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October 15, 2009 Front Page |
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Homecoming Royalty Crowned
At Pep Night
By Eden Taylor
The format for Pep Night at Baker High hasn’t changed much in the past 20 years. But the kids are different every year, bringing a new enthusiasm and excitement to the night.
Masters of Ceremonies Megan Fitzpatrick, Cameron McAlister and Taralynn Taylor introduced this year’s court as the gentlemen escorted the ladies down the runner and to their seats. Those on court were: Weston Anderson and Courtney Baxter, Jacob Eastland and Kylie Kitzmiller, Dru Simonski-Davis and Annie Martin, Derek Blankenship and Mackenzie Warner, Jarrod Maxwell and Tori Wirth, Jon Burton and Annika Yates, Parker Warner and Haley Adams, Alex Bardizian and Hannah Prince, Erik Robertson and Melissa Clarke, Mark Swiger and Mallory Bailey, Trace Richardson and Becca Joseph, Dekker Smith and Krysti Cole, Trevor Davis and Missy McKim, Colton Flynn and Aly Ogan and Brandon Dolby and Amanda Lang.
Council Discusses Existence Of 2008 Work Plan For Brocato
By Mark Bogart
Tuesday’s Baker City Council meeting featured a running list of disagreements between councilors and former councilors, punctuated by the banging of the mayor’s gavel and the early exit of one Council member.
Issues ranged from the rules and purpose of executive sessions to the definition of a “work plan” for the former City Manager, and from the ethics of promoting the recall of fellow councilors to responsibility for the cancelation of training intended to resolve past conflict.
All seven current members were present for most of the meeting in addition to three former Council members; another former member sent her comments in a letter. City Manager Pro-Tem Tim Collins, however, was out of town.
County Commission Supports Justice Courts
By Eden Taylor
Characterizing Justice Courts as the people’s access to justice, Justice of the Peace Lise Yervasi explained to the Commission at their regular meeting last week the need for an additional employee in Justice Court. She said Justice Courts are always on the verge of elimination by the State. It’s a vigilant process to keep these courts open and available to the public.
At the present the Baker Justice Court has only two employees besides Judge Yervasi. Especially on Mondays during traffic court, it takes at least the two employees to keep things running smoothly. If anyone is sick or gone, the traffic court in affected. The Court has to close down for weddings.
Yervasi quoted Justice Martha Walters from the Oregon Supreme Court as saying, “In bad times we need the court system more than in good times.” Yervasi said that in poor economic times small claims suits and evictions are up.
Council Closer To Selecting City Manager
By Mark Bogart
Four names remain on the list of candidates for City Manager of Baker City, and the Council hopes to fill the position by the first week of November, according to Mayor Dennis Dorrah. That may be a difficult task, however, due to scheduling conflicts among both the Councilors and candidates. While part of the process has been carried on by a committee, all seven Councilors want to take part in the interviews.
“We’re all busy people,” Dorrah said in an interview Tuesday night. The candidates are “scattered across the country” and have their own scheduling conflicts as well, he added.
Baker Elementary Schools Receive New Names
By Eden Taylor
On Oct. 8 at 7:30 a.m., a special School Board session was held. In the session attended by Ginger Savage, Lynne Burrows and Rusty Munn, the School Board officially changed the name of Brooklyn Elementary (K-6) to Brooklyn Primary School (K-3). They also approved renaming South Baker Elementary (K-6) to South Baker Intermediate School (4-6). Keating Elementary changed their designation from K-5 to K-6.
The special session was necessary because of the Oct. 15 deadline to officially notify the State of the District’s elementary school restructuring, which will enable the school to receive the proper amount of State funding for each of the schools using the ADM formula.
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