For the past number of years, the city of Hines has paid the Harney County Chamber of Commerce 25 percent of the transient lodging taxes collected by the city to be used to promote tourism. That amount averaged about $53,000 for the past three years.

On Tuesday, July 9, the Hines Common Council approved Ordinance 327, which repeals the section of Ordinance 272 that directs the funds be paid to the chamber.

With the enactment of the new ordinance, the 25 percent previously paid to the chamber will be used to promote tourism-related activities, as determined by the council.

City Administrator Kirby Letham explained that the new fiscal year budget includes a line item for the funds to go to the chamber, so the council will need to pass a resolution to redirect the funds.

Letham recommended the council come up with a plan on how it proposes to use the money, then pass a resolution accordingly.

Councilor Hilda Allison said she would like the citizens of Hines to be able to see what the tourism dollars can do for the city.

“Tourism is, to me… something that attracts people to our area,” Allison said. “The city of Hines could have a good deal of things to promote. For instance, beautiful lighting all the way around our park, and our park is really an ‘event’ park. We can promote it as an event park, and utilize those funds for tourism.”

Allison stated that the council is responsible for every dime that comes in, and the council hasn’t received a report from the chamber explaining how Hines benefits from the funds that are given to the chamber.

“All the people who come through here because of where we’re at, because we’re isolated, is not tourism,” Allison said. “Define it [tourism], give me a dollar figure, promote yourself, and I’ll be able to maybe fund you. But at this point in time, I don’t see it. I don’t see dollar figures. I don’t see anything that tells me where my money is going. And it’s not my money. It’s the city of Hines’ [money].”

Allison suggested that, in the future, maybe organizations, including the chamber, or individuals with ideas could submit proposals within the definition of tourism to the council to receive funding.

She added that, by designating the funding toward defined tourism, there is fiscal responsibility, and citizens can see where the money is going.

With the new ordinance, the council will determine where the money goes on an annual basis.

Later in the meeting, Lola Johnson, who took over as executive director  of the chamber on May 14, 2018, said she is still in the process of learning what the job entails, as well as what tourism encompasses.

Johnson said there are only a limited number of events in Hines each year, and she is in the process of promoting all of Harney County. She stated that, if funding goes away, she won’t be able to continue with the promotion of the county, which benefits the area. She added that she is working on getting people to visit in the winter as well as the other months.

Johnson stated that it’s not about either of the cities, but the county as a whole.

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Hines Police Chief Ryan DeLange reported that traffic so far this summer has been “horrendous,” and his department received a lot of complaints. He stated that there were more traffic stops, mostly for speeding, and they are averaging about 12 tickets each day.

DeLange added that mental health cases are having an effect on his department because the system in place to deal with a mental health subject is not a good one. He stated that an officer will spend anywhere from three to five hours at the hospital with the subject until an evaluation is done and decisions about the welfare of the subject are made. A meeting was scheduled with the hospital and Symmetry Care to discuss how to expedite the process.

DeLange also noted that he has some concerns about the sort of gun laws that the governor may introduce.

“Any gun laws that the state pushes that infringe on the Second Amendment rights, I’ll just say in a public meeting, we will not enforce,” DeLange said.

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Hines Fire Chief Bob Spence reported that his department responded to seven calls in a month’s time, including a brush fire up Buckbrush Lane. Spence said the fire was started by a burn barrel and the blowing wind.

Spence said other agencies provided additional aid, and the blaze was held to about two and a half acres. He noted that, if it had been a month later, there’s a chance it would have gone into the Dapple Grey area and beyond.

“It’s dry out there, and it’s a real issue,” Spence said. “People have got to use common sense.”

Spence added that there is a grace period, from July 1 to Aug. 1, for residents to sign up for the rural fire protection program, and the person involved with the Buckbrush fire was in that grace period.

“If she wasn’t, just for the engines alone, it’s $400 an engine, and there were five of them,” he said. “So that would have been $2,000 just for the trucks, and there’s labor involved per man too. I think it’s a good thing to sign up because there’s no charge if you get a fire. Boy, if you get a fire and you’re not signed up, it’s a bad deal.”

Spence told the council that Liz Alberta, who recently moved here, donated a set of like-new turnouts to the department. He said a new set costs about $1,700, and thanked her for the generous donation.

Spence also thanked Doug Murphy for his help with putting up a new sign on the fire hall.

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In other business:

• Letham reported that the paving on Roe Davis Avenue was delayed for a few days, but the work should be completed by the first part of the following week.

He announced that Paula Vollmer was hired as utility clerk for the city, and she is expected to start July 22.

Letham also stated that the Archaeology Roadshow and Cultural Crawl at Hines Park on June 29 went very well, and several organizers are planning for next year already;

• the council approved the renewal of the agreement with the Valley Golf Club;

• the council approved a variance request for Shane Theall, as recommended by the planning commission;

• Letham told the council that the engineering firm Anderson Perry wants to put more time into the design phase of the West Hanley Avenue paving project because of the numerous driveways, right-of-ways, and other concerns. Because of that, the Request for Bids has not gone out. The additional design work will cost the city more, estimated between $8,000 to $10,000.

The council discussed other options, but delaying the paving would not have the street ready by the time school begins.

The council directed Letham to get an estimate on the project, and it will move forward from there;

• Joe Davis attended to talk to the council about the RV storage sheds that Rattlesnake Creek Land and Cattle is planning to build south of ACW.

Davis said there will be a total of 50 storage spots available, surrounded by a new fence.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at city hall.