REGION
Saturday, July 9, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3A
BOARDMAN
Farmworker housing proposal
heads to commissioners
Hearing scheduled
for July 27
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
The Morrow County
Court will consider a recom-
mendation by the local Plan-
ning Commission to rezone
property west of Boardman
for a proposed farmworker
housing development.
Threemile Canyon Farms
wants to build housing for
200 to 800 seasonal workers
along Tower Road, across
from the Boardman Airport.
The farm claims it needs the
labor to grow more organic
crops such as peas, corn,
onions and carrots.
Before that can happen,
the county needs to approve
a zoning change from
Space Age Industrial to
Exclusive Farm Use. The
Planning Commission voted
5-1 at its June 28 meeting
to forward the request to
the County Court with a
do-adopt recommendation.
Melissa Lindsay was the
only commissioner to vote
against the measure, while
members Ken Bailey, David
Sykes and Kathy Neal were
absent.
Some neighbors have
expressed concern about the
project, which falls outside
of the city of Boardman’s
urban growth boundary.
Kelly Doherty, who owns
property nearby, said there is
no regulation on how many
units the farm could build
if the zoning is changed.
She worries the area could
become “Boardman West”
and overwhelm Tower
Road.
The farm, however, has
indicated seasonal workers
wouldn’t arrive in their own
vehicles and would be bused
into town once a week for
groceries. Planning Director
Carla McLane has said the
location is preferable, since
workers would live closer
to the farm itself and avoid
straining sewer and water
services within Boardman
city limits.
The County Court will
hold a hearing at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, July 27 at the
Bartholomew Building in
Heppner.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
UMATILLA
School district on list for $4M grant
East Oregonian
Pelican relection
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
A pod of white pelicans huddle together on the shore of a pond on Friday east of
Pendleton. White pelicans are now frequently seen in the area during the spring
and summer.
BRIEFLY
City council to
consider bond
reinance
HERMISTON — The
Hermiston city council will
consider reinancing the
bond that funds Hermiston
Energy Services on
Monday.
The reinance, which has
been discussed at previous
meetings, would save the
city approximately $2.66
million. It would also build
an additional $4.5 million
in construction costs into
the bond, which will pay
for projects including a new
substation and smart meters.
On Monday the council
also will meet as the
Hermiston Urban Renewal
Agency to consider a
request for a facade grant
to Simmons Insurance.
The company is currently
renovating the former
RoeMarks building on the
corner of Second Street
and Main Street. The
committee is being asked
to provide $10,000 of a
$21,000 project that will
add windows to the second
loor of the eastern portion
of the building.
Morgan said the city
is happy that Simmons
Insurance decided to take
on the project, because
Hermiston has very little
second-story real estate
downtown.
“We’re excited they’re
investing some funds into
turning a second story into
a usable, leasable space,”
Morgan said.
The city council will
meet Monday at 7 p.m. at
city hall, 180 NE Second
Street.
Contest calls for
ugly canines
HERMISTON — Ugly
dogs will have a chance
to win free dog food for
a year, a full veterinary
checkup or a new doggy
bed.
The Ugly, Uglier and
Ugliest Dog Contest is
Saturday, July 16 beginning
at 10 a.m. in the parking lot
at Fiesta Foods, 1875 N.
First St., Hermiston. The
winners will be announced
at 11:15 a.m.
Dogs of all breeds
and ages are welcome to
participate. Treats will
be given to all canine
contestants.
For more information,
call Leo Leal at 541-567-
4600.
Pilot Rock looks to
deed Bike Pit
PILOT ROCK — Pilot
Rock city government is on
the verge of handing off its
motocross and ATV park
to the group overseeing
activities there.
The city has been looking
to deed the property to
the Pilot Rock OHV Inc.
board for several years.
City recorder Teri Porter
explained before that could
happen, the city had to
resolve a couple of situations.
International Paper
donated the Bike Pit, as it’s
known locally, to the city
several years ago. Porter said
different survey methods
produced conlicting
boundaries on slivers of
property and it took time
to work that out and come
up with a proper legal
description.
The city’s new sewer
lagoons also could have
affected the Bike Pit. But
the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality
approved a plan that locates
the lagoons away from the
park.
Some Pilot Rock residents
have been concerned the
pit could be a liability for
the city. Porter said the city
wants to help the ATV park
grow and develop, but does
not want to be subject to the
risk. Deeding the property to
the OHV board was on the
agenda for the Tuesday night
council meeting, but Porter
said there was a lack of a
quorum so the council could
not take action.
Porter said she put the
vote on the agenda for the
council’s July 19 meeting.
———
Briefs are compiled from
staff and wire reports, and
press releases. Email press
releases to news@eastorego-
nian.com
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The Umatilla School
District was selected by
the Oregon Department of
Education for a $4 million
grant, the district announced
Friday, but voters will have
to pass a bond to receive the
funds.
The grant comes from
the Oregon School Capital
Improvement
Matching
Program, created by Senate
Bill 447 to address mainte-
nance problems in Oregon
schools.
In order to receive the
grant, the community
must come up with at least
the funds to match. The
Umatilla School District
will place a $10.25 million
capital improvement bond
on the November 2016
ballot for a total project sum
of $14.25 million.
If approved, the three
district schools — McNary
Heights Elementary, Clara
Brownell Middle School
and Umatilla High School
“This is a great opportunity for the Uma-
tilla School District to realize some much
needed funds for important projects.”
— Heidi Sipe, Umatilla School District superintendent
— will receive security
and safety improvements,
which
would
include
replacing the roof of each
building.
“This is a great opportu-
nity for the Umatilla School
District to realize some
much needed funds for
important projects, and we
are encouraged about the
potential for the matching
grant,” Umatilla School
District
superintendent
Heidi Sipe said in a press
release.
According to Sipe,
Clara Brownell Middle
School needs major system
upgrades. The school needs
upgrades in plumbing,
electrical and looring, and
replacement windows and
boiler that has been in use
since 1947.
A study concluded that
the district is not growing
fast enough to warrant
building a new school.
If nearby schools are an
indication, Umatilla School
District has a good chance
to receive the matching
grant.
Three school districts
in May voted in favor of a
capital improvement bond,
which the state rewarded
with a matching grant.
Echo School District and
Athena Weston School
District both voted in favor
of a $4 million bond and
Milton-Freewater School
District voted in favor of
a $12.5 million bond in
addition to a $15 million
donation it received from
the Wayne and Gladys
Valley Foundation.