THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2022
REGION
THE OBSERVER — A3
Emergency Board help sought for Boardman water crisis
Meetings law accusations lead to recall eff ort
By JUSTIN DAVIS and
STEVEN MITCHELL
Blue Mountain Eagle
CANYON CITY — A
petition to recall John Day/
Canyon City Parks and Rec-
reation District Director Lisa
Weigum has been fi led with
the Grant County Clerk’s
Offi ce.
The petition was fi led by
Charlene Morris and alleges
instances of public meetings
law violations, public records
law violations, a false elec-
tion publication and budget
law violations.
Weigum accused Morris
of harassing her and said
she has never knowingly or
intentionally violated the law.
Morris alleges that
Weigum, in her role as a
board member of the John
Day/Canyon City Parks and
Recreation District, vio-
lated Oregon revised stat-
utes 192.620 to 192.670 by
communicating via email
with fellow board members
in drafting the language for
the pool bond measure that
appeared on the May ballot.
The statutes cover Oregon
meetings law pertaining to
regular meetings, executive
sessions, public notices, min-
utes, the form of the agenda
and meetings conducted via
telephone or email.
At a joint meeting of the
John Day City Council and
the JDCC Parks and Rec
District board on Feb. 22,
Weigum stated that the board
had discussed the ballot mea-
sure language via email.
While Oregon law allows
for public bodies such as the
parks and rec board to meet
and deliberate electronically,
it also requires that the public
be able to monitor that elec-
tronic communication as it’s
happening.
Jack Orchard, a Portland
attorney who specializes in
public records and public
meetings law, said any dis-
cussion of the language for
the pool bond should have
been held in a public meeting
that followed all the standard
procedures the law requires.
“The discussion of the
bond measure in any form
was a public meeting matter,”
he said. “It needed to be (on
the) agenda, discussed at an
open session with minutes
kept. Notice of the meeting
was required in the normal
course and means.”
Orchard added that this is
especially true if a quorum of
An Independent
Insurance Agency
Trusted Insurance Help Since 1994
Get Trusted,
Friendly, Expert
Medicare Insurance
Help
10106 North C St. • Island City
541-975-1364 • Toll Free 1-866-282-1925
www.reed-insurance.net
Prepare for
Power Outages
& Save Money
REQUEST A FREE QUOTE!
ACT NOW TO RECEIVE
A $300 SPECIAL OFFER!*
(844) 989-2328
*Off er value when purchased at retail.
Solar panels sold separately.
board members was involved
in the email communications
that occurred in drafting the
ballot measure’s language.
Also alleged are vio-
lations of ORS 192.314 to
ORS 192.335, which cover
access to public records and
the timely dissemination of
public records.
Morris also claims that
Weigum prepared an addi-
tional notice of ballot title
that was published in the
Blue Mountain Eagle in vio-
lation of ORS 260.532 and
ORS ORS 260.537. Morris
said Weigum called herself
the “elections authority” and
that these actions were done
to mislead voters and cause
confusion.
“Real Food for
the People”
Open
Fri-Sun Take-out
Menu
5pm-8pm Updated
Weekly
www.tendepotstreet.com
541-963-8766
tendepotstreet@gmail.com
has estimated there are
approximately 4,500
domestic wells in the area
serving about 12,000 house-
hold members.
Installation weeks
away
Republican Sen. Bill
Hansell of Athena serves
on the Emergency Board as
does Rep. Smith. Hansell
explained the board does
just what its name says —
address emergencies state
agencies could not have
planned for.
“A way to describe it is
this is the state of Oregon’s
contingency fund,” he said.
Hansell also said he
recently spoke with the
governor, and she also is
working on allocations for
Echo due to the fl ooding
there and for Wallowa
County because of the
sudden storm Aug. 11 that
damaged property, injured
BACKED BY A YEAR-ROUND
CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE
E
GU
mittee of the Joint Emer-
gency Board to consider
the request on Sept. 21. If
the subcommittee gives the
OK, it goes before the full
Emergency Board for con-
sideration Sept. 23.
Doherty said most of
the fi lters the county has
installed are doing the job,
with more than 90% of
homes testing at below
10 mg/l two weeks after
installation. The kinds of
fi lters the state is looking at
buying cost $1,500-$1,800
each, he said, and he has
some concerns if the fi lters
can get to a stricter level of
milligrams per liter require-
ment in the Lower Umatilla
Basin Groundwater Man-
agement Area in Morrow
and Umatilla counties.
