---
date: "2021-03-10"
title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2021-03-10"
source: "2021-03-10-minutes-council-monthly.pdf"
---

City of Prairie City
Council Meeting

        March 10, 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. Frances Preston
12. Georgia Patterson
13. Pam Gangler
14. Carol Garrison
15. Marvin Rynearson, Fire Chief
16. Chris Camarena, PW Director
17. Bobbie Brown, City Recorder
18.
19.
20. Mayor Hamsher opened the regular council meeting at 6:00pm and roll call was taken. Mayor Hamsher
21. took roll call for Go-to-Meeting attendees
22.
23. Mayor Hamsher made an amendment to the ORS number 192.600 on the agenda to change it to 192.660
24. due to clerical error. MSP: To amend ORS 192.600(2)(e) to ORS192.660(2)(e) due to clerical error.
25. Councilor Packard/Councilor Officer. All members voted unanimously.
26.
27. Mayor Hamsher announced at 6.01pm that the Prairie City Council will meet in executive session
28. pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(e) to deliberate with person designated by the governing body to negotiate
29. real property transactions. ORS 192.600(2)(e) real property transactions are not limited to the purchase
30. or sale of real property. Mayor Hamsher asked the general public to leave the room.
31.
32. Mayor Hamsher adjourned the executive session at 6:32pm and the general public was invited back to
33. the meeting.
34.
35. Mayor Hamsher opened the regular council meeting at 6:33pm and roll call was taken. Mayor Hamsher
36. took roll call for Go-to-Meeting attendees
37.
38.Minutes:
39. The minutes of February 17, 2020 council meeting were considered.
40. MSP: To approve the minutes of February 17, 2020 council meeting. Councilor
41. Officer/Councilor McClung. All members present voted unanimously.
42.
43. The minutes of February 25, 2020 special meeting were considered.
44. MSP: To approve the minutes of February 25, 2020 special meeting. Councilor
45. Williams/Councilor Officer. All members present voted unanimously.
46.

47. COVID-19 Update:
48. Mayor Hamsher gave a brief update to the council that the City would be getting approximately
49. $175,000 from the State of Oregon Recovery Act. This can be used for infrastructure and loss of
50. revenue. Mayor Hamsher will update the council as the Recovery Act funds continues to develop. There
51. are more Covid cases.
52.
53. There was a short discussion on the 2021 fireworks show. Due to COVID restrictions last year, the City
54. has lost the fireworks supplier and the question was asked if the council wants to seek a new supplier or
55. wait until the next budget year. The consensus of the council would be to find a new supplier.
56.
57. Fire Report:
58. Mayor Hamsher called on Chief Marvin Rynearson for his report. Marvin reported that the gear the
59. firefighters wear is outdated and will need to be replaced. The cost would be approximately $20,000 to
60. replace all the gear the firefighter’s wear. The gear will be replaced in compliance with state standards as
61. the budget will allow each year. Mayor Hamsher asked Marvin to work with Anna Bass with Solutions,
62. CPA on budgeting the replacement of the firefighter’s gear.
63.
64. Public Works Report:
65. Mayor Hamsher called on Public Works Director Chris Camarena for his report. Chris reported that
66. ODOT will begin construction on the deer composting site next month in April. Chris gave a brief
67. outline of how the composting facility will work and when the City will start collecting the revenue
68. from the composting site once all is completed. Chris reported that the State of Oregon has a new
69. Wastewater Regulator that inspects wastewater treatment facilities around Eastern Oregon, and our
70. wastewater treatment facility is out of compliance with infiltration and inflow levels, pumping issues
71. and irrigation of crops. The State is allowing the City to make the changes to be compliant and in return
72. the State will take the cost of the repairs off the total cost of the fine.  The changes will hopefully reduce
73. the fine to $2500 when repairs are completed.
74..
75. Payables:
76. To ratify the payment of bills. MSP: To pay the bills. Councilor Packard/Councilor Officer.
77. All members voted unanimously.
78.
79. Resolution:
80.  Resolution 2021-03 A resolution of the City of Prairie City declaring a state of emergency in response
81. to the COVID-19 pandemic; and authorizing the mayor to take actions necessary and appropriate to
82. protect the health, safety, and welfare of the city and city’s citizens. The council will revisit this during
83. the March 10, 2021 council meeting.
84. There was discussion on why we continue to pass an emergency declaration.
85. MSP: To approve Resolution 2021-03: A resolution of the City of Prairie City declaring a state of
86. emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and authorizing the mayor to take actions
87. necessary and appropriate to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the city and city’s citizens.
88. Councilor Officer/Councilor Packard. Yay 5     Nay 1.
89.
90. Mayor Hamsher adjourned the regular council meeting at 7:28pm.
91.
92.Attested: ________________________________
93.                    Bobbie Brown, City Recorder
94.
95. Approved by the City Council this 14th day of April, 2021
96. and signed by the Mayor:
97.
98.
99.                   _______________________________

                                   Jim Hamsher, Mayor