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November 29, 2007 Front Page |
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New Middle School Option ‘Shelved’ By 5J School Board; Emotional Exchange With Citizen Ensues
By Brian Addison
“The new school option has been shelved,” announced Baker School District 5J Board Chairwoman Ginger Savage at the Nov. 20 school board meeting. Savage was referring to the school district’s two failed attempts to pass a bond measure to fund a new middle school facility northeast of the Baker High School beyond the end of College Street. “The goal for maintenance and safety remain the same with the 20-year plan,” said Savage.
As the school board discussed the failed bond measure, board member John Boyer spoke about what he referred to as a “significant number of county residents who are tied to the North Powder district and won’t support spending any money on this district.” Boyer continued, “The Haines community has lost the sense of community and I think this happened when Haines School closed. Since then we’ve had trouble getting people back to support us.”
Wheatland Insurance Lacks Proper Licensing To Be City’s Insurance ‘Consultant’
Job of Reporting and Handling of Claims to Fall On City Staff
By Brian Addison
In September of this year, City of Baker City changed the general/liability insurance provider from the city’s long time agent Clarke & Clarke Insurance of Baker City to Wheatland Insurance based in Pendleton. When Wheatland Insurance sent in the proposal to provide insurance services to Baker City, they did so as “insurance consultant” and not as “insurance agent.” Not only does the city’s agreement with Wheatland as “consultant” put the work load on city staff, but it is the opinion of the Oregon State Insurance Division, that Wheatland Insurance does not possess the proper license to provide services as an insurance consultant.
“Wheatland Insurance Center is in violation of ORS 744.605 by representing themselves to be an insurance consultant without a license,” concluded Jim Thompson of the Oregon Insurance Division after reviewing material he had been provided. Thompson points out that while Wheatland may carry out some of the duties they’ve proposed, they “are not allowed to portray themselves as insurance consultants without the appropriate license.”
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