“We’re worried a little
bit because in the LUB-
GWMA, the trigger is 7,”
he said.
Oregon Health Authority
Doherty said he is con-
cerned that state agen-
cies could use the crisis in
Morrow County to seek
funds from the Emergency
Board and then use that
money for additional staff
outside the county.
Likewise, the state’s
claims it is working with
Morrow County and its
partners don’t carry much
water with him.
“I sure as hell don’t
know where they’ve been,”
he said. “I haven’t seen
them.”
Doherty also said it was
time for the state to “get
your butts out there and
do something, and pay us
back.”
T
EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER!
NATIO
TE
1
R GU
’S
Erica Heartquist is the
communication offi cer for
OHA’s Public Health Divi-
sion. She explained Morrow
County and its partners
have distributed point-
of-use water fi lters — that
is, systems that attach to a
drinking water tap in the
home — that don’t fi lter out
enough nitrates.
“Post-installation
testing of several systems
by Morrow County found
that all systems reduced
nitrates, but some did not
reduce levels below the
Environmental Protection
Agency health advisory
level of 10 milligrams per
liter of water,” according
to Heartquist. “Such sys-
tems may also reduce other
common domestic well
water contaminants, such
as bacteria and lead. OHA’s
request to the legislative
Emergency Board will be
for point-of-use water fi ltra-
tion systems that are spe-
cifi cally certifi ed to reduce
nitrates to levels at or below
10 mg/l.”
The Oregon Legislature
convenes Sept. 21-23 for
legislative days. Heartquist
said OHA expects the
Human Services Subcom-
Doherty calls out state
N
Need for better fi lters
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald, File
Ana Pineyro, left, Morrow County communicable disease and emergency preparedness coordinator, and
Morrow County Commissioner Jim Doherty look at results from a rapid test July 14, 2022, on drinking
water in a Boardman home.
tract has passed review and
we are ready to start work,”
he said. “That contract will
give local professionals
fl exibility in terms of what
products they use, provided
they are NSF-certifi ed to
reduce nitrates. That fl exi-
bility is important because
fi lters are added or removed
from time to time.”
But Cude also told Gray
he believes there is emer-
gency funding available to
bridge the gap from when
the fi rst contract is issued
and legislative funding
becomes available.
15 % & 10 %
2
BOARDMAN —
Boardman residents
needing better water fi lters
and more well testing due to
nitrate contamination could
get state help this fall.
The Oregon Health
Authority plans to ask the
Legislature’s Emergency
Board in September for
$800,000 to help address
the water crisis in northern
Morrow County.
Morrow County Com-
missioner Jim Doherty,
however, sought a bigger
contribution from the state.
Doherty on Thursday,
Aug. 11, sent a letter to
Rep. Greg smith, R-Hep-
pner, to ask the governor
and Emergency Board for
$4 million in the Oregon
Health Authority or Oregon
Department of Environ-
mental Quality budgets to
“implement an in-depth and
culturally relevant commu-
nity outreach, education and
communications strategy
to address immediate, short
term and ongoing public
health eff orts in the Lower
Columbia Basin as a result
of high and extremely high
nitrate levels in domestic
wells.”
Doherty said since he
made that request, Smith
reported Gov. Kate Brown
requested $800,000 for well
water monitoring and better
fi lters.
people and killed livestock.
The requests for emer-
gency funds come from the
governor’s offi ce or state
agencies, he said, not from
legislators.
“They have to come from
a budgeted agency,” he said.
Doherty said while the
state needs to help, it could
be a while before those
better fi lers are in the homes
of Boardman residents.
Morrow County Emer-
gency Manager Paul Gray
on Aug. 8 sent an email
asking about the fi lters
to Curtis Cude, manager
of OHA’s Environmental
Public Health Surveillance
Program. Cude in response
stated OHA continues “to
make progress towards our
plan to support delivery of
outreach and education, lab
testing of domestic wells
and point-of-use reverse
osmosis treatment systems
to households impacted by
high domestic water nitrates
in the Lower Umatilla Basin
Groundwater Management
Area in Morrow and Uma-
tilla counties.”
