At the Hines Common Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27, Councilor Dan Grigg brought up the possibility of the city performing some sort of mosquito control this spring.

Grigg stated he brought up the topic for two reasons, the first being the threat of West Nile virus that mosquitoes carry and the health threats associated with the virus. The second reason was the challenge of just being outdoors during the summer months.

“I would just like us to be able to explore doing something to control mosquitoes, at least here in Hines,” Grigg said. “We can’t speak for Burns or the rest of the county.”

Grigg said research on the topic had been done a year or so ago and there were a couple of options the city could look at.

“The most effective would be spraying the standing water. Second most effective would be to do a fogger on a truck, which I guess Hines had at one point,” Grigg said.

The cost for a fogger would be about $11,000, plus the use of a truck and labor. The aerial spraying, according to the estimate Grigg had, would cost about $4,000 per treatment, and it would take at least two treatments.

Mayor Nikki Morgan said the city did use to spray, but they ceased because it required constant certification for the employees, and it was negatively impacting citizens with allergies or respiratory problems.

Morgan explained the city then turned to using bat boxes in the park and along the nature trail to control mosquitoes.

“Trying to do the ‘nature way’ because of all the complaints of the spray,” Morgan said.

“In my observation, those nature ways haven’t been very effective,” Grigg said.

City Administrator Judy Erwin told the council she had been to the Silvies Valley Ranch last summer for an evening meal outdoors, and there were no mosquitoes. After inquiring as to why there were no mosquitoes, she was told there are numerous bird houses on the ranch, and the birds help to control the mosquitoes.

The council agreed to do more research on the options available and have more discussion in the future.

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Danny Raif approached the council about constructing restrooms near the pavilion in the city park. Raif told the council he had been talking with the city of Burns about building restrooms in their park, and he thought he could save the cities money by doing both.

Erwin explained the city would have to get three bids on the project before moving forward, and added that there is some money in the budget for the project.

Morgan stated that they would have to get an engineer involved as it is a city project.

Raif said he could engineer his own project, and that would save the city money.

Morgan reiterated that because it does involve city government, it would probably require the services of an engineer, but they would look into it.

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In other business:

• the council approved a business license for Miller Farm Daycare, operated by Marci Miller, and approved using city hall as part of the daycare evacuation plan in case of an emergency;

• the council approved a business license for Mountain Stream Firearms Training, owned and operated by Son Burns.

Burns said he would operate the business out of his home while also using the Burns Butte Shooting Range for training. He added that he is looking into possibly using other community facilities for power point presentations.

• the council voted to make a $125 donation to Diamonds in a Glass, the annual fundraiser for Kids Club of Harney County;

• Councilor Diane Rapaport stated she had attended another meeting regarding ongoing water issues in the county, and people at the meeting were glad to hear the city is working on upgrading the water system.

Rapaport added that more and more people are talking about the possibility of reduction in agriculture irrigation because of the overuse of water.

“We need to realize that we need to diversify away from just agriculture. It’s dominated here for a long time,” Rapaport said;

• Councilor Ron Williams stated he had received several phone calls from residents regarding the workforce housing project planned for the West Ridge area.

Erwin said she had also received calls and stressed that the one-bedroom, one bathroom apartments are not low-income housing and the area is a residential multiple dwelling zone.

“It’s not low-income, it’s work-force housing,” Erwin said. “We want to attract people to come here to work. There are jobs here, and we want people to come here to work. Teachers, medical professionals, seasonal government workers, but we have to have housing available. Decent housing for them to live in, and that’s the whole goal of that project.”

The next council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, at city hall.