REGION
Saturday, March 4, 2017
East Oregonian
Bill would give rural gas
stations self-service option
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
If you’re a born-and-raised
Oregonian who doesn’t know
how to pump your own gas,
you may have to learn.
The state legislature is
considering a bill that would
allow for 24-hour self service
at gas stations in counties
with less than 40,000 people.
If HB 2482 passes, everyone
could soon be serving them-
selves at stations in cities like
Boardman, La Grande and
The Dalles.
A second bill being
considered, HB 2458, would
allow the public to fill up at
24-hour cardlock stations
that are currently open to
commercial vehicles.
The state took its first
foray into self-service last
year, when the legislature
passed a bill allowing people
to pump their own gas in
counties with less than 40,000
people between 6 p.m. and 6
a.m. The purpose of the law
was to allow small stations
in small rural towns to stay
open overnight, after Rep.
Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, heard
stories of people arriving at
towns like John Day only to
EO file photo
Love’s Travel Stops opened in Boardman in 2016 and could allow self-service fuel 24
hours a day if HB 2482 passes.
find that they would need to
spend the night because the
only fuel station had closed
for the night.
He told the Bend Bulletin
that it was about necessity,
not convenience.
“The whole concept
was to allow self-service
so we would have access
to fuel. It was never about
convenience,” Bentz said.
“It was about having the fuel
available if we would not
otherwise have it.”
Although the rule was
meant to keep travelers from
being stranded in small towns,
some larger, less remote
stations such as Love’s Travel
Stop outside Boardman have
also taken advantage of the
exception, allowing drivers
to serve themselves at night if
they prefer.
As with the current
exemption, Umatilla County
is one of the few counties east
of the Cascades that would
not qualify for self-service
under HB 2482 because it has
more than 40,000 residents.
The Transportation Policy
Committee has held two
public hearings so far on
both bills and has a third one
planned for March 8. Rep.
Greg Barreto, R-Cove, is one
of the committee members.
PENDLETON
City council will consider water main bid
East Oregonian
The city of Pendleton is on
the verge of receiving a large
loan to fix and replace many
of their water lines, but the
replacement of a water line
under Westgate might come
sooner than that.
When the Pendleton City
Council meets Tuesday,
members will consider
awarding a $510,819 bid from
Jesse Rodriguez Construction
of Silverton to replace a water
main on Westgate.
In a report to the city
council from city engineer
Tim Simons and public
works director Bob Patterson,
they wrote that the Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund
has approved a 30-year loan
of $14.9 million to improve
the city’s water infrastructure,
the largest amount ever
granted to a single applicant.
The council will consider
approving the loan in the
“near future.”
What’s driving the city to
move quickly on the West-
gate project is the Oregon
Department of Transpor-
tation, which is planning a
asphalt overlay of Westgate
and wants the city done with
its water project by May 1.
Given the tight timeline,
Patterson
and
Simons
wrote that Jesse Rodriguez
Construction plans to start
work next week so that
workers could finish the
project by late April.
Although the money for
the Westgate water main
would come from the water
fund, staff reported that
the loan could be used to
reimburse the city. Patterson
and Simons wrote that the
replacement project was
needed for the airport and
Blue Mountain Community
College’s longterm needs.
The council will meet at 7
p.m. at the council chambers
in city hall, 500 S.W. Dorion
Ave.
BRIEFLY
UmCo looks to
Uni-Tech for phone
system upgrade
Umatilla County plans
to upgrade its phone system
for almost $142,000.
The county sought
bids to replace the five
phone systems it uses.
Eight proposals came in
on time and the winning
bid of $141,633 was from
Pendleton-based Uni-Tech
Communications. The
county board of commis-
sioners will consider
awarding the bid during
its meeting Wednesday at
9 a.m. in room 130 at the
Umatilla County Court-
house, 216 S.E. Fourth St.,
Pendleton.
The county board also
will consider approving the
following special transpor-
tation fund grants for the
2017-2019 biennium:
$6,000 to the Hermiston
Senior Center;
$9,096 to Foster
Grandparents;
$35,157 to Clearview
Mediation;
$37,480 to Community
Action Program of East
Central Oregon;
$39,032 to Care Van;
$70,000 to Milton-Free-
water;
$73,865 to Hermiston
$126,001 to Pendleton.
The total comes to
$396,631.
Umatilla hosting
family night to
gather feedback
on downtown
Umatilla wants to hear
from its residents about
what they think their
community should look
like.
The city is hosting
an interactive event on
March 10 from 3-7 p.m.
in the Umatilla High
School commons to gather
feedback on a downtown
Council will look into assistance in applying for grants
East Oregonian
The old adage says that
you need to spend money to
make money, an approach the
city of Pendleton could take
toward grants.