He said he and staff were
contacting local water pro-
fessionals potentially inter-
ested in installing the fi lters
and developing a contract
template for this purpose.
“It will likely be a few
weeks before the fi rst con-
RD
East Oregonian
TH
By PHIL WRIGHT
A
OFF
YOUR ENTIRE
PURCHASE *
FINANCING THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET!
1
Promo Code: 285
1
Subject to credit approval. Call for details.
CALL US TODAY FOR
A FREE ESTIMATE
+
5 % OFF
OFF
SENIORS &
MILITARY!
WE INSTALL
YEAR-ROUND!
TO THE FIRST 50
CALLERS ONLY! **
LIFETIME
WARRANTY
1-855-536-8838
Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST
For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. *Off er valid at time of estimate only 2The leading consumer reporting agency
conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” Manufac-
tured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. See Representative for full warranty details. CSLB# 1035795 DOPL #10783658-5501 License#
7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 WA UBI# 603 233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License#
2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License# WC-29998-H17 Nassau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905
Registration# C127229 Registration# C127230 Registration# 366920918 Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration#
PA069383 Suff olk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2705169445 License# 262000022 License# 262000403 License# 0086990 Registration# H-19114
**MAJOR SPONSORS**
Certified Personnel
Ssrvice Agency, Inc., Papa
Murphy’s, Rock & Son’s
Tire & Auto Repair &
Cerise & Duane
Smallwood
American Legion Auxiliary Unit
#43 and The American Legion
Family, wish to thank all our
Sponsor’s and Golfers for making
our 6th annual Jerry Gibson
Memorial: Golf “Fore” A Vet
tournament a success.
Hole-In-One Sponsor: Certified Personnel Service
Driving Range: McDonald’s
Tee Box Sponsors & Special Contests:
Eastern Oregon University, State Farm (Conklin Ins.), Rock & Son’s Tire & Auto,
Scott’s Heating & A/C, Copies Plus, Liberty Construction, Inc., All Air HVAC
Service, Steve Simonis, Grande Ronde Fitness Club, Allied Mortgage Resource,
Don Dutton, Koza Family Dental Care, Northwest Furniture & Mattress, Mega
DirectLine Inc. GRH: Union Clinic, Courtney Ranches, Ronda Doud, Legacy
Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge, Allstate Insurance, Fred Beickel, The Other Guy’s Auto Sales,
Miller’s Home Center, Northwood Manufacturing Inc. Robert Brooks Painting &
Contracting, Island Express Lube & Car Wash, Loveland Funeral Chapel, The Vets
Ice Cream Patrol, Les Schwab Tire Center, Island City Market & Deli, The Stebbins
Family, Benchwarmers Pub & Grill, The Long Branch Bar & Eats, Robert & Donna
Kennon, One Stop #20 Deli, M.J. Goss Motor Co., Bob Brooks, Grande Ronde Karate
School, Certified Personnel Service Agency, Inc., Union Hometown Hardware, Mike
Mullins, The Gene Stephens Family, Teddi Botham, Tap That Growlers & The GFAV
Golf Committee.
The following have donated Silent Auction, raffle items, in kind\:
Milton-Freewater G.C., Koza Dental, Buffalo Peak G.C., Hazel & Fred Alexis, Bill
& Sandy Southard, Danelle Lindsey, Monte Gibson, Ed Staab & Son’s, La Grande
Country Club, Tap That Growlers, Tri-City Dust Devils, Allstate-Austin Young,
Banner Bank, Lynda Dryden, Bruce Roe, Sorbenot’s, Maggie LaMont, Sharon
Haefer, Jan & Gary Koegler, Teresa Carson-Mastrude and American Legion Family
members.
Grande Ronde Hospital & Clinics proudly welcomes
Tracy Epperson, MD—Psychiatrist
Before earning her medical degree, Dr. Epperson devoted
more than 20 years to working as a sign language interpreter.
Working with the deaf community to help address their unique
mental health needs is a professional passion of hers.
Another professional focus is nutritional psychiatry,
and teaching people how strongly diet and lifestyle
influence mental health.
Dr. Epperson’s broad list of personal interests include hiking,
kayaking, reading, photography, crocheting, and gardening.
Please help us welcome Dr. Epperson
and her family to our Community!!
GRH Behavioral Clinic
GRH.org — 506 4th Street — 541.962.1101