A public hearing to receive public input regarding the proposed street right-of-way vacation of North Imperial Avenue between West Jefferson and West Washington streets was held during the Burns City Council meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

City Clerk Dawn Crafts reported she hadn’t received any letters, calls, or visitors objecting to the vacation.

Burns Fire Chief Scott Williamson pointed out that there is a fire hydrant in the area, as well as sewer lines, so if the street were to be vacated, the city would need an easement to access the public utilities.

The ordinance to vacate that portion of North Imperial Ave. was tabled until the city’s legal counsel prepares the legal document for the easement.

•••

City Manager Dauna Wensenk reported the Washington Park restroom project is moving forward. She said she met with the contractor and the engineer and part of the delay has been that the engineer was waiting for the elevation certificate from the surveyor. The engineer should have the drawings for the project completed the following week.

Wensenk added that the contractor lowered the cost of the concrete work to $4,800.

Wensenk attended a League of Oregon Cities (LOC) meeting on Oct. 11, and the LOC presented  a list of six items identified as legislative priorities. She noted that one of the priorities listed is revenue reform, including property tax reform. She said the property tax revenues have been out-paced by expenses because of the harsh limits and restrictions on the property tax system from Measures 5 and 15 that are about 20 years old.

Dumpsters will be set out in several locations in Burns and Hines Nov. 9 and Nov. 13 for yard debris.

Wensenk announced there will only be one council meeting the next two months, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12.

At the meeting in November, the council will be presented with a proposal for increases in the airport leases. Wensenk noted that the last increase in those fees was 2011.

•••

Williamson told the council his department responded to several brush fires in the past couple of weeks, as well as a house fire in Burns, and a chimney fire in Hines.

Williamson said the new radios for the trucks have arrived and will be installed.

The council also approved a request by Williamson to apply for two grants that would help pay for new turnouts and self-contained breathing apparatus.

•••

Kuri Gill of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department was in attendance to give a presentation on the Certified Local Government (CLG) program that is designed to promote historic preservation at the local level.

Gill said the program sets interested cities and counties up with tools and some funding to document historic places, as well as help preserve and promote them.

Gill reviewed the funding process, and the requirements should the city decide to opt in to the program.

•••

In other business:

• Burns Police Chief Newt Skunkcap reported officers had attended Red Ribbon assemblies at the schools, and would be talking to students about illegal substances in the near future;

• Councilor Forrest Keady said he had attended a small cities meeting in Vale, and was surprised to learn that Burns doesn’t qualify for federal block grants because the city doesn’t fall within the designated threshold of low- and moderate-income population.

Keady said statistics show that 41 percent of the city’s population is low- or moderate-income, and to qualify for the block grants, that number needs to be at 51 percent or higher.

Keady explained that John Day fell into the same category, but the city appealed the decision and won the appeal. Keady added that Burns could also file an appeal.

Keady also reviewed information presented by Mike Berry of the Oregon Department of Transportation regarding city streets.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at city hall.