City of North Powder
Newsletter
Calendar of Events
July 2 Library Board Meeting
Library 6PM
July 3 City Hall CLOSED
July 4 Independence Day
July 6 City Council Meeting
7PM Wolf Creek Grange
July 7 Grange Meeting
6:30PM Wolf Creek Grange
July 17 Food Bank
3 to 6PM Methodist Church
JULY 2020
City Council Meeting July 6, 2020
7PM Wolf Creek Grange
Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance
Public Comment (allow 4 minutes each)
Amend/Accept Agenda
Amend/Accept Minutes
Accounts Payable
Library Report Public Works Report City Recorder Report Mayor’s Message -Clean-up Day Report
New Business- - RV Permit -
Old Business- - Playground - RV Ordinance - Fire Department/City Hall & Library - Wastewater Project Update - Ordinance Enforcement Report
Council Comments
*Additions and/or Changes may be made to the agenda.
If special accommodations are needed, please notify City Hall at 541-898-2185 by noon on Friday prior to
Mayor’s Message
Despite the nasty weather, the City Clean-Up Day went really well, even with some people taking advantage by dumping after hours and dumping un-acceptable items, particularly, wet household garbage. We filled two big dumpsters as well as a smaller dumpster for metal items. We also hauled off several TVs and a trailer load of old tires. Big thanks to Trinity Nesser, Mr. Nesser, Moe Nesser, Seth Bingham, and the FFA members who vol-unteered to go to people’s homes to pick-up and deliver materials to the dumpsters. It was a really big help for those who couldn’t haul stuff themselves. The City is considering another Clean-Up Day for the fall as many people may have held off due to the weather.
The Public Works department has been and will continue to be very busy over then next several months. We are still getting a lot of materials flushed to the lagoons that are not biodegradable and are plugging the system. If the system plugs badly enough, we could all be plugged. Please don’t flush things like paper tow-els, diapers, wipes, rags, etc.. We’ve even seen toys and clothing come through the system. Public Works has also started on a new water line to the new Powder Rural Fire District’s new fire station just outside of town on the north end of E Street. Other summer projects include a new sew-er line at the corner of 2nd & C Streets, a storm drain connection for the school, work on the new playground, and patch-ing potholes.
We had a much better than expected re-sponse to the surveys sent with last month’s newsletter. The City Council is still marching through requirements to get a finalized and functional RV Ordinance to put in force. We appreciate you taking time to submit comments and concerns and they were definitely considered in the final draft of the ordinance. The first draft has been reviewed by the League of Ore-gon Cities legal counsel and is almost ready send to the City attorney for a final review before it is put out for citizen/property owner review. As it deals with regulating permitted uses in various land use zones, passage of the ordinance must go through the land use process. We also have a possible new candidate for ordi-nance enforcement.
RV Survey Results
More than 40 of the surveys regarding RVs were returned to City Hall. The City Council thanks you for your com-ments and has taken them into consider-ation. Most all of you consider this is an important issue for the City. More than 80% felt a 30 day permit fee should be at least $300 per month or more and the permit should either not be renewed at all (30 days total per year) or for a total of not more than 3 months in a 12 month period. The City Council is in the final stages of approving a proposed ordinance to amend Ordinance #1997-1. Once the Council has approved the proposed or-dinance, there will be a Public Hearing (probably in early September) to con-sider questions and comments from citizens and property owners before a final vote can be made to actually adopt and implement the ordinance. Copies of the proposed ordinance will be available at City Hall and on the City website once the Council has approved it. Notices with the date, time, and place of the Public Hearing will be sent to all property owners within the City of North Powder at least 15 days prior to the hearing. Notices will also be posted at City Hall, the Library, and the Post Office as well as in the newsletter and on the City website.
City Hall Phone: 541-898-2185 (8:30AM-12:30PM)
Public Works: 541-786-4600 (7:00AM-3:30PM)
After Hrs Emergency: 541-805-9436
“May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the op-
portunity to do what is right.”
-Unknown
Congratulations and welcome to Den-nis Lefever, the newest member of the City Council. Dennis was chosen to fill the remainder of the term for Position #1 which was vacated in early May by Tanna Ingram. His current term will expire on January 1, 2021. Dennis and his wife purchased a home here and moved to North Powder in January 2019. He has worked for the Baker County Sheriff’s Office for sev-eral years and hopes his experiences will help him to serve the community. Dennis was one of three applicants that were considered for the position.
New Council Member
“One small positive thought can change your whole day!”
