The following are the unapproved minutes from the Burns City Council meeting held May 13. These minutes have been edited for clarity and length:

Interim City Manager Dauna Wensenk reported:

• A teacher from Burns High School asked the city to hang banners featuring photos of the graduating seniors on the light poles on North Broadway. Wensenk said the city crew would take care of it;

• The state revenue hearing was advertised for the wrong date. It will be readvertised for May 27, 2020;

• Regarding the $7,139.26 change order by Granite Construction for the 2019 street project, Granite Construction agreed in the city’s favor, and an invoice will be submitted;

• Due to COVID-19, the city hasn’t started looking at properties that need cleaned up, but it will start soon;

• The airport surplus property will bring in $110,000, which will go toward a new aviation fuel tank;

• A letter from the FAA, approving the final inspection of the Runway 21 crackseal project was received. The city should get reimbursed $31,000.

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Burns Fire Chief Scott Williamson reported that calls are picking up. The department responded to 10 incidents this month, bringing the total to 44 for the year. That includes 23 in the city and 17 outside the city.

Williamson reported that the fire department received a small grant from OTEC, which will be used for a barbecue for the first responders, and a COVID-19 grant, which will be used for a washer extractor to clean turnouts.

He also noted that volunteers Lindsey Ward and Chris Hyde donated 40 hours inspecting and flushing hydrants. They have finished all of them.

Williamson added that the department has been cleaning hazardous vegetation, along with Down Right Drilling, Quail Court Apartments, and Best Inn.

He also expressed concern about people living in camp trailers. One caught fire a few days prior, and it was a total loss. He said he is seeing them everywhere, and it is very unsafe because they don’t have smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, and people are using extension cords to plug them in. He stated that people need to be educated about safety issues.

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Burns Police Chief Newt SkunkCap said that calls have been down due to COVID-19, but he suspects people will start moving around again. He reminded everyone to keep their property locked up.

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Williamson reported that he received a phone call April 27 from Symmetry Care, requesting a welfare check on a client who was living at Burns Town Apartments. There were concerns about the living conditions, as there was an electrical fire there a couple weeks ago. Williamson contacted the State Fire Marshal, and the two of them conducted an inspection on April 30, with permission from the landlord and tenants. They found water leaking from the roof and running down walls, spongy to unsafe floors, lack of heating, cracked and missing ceiling sheet rock, open electrical boxes with wires and outlets protruding, and multiple other safety hazards. Williamson said he sent a letter with the inspection results to the landlord and owner stating what needs to happen. He asked the council to decide whether it wants to give them time to fix all of the problems or determine that it is a dangerous building.

Mayor Jerry Woodfin said the council has spent endless hours working on the dangerous buildings ordinance, and the city needs to utilize the ordinances or stop working on them.

Wensenk stated that, since a new ordinance hasn’t been completed, the city would go by the old one that is shorter and to the point. The city would also need to send out notices and hold public hearings.

Councilor Judy Erwin said she would like to classify the Burns Town Apartments as a dangerous building.

Wensenk told the council that she directed staff to find out whether there would be somewhere for the displaced tenants to go, but there isn’t much available.

Woodfin added that, if the city doesn’t do something, it is putting the lives of tenants and others’ safety in jeopardy.

After some discussion, a motion was approved to deem the Burns Town Apartments as a dangerous building and proceed with the next step per Burns Municipal Code.

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Ora Miller was present and explained that, with the ongoing COVID-19 issues, she hasn’t been able to continue building her new house on West Taylor. She requested a six-month extension to live in a fifth-wheel on South Imperial.

The council approved the request with the condition that the fire chief inspect the RV to make sure it’s safe.

Woodfin read a letter from Carmen Mix requesting a hardship extension due to the winter, COVID-19, and a lack of work. Mix stated that it will take two years to build a dwelling. She added that their property on Riverside Drive is off the road, cleaned up, and quiet.

Woodfin stated that the city received numerous complaints about this property, and Erwin said they built an addition to the RV without permission.

The council voted to deny the hardship permit extension.

Sandra Erickson informed the council that she is putting in a new manufactured home on her vacant lot on East Adams, and would like to stay in her camp trailer until the home arrives and is set up.

The council approved the six-month extension as long as the RV is inspected by the fire chief.

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Brandon Mahon was present by phone to give an update on the Water Master Plan.

Erwin asked whether the city will have to do a water-rate study.

Mahon said the city would not, but Business Oregon has stated the affordability threshold for water is $36 for 7,500 gallons per month, and the city isn’t even close to that, so it may have to raise rates.

Councilor Charity Robey said the city doesn’t qualify because the water and sewer fund is combined. Separating them into two funds would create more work.

Mahon said the separation is required in order to qualify for USDA grants, and the city may want to start working on it now.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, at city hall.