The following are the unapproved minutes from the Hines Common Council meeting held March 23. The minutes were edited for clarity and length.

City Administrator Kirby Letham said he had hoped to update the council regarding the homelessness and drug topics, but there wasn’t any progress on it. He said numerous community members have approach him expressing concern regarding these issues.

The city is moving forward with preparations to get the fuel tax in place for April 1. 

Anderson Perry informed Burns High School that they selected the city of Hines to sponsor a $1,000 scholarship for a deserving high school senior this year. The scholarship will be given on behalf of the city and Anderson Perry.

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Councilor Marsallai Quick has been working with some residents to bring a sign/reader board to the city using Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) funds. They identified a location for installation, have volunteers who are willing to help with setup, presented the preliminary cost estimates, and identified the signs that could be used. The cost would be $5,770 for both signs (one on the north and one on the south) facing Highway 20. Quick will bring the total cost of the project to the next meeting so the council can vote on it.

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The Harney County Chamber of Commerce office is currently not staffed. The Chamber Board posted the director’s position in multiple locations, including the state chamber website and multiple recruitment sites.

The board is taking this time to review and update the requirements for the position. They hope to have someone in place by mid-April. They’re still preparing for the Skull 120/60/30 bike race in June.

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The bathroom bid package was put on hold last year due to COVID-19. Letham said it’s now time to move forward with the project, and the city has two options. He talked to Anderson Perry who would be willing to put together a bid package, including specification and designs. It will cost between $6,000 and $8,000 for Anderson Perry to design, put out mailers, and contact contractors.

One option that Anderson Perry suggested was a prefab unit, which they believe would still come in under or around the $80,000 budget.

The second option is to have the city release a very simple ad requesting bids to build a bathroom like the drawing presented to the council. This would reduce design costs and possibly overall costs, but would leave room for interpretation by contractors during the bid and building process.

Mayor Nikki Morgan expressed her concern regarding a prefab construction and whether it would match the Pavilion.

Councilor Ron Williams expressed the desire to get it built before the weather improves and the traffic through town increases.

Councilors Robert Beers and Williams both expressed concerns in cost difference from prefab to stick built.

Quick motioned to have Anderson Perry create a Request for Pricing (RFP) package for the park bathroom, and the motion carried.

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In other business:

• Williams made a motion to hire Eckstein Law LLC at Tier 1 pricing fir five hours of firm time for $500 a month, and the motion carried;

• Jay Mangum applied for a business license for Eden’s Gate Design and Build LLC. He has been a licensed contractor for more than 10 years and wants to stick with residential construction. 

Quick motioned to approve the business license for Eden’s Gate Design and Build LLC, and the motion carried;

• Letham explained the basic certification requirements to become a Certified Local Government (CLG) for historical restoration. 

The city would need to pass an ordinance stating that it want to become a CLG. The city would then become a member of the State Historical Preservation Program. The city would also have to agree to update and expand the state’s historic building inventory program and establish a historic-preservation commission.

Properties are then nominated to be added to the Register of Historic Places. The benefit of being a CLG is the ability to apply for annual grants from the State Historic Preservation Offices. 

Grants can be used for a broad range of preservation activities. However, rules would have to be followed to maintain historical classification, and property owners could see people coming to view their historic place and take pictures, etc.

There are also 50/50 match grants available. For example, these grants could be used to restore the exterior of the city water tower. 

The program offers training and workshops for members of the commission. Sites that are approved would need to be added to the state’s database. 

Letham asked the council to read through the information that he sent. The topic will be revisited during the next council meeting;

• Letham discussed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) that Congress passed. Every city in the U.S. will receive funds based upon population size and other factors.

Hines is estimated to receive $314,923, but it is still unclear how this money can be spent.

The city will receive 50 percent of the funding 30 days after the state receives it. The other 50 percent will be allocated one year later.

The LOC published a list of questions and answers that the city can review. The council discussed holding onto the funds until they learn something definitive about whether it’s a grant or a loan with payments expected. The council will also hold onto the funding until it learns more about how it can be spent;

• Letham will go out with the Public Works crew to inventory the streets and make a list of potholes and things that need to be repaired. 

He will also determine how much it would cost to rent a street sweeper, as the city of Burns hasn’t had time to sweep Hines’ streets.

Williams mentioned that someone in John Day comes over to sweeps parking lots. He asked where Hines could rent a street sweeper, and Letham told him that ACW has one;

• Beers mentioned that he would like to see the street cuts fixed;

• Morgan asked the councilors to drive through town to investigate street conditions;

• Letham said the city still has funds from the Small City Allotment Grant. He added that, by June or July, the city should start to see how much money the fuel tax is bringing in. He suggested that the grant and fuel tax could be combined to get roads repaved.