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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2017)
REGION Tuesday, May 2, 2017 East Oregonian Page 3A PENDLETON School board could name new superintendent this week East Oregonian After months of preparation and interviews, the search for the next Pendleton School District superintendent is hurtling toward its conclusion. The school board could make a decision as soon as the end of Wednesday, the same day the four finalists are all scheduled to be in town and meet the public. The candidates are Aaron Chavez, superintendent of the Wahluke School District in central Washington, Chris Fritsch, assistant superintendent of Longview Public Schools in southwestern Wash- ington, J.T. Stroder, superintendent of Gardiner Public Schools in Montana, and Jim Wagner, super- intendent of Kimball Area Public Schools in Minnesota. School board chair Debbie McBee said the candidates will tour the district’s schools Wednesday morning and meet with central office administrators and tribal education officials in the early afternoon. But the bulk of the finalists’ time will be spent at Pendleton High School, where they will meet with educators, union representatives, building administrators and the public. The public portion will take place at the high school commons from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., where each candidate will get 30 minutes to make his case. Afterward, the board will hold an additional round of candidate interviews behind closed doors late into the evening. McBee said that if one candidate stands out, the board could select a candidate after the interviews Wednesday night. But if members need more time to discuss the final- ists, the board has also scheduled an additional closed door meeting at 7 a.m. Thursday. The board expects to make a decision by May 5. The board’s top candidate will replace former superintendent Andy Kovach, who started the job last July, announced his resignation in February and officially left the district on Friday. Curriculum director Matt Yoshioka will serve as the interim superintendent until his permanent replacement starts in July. HERMISTON Lawsuit against irrigation district Police arrest man in felony traffic stop may proceed in state court East Oregonian By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian District to install flow level sensor McKay Reservoir may be full for the first time in three years, but the Westland Irrigation District remains focused on water efficiency after receiving a $5,000 grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The district plans to install a new water flow sensor in its main irrigation canal with funding from the bureau’s WaterSMART program, which provides grants for small-scale water efficiency projects. Mike Wick, Westland Irrigation District manager said the district already has 12 sensors installed throughout its canal system, measuring real-time data that field workers can access directly on their smart- phones. The sensors also automatically notify personnel when flows reach certain levels, indicating where there may be problems with water delivery. The Westland Irrigation District depends entirely on live flows from the Umatilla River and stored water at McKay Reservoir during irrigation season, as opposed to other neighboring districts — including Hermiston and Stanfield — that have agreements to pump Columbia River water when the Umatilla River reaches a minimum flow for fish. That means Westland must use every drop as efficiently as possible, Wick said. The Bureau of Reclamation notified the district on April 17 that it anticipates awarding the grant so long as it meets all federal requirements. Westland cannot use any of the water saved from the project to expand its total irrigated acres, according to the bureau. A lawsuit filed by patrons against the West- land Irrigation District has been dismissed in federal court, though it may move forward in Umatilla County Circuit Court. The plaintiffs — all farmers with senior water rights to the Umatilla River and McKay Reservoir — are seeking $2.9 million in damages after they claim the irrigation district cheated them out of water to benefit three larger farms with junior rights. Federal Judge Michael Simon dismissed the case on March 20 over lack of jurisdiction. Because the plaintiffs did not go through state court first, Simon ruled they cannot yet seek relief through federal court. A virtually identical lawsuit was filed in Umatilla County Circuit Court on Oct. 21, 2016. The Westland Irrigation District has filed a motion to dismiss that case as well, and oral arguments are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 15 at the Stafford Hansell Government Center in Hermiston. The plaintiffs include ELH LLC, owned by Patrick and Dixie Echeverria; Oregon Hereford Ranch LLC, owned by Doug and Don Bennett; Paul Gelissen; Frank Mueller; Maurice and Lucy Ziemer; Craig and Cynthia Parks; and Richard and Kristine Carpenter. Together, they farm more than 1,650 acres with senior water rates that date back as far as 1903. The Westland Irrigation District is responsible for delivering that water, though the plaintiffs argue they are victims of a scheme that favors junior water rights holders L&L Farms, Eagle Ranch and Amstad Farms, three operations with more than 5,000 acres. According to the lawsuit, the larger farms are allowed to over-pump water during irrigation season, robbing senior rights holders downstream and violating Oregon’s “first in time, first in right” water appropria- tion system. The Westland Irrigation District, meanwhile, is not enforcing priority dates for water rights and failed to properly monitor usage, the plaintiffs argue. As a result, the plaintiffs say they have not been able to double-crop their fields, instead shifting the oppor- tunity to the larger farms. Senior Judge Michael Gillespie, of Coos County Circuit Court, will be brought in to preside over the May 15 hearing. PENDLETON City to consider expanding managers’ purchase authority permitted under city law. Department heads would also see their spending authority increase from $3,000 to $5,000 “The proposed spending limits were increased to mirror those proscribed by state law and are not inconsis- tent with the limits of similar municipalities,” city attorney Nancy Kerns wrote in a report to the council. “As the cost of goods and services have increased in recent years, these changes will allow departments to more quickly and easily take care of their East Oregonian Pendleton’s top officials could soon