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News Archive
Best Friends Receives $30,000 Donation For Animal Shelter
Leo Brookshire, a resident of Baker City since 1958, presented Best Friends of Baker, Inc., local animal rescue group, with a check for $30,000. Mr. Brookshire, known as “Leo” requested the donation go to the animal shelter fund.
Leo said that he grew up on a ranch and has a love for animals. He has always had a dog and sometimes more than one. Bird dogs and spaniels are his favorites. He no longer has a dog, but has two cats as roommates.
“I hope others will follow my lead and contribute to a much needed shelter in Baker County. There are lots of things to donate to and people forget about the animals,” said Brookshire.
Baker City’s New Dog Helps Deter Local Drug Use
By Debby Schoeningh
Turbo, the Baker City Police Department’s new drug detection dog has been busy since joining the force this fall. Lt. Brian Harvey said Turbo and his handler Officer Wayne Chastain have been deployed several times by the City Police Department, Oregon State Police, Parole and Probation, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Department.
Harvey said Turbo’s drug sniffing abilities have led to the arrest or citations of five individuals on drug related charges and the seizure of 50 grams of marijuana. Of those arrests, one seizure was made of 43.7 grams of marijuana, which Harvey said was packaged in small quantities that indicates it was intended for sale. The searches and seizures took place at both residences and during traffic stops.
Harvey said it is doubtful that officers would have been able to locate all of the drugs in these cases without Turbo’s help.
Brocato’s Vision For Baker City Involves Update To City’s Comprehensive Plan
By Brian Addison
In a recent interview and conversation, Baker City Manager Steve Brocato explained a long-term vision for the future of the city. Brocato’s vision for Baker City begins in the present with city council’s authorization to begin the Baker City Comprehensive Plan update process and the city’s participation in Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) grant funding programs.
An addition to the agenda at the Dec. 11, 2007 Baker City Council meeting resulted in the unanimous authorization of Resolution 3585, A Resolution Supporting a Request for a Technical Assistance Grant Through the DLCD. By passing the resolution, city council has also stated unanimous support for the Baker City Comprehensive Plan Update process.
Grove St. Residents Watch Another Car Wreck End Up In Their Front Yard
Photo and Story by Brian Addison
Rob Hardy, who lives with his family on the corner of Madison and Grove Streets in Baker City, has witnessed numerous accidents in front of his residence. Hardy has attended several past city council meetings to point out the dangers at uncontrolled intersections in town.
“These are not fender-benders, these are serious accidents that are ending up in our front yards,” Hardy told the previous Baker City Council.
After Hardy approached city council, the city did a traffic count on the intersections of Madison Street and Grove Street, and Grove Street and Church Street. Both intersections have historically been uncontrolled and remain uncontrolled.
After an accident on Monday morning involving a 1998 Dodge pickup truck and a 2004 Ford Escape, one of the vehicles ended up in the Hardy’s front yard nearly taking out a tree. Luckily, there were no children in the front yard at the Hardy residence at the time.
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Baker City Community Of Charity During Holiday SeasonStory and Photos
By Brian Addison
Fortunately, Santa’s sleigh isn’t subject to high fuel costs; he is about the only one not feeling the economic crunch this holiday season. High oil costs have hit everyone in the wallet this year and the economic future looks uncertain with delivery fuel (diesel) currently up over $3.50 per gallon at the pump. And, lest we forget, we are a country at war on two major fronts with members of our military deployed across the globe.
It is under this backdrop that the Baker City community comes together to give to those who might otherwise do without, and to support members of our military deployed away from their families this holiday season.
5J Students Score Low On Writing
Assessment Testing
By Brian Addison
Baker School District 5J educator Beth Bigelow presented the Baker School District 5J Assessments for the 2006-2007 school year. The Assessments are standardized tests used to measure the number of students meeting minimum state and federal standards. Writing Assessment scores are the lowest among the three subject areas tested in 2007.
The Writing Assessment showed that 50-percent of Baker School District’s 4th graders met or exceeded minimum benchmarks as measured by state and federal standards. That number equals 47-percent of 7th graders and 56-percent of 10th graders who meet or exceed the minimum standard on the writing tests.
Local Scale Auto Enthusiast Committed to Authenticity
By Brian Addison
Baker City resident Bill Ball restores hotrods and vintage classic cars just like they do on television, but on a smaller scale. Ball is a scale auto enthusiast of a professional caliber. He has his own shop where he applies his restorative magic on automobiles, fabricating parts to suit his needs and turning ‘glue bombs’ into works of art. Ball specializes in restoring and customizing ‘rat rods’, 1950s style customs and Chryslers.
Ball takes on restoration projects by purchasing models that were previously assembled by amateurs and transforming them into scaled down replicas of the real thing. Pro-modelers call these previously assembled models, “glue bombs.” Ball’s projects range from the authentic replica to the tricked-out custom “rat rod.”
