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# Baker City votes to restripe Main Street as Malheur County picks a new ambulance provider
- URL: https://www.bunchgrass.org/baker-city-votes-to-restripe-main-street-as-malheur-county-picks-a-new-ambulance-provider/
- Published: 2026-11-15T00:32:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-15T00:32:00.000Z
- Description: The Baker City Council voted 5-2 on Nov. 10 to restripe downtown Main Street from four lanes to three, the Malheur County Court unanimously chose Pioneer Ambulance for Ontario and Nyssa/Adrian, and Hermiston adopted a new transportation system plan.
- Author: Bunchgrass Staff
- Tags: Eastern Oregon, #wrap-up

The Baker City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to restripe a half-mile of Main Street downtown from four lanes to three. The same day, the Malheur County Court voted unanimously to choose Pioneer Ambulance to serve the Ontario and Nyssa/Adrian ambulance service areas, over Treasure Valley Paramedics, which has served the areas for 27 years. In Hermiston, the City Council on Monday, Nov. 9, unanimously adopted a new transportation system plan, replacing a plan first adopted in 1997\. Here is what local governments in Umatilla, Wallowa, Baker and Malheur counties did from Friday, Nov. 6, through Thursday, Nov. 12.

## Umatilla County

### Hermiston City Council

After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously on each of four motions to adopt the 2026 Hermiston Transportation System Plan: findings of fact, Ordinance No. 2388, which repeals the 1997 plan and adopts the new one, Ordinance No. 2389, which amends city code to carry it out, and Resolution No. 2443, which amends the city's public works standards, according to the meeting [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCLM49yLFI0&ref=bunchgrass.org). Both ordinances take effect 30 days after adoption. No one testified in opposition; a Hermiston resident asked about pedestrian safety at roundabouts.

City Planner Clint Spencer told the council that "the existing TSP is no longer relevant to our growth projections," the [Hermiston Herald reported](https://hermistonherald.com/2026/11/10/hermiston-city-council-approves-new-transportation-system-plan/?ref=bunchgrass.org). The Herald reported that the 20-year plan, prepared with consultant Kittelson & Associates, lists 61 road projects and 43 intersection projects, 17 of which involve new traffic signals or roundabouts. Councilor Jackie Myers said she is not a fan of roundabouts, and Councilor Josh Roberts said roundabouts lower the severity of crashes and that not everything in the plan will necessarily be built, according to the Herald. A $250,000 state grant paid for the update, according to the [meeting packet](https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/hrmstnor-pubu/MEET-Packet-96bc212634bf4c4080cf5d945ef2a2fa.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org).

The council also unanimously approved Resolution No. 2448, a crossing agreement with Union Pacific Railroad for the Geer Road and Harper Road realignment. The packet puts the railroad work at $417,075, paid from a state legislative earmark for the project. City staff said the city is waiting for the railroad to finish its part of the work.

By another unanimous vote, the council approved Resolution No. 2449, buying land from developer Hermiston Home Works next to about 4.5 acres the developer had already given the city for a park near SE 10th Street. Deputy Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan put the price at about $200,000; the packet lists $125,000 from the street construction reserve and $77,500 from parks system development charges. Morgan said the purchase will make room for construction of the SE 10th Street bridge over an irrigation canal, which he said the city expects to advertise soon and build this winter.

### Other Umatilla County bodies

The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners met Nov. 9 with fall Community and Economic Development grants, Umatilla River Trail planning agreements and Sheriff's Office vehicle purchases on its [agenda](https://co.umatilla.or.us/fileadmin/user%5Fupload/BCC/Agendas/2026/11-09-2026/11-09-2026%5FBCC%5FMeeting%5FAgenda.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org); the outcomes had not been reported by Friday. Outcomes of the Hermiston Planning Commission's Nov. 12 hearings on an Olin Homes conditional use permit for housing and mini-storage at NE Emerald Drive and NE 11th Street, and on code changes to carry out state housing law, also had not been reported, according to the commission's [agenda](https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/hrmstnor-pubu/MEET-Agenda-6e9f0221674e44e1885d8a6ed1e16e8a.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org) and local news.

Coming up: the Pendleton City Council next meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at City Hall, 500 SW Dorion Ave.; the city's Nov. 3 [council recap](https://www.pendletonor.gov/media/21951?ref=bunchgrass.org) says notices about a housing study were issued for that meeting. The Hermiston City Council next meets Monday, Nov. 23, at City Hall, 180 NE Second St., with a 6 p.m. work session and a 7 p.m. regular meeting; its agenda had not been posted by Friday.

## Wallowa County

### Enterprise City Council

The council on Nov. 9 approved a resolution spending $550,169.05 from the wastewater treatment plant improvement fund to repair or replace outfall pipes west of town, the [Wallowa County Chieftain reported](https://wallowa.com/2026/11/10/enterprise-pays-new-police-chief-about-10000-per-month/?ref=bunchgrass.org). Wastewater superintendent Dave Wilkie said the pipes are about 70 years old and that their condition is "not a big problem at this time, but it's only a matter of time," according to the Chieftain.

The Chieftain also reported the terms of the city's agreement for interim Police Chief Alan Juilfs, on loan from the Beaverton Police Department through an Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police program: Enterprise reimburses Beaverton about 80% of his salary, up to $100,000, for six months starting Oct. 5\. The council took no action on an Opportunity Fund request for a Christmas bazaar at Cloverleaf Hall and asked for more information on a request to fund feather flags for Enterprise High School.

