OMSI Visits Baker Library
Baker County Library Children’s Services Coordinator Melissa Shafer introduced kids to Ozzie, the Inland Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps). Ozzie was part of the Oregon Museum of Science and Insdustry (OMSI) Science Festival held at the Baker County Library Friday. In photo above, from left: Melissa Shafer, Celina Fuzi, Dillon Baggerly, Christa Daily.
Eric Anderson, OMSI staff member, presented the event. Kids were able to participate in a hair raising event with the Van der Graff generator, were allowed to hold Maxine the corn snake, Australian Walking Sticks, and a Giant Madagascar hissing cockroach.
“We had such a great turnout that Eric was kept constantly busy and regretted not having more opportunity to help folks with some of the more challenging “Brainteaser” puzzles. But everyone will have another shot at OMSI’s return next year,” said Perry Stokes, Library Director, Baker County Library District.
Council Discusses Water/Wastewater Rate Increases And Possible Gas Tax
By Brian Addison
Baker City Mayor Jeff Petry and Vice Mayor Andrew Bryan began the City Council Work Session discussion Tuesday following the City Council meeting on water and wastewater rate increases to help fund upgrades to the systems, including replacement of mountain waterline system and eventually the city’s wastewater treatment of effluent. Council also discussed the possibility of a city gas tax to help fund maintenance of city streets.
“It will be $1 million per year to replace pipes in the hills,” said Mayor Petry. The Mayor also gave a timeline regarding a possible major change in Baker City’s treatment of wastewater effluent, “The DEQ (Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality) gives us three to maybe six years.” The DEQ is expected to require the city to reroute the city’s current effluent treatment system due to incrementally stringent requirements being handed down by the DEQ regarding surface water quality and municipal treatment of wastewater effluent.
Union Pacific Freighter Collides with Unattended Passenger Car
by Brian Addison
A “deliberate act” is how Baker City Police Lt. Brian Harvey described the collision between Union Pacific freight train #5626 and the 1996 Ford Contour first stolen then left abandoned on the RR tracks late Sunday evening.
Oak Street resident Laurie Maras reported that the car was stolen from her residence where it had been parked. It was reported that the keys were not in the car when it was stolen although the doors had been left unlocked. The car allegedly was stolen and then parked and left on the tracks near the Campbell Street crossing.
At approximately 11:40 p.m. the vehicle was struck by the eastbound Union Pacific freight train. The car was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported. Union Pacific confirmed that the train did not derail. The automobile was pushed and mangled by the train for several hundred yards before the train could come to a stop.
Contracted City Attorney Advises Council To Disclose Contacts
By Brian Addison
Baker City’s contracted attorney Dan Van Thiel attended the city council meeting on April 8 to discuss Ex Parte contacts made by members of city council. If city councilors discuss city business with other people at any time outside of regular city meetings, these are considered ‘ex parte’ contacts. Van Thiel is advising that council members disclose all contacts with anyone where city business is a topic of discussion.
“You need to be careful when people contact you. They need to understand that you’re going to be voting,” said Van Thiel.
Van Thiel advised that the Mayor request disclosure from councilors before every city council vote. “Before voting, the Mayor should ask council, ‘Are there any conflicts of interest or ex parte contacts to disclose’?”
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