have more power to spend money. At a Pendleton City Council meeting Tuesday, members will discuss two ordinances that would expand some of the authori- ties for the city manager and department head positions. If the ordinance passes, city manager Robb Corbett could enter the city into a contract of up to $50,000 without council approval, up from $25,000 currently WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR PROM! routine purchasing needs.” Another ordinance covering surplus property — department heads can sell, donate or dispose surplus property valued at $500 or under — expands how staff can deal with property, including through online services, intergovernmental opportunities and profes- sional liquidators. The council will also consider a $126,476 bid to VSS International of West Sacramento, California, for slurry and crack seal work on city roads. Hermiston Police arrested Cesar C. Jimenez, 26, at a coordinated high-risk traffic stop Monday at North First Place in Hermiston. Jimenez was taken into custody for his involvement in an incident this weekend. According to police, on April 29 around 3:46 p.m. Jimenez, a Pendleton resi- dent, arrived at a home in the 600 block of West Standard Avenue brandishing a rifle. He got in a verbal altercation with a former girlfriend and then fired several rounds into the front and back tires of a 1998 Honda Accord, EOTEC vandalized over weekend; $3,000 in damages New members join American Angus Association HERMISTON — Hermiston police reported that the Eastern Oregon Trade and Events Center was vandalized over the weekend. No suspects have been identified as vandals caused about $2,950 of damage to property and equipment. Police received a call from EOTEC vice- chairman Dan Dorran on April 30 around 11 a.m., reporting that someone had flipped an aluminum bleacher against a fence and climbed into a secure storage lot belonging to the Umatilla County Fair. While inside the lot, the vandal(s) started a John Deere Gator and tore up the gravel in the storage lot. They caused $1,800 worth of damage at the lot, about $750 worth of damage to the bleachers and $400 worth of damage to the Gator. Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said no cameras are in the area, so the police do not yet have a way to identify the suspect. The American Angus Association has landed two new members from Eastern Oregon. Romig Ranch, of Umatilla, and Luke White, of Echo, have joined the organization based in Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is the world’s largest beef breed association, with 25,000 active adult and junior members. More information is available online at www.angus.org. HSD hires new IT staff HERMISTON — The Hermiston School District has hired a new technology manager and assistant manager, in light of recent changes in the department. Jeffrey Kelso will be technology manager starting May 15, taking the place of current technology manager Mattias Rahm. Rahm will leave the district June 30. Kelso is currently the director of computer and network services at Lake Oswego High School. He has 15 years of experience with technology in school settings. Galen Merkley will be the new assistant technology manager, effective July 1. He will replace Robert Theriault, who will move to a full-time teaching position at Hermiston High School. Merkley currently serves as a network administrator at the Park City School District in Utah. He has worked in school districts as an IT professional for about 14 years. DON’T MISS THE SOUNDS OF SPRING Verna Taylor, HAS • Ric Jones, BC-HIS Forrest Cahill, HAS F AS HERMISTON — Hermiston School District students have almost finished their third home through the Columbia Basin Student Homebuilders program and are preparing it for sale. Located in the Fieldstone Crossing cul-de-sac at 875 SW Angus Ct., it is listed at $379,000. The public is invited to a grand opening of the home, called Fieldstone #3, on Friday, June 9 from 1 to 6 p.m. The students will hos the viewing along with American West Properties Hermiston. Curt Berger, the student home builder director, encouraged the community to come and admire the students’ work. “Our students are excited for the opportunity to show the completed home,” he said. “They have done a tremendous amount of work.” The structure is the third of 11 homes that will be built by the group of students. The home has four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and a three-car garage. It also has many amenities including a security system, a surround-sound speaker system, an outdoor kitchen and a gas fireplace. It also has a fully landscaped and fenced yard. Anyone interested in scheduling a tour can call 541-564-0888. ——— Briefs are compiled from staff and wire reports, and press releases. Email press releases to news@eastoregonian.com ,, -& 541-567-4305 Mon-Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 12pm-5am Student-built home for sale %&'()*(*+ HWY 395, HERMISTON www.cottagefl owersonline.com Edmiston. “Because of the seriousness of the potential crimes involved, our detec- tives engaged in proactive surveillance of Mr. Jimenez and were able to locate him in a neighboring community. Our detectives followed a vehicle Mr. Jimenez was in and coordinated a traffic stop via radio with marked Herm- iston PD units,” Edmiston said. He said as of Monday afternoon, Jimenez was still being interviewed by detectives. Umatilla Police Department, the Umatilla and Morrow County sheriff’s offices all assisted with the incident. BRIEFLY TUXEDO RENTALS, CORSAGES AND BOUTONNIERES Put a smile on the heart with the power of flowers. which had four people in it. The vehicle’s occupants, one adult and three children, were uninjured. Jimenez was lodged in the Umatilla County Jail on charges of felon in possession of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, recklessly endan- gering and criminal mischief. Jimenez is also believed to have been responsible for an incident in Morrow County the same day, which left one man in the hospital with gunshot wounds. “We believe Mr. Jimenez is responsible for a rash of criminal activity that took place this weekend,” said Hermiston Police Chief Jason ! "##$ 541-567-4063 • 405 N N. 1 1st t St St., Suite #107, Hermiston 541-215-1888 • 246 SW Dorion, Pendleton First Thursday 3DĂLJ3ϰ͕3ϮϬϭϳ 3ŝƐĐŽƵŶƚƐ3ͻ3ZĞĨƌĞƐŚŵĞŶƚƐ 3ŽŶƵƐ3ƌĂǁŝŶŐƐ 211 S.E. Byers, Pendleton 541-966-0800 • 541-567-6211 www.eastoregonian.com SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES 541-564-4530 • 800-522-0255 333 E. Main St., Hermiston, OR www.hermistonherald.com