Sumpter Valley Railroad Will Have One Free Trip This Weekend
In Northeast Oregon’s Baker County, Memorial Day Weekend is not only the start of the operating season on the Sumpter Valley Railroad, but this year, it will also be your last chance to ride behind Mikado steam locomotive number 19 before she is removed from service for routine boiler work.
Constructed for the line by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in June of 1920, the 113 ton locomotive was the last new steam engine purchased by the Sumpter Valley, and remained in service until 1941 when it was sold to the White Pass & Yukon Route in Alaska. Number 19, by then renumbered 81, was eventually replaced by diesel electric locomotives in 1958, and was stored in the scrap line at Skagway.
Brocato Sues Baker City, Councilors, Dielman
Seeks More Than $1 Million In Economic Losses And Damages
By Mark Bogart
Former City Manager Steve Brocato has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Baker City and the four city councilors who voted to terminate his employment almost a year ago. Also named in the suit is former councilor, and Baker City resident Gary Dielman.
Brocato claims that he was terminated in retaliation related to his work on the city’s property maintenance ordinance, according to a press release from his attorney, Craig Crispin of Portland.
Brocato also claims the defendants made “false and defamatory statements” about him. He accuses Mayor Dennis Dorrah and Councilors Aletha Bonebrake, Beverly Calder and Clair Button of violating Oregon’s open meetings law by privately discussing plans for his termination.
City Budget Board, Discusses ‘Adjustments’ To Police Department, Airport, Cemetery
By Mark Bogart
After spending two sessions studying a proposed budget that City Manager Steve Bogart said, “reflects a continued effort to cut costs…”, the city Budget Board voted Tuesday to make additional cuts in the general fund and to direct more dollars to maintaining city assets. The general fund portion of the budget presented by Bogart was over $200,000 less than the 2009-2010 budget, but a majority of the Budget Board members felt that future declines in revenue, increases in costs, and deterioration of streets and other city assets will require a shifting of priorities.
The Budget Board “adjustments,” which were presented by Chairman Randy Daugherty, focused heavily on the police department, community and economic development, and administration.
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