At a meeting Tuesday, the
Pendleton City Council will
consider a $50,000 annual
contract with CFM Strategic
Communications of Portland,
a consulting firm that would
help Pendleton secure federal
grants. According to a report
from city manager Robb
Corbett to the city council,
Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo
originally approached Corbett
about contracting with CFM
a few months ago when the
fire department was applying
for federal grants that would
provide funding for more
emergency staff, equipment
and training.
Ciraulo previously worked
with CFM when he was the
mayor of Battle Ground,
Washington.
The city eventually invited
CFM representatives to
Pendleton, where they made
a presentation and spoke with
department heads.
In a summary of its
experience, CFM states that
it has working relationships
with Oregon’s congressional
delegation including Sen. Ron
Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley,
Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood
River, and Rep. Peter DeFazio,
D-Springfield, and more than
a dozen federal agencies.
With offices in both
Portland and Washington,
D.C., CFM highlighted the
millions of dollars it brought
to Marion County, Tigard,
Longview, Washington, and
other public agencies across
the Northwest.
Corbett expects the city
to receive a 10-to-1 return on
their investment on CFM.
The council will meet
Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the
council chambers in city hall,
500 S.W. Dorion Ave.
Old West Federal Credit merging with Union Wallowa Baker
East Oregonian
Two Eastern Oregon
banks are merging.
Union Wallowa Baker
Federal
Credit
Union
members voted last week to
merge with Old West Federal
Credit. Old West will assume
all assets and liabilities of
Union Wallowa Baker on
March 1, according to a news
release.
Old West Credit Union
serves eight Eastern Oregon
counties, including branches
in Pendleton and Hermiston.
Union
Wallowa
Baker
Federal Credit Union covers
three counties with a single
branch in La Grande. The
new, combined institution
will include 12,000 members
and $164 million in assets.
Union Wallowa Baker
branch manager Mike Howton
will continue to manage the La
Grande location, and the rest
of the staff will remain as well,
joined by new staff offering
commercial and agricultural
loans and accounts.
“The ability to offer home
loans, ag and business loans
and deposit accounts will be
a tremendous opportunity for
our members,” Howton said
in a statement. “When Main
Street can do business with
a local financial institution,
great things can happen in our
communities.”
Old West president and
CEO Ken Olson said in a
statement that Old West
is excited to “bring more
members into the fold.” He
said that a recent economic
analysis by EcoNorthwest
showed that not-for-profit,
member-owned credit unions
in Oregon had a positive $2.2
billion impact on the state’s
economy last year.
“Those are not Wall
Street dollars,” he said. “That
impact is created when you
have locally owned, locally
accountable
cooperative
financial institutions oper-
ating for the benefit of your
local community.”
Members
of
Union
Wallowa Baker can expect
to do business as usual as
the merger takes effect over
the next several months,
and should look for further
information in the mail in the
coming weeks.
revitalization plan in the
works.
The event is a partner-
ship between Umatilla,
Umatilla County, Umatilla
School District and
Portland State University
graduate students who
have taken on creation of
a downtown revitalization
plan for Umatilla as an
academic project.
The students, according
to a news release,
are “looking for the
participation of community
members to share the
history and identity of the
city, build upon existing
efforts and set the direction
for the future of Umatilla.”
The event will be
family-friendly, with
childcare, Spanish transla-
tion, free food and a free
professional photo booth.
Those who participate will
be entered into a raffle for
various household items.
Xplore Pendleton
features day camp
PENDLETON — A
three-day camp allows
youngsters to spend time at
the Pendleton Recreation
Center, Pendleton Center
for the Arts and the
Children’s Museum during
Spring Break.
Xplore Pendleton is
March 28-30 from 8 a.m.
to noon. Staff will escort
kids between the three
locations. Sessions are
available for kindergarten/
first graders and second-
fourth graders.
Space is limited and
the camp is expected to
fill quickly. The fee is $40
and includes all project
supplies and a snack. The
registration deadline is
Thursday, March 17.
To register, visit www.
pendletonparksandrec.
com or stop by the parks
office, 865 Tutuilla Road.
For more information, call
541-276-8100.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
SATURDAY, MARCH 4
PENDLETON
Page 3A
AAUW, 11 a.m., Prodigal
Son Brewery & Pub, 230 S.E.
Court Ave., Pendleton. Free.
No-host lunch will be followed by
a presentation of National Histo-
ry Day documentary films by
Griswold High School students.
Everyone welcome. (Kathy
Chaney 541-379-9997)
PENDLETON
EAGLES
STEAK AND LIVE MUSIC,
6-11:30 p.m., Pendleton Eagles
Lodge, 428 S. Main St., Pendle-
ton. Dinner from 6-8 p.m., music
from 8 p.m. to midnight. Mem-
bers and guests welcome. (541-
278-2828)
SUNDAY, MARCH 5
PENDLETON
EAGLES
BREAKFAST, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.,
Pendleton Eagles Lodge, 428
S. Main St., Pendleton. Open to
members and guests. (541-278-
2828)
PFLAG PENDLETON, 4
p.m., location varies, Pendleton.
