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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 2016)
REGION Saturday, January 30, 2016 East Oregonian HERMISTON Page 3A PENDLETON EOTEC entry Plute recall would cost city $6-7K road to be named for Prior By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian Board sets rates for event center rental money to pay for building pens on the fairgrounds so that he could afford to continue having the sale By JADE MCDOWELL in Hermiston. He said the East Oregonian event brings between 2,000 and 3,000 people to town The Eastern Oregon three times a year. Trade and Event Center “It’s the biggest sale in board will honor former the Northwest and people board chair Chet Prior by associate it with Herm- naming the project’s entry iston,” he said. road after him. The board got an update Board member Dan from fundraising committee Dorran said during Friday’s chair Dennis Barnett, meeting that after the years who said they had raised of hard work and leadership $509,000 as of Wednesday. Prior put into the project “We have a $2 million before his death, he wanted goal and we still think that’s 3ULRU¶VQDPHWREHWKH¿UVW reachable,” he said. “Noth- thing people saw while ing’s changed our mind heading into EOTEC. Other about that.” board members agreed. The largest donation was “I think it will be a great from an individual who honor for him,” board chair donated $100,000 in stock, Byron Smith said. he said. After some disagreement Barnett said the over whether to use the committee had been busy name Chet — which most traveling to cities outside people knew Prior by — or of Hermiston that were less his given name Chester, the aware of the project’s details board approved a motion DQG LWV SRWHQWLDO WR EHQH¿W that would name the road the region. He said many after Prior but leave it to his people said the information family to choose between had been “eye-opening” for Chester and Chet. them and donations were On Friday the board coming in from around welcomed Angela Young Umatilla County and even as the new project manager outside the county. for EOTEC. Frew Develop- To help with future ment Group hired Young, fundraising for the Umatilla of Hermiston, to manage County Fair and Farm- construction of EOTEC City Pro Rodeo, which and the Blue Mountain will be held at EOTEC Community College bond upon its completion, the project in coordination with board passed a resolution Frew’s vice president and supporting a bill sponsored senior project manager Rob by Rep. Greg Smith Dreier. (R-Heppner) that would Dreier reported allow Friends of the Fair construction of the event and Rodeo, Inc. to enter center was on schedule and into an agreement with contractors were “putting the Oregon State Lottery RQWKH¿QLVKHVDQGVWDUWLQJ Commission to administer to clean up places.” G2 DUDIÀHIRULWVEHKDOI Construction plans to turn Dorran said if the bill over the keys in March. passed in its proposed form EOTEC business people would be able to go manager Heather Cannell into any lottery location in said people have begun WKHVWDWHDQG¿OORXWDIRUP calling to inquire about guessing the day and time reserving the center. She the temperature would next presented a proposed rate hit 100 degrees in Herm- schedule, which the board iston. The money raised approved. would go to the Friends of The rate schedule would the Fair and Rodeo. charge $1,200 for rental 7KH ELOO VSHFL¿FDOO\ of the 12,000-square-foot QDPHVWKHQRQSUR¿WLQVWHDG center, plus $400 for set-up of leaving it open to any and tear-down, $300 for QRQSUR¿WLQWKHVWDWHWRHQWHU janitorial and $150 for into an agreement with the kitchen use for a total of state lottery, which made it $2,050. That compares “somewhat of a long shot,” to a total of $1,850 for Dorran said. the 8,000-square-foot “It’s a very unique Hermiston Conference approach and if it does get Center and $1,100 for the implemented there will be 13,216-square-foot Pend- a lot of eyes on it,” he said. leton Convention Center. The EOTEC board will Renting a meeting room hold a special meeting would cost $150 for one next Friday, Feb. 5, at 7 room or $250 for two, and a.m. at the Stafford Hansell $100 for the smaller board Government Center in room. Hermiston to discuss Cannell said she planned approval of bid packages, to cut rates in half for including lighting and QRQSUR¿WV paving, and discuss ongoing On Friday the board also design work for the barns approved a $2,000 grant and rodeo arena. to the Hermiston Horse ——— Sale Extravaganza out of Contact Jade McDowell its marketing fund. Owner at jmcdowell@eastorego- Randy Cole requested the nian.com or 541-564-4536. An election to recall Pend- leton City Councilor Al Plute would cost the city between $6,000-$7,000, according to Umatilla County Elections Manager Kim Lindell. Lindell based her estimate on the city’s gas tax election last November, which cost $6,491, or 90 cents per voter. Since then, voter registration has increased by 188 people and will continue to rise with the new Oregon Motor Voter Act that went into effect Jan. 1, Lindell said. The information was requested by Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock, Lindell said. A petition to recall 3OXWH ZDV ¿OHG -DQ E\ Pendleton resident Roesch Kishpaugh. In his petition, Kishpaugh accused Plute of failing to pay Pendleton Plumbing in a longstanding lawsuit. Plute says he has, in fact, settled the lawsuit after mediation. Kishpaugh also criticized Plute for voting to institute a $5 street utility fee after voters turned down the gas tax last November. Plute UHVSRQGHG WKDW ¿YH RWKHU councilors also voted to approve the utility fee, and Kishpaugh didn’t voice opposition when it passed last December. Pendleton City Recorder Andrea Denton said she approved the petition for circulation on Jan. 27. Kish- paugh now has until April 25 to gather 705 signatures — 15 percent of local voters from the last gubernatorial election. A group calling them- selves Pendleton Citizens 8QLWHG KDV ¿OHG ZLWK WKH Oregon Secretary of State in support of recalling Plute. The group’s Facebook page so far has 10 members. Plute described the peti- tion as a “cheap shot” in a previous interview with the East Oregonian. On Friday, Plute said it would make more sense for his opponents WRUXQIRURQHRI¿YHFRXQFLO seats up for election, as opposed to an additional election that would cost the city. “I’m just hoping the people who are bringing this recall forward will use a little more common sense,” Plute said. If the petition gets enough VLJQDWXUHV YHUL¿HG E\ WKH FRXQW\ 3OXWH ZLOO KDYH ¿YH days to either resign or write a letter justifying why he should keep his seat. Kishpaugh could not be reached for comment Friday. