Vale board OKs zone expansion
Action tied to helping mystery firm situate inside Malheur County
By William Lundquist
Argus Observer
Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:05 AM PST
Vale — The Vale City Council worked on developing a new noise ordinance Tuesday night, looked at a favorable annual water quality report and cast its vote in favor of expanding the Malheur County Enterprise Zone near the Ontario Municipal Airport to encompass land being looked at by an unknown, large company.
Vale City Manager Brent Barton said Wednesday the vote on the enterprise zone came after a presentation by Malheur County Economic Development Director Jim Jensen.
The expansion of the zone near Ontario, he said, was needed so that a tax abatement could be offered to the mysterious, big company Ontario is trying to attract.
Barton said the county’s enterprise zone is shared by Ontario, Vale and Nyssa, so they all must vote on any decisions affecting the zone.
Barton said council members also looked closely at Ontario’s new noise ordinance, and decided it was not for them.
“They thought Ontario’s ordinance was a little more in-depth than we need to address our noise issues,” Barton said. “They weren’t certain they wanted something that stringent.” The noise issue arose this year, he said, during the dance that followed the annual Vale Fourth of July Rodeo. Ongoing noise problems, he said, center mostly around agricultural equipment that operates at all hours, like the beet dump or a new onion packaging shed. Barton said decibel readings will be taken at those places and at other places of concern around town.
If the readings show problems, he said, council members will probably approve an ordinance that limits the hours equipment can run at certain decibels. People would also be able to apply to the city for variances to that ordinance, he said.
Barton said council members also looked at the city’s annual water quality report, which showed the city’s water is in good shape and well within the limits for arsenic and nitrates.
“Our new treatment plant is up and running and doing what it is supposed to be doing,” Barton said.
In other action, council members appointed Brian Keller to the position of assistant ambulance supervisor. Barton said he was already a member of the ambulance department.
Following the regular meeting, the council held an executive session to discuss real estate transactions concerning the city’s old fire hall and shop property. Barton said no action was taken following the executive session. The council discussed in open session at its Oct. 23 meeting selling, donating or trading the old fire hall to Malheur County, which currently stores its marine and search and rescue equipment there. The council had also discussed selling its shop property to a private party.