Coming up: the Enterprise City Council will consider Ordinance 610, which would allow accessory dwelling units outright in the R-2 and R-3 zones, at the first of two public hearings at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at City Hall, 102 E. North St., according to the city's [hearing notice](https://www.enterpriseoregon.gov/media/1801?ref=bunchgrass.org). Written comments are due Nov. 17 for the first hearing and Dec. 10 for the second, on Dec. 14.

## Baker County

### Baker City Council

The council voted 5-2 to restripe Main Street, which is also US 30 and OR 7, from four lanes to three, with a center turn lane and bike lanes, between Campbell Street and Auburn Avenue, the [Baker City Herald reported](https://bakercityherald.com/2026/11/10/baker-city-council-takes-up-main-street-restriping-idea/?ref=bunchgrass.org). Mayor Randy Daugherty and Councilors Loran Joseph, Helen Loennig, Roger Coles and Gratton Miller voted yes. Councilor Randy Schiewe, who said voters should decide, and Councilor Doni Bruland, who objected to the bike lanes, voted no. The Herald reported that more than 80 people attended and that 10 spoke against the change and four for it.

The Herald reported that the motion calls for a two-year trial followed by a council review. The motion proposed in the council's [agenda packet](https://bakercityor.portal.civicclerk.com/event/382/files/report/6350?ref=bunchgrass.org) would authorize City Manager Barry Murphy to proceed if the Oregon Department of Transportation pays for the project, minus repainting parking markings, which the staff report says will cost the city about $10,000, and would have the city decide after two years whether to return to four lanes. [Elkhorn Media Group](https://elkhornmediagroup.com/baker-city-council-moves-forward-with-mainstreet-reconfiguration-and-restriping-plan/?ref=bunchgrass.org) reported instead that ODOT would provide $10,000 for the restriping on the condition that the city keep the new layout for a year. The Herald, which gave no dollar figure, reported that restriping is not expected until spring or early summer 2027 and that if the city returns to four lanes it would pay part of that cost.

"Whatever we decide tonight, it is not final," Joseph said, according to the Herald. John Jeffries, chief petitioner for a ballot measure that would require voter approval before lanes are reduced, said the effort will continue, possibly toward a May 2027 election. The Herald reported that the city rejected most of the roughly 1,500 signatures on an earlier petition because of handwritten ballot titles.

### Baker County Board of Commissioners

At a [special session](https://www1.bakercounty.org/PressRel.nsf/%24%24OpenDominoDocument.xsp?documentId=7B4A858CF8C0223C88258EA7006A7B6E&action=openDocument&ref=bunchgrass.org) Nov. 9, commissioners approved a four-year contract with the Baker County Law Enforcement Association, which represents about 36 employees in the Sheriff's Office, parole and probation, and emergency dispatch, the [Baker City Herald reported](https://bakercityherald.com/2026/11/11/baker-county-commissioners-ok-4-year-contract-with-police-union/?ref=bunchgrass.org). The Herald did not report a vote count. The contract runs from July 1, 2025, when the previous one expired, through June 30, 2029\. First-year raises, retroactive, range from 2% for patrol deputies to 5% plus a 3% cost-of-living increase for dispatchers; corrections deputies receive 4.25% in the first and second years. Fourth-year increases are tied to the West Region consumer price index, capped at 3%. Commission Chair Shane Alderson said Nov. 11 that he thinks the contract is fair and financially sustainable; Commissioner Michelle Kaseberg said the county "gave up a lot" but needs to be competitive. The Herald reported that the county had budgeted for it in the fiscal year that began July 1\. Union members ratified it with more than 75% voting yes, according to Deputy Rich Kirby, who works in parole and probation.

Coming up: the Baker City Council's next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, at City Hall, 1655 First St.; its agenda had not been posted by Friday.

## Malheur County

### Malheur County Court

At a special meeting Nov. 10, the three-member court voted unanimously to award the ambulance contract for the Ontario and Nyssa/Adrian service areas to Pioneer Ambulance of Baker City, an affiliate of Metro West Ambulance, the [Argus Observer reported](https://www.argusobserver.com/news/malheur-county-selects-pioneer-ambulance-for-ontario-nyssa-adrian-service-areas/article%5Fac8c76c9-e813-4ac3-833b-00f905e58834.html?ref=bunchgrass.org). Pioneer scored 1,381 points in the evaluation, ahead of Ascent Medical Transport with 1,363 and Treasure Valley Paramedics, the incumbent for 27 years, with 1,233\. According to the Argus, Pioneer proposed six ambulances, four of them newly acquired, round-the-clock advanced life support paramedic staffing in Nyssa, three round-the-clock advanced life support ambulances in Ontario, a $50-a-year subscription membership and a commitment to hire existing local EMS workers. Service is projected to start July 1, 2027, after a protest period of five working days and contract negotiations.

The outcome of an offer to purchase 5611 Willis St., also on the special meeting's [agenda](https://www.malheurco.org/wp-content/uploads/Departments/CountyClerk/County%20Court%20Agendas/111026-Special-Meeting-updated.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org), had not been reported by Friday, nor had the outcomes of the Ontario Planning Commission's Nov. 9 hearing on development code amendments and the Ontario City Council's Nov. 10 meeting.

Coming up: the Malheur County Court will consider supplemental budget R26-33 and a contract amendment with Steve's Backhoe Service, the Lytle Boulevard landfill contractor, at 9 a.m. Mountain time Wednesday, Nov. 18, in Room 106 of the courthouse, 251 B St. W., Vale, according to its [agenda](https://www.malheurco.org/wp-content/uploads/Departments/CountyClerk/County%20Court%20Agendas/111826.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org).

Who sits on each board, when it meets and how to comment: [Eastern Oregon local government](https://www.bunchgrass.org/eastern-oregon-local-government/).