Free. No-host lunch followed by
meeting. Everyone welcome.
(Vickie Read 541-966-8414)
MONDAY, MARCH 6
IRRIGON MOOSE LODGE
TACOS AND BINGO, 6-9 p.m.,
Irrigon Moose Lodge, 220 N.E.
Third St., Irrigon. Tacos from
6-9 p.m., bingo from 6:30-9 p.m.
Open to members and guests.
(541-922-1802)
GREATER
HERMISTON
AREA TEA PARTY, 7 p.m.,
Stafford Hansell Government
Center, 915 S.E. Columbia
Drive, Hermiston. Free.
OREGON EAST SYMPHO-
NY CHORALE REHEARSAL,
7 p.m., Pendleton High School
music department, 1800 N.W.
Carden Ave., Pendleton. Free.
The OES Chorale will rehearse
for the March 11, 2017 concert
of Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass.”
Call the OES office to receive
a vocal score. (J.D. Kindle 541-
276-0320)
INLAND
NORTHWEST
MUSICIANS CHORALE RE-
HEARSAL, 7-9 p.m., Harris Jr.
Academy gymnasium, 3121
S.W. Hailey Ave., Pendleton.
Free. No tryouts; all welcome.
No rehearsals June-July-August
or Christmas-New Year. (RaNiel
Dunn 541-289-4696)
HERMISTON CLASSICS
CAR CLUB, 7 p.m., 31120 Bag-
gett Lane, 31120 Baggett Lane,
Hermiston. (541-571-5960 or
541-571-3252)
PENDLETON AMATEUR
RADIO CLUB, 7 p.m., Pendle-
ton City Hall community room,
501 S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pend-
leton. (Michael Califf 541-276-
8132)
HEPPNER
GARDEN
CLUB, 7 p.m., St. Patrick’s Se-
nior Center, 190 N. Main St.,
Heppner.
AMERICAN LEGION POST
37, 7:30 p.m., Hermiston VFW,
45 W. Cherry Ave., Hermiston.
Members, transfers and inter-
ested veterans welcome. (Bob
Daniel 541-571-5882)
UMATILLA COUNTY WEED DEPARTMENT
3920 WESTGATE PENDLETON, OREGON 97801
OFFICE: 541 278-5462 FAX: 541 278-5427
NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2017
The Oregon State Weed Board awarded Umatilla County Weed Department
$15660.00 to treat Common Bugloss in the Walla Walla watershed
For More Information:
Umatilla County Weed Department
theodore.orr@umatillacounty.net • (541) 278-5462
This Monday and every fi rst Monday you
can enjoy a free cup of hot coffee and
a one-on-one discussion with Pendleton’s
city manager Robb and a few of his key
staff in a conversational setting.
Drop in any time between 8 and 10 am. Mar. 6
Salem- The Oregon State Weed Board (OSWB) awarded $15660.00 to Umatilla County
Weed Department (UCWD) for common bugloss control at their February 9 and 10,
2017, board meeting in Salem.
The award was one of 50 grants totaling $1.24 million provided to local organizations
statewide to fund projects that restore, protect fish and wildlife habitat, watershed
function, water quality and overall watershed health from invasive noxious weed
impacts.
Umatilla County has two known sites of common bugloss; One in the Walla Walla river
drainage in the Milton Freewater area and the other in Meacham Canyon. It was first
discovered in Meacham Canyon and traced back to Milton Freewater. “Common bugloss
is a perineal weed that poses a threat to our agricultural community. Once established
in an alfalfa field it is difficult to control and will mold hay from the inside out” says
Teddy Orr UCWD Supervisor.
The 2017 Common Bugloss grant will survey approximately 2500 acres of the Walla
Walla river drainage and treat around 200 acres of farm and residential land. It is
expected to begin April 1st and be completed by November 1st. Letters will be mailed
to the landowners requesting permission to access and treat common bugloss on their
property within the next few weeks. If you suspect you have common bugloss on
your property you are encouraged to contact the UCWD for identification and
control options.
OSWB grants are funded through partnership with OWEB from Oregon Lottery funds.
Since 1999, the Oregon Lottery has provided over $500 million to OWEB’s grant
program that helps restore, maintain and enhance Oregon’s watersheds. Combined, the
Lottery has earned over $9 billion for watershed enhancements, public education, state
parks and economic development. For more information about the Oregon Lottery visit
www.oregonlottery.org
For additional information about this project contact Teddy Orr at theodore.orr@uma-
tillacounty.net. For additional information about OSWB Noxious Weed Grant Program,
contact Tristen Berg at tberg@oda.state.or.us.