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The 23rd Annual HBC’s Historic Homes Tour a Grand Success
Photos and Story by Brian Addison
This years’ total numbers for the Historic Baker City’s (HBC) Historic Homes Tour were slightly lower than last years record-setting ticket sales, but HBC Director Ann Mehaffy wasn’t the least disappointed considering the scattered blizzards in the region over the past couple weeks. The event drew the second highest number of ticket sales over the past 23 years despite the icy streets and sidewalks. Visitors from Burns, Portland, Boise and beyond traveled here over the weekend to tour 11 of Baker City’s finest historic homes, one dating back as far as 1881 (The Moomaw House at 1706 Washington).
“The homeowners had a wonderful time,” said Mehaffy after the event. After the tour, HBC put on a feast for the participating homeowners at the Heilner House and then the group had a chance to take a ‘post parlor tour.’ New Baker City resident Todd Sidway opened up his home for the tour and mentioned his surprise at such a respectful and complimentary group of visitors he had met throughout the day.
Baker City Council Interviews Two Firms To Consult On System Development Charges
By Brian Addison
Baker City Council and City Manager Steve Brocato interviewed two consulting firms during the city council meeting Tuesday evening that were applying for the job of putting System Development Charges in place in Baker City.
SDCs are authorized through Oregon law to be used by cities as a way to fund a portion of new development of a city’s 1) Water system, 2) Wastewater system, 3) Storm-water drainage system, 4) Transportation system, 5) Parks.
Once a city decides to put System Development Charges (SDCs) in place, most use an engineering consultant who specializes in the implementation of SDCs, which can be a somewhat complicated process and if done incorrectly can leave a city vulnerable to civil lawsuits.
Baker City Changes Insurance Practices
By Brian Addison
One of the first orders of business taken on when the current Baker City Council took office was to authorize city staff to send out a Request for Proposal for property and casualty insurance services. This decision was made with the support of City Manager Steve Brocato who had voiced the philosophy of reviewing every existing contract the city has for cost efficiency.
Two firms responded to the Request for Proposal to provide Property and Casualty Insurance. JBL&K Risk Services based in Portland responded to the Request for Proposal and turned in a 24-page proposal to the city. Clarke & Clarke Insurance Agency of Baker City responded to the Request for Proposal and presented a 25-page proposal. Both proposals were to serve the city as Insurance Producer. City Manager Steve Brocato rejected both proposals.
After rejecting the two proposals, the city solicited two individual agencies; Rhodes Insurance Agency from La Grande responded with a six-page application letter applying to the city as Insurance Producer and Wheatland Insurance Center based in Pendleton submitted a three-page proposal applying to the city as Insurance Consultant. JBL&K Risk Services decided against pursuing the contract into the second round of considerations.
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Wheatland May Legally Provide Insurance Consulting Through City’s Exemption
By Brian Addison
Oregon Insurance Division Manager James Thompson put forth the opinion that Baker City’s new insurance consultant, “Wheatland Insurance Center is in violation of ORS 744.605 by representing themselves to be an insurance consultant without a license,” and that Wheatland is “not allowed to portray themselves as insurance consultants without the appropriate license.”
After making these statements, Thompson provided clarification that Wheatland Insurance may legally provide insurance consulting services to City of Baker City without holding the insurance consulting license through exemptions to the Insurance Code provided to municipalities (ORS 731.036).
“Baker City and City County Insurance Service are specifically exempt from the provisions of the Insurance Code so the stipulation cited regarding Wheatland’s need for an insurance consulting license to do business with the city does not apply,” concluded Thompson.
Residents Report Success With Feral Cat Project
By Brian Addison
If you still question the effectiveness of the feral cat trap, spay/neuter and release project in Baker City, just do a little simple math now that the initial stage of the project is over. During the five-month project 187 feral cats were trapped and taken to local veterinarians to be spayed/neutered.
Out of the 187 feral cats trapped, 76 males and 89 females were spayed/neutered, 11 had already been spayed or neutered, and 11 were euthanized due to illness. Take those 89 females that were spayed and times that number by a litter of between three and four kittens expected from each female, and you get 300 feral cats that won’t be born this spring. Figure then the litters of kittens that will never be produced from those 300 and so on, and the effectiveness of the feral cat trap, treat and release project becomes apparent.
Last spring, Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner was searching for a way to deal with the city’s feral cat problem. The Chief was getting calls from the public complaining about feral cats so he began searching for a proactive and humane approach to the problem. Lohner didn’t want to approach the problem as a police action, but rather wanted to see a community effort put forth. He did some research and came across the Mollie Atwater and Friends Trap/Spay-Neuter/ Release Feral Cat Project and contacted Suzanne Fouty from the local chapter.
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