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. PENDLETON Airport considered as disaster response center East Oregonian When the “big one” hits, Steve Chrisman wants the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport prepared to help. On Tuesday, the Pend- leton City Council will consider a recommendation by the airport director to pursue the designation of WKH DLUSRUW DV DQ RI¿FLDO Disaster Emergency Response and Support Center. In recent years, scien- tists have predicted that a massive earthquake along the Cascadia fault could happen at any time. The earthquake and ensuing tsunami would have a disastrous effect on dozens of communities west of the Cascade Mountains. The state has already designated the Redmond Municipal Airport as its support center in such event, but Chrisman thinks the move would still behoove Pendleton. “Redmond has a very robust airport, but in many ways it is an odd choice, not the least of which because it LVGLI¿FXOWWRUHDFKE\FDURU truck,” he wrote in a report EO ile photo The Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton. to the city council. “Staff sees a need for the state to at least have a secondary option, in case Redmond is damaged or overwhelmed.” Chrisman goes on to list almost two dozen reasons Pendleton would make a good place for a support center, including plenty of YHQXHV DQG ZKHDW ¿HOGV where organizers can set up staging areas, the presence of the Life Flight Network at the airport, its central location to major metro areas and its “incredibly stable geology.” Chrisman also sees a potential economic devel- opment opportunity. “(B)y making our interest known, we may put ourselves in line for state and federal funds for conducting trainings, mock exercises and possibly storage of equipment and supplies,” he wrote. “All of those ZRXOG KDYH GLUHFW EHQH¿WV to dining and lodging and support services.” The meeting will be at the council chambers in city hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Avenue, Tuesday at 7 p.m. PENDLETON 7ZR¿OHIRUVRRQWREHYDFDQWFRXQFLOVHDW of city spending numerous times. A former reserve in the With the Pendleton City Council on the verge of U.S. Air Force and a retired accepting applications to employee of the Wal-Mart ¿OO IRUPHU FRXQFLORU -DQH Distribution Center, Rohde Hill’s seat for the remainder was convicted of drunk of the year, two people have driving in 2011, an event DOUHDG\ ¿OHG WR UXQ IRU WKH he has said helped change at-large seat for the next four his outlook on life and eventually led to him being years. Rick Rohde and Jim named the 2015 Round-Up Swearingen submitted their Volunteer of the Year. Swearingen is the applications for the nonpar- tisan position this week, co-owner of J & B Auto- which will go to voters on motive, an auto repair shop in Pendleton, and a former the May 17 ballot. Rohde is a frequent member of the Pendleton attendee of council meetings Round-Up Board of Direc- and has been publicly critical tors. East Oregonian While each man is running for a term that will start in 2017, they’ll need to apply for the seat if they ZDQWWR¿OOWKHUHVWRI+LOO¶V term, which is being declared vacant at a city council meeting Tuesday. City Recorder Andrea Denton said the council has typically approached vacancies by having candi- dates send letters of interest to Mayor Phillip Houk. The candidates will be interviewed by the council either before or during a meeting before one is selected. Before the council declares Hill’s former seat vacant, Houk will present Hill with a plaque for her service. The meeting will be at the council chambers in city hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Avenue, Tuesday at 7 p.m. PRIME RIB — S U N D AY — H AMLEY S TEAK H OUSE & S aloon COURT & MAIN, PENDLETON • 541.278.1100 7ZRDUUHVWHGIRU NLOOLQJEXWFKHULQJ FRZLQ6WDQ¿HOG STANFIELD — Two Umatilla County men were arrested Friday for killing and butchering a cow, according to Oregon State Police. Anthony Haigh, 21, of 6WDQ¿HOGDQG7-.HVWOHU 20, of Hermiston, were both charged with theft, criminal mischief, criminal trespass ZLWKD¿UHDUPDQLPDO abuse and interfering with agricultural operations. In addition, Haigh, who was already in the Umatilla County Jail on unrelated charges, was charged as a felon in possession of a ¿UHDUP A third adult male, not yet named, was not taken into custody but may be charged with theft and criminal trespassing, depending on the GLVWULFWDWWRUQH\¶VRI¿FH The crime took place sometime during the night of Jan. 14 off Feedville Road in 6WDQ¿HOGZKHUHDFRZZDV found killed and partially butchered the next morning. CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT CLASS Oregon - Utah - Valid 35 States HERMISTON Best Western: 2255 Highway 395 South February 19 th • 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm Walk-Ins Welcome! OR/Utah: (Valid in WA) $80.00 or Oregon only: $45 www.FirearmTrainingNW.com • FirearmTrainingNW@gmail.com 360-921-2071 COMING SOON!!!! 100.1 will be making the switch to 93.7 FM! 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