---
date: "2021-02-17"
title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2021-02-17"
source: "2021-02-17-minutes-council-monthly.pdf"
---

City of Prairie City
Council Meeting
        February 17, 2021

1.Attendance
2. Mayor Jim Hamsher
3. Councilor Scott Officer
4. Councilor Chase McClung
5. Councilor Candy Reagan
6. Councilor Brook Williams
7. Councilor Tish Packard
8. Councilor Jenny Shaw
9.
10. Visitors
11. Ginger Shive
12. Bob Shive
13. Georgia Patterson
14. Pam Gangler
15. Carol Garrison
16. Marvin Rynearson, Fire Chief
17. Chris Camarena, PW Director
18. Bobbie Brown, City Recorder
19.
20.
21.
22. Mayor Hamsher opened the regular council meeting at 6:00pm and roll call was taken. Mayor Hamsher
23. took roll call for Go-to-Meeting attendees.
24.
25. Mayor Hamsher called on Ginger Shive who has asked to talk with the council about renting a portion of
26. the Texaco building for her weaving business. She proposes a lease of the office area and bathroom that
27. is used for the Museum storage right now. Ginger offered to pay up to $1,000 to remodel the office area
28. and combining the bathroom area making a total of 16’ X 16’ interior space. She would like a 12-month
29. lease at $200 a month space rent. The council discussed more money per month for space rent, customer
30. parking, inspection costs, electrical upgrades and cost, access to the fire truck and bay door for the Fire
31. Dept, insurance cost, and talking with the city’s attorney about liability to the City. The council tabled
32. the decision for a future meeting, and would like to discuss the options with the city attorney.
33.
34.Minutes:
35. The minutes of January 13, 2020 council meeting were considered.
36. MSP: To approve the minutes of January 13, 2020 council meeting. Councilor
37. McClung/Councilor Officer. All members present voted unanimously.
38.
39.The minutes of January 27, 2020 special meeting were considered.
40. MSP: To approve the minutes of January 27, 2020 special meeting w/ corrections. Councilor
41. Packard/Councilor Officer. All members present voted unanimously.
42.
43. Mayor Hamsher discussed a possibility for more COVID-19 grant funds for residents and businesses,
44. and he will update the council as it develops.
45.
46. Public Works Report:
47. Mayor Hamsher called on Public Works Director Chris Camarena for his report. Chris said they are

48. finishing up on the Landfill Project and it looks really good. He offered tours if any council members
49. would like to see what the project entailed. Chris said once the weather is better, the State of Oregon will
50. start construction on the composting facility. He said that he is working with the city attorney and DEQ
51. on some changes at the sewer lagoons that will be required for compliance and permitting. The City is
52. not in compliance at this time with the State of Oregon DEQ requirements for the sewer lagoon system.
53.
54. Payables:
55. To ratify the payment of bills. MSP: To pay the bills. Councilor Packard/Councilor Officer.
56. All members voted unanimously.
57.
58. Resolution:
59.  Resolution 2021-03 A resolution of the City of Prairie City declaring a state of emergency in response
60. to the COVID-19 pandemic; and authorizing the mayor to take actions necessary and appropriate to
61. protect the health, safety, and welfare of the city and city’s citizens. The council will revisit this during
62. the March 10, 2021 council meeting. MSP: To approve Resolution 2021-03: A resolution of the
63. City of Prairie City declaring a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
64. authorizing the mayor to take actions necessary and appropriate to protect the health, safety, and
65. welfare of the city and city’s citizens. Councilor Officer/Councilor Packard. All members
66. voted unanimously.
67.
68.  Other Business:
69.  Mayor Hamsher moved on to talk about the utility billing due date and asked City Recorder, Bobbie
70. Brown to explain to the council the issue that arose with late fees and due dates during the billing
71. process. Bobbie explained that the program the City uses for utility billing cannot do two different dates
72. for payment due date and late fees. The city council passed a motion to have late fees applied after the
73. 20th of the month. With the payment due date being on the 15th and a late fee being applied on the 20th of
74. the month, the program can only do one due date and late fee date. She discussed keeping the date of the
75. 15th for payments and have the late fee applied on the 16th of the month or to change the payment due
76. date to the 20th and the late fee would stay the same. She recommended to change the payment due date
77. to the 20th of the month to give residents more time to get their payments in.
78. MSP: To change the utility billing due date to the 20th of the month.
79. Councilor Williams/Councilor Packard. All members voted unanimously.
80.
81. Mayor Hamsher announced that the city council will meeting for a special meeting and executive
82. session on the 25th of February at 6pm.
83.
84.
85.Mayor Hamsher adjourned the regular council meeting at 7:04 pm.
86.
87.
88.Attested: ________________________________
89.                    Bobbie Brown, City Recorder
90.
91.
92. Approved by the City Council this 10th day of March, 2021
93. and signed by the Mayor:
94.
95.
96.                   _______________________________

                                   Jim Hamsher, Mayor