LA GRANDE — Beyond humanitarian concerns, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created ominous clouds on the horizon for Oregon cities, schools and public agencies.

The global rise in oil prices triggered by the invasion has made its way to communities here. As drivers cross their fingers and hope for lower gas prices, city and county agencies are grappling with the local impacts of high costs.

“Like everywhere else in the world right now, fuel prices are a huge unknown,” La Grande City Manager Robert Strope said earlier this month.

In a move of solidarity with Ukraine, President Joe Biden has announced that the United States is banning Russian oil imports. The ripple effect has led to a sharp increase in gas prices.

As of Thursday, gas prices at stations in La Grande averaged around $4.71 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.com. Oregon’s statewide average was the same — an almost 30-cent decline over the previous week’s state average, according to Bulletin reporting, but still much higher than Thursday’s national average of $4.23 listed on the AAA website.

Law enforcement

Oregon agencies experiencing the effects of the increase in fuel prices include law enforcement, which use their vehicles for around-the-clock patrols.

“Like everyone else, operationally our fuel expenses are up,” La Grande Police Chief Gary Bell said. “The good news is that budgetwise we’re able to continue operations as per normal.”

The department, which has a total of 16 vehicles in its fleet, has requested a 24% increase in funds available specifically for fuel for the coming year’s fiscal budget that begins July 1. The requested increase is based on the department’s spending throughout this fiscal year as well as projected spending throughout the remainder of the period as gas prices continue to remain high.

“We have not used more fuel throughout this year,” he said. “That is not a requested increase as a result of an anticipation that we are going to drive more miles or utilize more gallons of fuel, it is a direct result of the increase in costs.”

Bell noted that while the police department traverses considerably less than Oregon State Police and the Union County Sheriff’s Office, fuel consumption is still high among idling vehicles. Bell said the La Grande Police Department does not have any plans to limit mileage or cut its services in any way amid the spike in fuel prices.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office, which requires a greater number of miles traveled, is feeling the repercussion of increased gas prices across its fleet of roughly 25 vehicles. In preparation for the upcoming fiscal budget planning, the sheriff’s office is considering adjustments.

“It’s going to have a huge impact,” Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen said. “We’re prepared for it and planning on it. We should be OK. We still have lots of money in the budget as far as that goes, there’s the rest of the fiscal year until July.”

Bowen said deputies are aware of the current financial burden of gas.

“I’ve asked the guys just to be conscious of it,” he said. “It’s one of those things that we have to do what we have to do.”

Road maintenance

Union County Public Works Director Doug Wright said the higher gas prices were not having an immediate influence on the work his department is doing, but he worries that could change.

“The real issue is, will the prices stay up?” he said. Such a scenario could affect how much road repair and maintenance the county can do.

Wright said higher fuel costs are driving up the price of asphalt, which oil is a major component of. This would mean chip seal and patch repair work might have to be cut back, he said.

The La Grande Public Works department purchased its current supply of gas and diesel fuel before prices skyrocketed. “We were very fortunate with our timing,” said Kyle Carpenter, public works director.

Carpenter said his department’s supply of fuel should last another one or two months.

Carpenter, like Wright, is also worried about the rising price of asphalt. He noted that the cost of oil used to make asphalt has jumped 50% in 2022.

Strope said La Grande Public Works will seek a 10% increase in its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

“We’re right in the middle of department budget requests, so I’m seeing an increase in requested amounts related to that,” Strope said. “I’m not sure where we’re going to land on that, but we’re absolutely planning on increasing the budget based on what we’re seeing.”

School districts

Imbler School District provides its own bus service. Superintendent Doug Hislop has a hard time believing what he is seeing.

“It is crazy,” Hislop said.

Hislop said the district has been able to absorb the price spike in part because when preparing its spending plan for 2021-22 it budgeted its anticipated expenses on the high side and it projected revenue on the low side. Hislop said this has put the school district in a better position to absorb the cost increases.

The superintendent said he feels fortunate there are fewer than 50 days left in the school year, which will limit the effect of the price spike on busing costs.

“If this was happening in September, it would have a far bigger budget impact,” he said.

There are no plans to curtail scheduled trips to athletic events, including track meets this spring. Hislop said that should a coach ask to send athletes to compete at an event like a track meet in Southern Oregon, the request would likely not be approved.

Mid Columbia Bus Company, which provides bus service to students in the La Grande, Cove, North Powder, Burnt River and Long Creek school districts, has not yet been affected by the recent price spike. The company made its last fuel purchase in mid-February, said Kathaleen Maley, location manager for the Grande Ronde Transportation Branch of Mid Columbia Bus Company.

Chuck Moore, region vice president for Mid Columbia Bus Company, said if gas prices were to remain high when fuel for the Grande Ronde Branch is purchased, the districts in the branch would likely be charged more for the bus service they are provided.

Moore said Mid Columbia is taking steps to boost how efficiently its buses are operating. For example, bus drivers are being told to avoid letting engines run when they are waiting for students at a school.

“We are reminding them not to idle,” he said. “If bus drivers arrive at a school 10 minutes early we do not want them to have engines idling during that time.”

Public transit

Kane Lester, Union County manager of Northeast Oregon Public Transit, which provides free public transportation throughout Union County, said there has not has not been a significant increase in ridership since the recent dramatic jump in gas prices. He anticipates the number of people using public transportation will go up for spring. He said Northeast Oregon Public Transit’s ridership traditionally rises when the weather improves and gas prices are high.

Lester said there are no changes planned for the fixed route bus service Northeast Oregon Public Transit offers in La Grande and part of Island City. However, in its Connecting All Towns service, which provides free rides to individuals anywhere in Union County, the agency will try to coordinate rides so there are fewer instances in which vehicles are driven with no passengers in them.

If someone in Union calls for a ride to La Grande, that person may be asked to be picked up at a different time when the Connecting All Towns vehicle is taking someone to Union.

“We will ask people how flexible they can be,” Lester said.