The following are the unapproved minutes from the Hines Common Council held Jan. 28. The minutes have been edited for clarity and length.

During his department head report, City Administrator Kirby Letham acknowledged the passing of former council member Diane Rappaport and publicly thanked her for her service.

Letham met with Larry Holzgang, a Biz Oregon representative, earlier that day. Holzgang is temporarily covering for Scott Fairley, who passed away suddenly earlier in the month. Holzgang has been with Biz Oregon for many years and should be of a great service to the city.

Letham updated the council on the work that the Housing Committee, a sub-committee of the Community Response Team (CRT), has been doing to create a plan to spur housing growth. The committee met with Adam Brown, Ontario city manager, to learn what Ontario did. Ontario implemented a program that spurred eight new housing starts in 2019, and more than 10 are planned for 2020. The CRT Housing Committee will seek to implement a similar program in Harney County, Burns, and Hines to spur building. The next step will be to meet with contractors.

Councilor Robert Beers said the community needs to increase jobs before it can build houses. However, Letham explained that a housing study was done, and it found that professionals want to move here, but can’t find adequate housing.

The study also found that the area needs high-speed Internet. Morgan said a company planned to bring high-speed Internet down from John Day. Letham didn’t know whether that company succeeded, but he said others are currently in the process of expanding high-speed Internet in the community.

Letham updated the council on the Water Improvement Project. The next phase of the project will be to inform property owners who will be affected by the various water line issues. The city will need some property owners to create an easement on their property in order for the city to repair and improve water lines on their property. Others will need to be notified to move fences, sheds, or vegetation from existing city easements. City staff will be working with Anderson Perry to communicate with all affected property owners to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Mayor Nikki Morgan asked whether DEQ is considering the current air quality with the BioDynamics situation. Letham said DEQ is aware of the current air quality. It is a factor, but they are more concerned about the specific particulates that would be released from the plant. The rule that is holding the permitting process up for BioDynamics is very strict. It was originally intended to regulate a glass manufacturer in Portland. BioDynamics has been working very closely with the governor’s Regional Solutions representative, Courtney Werner-Crowell; Greg Smith of Harney County Economic Development; Letham; Harney County Judge Pete Runnels; DEQ; and others. The group made great progress to help BioDynamics keep moving forward.

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During the public comment portion of the meeting, AJ Kamahwee, owner of Hines Bare Bones Smoke Shop, asked the council to reconsider the ordinance banning kratom. Kamahwee said he is seeing a lot of demand and fielding many requests for the substance. He added that the product is still legal in many parts of the state, and he wants to tap into that market, noting that many locals drive to John Day or Bend to purchase it.

Morgan thanked Kamahwee for his comments and said the council would need to do some additional research. She explained that previous research indicated that the substance has no medicinal value, is highly addictive, and can be lethal when mixed with other drugs. These issues were taken into account when the previous council voted to ban kratom. However, this new council will revisit the matter.

Councilor Gary Miller asked whether kratom was approved by the FDA, and Morgan said it wasn’t. She added that kratom originated in Thailand. Thailand banned the substance in 2017, but they couldn’t control it because kratom trees grow naturally all over the country. In 2018, Thailand gave up and lifted the ban. Morgan said there is currently no control on the substance, and nobody knows what is being sold as “kratom.” She suggested that this is very dangerous.

Miller asked whether other towns have age restrictions on who can buy kratom. Kamahwee said other towns require buyers to be 21.

Councilor Duane Hutchins asked whether this ban is only in Hines. Morgan affirmed that only Hines has banned the product so far, and asked Letham to put the topic of kratom on the next council meeting agenda.

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Ann Sampson said she wants to purchase a property in Hines to be near family, and she wants to keep her horse with her. The property is located within city limits at 135 S. Peter French Ave.

Letham explained that city code restricts housing livestock within city limits.

Morgan said, in the past, some exceptions to livestock permits were given. Morgan told Sampson she could fill out a livestock permit, gather signatures, and bring that back to the planning commission.

Letham said many people have asked if they can have horses in town. The city ordinance prohibits livestock within city limits, and essentially only allows for animals to be kept for a short period of time. Sampson would need to apply for a variance as well.

Sampson said she can’t find affordable property outside of city limits that fits into county regulations of “agriculture.”

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The council continued to discuss purchasing a new police vehicle. One of the police cars needs repairs that exceeded its value, so the council started discussing purchasing a new one.

Police Chief Ryan DeLange received a quote from Burns Ford for a 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, with another quote from LEHR to add police equipment to the vehicle. The total cost would be $46,106.28.

The city received four different loan options, two from Old West Federal Credit Union (OWFCU), and two from US Bank.

Letham presented the loan options to the council and the quote from Burns Ford with equipment additions. The car would be delivered from the Ford factory directly to LEHR-Salem, who would then install necessary police equipment.

Morgan said she usually prefers the least expensive option, but in this case, all of the loan options are very good deals. Several of the council members agreed. A discussion ensued about which loan would be most beneficial to the city. Morgan went around the table and asked the opinion of each councilor. Hutchins said he leaned toward the OWFCU loan at 1.99 percent. Miller said he could go either way. Beers and Allison both suggested they were interested in the OWFCU 1.99 percent loan.

Councilor Ron Williams said he saw it differently. He suggested that, even at 3 percent interest, the US Bank loan might be more efficient, as the city’s accounts would be kept “under one roof.”

Morgan recalled that, several years ago, US Bank refinanced a loan for the city, saving it thousands of dollars in interest. She said sticking with US Bank could be advantageous because the bank has provided trusted service.

Hutchins suggested opting for the 2.6 percent loan from US Bank, as it would still save the city money.

Allison asked Letham what he thought of the options presented. He replied that he really liked what Williams had to say.

After some discussion, Williams made the motion to purchase the 2020 Ford Explorer with the US Bank 2.6 percent loan, and the motion carried.

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In other business,

• Ryan Dupuy, along with his daughters, asked the council for a donation to support the Harney County Rattlers fast-pitch softball team. Dupuy explained that the team travels to Bend and as far as Portland for games. They are looking to raise $2,200 to cover fees and traveling. The council voted to donate $200, and Kamahwee donated an additional $200;

• Arik Swindlehurst presented a donation request on behalf of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the council voted to donate $150;

• Boomer Inselman, owner of Boomer’s Restaurant, asked for Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) funds to support a motorcycle rally that he and his business partner, Jeff Campbell, plan to organize. Inselman said the rally was once a highly anticipated event in Harney County. The rally has faded away, but Inselman and Campbell would like to bring it back. The event is planned for July 31 through Aug. 2, and it will include vendors and games in the park.

The council asked Inselman and Campbell to come to the next council meeting with a detailed list of how they plan to use the funds;

• Oster Professional Group informed the city that they will no longer provide auditing services. Letham presented a Request For Proposal For Municipal Auditing Services that will be published in the newspaper, on the city’s website, and mailed to potential vendors. The submittal deadline is April 6. All submittals will be screened by the city administrator, the mayor, and the treasurer. A recommendation will be made to the council at their regular meeting on April 14;

• Williams asked whether Anderson Perry has a list of contractors who will receive bid requests for the new water tank, explaining that he knows some contractors who are interested. Letham asked Williams to have those contractors contact him so they can be included.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at city hall.