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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A third adult male, not yet
named, was not taken into
custody but may be charged
with theft and criminal
trespassing, depending on the
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The crime took place
sometime during the night of
Jan. 14 off Feedville Road in
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found killed and partially
butchered the next morning.
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