Small Town News

Halfway Water Project Reaches Record Street

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Halfway City Council met for their regular public meeting on Thursday, September 9, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall. Councilman Jim Hilderbrand was unable to attend. No members of the general public attended.

Page Frederickson, Director of Public Works, reported the water project is progressing very well. Well House #1 has a new well ring seal and piping and is now up to current standards. Councilmen approved a construction change order to cover additional required materials and labor. The old well house was built in the 1960s using old technology that no longer meets standards.

One mishap occurred at the fairgrounds that required an extra 4.5 hours to repair. An unrestrained valve supplying water to the fairgrounds blew out and required shutting off water service to that area. New, proper, valves are now installed.

Three new meter housings are now installed so city workers do not have to climb down into the housings to read meters or make repairs. Sue Newstetter, grant administrator, is meeting with Frederickson and processing paperwork to the grant agency.

Water service was scheduled to be turned off to customers along Main Street on Monday, September 13, 2010, to install the new valve for the new Record Street water main. Affected customers were notified by phone and by notices delivered door to door on Thursday, September 9.

Frederickson said she will have regular sampling stations when the project is complete. Currently, she is required to get various samples from customers' businesses or residences.

Council Discusses Transient Lodging Tax

Mayor Sheila Farwell provided information from League of Oregon Cities regarding that organization's 2011 legislative session efforts on the issue of Transient Lodging Tax. The City Message to Legislators and Candidates reads as follows:

"The current preemption on the transient lodging tax hampers cities' ability to address increased public safety and infrastructure needs resulting from tourism activities.

"The TLT preemption has taken away authority from those who best know local conditions and needs, and has restricted cities, large and small, in their ability to effectively meet the challenges of a difficult economy.

"Lifting this preemption will allow local governments to make their own decisions on what makes their communities attractive to visitors as a tourist destination."

Council discussed their decision to opt out of the Baker County TLT program. No part of the TLT collected from the three lodging businesses in the city is available to Halfway currently. Extra trash collection, receptacles for the trash, paper towels and toilet paper and other supplies for the public restroom - none of these items are reimbursed to the city. In fact, at the end of the meeting, Mayor Farwell thanked Brian Simpson for buying and providing paper towels for the restrooms over Labor Day weekend.

Council members continue to express frustration over the lack of tangible benefit to Halfway, while regional advertising also benefits Richland, which has never paid into TLT.

Possible Sewer System Upgrades Discussed

On the subject of DEQ issues, Mayor Farwell provided copies of her letter to Governor Kulongoski, US Representative Greg Walden, US Senator Ron Wyden, State Senator Ted Ferrioli, and State Representative Cliff Bentz. She said she received responses from all recipients of the letter. Her letter to the above-listed elected officials reads as follows:

August 31, 2010

The City of Halfway, Oregon, is in the process of updating our Waste Water Facility, mandated by DEQ. The first phase of the engineering plan estimates the cost to be $2,700,000.00 to $4,340,000.00. Decisions must be made now on options of the engineering plan or the City's Waste Water permit will not be renewed in December 2011.

The letter enclosed (dated 8/13/10) will show you that Halfway has had several violations under our current permit with DEQ. All of these violations were out of the city's control. but nevertheless, a civil penalty may be assessed for the violations. We have yet to receive the assessment.

Our current Waste Water Facility has served our community sufficiently for the past forty years. The major problem is inflow and infiltration because of forty-year-old collection system infrastructure. Estimated cost for inflow and infiltration is $1,370.00.

The enclosed option of engineering plans is enclosed and Halfway is looking at a minimum cost of $2,500,000.00 voted on by the City Council. Even then, DEQ may require more options, mandating more debt.

When, I, Sheila Farwell, moved to Halfway in the early 1970s there were job opportunities such as logging and mining. Those jobs are gone, and now we are nothing but a community of retired people living on fixed incomes. We have had zero growth and continue to lose young families and school enrollment. Recreation is the main force that keeps our few businesses open.

Our city cannot afford the debt that DEQ is mandating. These mandates are causing stress on me, my council and three employees.

Currently the City's monthly utility billing to residents is: Water $30.00 Sewer $20.00 Sewer Loan $9.00 (2019payoff)

? Water Loan on Tax Roll $9.50 (2013 pay off) Total = $68.50 month.

The City of Halfway is currently under construction with a water project. When that is completed and closed out our water rates must go up due to mandates from the grant providing the funds. Our Waste Water rates will go up when that project is completed, also. Obviously the City of Halfway will be in serious debt and city citizens could see monthly billings of $100.00 a month or more.

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter with you, at your convenience. Please contact me at the above number. Thank you for listening to my concerns.

Mayor Sheila Farwell City of Halfway

Scott Farley from the Governor's office has taken an active interest in the city's dilemma and suggested some possible options. Several ideas have been proffered that, even at reduced cost, are not feasible within the time constraints. As current debt is paid off, Farwell noted, current payments on that would be available to service new debt, but the timing dilemma remains.

A meeting is scheduled to take place with representatives of DEQ at 11:30 a.m. at City Hall on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 to discuss whether it is possible to satisfy DEQ, renew the permit, and not break the backs of community members.

Councilman Marion Crow reported on the most recent Watershed And Stream Health committee meeting also attended by Mayor Farwell, Dale Taylor, Sandy Wheeler, and Dale Denson from Pine Valley. The East Pine Dam remains one of the top two projects under study and prospects for the project look hopeful, according to Crow. He said current estimates are about $75 million to build the dam and there are probably two to three more years of study ahead. If completed, the project would provide flood mitigation, agricultural water, electric power generation, and recreational opportunities. Crow added there would be many benefits, including additional employment, should the project come to fruition.

In closing the meeting with community thank yous, Mayor Farwell thanked members of the Pine Valley Fire Department for hosing down Main Street prior to this year's Baker County Fair in Halfway, and Brian Simpson for the previously mentioned paper towels. Also, she thanked Daryl Woolfe, for driving her in the Rodeo Parade in his 1934 roadster, in which she perched on the rumble seat to wave to parade goers.



Copyright 2010 Hells Canyon Journal, Halfway, Oregon. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Hells Canyon Journal Halfway, Oregon. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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