Latest News

NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the City of Baker City, Baker County, State of Oregon to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, will be held at Baker City Hall, 1655 First Street in the City Council Chambers. The meeting will take place on the 16th day of May 2012 at 6:00 p.m., and if needed, additional meetings will be held on the 17th, 21st and 22nd days of May 2012. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comment from the public on the budget.

At this meeting, a special time will be reserved to receive written or oral comments on the possible use of State Revenue Sharing Funds.

A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after May 11, 2012 at the office of the City Finance Director, City Hall, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed budget with the Budget Committee. This notice will be posted on the City's website at www.bakercity.com.

For Excellence in Leadership, Class of 2012

OVERVIEW

The City of Baker City and Anderson Perry & Associates announce the availability of two Scholarship Awards for $500. The awards have been established in order to recognize student leaders for their outstanding service rendered to the high school and the community. This award represents the City's support of student leaders. The City will recognize the recipients with a certificate and a cash scholarship award at a meeting of the City Council, and at the annual Baker High School awards assembly. The City of Baker City would like to recognize Anderson Perry & Associates for their one thousand dollar contribution to the City this year in order to make this award possible.

QUALIFICATIONS

To apply for this award, students must meet the following criteria.

1. A member of good standing in the senior class of Baker High School.
2. A student with post-graduation plans for schooling or career development.
3. A student who has demonstrated leadership in a variety of settings.

PROCEDURE

1. Complete and submit an application to Baker City by May 4, 2012. For convenience, applications may be dropped off at the Water Department at City Hall, or in the office at Baker High School. Click here for an application (pdf file).
2. Attach one or more letters of recommendation from people in the community or school who can attest to your leadership and personal qualities and who support your application for the award.
3. Representatives from the Baker City Council, Baker City staff, and Baker High School faculty will screen the applications and determine the recipient. Interviews with applicants may be scheduled, at the discretion of the screening committee. Further, the winner of the scholarship, and members of the family, will be asked to attend the City Council meeting where the award will be presented to the recipient.

This year Baker City will celebrate its 27th year of being a Tree City USA. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

To qualify as a Tree City USA community, a town or city must meet four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters:

• A Tree Board or Department
• A Tree Ordinance
• A Community Forestry Program with an Annual Budget of at Least $2 Per Capita
• An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

These standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program. Cities must apply each year to maintain their Tree City USA status.

Trees are a very valuable asset to our community. Just some of the benefits trees provide include: shade, energy savings, windbreaks, reduction of storm water runoff, increased property values, safer traffic flows and numerous social benefits!

J. Sterling Morton

Nebraska pioneer, journalist and later secretary of the Nebraska territory, J. Sterling Morton was an advocate of trees and the many benefits trees provided. Because of Morton's efforts, the first Arbor Day celebration took place on April 10, 1872. It is estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on that day. Other states followed Nebraska's lead in the 1870s by passing legislation to observe Arbor Day.

More information on the history of Arbor Day can be found at: http://www.arborday.org/arborday/history.cfm

Because Baker City experiences very low temperatures in the spring months, our Arbor Day celebration generally does not occur until late May or early June of each year. The Tree Board is currently beginning to discuss ideas for this year's Arbor Day celebration. Four trees were planted in public parks last year to celebrate the event. Have an Arbor Day project in mind? Please let us know!

Baker City's Tree Board is currently comprised of four volunteers. The board is tasked to study, review, evaluate and make recommendations regarding the urban forestry program. The urban forest consists of vegetation within public parks and land as well as within the public right-of-way area (which is in most cases is the "landscape strip" located between a sidewalk and street).

(From left to right): Tree Board members Clair Button and Mike Clark and community member Ed Moses.

We are heading into the Tree Board's "busy" season and currently have a vacant position on the board. Anyone with an interest, passion or knowledge of trees is encouraged to apply! If you would like more information of what this volunteer position entails, please contact Jennifer Murphy at (541) 524-2063.

The City of Baker City would appreciate your help to identify use, needs, and priorities for city parks and pathways. This survey is being conducted jointly by the Baker City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Baker City Parks Department.

Please take a few moments to complete our survey (click here)!  

Thank you very much for your participation!

Please encourage your family and friends to participate!
The City will be accepting responses until May 31, 2012.