The following are the unapproved minutes from the Hines Common Council and Budget Committee meeting held April 12. The minutes were edited for clarity and length.

High Desert Park & Recreation District Manager Brandy Branstetter introduced herself and informed the council that the swimming pool is undergoing major upgrades. She invited the police and fire departments to attend the pool’s grand opening, which is tentatively set for June 3.

Branstetter also noted that Park & Recreation would like to restart the helmet program. She plans to bring in the Oregon Department of Transportation state safety coordinator to put on a bike rodeo June 3. They will have 80 bike helmets to give away to the community’s youth.

•••

City Administrator Kirby Letham reported that:

• the county is considering using the Lincoln Building for a justice center;

• the city of Hines is continuing to work with Strux Engineering on the park bathroom. The bid package is almost complete, and construction will start in August;

• the Harney Homes Project broke ground on April 9 and is moving forward;

• the city is considering the Transportation Growth Management (TGM) grant. This Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) planning grant would be in addition to the city’s Transportation and Comprehensive Plan;

• the Park Planning Grant is due May 15. This $40,000 grant would allow the city to bring in a park planning consultant. Securing the grant would allow the city to pursue a much larger grant to help with construction.

•••

In other business:

• Son Burns and his neighbors shared safety concerns regarding traffic on King Avenue. People are driving too fast and not stopping at stop signs. They are concerned that someone is going to get into an accident.

Burns asked the city to issue a pubic service announcement or install additional traffic signs (such as “Children at Play” signs) or maybe traffic cameras.

Burns also noted that he attended a couple of Planning Commission meetings, and he agrees that housing is needed. However, he asked whether anything can be done with vacant homes in the city.

He asked what the city can do to promote all types of housing,  from low- to mid- and upper-level-income housing. Letham shared a few of the projects that the city is working on to help create local housing. He also mentioned tax break incentives.

Chris Nisbet asked whether those incentives work for low-income housing, and Letham said he believes they do;

• Director Deanna Thrall presented the Harney County Chamber of Commerce’s budget and financial statement.

Thrall also reported that the chamber was gearing up for the Migratory Bird Festival. She added that 110 participants have registered for the Skull 120 bike race, and she believes they will reach the maximum of 200 riders.

Councilor Marsallai Quick asked whether the free charging station is still operating at the chamber. Thrall said it isn’t because it doesn’t have a meter, so the chamber had to pay for the power;

• Ken Post requested a donation toward the community flag. The Posts have been raising funds for the flag since 1996. The cost of each flag is currently $1,750. However, if he purchases six or more, Post can get each flag for $1,100, plus freight of $50 a flag.

The flags are made in the United Sates. The flagpole is 120’ tall, and the flags are 30’ x 50’ and weigh up to 70 pounds. When the flags are retired, the Boy Scouts and the American Legion perform a flag-retirement ceremony.

Quick made a motion to donate $1,150 to the “Our Community Flag Fund”. Councilor Dean Brizendine seconded the motion, and it carried.

Fire Chief Bob Spence added that the Hines Fire Department would like to donate $200 toward the fund;

• Amy Dobson requested a donation for Project Graduation Burns Class of 2022. 

Quick made a motion to donate $250. Councilor Hilda Allison seconded the motion, and it carried;

• Dobson, who is the executive director of the Kids Club, requested a donation for the 19th annual Kaye Johnson Memorial Diamonds in a Glass fundraiser.

Allison made a motion to donate $250 to sponsor a table at the fundraiser. Brizendine seconded the motion, and it carried;

• the council approved a business license for Chris Nisbet of X-Treme Pressure Washing LLC. Nisbet will provide commercial and residential exterior surface cleaning and restoration. He currently has a Facebook page and is working on a website.

Councilor Robert Beers made a motion to approve the business license for X-Treme Pressure Washing LLC. Councilor Amity York seconded the motion, and it carried;

• Beers made a motion to approve the livestock permit (4-H lamb) for Mandy Dowell/Trevor Simmons. Brizendine seconded the motion, and it carried;

• Quick made a motion to approve the livestock permit (chickens) for Kirby and Andrea Letham. York seconded the motion, and it carried;

• the 2022-23 budget committee is comprised of the city council as well as Jon Morgan, Becky Bates, Duane Hutchins, Anna Gahley, and Ray Dunten. Letham is working to fill one additional position on the committee. The first budget meeting was April 26;

• Allison made a motion to approve Resolution 2311: Internal City Loan Forgiveness, as read. The resolution forgives an intrafund loan from Hines General Fund 104 and Capital Projects Fund 191 to Sewer Fund 152-106.

Beers seconded the motion, and it carried;

• the city needs to hire a professional IT service for many reasons. The state passed requirements for streaming city council meetings, cybersecurity is becoming an issue these days, etc. The IT firm must be Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) certified to meet the needs of the police department.

Quick made a motion to approve the proposal for IT services by AccTech Solutions. Brizendine seconded the motion, and it carried;

• Anderson Perry’s estimated fee for engineering the sewer line extension on South Saginaw is approximately $2,000.

York made a motion to approve the work order for the Anderson Perry extension. Beers seconded the motion, and it carried.