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
