Dawn Crafts replaces Kim Perlot; Cody Hodges sworn in as new councilor

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

Officially, the City of Burns now has a new Municipal Judge and a full council.

At the city council’s meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 24, City Clerk Dauna Wensenk swore in Dawn Crafts as Municipal Judge, replacing Kim Perlot, who resigned in late January.

City Manager Don Munkers also presented Crafts with a new gavel that resembled a croquet mallet on steroids.

Wensenk then swore in Cody Hodges as a new council member. Hodges takes over the seat vacated by the resignation of Joyce Kozeni.

Addressing nuisance concerns that were brought up at the previous council meeting, Munkers reported that two of the properties had complied with the city’s wishes and were moving forward. Those properties included 290 West D St. and 608 East Madison.

Under citizens concerns, Munkers said the city had received the final report regarding the audit and investigation at the Burns airport. Munkers stated that per legal counsel, he did not read the report, but rather placed it in an envelope, stamped it “Confidential,” and sent it to legal counsel.

Munkers said he expected to meet with legal counsel in the next few days, and have a full report by the next city council meeting.
John Ebar had questions as to why the airport committee was not meeting, when in City Ordinance No. 782 it states that the committee should be meeting at least quarterly.

Mayor Len Vohs reminded Ebar that an emergency had been declared and the committee meetings had been suspended until the investigation at the airport was concluded.

Ebar then asked how the meetings could be suspended when there is no record of council approval for the suspension?

Ebar also questioned why there were no committee meetings for several months prior to the suspension, and how much it was costing the city to have the Public Works Department performing tasks at the airport?

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Following an executive session, Munkers addressed the perception of some members of the public that the city and council were “spend-happy.”

Munkers stated that the city has been able to get more than $334,000 worth of equipment through General Services Administration (GSA) at a cost of just $7,743.19 to the city.

The equipment includes a crane, welding machine, generators, ATV and snow plow.

In other business:

• the council agreed to draft a letter of support for a community garden;

• Councilor Linda Johnson reported the Harney County Opportunity Team (HCOT) is currently trying to get the county’s communities to purchase signs that would be placed on the Community Center in Burns. Johnson said the cost is $500 per sign, and that Drewsey and Diamond had already signed on for the project.

Councilor Bill Renwick stated that he is a member of the HCOT board and they are still fund raising to pay the original cost of the building. He added that HCOT is a non-profit group and are continuing to determine future projects for the county’s benefit.
The council voted to donate $100 to HCOT’s “Cap Off Campaign” to help pay down the outstanding debt, and set $500 aside in the next budget cycle for the purchase of a sign;

• the council voted to pay invoices to Morrison Maierle, Inc. and Ferguson Surveying in the amounts of $62,827.50 and $3,825, respectively.

The next city council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, at city hall.