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Our Community

Community Profiles for Baker County

BAKER CITY:

Location: Eastern Oregon
Incorporated: 1874
Nearest Major Highway and Distance: I-84 (local)
Nearest Major City and Distance: La Grande (44 miles – est. 40 min. drive time)
Distance to Portland: 300 miles

RECREATIONAL AMENITIES
Baker City and Hells Canyon Jr. Rodeo, National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, 3 scenic byways, Hells Canyon Overlook, Oregon Trail Regional Museum, Farewell Bend State Park, Sumpter Valley Dredge State Park, Wallowa Whitman National Forest, Sumpter Valley Railroad, Miners Jubilee Festival, Historic Baker City, Adler House Museum, Baker Sports Complex, Baker Golf Club, Sam-O-Swim Center. Local area activities include: snowmobiling, water and snow skiing, fishing and hunting, hiking, camping, golfing.

Planning a vacation or a tour through Baker County? See the Baker County web site at http://visitbaker.com for more information.

CLIMATE
Elevation: 3,471’
Temperature
Monthly Ave. Low: 17°F   Monthly Ave. High: 85°F
Hottest Month: July   Coldest Month: January
Driest Month: July   Wettest Month: June
Average annual precipitation: 10.870”
Average Humidity: July afternoon 57%   January afternoon 84%

DEMOGRAPHICS

POPULATION

Baker County is 3,089 sq. miles; 5 persons / sq. mile

COMMUNITY AGE GROUPS

HOUSING

Baker County 2005 Housing Breakout:
Vacancy Rate: 12.7%

Owner Occupied: 5,199 (mortgaged): $713
Renter Occupied: 2,348 (median gross rent): $505


EDUCATION/WORKFORCE

Public and Private Schools K-12
Public School District:
Baker School District 5J
2090 Fourth Street
Baker City, OR 97814-3391
Phone: 541-524-2260
Fax: 541-524-2564

Staff and Enrollments
Pupil/Teacher Ratio 24 to 1 Elementary 
                                     25 to 1 High School
Total District Enrollment: reported October 2005 – 1,954

FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Financial Institutions
Commercial Banks: 6   Savings and Loans: 1   Credit Unions: 2
Public lending programs available

COMMUNITY SERVICES AND RESOURCES
Public Safety/Emergency Services
Fire Station serving community: Baker City Fire Department
Number of paid and volunteer firefighters: 33
Rating by Insurance Services (ISO): 4

Police Department: Baker City Police Department
Number of paid and reserve officers: 16

Nearest Hospital and distance: St Elizabeth Health Services (local)
Emergency services to community: Ambulance Service, Life Flight (contracted from Boise. ID)
General Clinics: 3

Communications Resources
Local Newspapers: Baker City Herald, Record-Courier, Hells Canyon Journal

Regional Newspaper: The East Oregonian

Broadcasting with the Community
Radio Stations: 4 local stations
TV Stations: P-TV
Available Cable Television: Charter Communications
Telephone Service Provider: Qwest
Local Internet Service Providers: 3

Library System
Baker County Library District:  6 branches, 1 bookmobile

INFRASTRUCTURE/TRANSPORTATION

Water Supply
Operator: City of Baker
Source: 10k acre watershed/3.5 mgd well; storage capacity 210M gal
Supply: Capacity (MGD)—12.0; pressure (PSI) 85
Water Costs per thousand gal: Base rate per/thousand=71¢
Water Costs for Total Consumption of Residential: Based on 7,000 gal=$26/mo.

Age of water system: 1876

Water System Comment(s): Water system is continuously upgraded and improved.

Compliance Issues: None

Wastewater Treatment System
Operator: City of Baker
Age of Wastewater Collection System: 1946
System Design Capacity (MGD): 2.00 MGD System Utilization (MGD): 1.25 MGD
Collection System Fees: $13.50/month
Hookup or Connection Fee: lateral chrg & inspection
Access Fee or System Development Fee: None

Comment(s) on Wastewater System: City’s wastewater system is in good condition, there is excess capacity and system is being upgraded.

Compliance Issues: None

Storm Drain: yes
Fees or issues related to storm drains: No fees assessed. However, the city is studying whether to charge for the storm drain.

Utilities
Telecommunications
Broadband infrastructure
T1 Yes DSL Yes

Natural Gas Provider: Cascade Natural Gas
Rate Structure: Contact Cascade Natural Gas for current rate structure (541-523-5818

Electrical Provider: Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative
Lines & Feed: 10 separate electrical circuits (BBPA, Idaho Power)
Rate Structure: Contact Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative for current rate structure (541)523-3616

Solid Waste Management: Baker Sanitary Service

Transportation

Highways: I84 N/S; Hwy 82 E; Hwy 30 N; Hwy 245 S – all local access

Community Air Service: Baker City Municipal Airport
Air Passenger Service: No
Airport Freight Service: No
AirService Comments: Navigation Aids: VOR; NDB; Runway Dimensions: 08/26: 3,999’ x 140’; 12/30: 5,086’ x 100’; 16/34: 4,360’ x 74’

Rail Service: Yes – Union Pacific Railroad
Freight Service: Yes
Passenger Service: No

Scheduled Bus Service Available: Greyhound
Busses per day: 2
Local Charter Services: No
Distance to Nearest Bus Service: Local

Trucking Service
Scheduled Freight Carrier Services: Yes
Overnight Express Parcel Service Available: Yes
Overnight Express mail Service Available: Yes
Transportation Comments:

Planning Service/Regulatory

Territory Covered by Zoning: Yes
Does the community seek industrial development: Yes