of the money from the sale of the Health Department build- ing could be used to fix the pavilion, but Commissioner Sam Palmer asked if it was wise to spend large sums of money repairing the pavil- ion rather than erecting a new building. • The court agreed to pro- vide a quit claim deed to the Grant County Child Cen- ter for the Bright Beginnings daycare and preschool build- ing near Humbolt Elementary School. The county took owner- ship of the building about 20 years ago to help the non- profit organization apply for a federal Community Devel- opment Block Grant, Myers explained. But that arrange- ment should have lasted no longer than 20 years, he said. • The court approved a wildlife protection agree- ment with the federal Wild- life Services agency limited to $40,000. • The court credited Kim Hilton of Hermann Finan- cial in La Grande for helping the county negotiate a 2.84% increase in health insurance costs by MODA Health. Myers noted that dis- cussions had started with a 12% proposed increase in the annual contract. He said the plan’s provisions were the same and called the negotiated increase fair and reasonable. • Grant County Emer- gency Management Coordi- nator Ted Williams presented the countywide emergency plan for annual review and approval. He said it was bet- ter for the court to approve the plan each year rather than every five years. The cities will be provided copies of the large document on flash drives rather than CDs, Wil- liams said. • Palmer’s duties as the county’s public health admin- istrator will be handed over to CCS Executive Direc- tor Kimberly Lindsay effec- tive July 1. She will be paid $500 per month to han- dle the state-mandated posi- tion. Palmer said he wanted to devote his time to other county issues. $470,000 in spring flood damages By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle Pretty pictures promot- ing city projects played a possible role in John Day’s decision to apply for a large Federal Highway Adminis- tration grant. Mayor Ron Lundbom said an official at the June 10-11 Regional Economic Diversification Summit hosted by the city of John Day encouraged the city to apply for a BUILD grant with a deadline of July 15. City Manager Nick Green said he hadn’t planned to apply for the grant, which ranges up to $25 million, until next year. When Lund- bom told the official they weren’t ready to apply, the official encouraged them to go ahead, noting that they had “pretty pictures” that could influence the award decision. Green told the city coun- cil June 25 that about $900 million in BUILD grant funding was available this year, with about half going to rural areas. The U.S. Department of Transporta- tion could waive the 20% match typically required for the grants, he said. With council consensus to proceed, Green said he would bring back a scoping recommendation on July 9. A primary goal is to find funding to pay for the Sev- enth Street extension from Bridge Street to Patterson Bridge Road, but funding from a large BUILD grant also could pay for linking Government Road to Valley View Drive and upgrading the bridges on Bridge Street and Patterson Bridge Road. “These are highly com- petitive grants that use a rigorous merit-based pro- cess to select projects with exceptional benefits,” Green told the council. “If we do not win, the DOT will typically provide recommendations on how to make our application July 5th, First Friday: Have a sweet tooth or consider yourself an excellent judge of food? Then the First Friday dessert crawl is the event for you! Join downtown John Day businesses this Friday as they present to you their desserts. Even better you get to tell us what you think! Fill out the score card and be entered to win a gift bag with prizes from all the participating businesses. more competitive in future rounds,” he added. In other city council news: • An unexpected request during a public hearing delayed the city’s sale of 0.18 acres near the former Oregon Pine mill site to JD Rents owners Robert and Bonnie Watt for $7,745. The Watts didn’t real- ize they should have made their request for addi- tional land behind JD Rents during the negotiating phase and not the public hearing. They said they needed more space to allow vehicles with trailers to turn into the shed building currently on the site. Some