The following are the unapproved minutes from the Hines Common Council meeting held July 14. These minutes have been edited for clarity and length:

Under department head reports:

• Hines Fire Chief Bob Spence reported that the department received two calls since the previous meeting. One was for a downed power line on Pettibone Avenue. The other was for a quarter-acre fire in the parking lot of the nature trail, which was caused by an illegal mortar on July 4. Spence added that there were a lot of illegal fireworks on the 4th.

• Acting Public Works Superintendent Jerry Lewellen reported that, with the warmer weather, the city is pumping 1.5 million to 1.8 million gallons of water per day. The public works department has been spraying the lagoons and park parking lot for weeds. The park bathrooms are open, and signs are posted about the bathroom cleaning schedule. The broken ramps at the skate park were removed, and sand was spread around the big slide and merry-go-round in the park.

• Hines Police Chief Ryan DeLange told the council that there were 277 calls for service, which is about 30 more than the number of calls reported during the previous meeting. Sexual abuse cases have decreased, but theft cases have increased slightly. With the increase in traffic, there has been an increase in traffic violations. Domestic violence calls are about the same.

DeLange said the department is waiting to see what the governor will do regarding police reform. There is a push for state workers (such as the Department of Human Services) or social workers to handle some of the calls that the police normally handle. They do not want law enforcement to be the first to interact with people who have mental-health or substance-abuse conditions or the homeless.

Eldon Hart asked whether police can touch someone during an arrest. Chief DeLange replied that police are currently able to, but we will see what happens with the reform.

• City Administrator (CA) Kirby Letham said he met with a group who is interested in renovating the skate park. The group includes High Desert Partnership, Councilor Marsallai Quick, CA Letham, and some individuals from the community. The goal is to go with a modular unit that is rated for exterior use with a 10 to 20-year lifespan, and to possibly include a small bike track around the skate park. CA Letham said he would like to have a design to show the community by the end of the month. The city has already started to receive donations from the community.

CA Letham received a letter from the owner of the solar farm regarding the rural fire suppression program. The cost for the solar farm to participate in the program was minimal because the county assessor hasn’t reassessed the property value yet. The solar farm’s owner sent the requested funds and a $250 donation to the fire department.

The farm’s owner also mentioned that he is interested in supporting programs for children. CA Letham will send him, as well as some others around the city, a letter asking whether they would like to donate to the skate park.

CA Letham will send each council member a spreadsheet with a tentative schedule from the contractor for the water project. The current plan is to start with the new water tank and the “M” line from Hines Middle School to South Saginaw. This work should begin in August.

CA Letham also noted that the governor set new COVID-19 restrictions. There shall be no indoor gatherings greater than 10 people. Masks are required indoors, and they will be required outdoors if people cannot maintain social distancing. CA Letham plans to purchase equipment to enable council meetings to be visual, not just audio.

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Under old business:

Lola Johnson, executive director of the Harney County Chamber of Commerce, presented a written report of chamber activity from June 1 to July 9, and said the Fourth of July event was a hit.

She has been in contact with the Oregon Film Trail. They provide signage for movies made in Oregon, and they would like to put up two signs in Harney County. The first, for Lean On Pete, would be placed at the fairgrounds. The second, for Meek’s Cutoff, would be placed in Hines Park.

Johnson added that she is the president of the Kiwanis Club, and the club would like to donate $500 to the skate park. The club would also like to donate paint and time to freshen up the remaining pieces in the skate park.

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Under new business:

CA Letham reported that, on June 26, he received an email from Councilor Duane Hutchins announcing his resignation from the council. The council voted to approve the resignation.

Anyone who is interested in filling the position must be a resident of Hines for 30 days prior to the election, be a United States citizen, and be electable. CA Letham will place an ad in the newspaper announcing that the city is accepting applications for the council position. The applications will be presented during the next council meeting (Aug. 11), with interviews before the council.

The council approved business licenses for:
• Feathered Nest Properties LLC aka West Ridge Apartments;
• Garo Enterprises LLC, a local construction company;
• HH Construction LLC, a local construction company; and
• Sage DesignWorks, a local graphic designer.

CA Letham suggested that the city pay Sage DesignWorks their fee (minus the cost of materials, which were already provided) to finish the mural. Councilor Ron Williams disagreed with paying them. He said they volunteered to do the mural if the city paid for supplies, and the city has done so. He added that, if the city agrees to pay them, it sets a precedent for other companies to come to the city and not fulfill their obligations. The council was in consensus with this decision. Councilor Williams suggested that the council draft a letter asking when the mural will be completed.

The city would like to request an additional $300,000 from BizOregon for the Water Improvement Project. The goal is to replace the water meters when the water lines are being replaced. Doing so without the additional funding would take the contingency fund total from $471,000 to approximately $165,000. BizOregon provided verbal approval of the request, and this would formalize the request. The council voted in favor of submitting a formal request to BizOregon for an additional $300,000 in funding.

During the mayor and councilor comments portion of the meeting, Councilor Gary Miller said some of his neighbors asked that a four-way stop sign be installed at the intersection of West Hanley and Roanoke to help slow traffic. Chief DeLange said he thinks it is a good idea.

Councilor Beers said he did additional research regarding the mosquitoes. He contacted 3 Rivers and was told $12,000 would cover a mosquito study and eight sprays. He asked the representative about respiratory issues resulting from spraying and was told that there should not be any issues. He spoke to the La Pine city manager, as La Pine has been working with 3 Rivers for approximately four years, and learned that the city hasn’t had any issues with the company. He found notes from when he previously spoke to Scott Ag, the company that sprays for the farmers, and was told they would spray once a week for four to five months, with a total cost of approximately $32,000. He also contacted Vector Disease Control out of Payette, Idaho. He was told they will not come to Oregon, but they will see if they can locate a company that will come to Harney County.

Councilor Beers said he would like the council to consider fencing the highway side of the park. He explained that kids who ride their bikes from the skate park, over the grass, and up onto the sidewalk may not be able to get stopped on the sidewalk, causing them to end up in highway traffic.

Councilor Beers said he would also like the council to discuss the water rates again.

Mayor Nikki Morgan said she would like a quote on park fencing. Superintendent Lewellen said, if the city wants to install a fence, it will need to get approval from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), as ODOT has an easement along the highway.

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