-Unknown
Wow, what a month!! We have been busy preparing the Summer Reading Program “Imagine Your Story” activity packets to-go. It has been a great safe and successful way for distance reading. So far, 19 kids have signed up and are happy to be able to continue the reading program during these trying times.
If you haven’t already completed the Census, we have options for you. The Library has obtained an extra computer that is designated specifically for the purpose of completing the 2020 Census. It will be available by appointment only so we can insure that we are able to dis-infect between patron’s use. To make an appointment, please call 541-898-2175. Hours of availability will be Mon-days from 1PM to 7PM, Fridays 9AM to 3PM, and Saturdays 10AM to 2PM.
The Library Board has put together a survey covering various topics that per-tain to the Library. We would appreciate your feedback. Your voice matters and is important to the community. Surveys will be sent through the mail, so keep an eye out for them. You may return survey sheets to the Library drop box or drop them at City Hall.
The next Library Board Meeting will be July 2, 2020 at 6PM at the Library. Please join us, all are welcome!
Page 2 NEWSLETTER
City Hall Office Hours 8:30AM to 12:30 PM Monday thru Friday
Phone 541-898-2185 Fax 541-898-2647
www.northpowderoregon.org Closed Holidays
North Powder is an Equal Opportunity Provider
If you are experiencing problems with your water or sewer, please contact City Hall.
City Hall Phone: 541-898-2185 (8:30AM-12:30PM)
Public Works: 541-786-4600 (7:00AM-3:30PM)
After Hours Emergency: 541-805-9436
*Please call during business hours if at all possible as a fee will be charged for after hours calls.
Library News
Library Hours-
Monday 1PM to 7PM Friday 9AM to 3PM Saturday 10AM to 2PM Phone 898-2175
City Council Members- #1 Dennis Lefever #4 David Schwehr #2 Joyce Lawyer #5 Mike Morse #3 Jeff Grende #6 Logan McCrae
Mayor Mike Wisdom
“Lunch Bunch” - Take out ONLY! Fridays 12 noon to 12:30PM at the Wolf Creek Grange. $3 per meal. Open to the public.
Church Services are all temporarily can-celled until further notice.
Fire Season Begins
“In the truest sense Freedom cannot be stowed. It must be achieved”.
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
2020-2021 Budget Adopted
The City Council voted 3 to 1 (with 2 members absent) in favor of adopting the approved budget for 2020-2021 at a spe-cial meeting on Monday, June 22, 2020. The budget total came to $5,121,593 which includes over $2 million for several grants for the Library, wastewater, roads, playground and a few other misc. grants. Grant money may only be spent IF and WHEN it is received but must be included in the budget in order to spend it. Grant funds may only be spent for what the mon-ey is requested for. The budget also includes another possible rate hike for sewer and water in order to keep up with rising costs to maintain the system and depreciation. Copies of the budget are available for re-view at City Hall or can be found on the City website.
Remember to keep grass and weeds mowed to prevent fire hazards.
Election
Don’t forget, anyone wishing to run for the office of City Council or Mayor must file the necessary paperwork with the City Recorder no later than August 11, 2020 in order to be on the November ballot. Candidates must file an SEL 101 Candi-date filing form and collect at least 20 val-id voter signatures. SEL 101 forms and signature sheets are available at City Hall or on line at http://sos.oregon.gov (Secretary of State web-site). You must be a citizen of North Powder for at least 12 months prior to the election and a register voter in the City of North Pow-der in order to qualify as a candidate.
Even with all the rain we have had, don’t forget that Fire Season officially begins July 1st. Burning inside City limits will be limited to approved burn barrels ONLY. No open burning is allowed. Burning is also limited to the hours be-tween 6AM and 10AM. This means fires must be completely out, with no smoldering ashes, by 10AM. All burn barrels must be off City right-of-ways. This includes streets, alleys, parking strips, and sidewalks. Burn permits are available free of charge at City Hall. The City brush pile will be available for yard debris ONLY.
“The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but so is the water bill.”
-Unknown
Playground
Thanks to everyone who has signed the City’s “petition” of support for a new playground. It goes a long way to show support from the community when apply-ing for grants. So far, the City has received $13,000 in donations and pledges for the new play-ground.
Clean-Up Day
The City had another very successful Clean-Up Day. We filled 2 large dump-sters with all kinds of garbage and junk. We also filled a smaller dumpster with metal items and hauled off more than a dozen old TV’s and close to 175 old tires. A big “Thank You” goes out to Trinity Nesser, with the North Powder FFA, for organizing and collecting stuff for citizens who were not able to haul their things to the dumpster site. A small fee was charged to help pay for the cost of the dumpsters.
