Baker City Council approves rideshare ordinance, notifies county of intent to withdraw from lodging-tax IGA and awards construction, engineering contracts

Baker City — The Baker City Council on March 2025 adopted Ordinance No. 3408 to license and regulate rideshare, taxi and limousine services; approved sending a notice to Baker County that the city intends to withdraw from the Transient Lodging Tax intergovernmental agreement (TLT IGA); and awarded a construction contract and an airport engineering services contract.

Ordinance No. 3408, “an ordinance licensing and regulating rideshare, taxi cab, and limousine services,” was read by title for the third time and approved by a unanimous vote of members present, the council said during the meeting. The ordinance repeals a prior ordinance and updates the city’s licensing and classification of for-hire transportation services.

The council also moved to notify Baker County that Baker City intends to withdraw from the existing TLT IGA, citing limitations in the county ordinance that restrict how lodging-tax revenue may be used and how the city can access funds. Council discussion and the staff report, presented at the meeting, said a return to city administration of the lodging-tax program would allow Baker City to use up to 5% for program administration and to tailor tourism-promotion spending and staffing to local priorities.

Public commenters at the meeting urged the council to ensure countywide events and rural communities remain part of any new city-run program. Beverly Calder, a former TLT board member, said Baker City produces most of the lodging tax revenue and is not receiving a proportionate share of marketing: “Baker City is not getting its share. We have the most population, we have the most businesses,” Calder said. Matthew Koppenhaver, a member of the TLT committee, cited the existing ordinance language and the history of a sunset and review schedule when urging clarity on statutory and ordinance requirements.

The council voted to forward a letter of notice to Baker County; councilors moved and seconded the motion and recorded the motion as passed.

On procurement items, the council accepted the apparent low bid from High Desert Aggregate for the Cedar Street pedestrian-improvement project. The public works presentation said the project has an ODOT cultural-agency agreement for roughly $1.17 million, $1.5 million in street-fund reserves, and the apparent low bid was $1,476,706. Councilors voted to award the contract and authorized staff to move forward with contracting.

Separately, the council awarded aviation-related engineering services to the firm recommended by staff following a qualifications-based selection process; the motion to award the contract was approved.

The council wrapped its regular meeting and scheduled an executive session on litigation and real-property negotiations under Oregon law.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance No. 3408 (rideshare/taxi/limousine licensing): Adopted; read by title for the third time; unanimous vote of members present. - Notice of withdrawal from Baker County TLT IGA: Motion to send letter of notice approved (motion moved by Councilor Kohl; seconded by Councilor Joseph; recorded as passed). - Cedar Street pedestrian-improvement contract (apparent low bid to High Desert Aggregate): Award approved; bid amount $1,476,706; ODOT cultural-agency funding mentioned at $1.17M and a $1.5M street-fund reserve noted. - Aviation engineering services: Award approved to the firm recommended in the staff packet (motion approved).