councilors expressed concern that the Watts’ request for more land to the north would block any opportunity for Eastern Oregon Building Mainte- nance to expand west if they wanted to acquire some of the former mill site. The matter will be brought back after council- ors have a chance to visit the site and learn more about the Watts’ request. • The city sent a damage estimate from April flood- ing to the state Office of Emergency Management on June 4 that totals $473,377. That includes $396,904 for repairing Fourth Avenue, a main route to the airport, where Canyon Creek has eroded a steep embankment. • The council approved six resolutions for the fis- Everyone is flocking to the Prairie City FIBER FEST July 27 & 28, 2019 • Workshops • Vendors • 50 + Shades of Fiber PRAIRIE CITY FIBER FESTIVAL EVENT • SAT & SUN • JULY 27 & 28, 2019 Fir Acre Farms, Oregon City, OR Little House Rugs, Auburn, WA Shaggy Bear, Scio, OR Sinfully Soft, Roosevelt, WA The Craft Shop at Mountain Shadow Ranch, Cottage Grove, OR Thedoza’s Angoras, Eugene, OR Back Corner Farm & Fiber, Sweet Home, OR Feathergrass Fiber, Idaho Falls, ID Jitterbug Rugs, Lakeview, OR Portland Cottage Wool, Canby, OR Quilts & Beyond, Prairie City, OR Rock N’ More Accents, Corvallis, OR Star Eagle Fiber, The Dalles, OR Wandering Pines Ranch, Weiser, ID Wooly Moss Roots, Mapleton, OR Agape Angoras, Mr. Vernon, OR Dancing Goddess Soap, Idaho Falls, ID Elegant Fibers, Cheney, WA Grumpy’s, Prairie City, OR Jette Seal, Reno, NV K & R Crafts, Elkton, OR Pine Creek Studio, John Day, OR Ranch Hands Wool Co., Seneca, OR Sid & Tork, LLC, Newman Lake, WA Sudan Farm, Canby, OR Twists & Turnings, Portland, OR Walking One and Only, Prairie City, OR Whistlekick Pygoras, Winlock, WA Roseanne Anderson • $105 WS 106 BRAZILIAN EMBROIDERY Anna Marie Smith • $60 WS 102 LEARNING to SPIN on a WHEEL Sari Peterson • $90 WS 107 NEEDLE FELTING FUN Nancy R. Skakel • $75 WS 103 EXQUSITE ‘WEAVING’ Roseanne Anderson • $100 WS 108 COBWEB SCARF Nancy R. Skakel • $75 WS 104 HAND FELTED SLIPPERS LeBrie Rich • $110 WS 109 FELTED VESSELS Nancy R. Skakel • $75 WS 105 LEARNING to SPIN on a DROP SPINDLE Sari Peterson • $75 CLASSES WILL CLOSE SOON, PLEASE REGISTER ASAP WS 101 FA BULOUS LOCKER HOOKING Participating this month are: etc., A Flower Shop N’ More, The Ugly Truth Bar & Grill, Java Jungle, House to Home, 1188 Brewing Co. Special Note: This event is geared towards adults but is family friendly. (A fee is required at some locations). The Eagle/Richard Hanners Robert Watt, standing, explains his request to expand his planned acquisition of city property at the former Oregon Pine mill site during the John Day City Council’s June 25 meeting. Sitting are Councilor Brandon Smith, left, and resident Elliot Sky. WORKSHOP SCHEDULE • FRI & SAT • JULY 26 & 27, 2019 While you’re out enjoy sales and specials, plus food, fun, shopping and so much more! For the most current info or vendor forms 128883 By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle cal year 2020 budget, which tops $10.3 million. The gen- eral fund appropriation is $1.3 million based on the $2.9915 per $1,000 property tax mill rate which has been in place for a long time. • Two trail construction contracts were approved. Funding will come from the $191,300 Recreational Trails Program grant the city received from the Ore- gon Parks & Recreation Department. Traverse LLC of Prai- rie City will construct the Davis Creek trail section for $61,985 and the North Trail section for $54,885. Brad Armstrong of John Day will construct the River Trail sec- tion for $51,500. • The council agreed to name a new road from High- way 26 to the city’s commer- cial greenhouses Johnson Drive in honor of D.R. John- son, who last owned the Ore- gon Pine mill site. • Councilor Brandon Smith is moving out of state. His last day on the coun- cil will be July 23, Green said, but Smith noted he’ll likely miss that meeting. Green said advertising to fill the vacancy will begin right away and an appointment could be made at the July 23 meeting. • Lettuce, tomatoes and other garden produce are now growing in the city’s commercial greenhouses. Ag project leader Matt Manitsas said the first har- vest could take place in mid-August. www.PrairieCityFiberFest.com Mailing: 530 E. Main St., Suite #3 • John Day, OR 97825
