---
date: "2016-11-09"
title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2016-11-09"
source: "2016-11-09-minutes-council-monthly.pdf"
---

City of Prairie City

                   Georgia Patterson, Councilor
                   Dottie Miller, Councilor
                   Carole Garrison, Councilor
                   Butch Goslin, Councilor

1.                   CITY COUNCIL MEETING
2.                      November 9th, 2016, 6:00pm
3.
4.
5. Attended:   Jim Hamsher, Mayor
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.                   Les Church, Councilor
11.                   Taci Philbrook, City Recorder
12.                   Liz Bate, Museum Operations Supervisor
13.                   Marvin Rynearson,  Fire Chief
14.                   Carlos Bortell, resident
15.                   Luann Bortell, resident
16.
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18. The Mayor opened the regular meeting at 6:00pm. Roll Call was taken. All
19. councilors present, except Councilor Rose.
20.
21. The minutes of October 11th, 2016, regular Council meeting was considered for
22. approval. MSP: To approve the minutes with corrections to a word on line
23. #72. Councilor Garrison/ Councilor Patterson. All in favor.
24.
25. Museum: Written report submitted by Bob Shive, Museum Director. (See
26. attached). Taci explained the events planned for Christmas on the Prairie,
27. scheduled for the 19th of November. The events include a train exhibit featuring
28. several model trains, and a Christmas Tree will be decorated and auctioned
29. during the event. Admission to the museum will be by donation only for the
30. event. Councilor Garrison spoke of the assessment that was done for a Grant;
31. during that assessment the museum personnel was told not to allow living plants,
32. feathers, animals because of dust mites. She also recommended we check with
33. the fire marshal for restrictions. It was suggested they display the tree outside.
34.
35. No other reports were presented. Chris Camarena, the Public Works Director,
36. was excused from the meeting as he is attending a class for Cross Connection
37. training in Portland.
38.
39. Public Safety: Taci explained due to a change of positions in John Day there had

40. been no invoices or reports for policing. They are behind two months. She also
41. stated Clark's Disposal was behind in their franchise fees. Taci has made contact
42. with both of them, and hopes to see them caught up by the next council meeting.
43.
44. The mayor announced he will be attending a Commissioners Conference in
45. Salem, and to please contact Mayor Pro-tem, Councilor Patterson, in his absence.
46.
47.Accounts Payable: MSP: To ratify payment of the bills. Councilor Church /
48. Councilor Miller. All in favor.
49.
50. Other Business:
51. The council began a discussion about the partnership between The City and
52. ODOT for the Mortality Facility. A site visit with ODOT was decided upon.
53. Councilor Patterson, and Joe Phippen, asked to be included in the tour. The
54. council discussed the easement up to the lagoons. Taci presented the written
55. history of the easements to the councilors. After they reviewed the documents, it
56. was decided ODOT would not have easement through the city's agreement with
57. Russell Ricco. Everyone agreed it was best to speak with Russell to get ODOT
58. added to the list of entities that had permission to use the easement. The council
59. asked Taci to get it recorded once it was documented.
60.
61. Taci introduced the Wastewater Revenue Bond to the council. She included a
62. recap of the highlights of the agreement that she had from the city attorney's
63. review. Taci asked the councilors to review it, and to report any necessary
64. changes to Taci so that the Bond could be voted on at one of the upcoming
65. meetings. Councilor Garrison confirmed this bond was drawn up by K&L Gates.
66.
67. The Mayor began a discussion about creating a Community, or Neighborhood,
68. Watch Program. The councilors agree; presence in the community may cut down
69. on crime in Prairie City. The mayor will check with the police or sheriff about
70. programs available to communities. After the mayor gathers information he will
71. set up a committee to get the program started.
72.
73. Taci reported on Christmas on the Prairie. She spoke of the Tree Lighting being a
74. community event, not just for the shoppers who are visiting that day. She hopes
75. to see a lot of residents at the tree lighting. There will be a movie at the
76. community center, vintage campers in the Texaco Lot, and a dance team
77. performance before the tree lighting. Santa will be at the Teen Center for photos
78. all day.
79.
80.The council discussed having a Special Meeting this month if ODOT had their
81. document(s) ready, and was ready to proceed.  They decided as a whole to let

82. Chris Camarena, and Councilor Patterson, as a committee to proceed with the
83. planning of the proposed Mortality Facility. If the documents are done before the
84.next regular session we can hold a Special Meeting.
85.
86. Fire Dept.: Chief Rynearson expressed his frustrations with the 2017 Eclipse
87. camping. He stated he has spoken to legal counsel. The Chief is suggesting a fee
88. be charged to the ranchers outside the city limits who intend on renting out
89. lodging on their property. That fee would cover expenses should the Rural Fire
90. Dept., be called for services.  He expressed his need to be included in the
91. planning. The Chief will be requiring Insurance Certificates from the property
92. owners who intend on allowing camping on their property. The certificates will
93. have to name the Rural District. He is going to require a site plan from all the
94. property owners who intend on renting spaces to visitors that weekend. The site
95. plan will have to include showing all exits and entrances, and where all fire
96. extinguishing apparatus available to campers would be located on the property.
97. Taci explained to Marvin she is planning on having a workshop with the ranchers
98. to get their site designs and all necessary requirements met. She reminded the
99. chief he, and the Chief of police Richard Gray, are invited to that workshop.
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 Chief Rynearson also requested the council look into the fence ordinance
 and to make sure residents are adhering to it. He is seeing too many corner
 lot residents with fences taller than the ordinance allows making it difficult,
 when in a firetruck, to see around them. He also spoke of the tree next to
 the electronic sign obstructing the view of traffic on Hwy. 26. Marvin
 thinks the tree should be removed.

  ________________________________
  Taci Philbrook, City Recorder
                                                         Approved by the City Council this_____
                                                         day of ______________, 2016 and
                                                         signed by the Mayor:

                                                         ________________________________
                                                          Jim Hamsher, Mayor

 The Mayor adjourned at 6:45 pm.

 Submitted by:

120.