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Baker council proclaims May awareness months and adopts ordinance boosting penalties for disturbing the peace
Summary
The Baker City Council adopted proclamations declaring May 2026 as Arthritis Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month and passed Ordinance 2026-20 to expand prohibited conduct and increase penalties for disturbing the peace; the council also tabled Ordinance 2026-21.
The Baker City Council adopted two proclamations recognizing May 2026 — one designating Arthritis Awareness Month and another designating Mental Health Awareness Month — and approved Ordinance 2026-20, which amends Chapter 14, Article 3 related to disturbing the peace to expand prohibited conduct and increase penalties.
Dr. Charles Vincent introduced the arthritis proclamation and the council read findings on prevalence and economic costs before voting to adopt the resolution. He then introduced a separate proclamation recognizing mental health awareness, which the council also adopted.
On the ordinance, the mayor and council read the title to Ordinance 2026-20, which the council described as intended to enhance enforcement and increase fines in response to constituent complaints about disorderly behavior. “We just want to enhance what we already have on the book, increase the fines and stop these calls from our constituents concerning some mayhem on our streets of Baker,” Dr. Vincent said when moving adoption. The motion to adopt Ordinance 2026-20 passed by voice vote (motion by Vincent, second by Dunn).
Separately, Council member Dunn moved to table Ordinance 2026-21 because two colleagues were absent; that motion was seconded and carried by voice vote, postponing consideration to a later meeting.
Dr. Vincent also told the council he had circulated copies of a Wall Street Journal article (May 21, 2026) alleging “shabby construction” by certain homebuilders and made copies available for members and attendees; he said he would not name contractors at the meeting. No formal action related to the article or contractors was taken.
Why it matters: The ordinance will change local enforcement tools and penalties for disturbing the peace; the proclamations align the city with national awareness months for arthritis and mental-health outreach. The ordinance was adopted by voice vote; the transcript records the motions and seconds but does not record a roll-call tally of votes.
