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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 2018)
REGION Tuesday, November 6, 2018 East Oregonian PENDLETON Suggestions roll in for revising Umatilla County government By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian As Umatilla County vot- ers go to the polls to elect a county commissioner, argu- ments for and against keep- ing the three-commissioner structure have dominated the discussions of the county’s Charter Review Committee. The eight-member com- mittee with the charge of considering revisions to the county’s founding document has met monthly starting in March. Committee chair Michele Grable of Pendle- ton said through all of that the members have heard rec- ommendations from former commissioners and current department heads, and asked plenty of questions. “We haven’t made any decisions whatsoever,” she said. “We are gathering information is what we’re doing.” Those recommendations range from big revamps of the county board to simpli- fying language in key char- ter provisions. Glenn Youngman, a for- mer county commissioner, continued his push for doing away with the three com- missioners, according to meeting minutes. He told the committee in April the county should have a profes- sional manager and a policy board of five to seven volun- teers. But Dennis Doherty, also a former commissioner, said at the May meeting a manager would remove commissioners from contact with the public. Doherty also said the charter is not easy to under- stand and could use a total rewrite, but that would be a big lift. Clint Reeder, former chairman of the county plan- ning committee, in July told the committee the county used to have an executive assistant to the board, but the position controlled what matters went to the board. Reeder said a county man- ager would concentrate power and change the com- munication dynamic with the board. He also suggested the county needs a com- missioner review commit- tee because the county lacks any way to assess the perfor- mance of commissioners. State Sen. Bill Hansell of Athena, also a former county commissioner, told the committee in August the structure of the county board works fine, and com- missioners should be gener- alists and not experts. The committee also talked with Hansell about job descrip- tions for the commissioners. Hansell pointed out most elected positions don’t have job descriptions. Still, some pointed out three commissioners means just two can make deci- sions, and two commission- ers hanging out could con- stitute a public meeting. A county manager would not have that burden. Sheriff Terry Rowan sug- gested the charter should set a minimum age for sheriff as 25 and adopt language that reflect common practices and requirements under state law or administrative rule. Dan Lonai, the county’s director of administrative services, said at the Sep- tember meeting he prefers the structure of county gov- ernment with more limited departments under commis- sioner oversight. And before the charter, he told the com- mittee, departments fought over the budget. But Lonai wanted an overhaul of the charter’s language on elections. He suggested using simpler language from other coun- ties stating voters elect one commissioner in the same year as the presidential elec- tion and the other two in the alternate biannual election. The charter also allows for special elections in March, June and Septem- ber to fill vacancies on the county board. Lonai said those cost the county around $40,000. He said the county should have special elec- tions only when there is a ballot, so during primary and general elections. The Charter Review Committee’s next meeting is Wednesday, the day after the general election, start- ing at 5:30 p.m., at the Uma- tilla County Courthouse, 216 S.E. Fourth St., Pend- leton. The committee plans to hear from more county staff as well as city mayors. The committee meetings are open to the public. Grable, a former county deputy pros- ecutor and county counsel, said the committee has a lot of people to hear from who have a lot to say. For more information about the charter and the committee, visit http://uma- tillacounty.net/bcc/charter- Review.html. IRRIGON Library showcases local crafters, book program By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Local crafts and baked goods were available at the Irrigon Library on Saturday during their holiday bazaar. The event, hosted by Friends of the Irrigon Library, featured about a dozen vendors. Kathy Dill Spears of Irri- gon was selling paintings and advertising her “It’s a Paint Party!” events. Spears hosts paint nights for par- ticipants who want to get together and paint at private parties, fundraisers, chil- dren’s’ events and more. “I’ve been doing it for about a year and it’s kind of fun,” she said. Her next event is Thurs- day, when she is supplying canvases, paint and instruc- tion for a paint party at the Irrigon Senior Center that will raise money to repaint the bus barn. Spears said she first started painting after getting sick a few years ago. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and after I was done with treatments I decided I needed to do some- thing to heal my mind,” she Staff photo by Jade McDowell Ruby Perches-Ball of Hermiston sells soaps at the Friends of Irrigon Library bazaar. said. Another vendor at the bazaar also described her craft as healing. Ruby Perches-Ball of Hermiston was selling fancy soaps that she started making to cope with the loss of her infant son earlier this year. Satur- day’s event was the first time she decided to sell the soaps, named after her son Liam Grayson, to people outside her circle of friends. “I make soap as a form of therapy, and I have too many,” she said. Perches-Ball said she buys a soap base, then melts it down and adds colors, scents or small objects such as rubber ducks before pour- ing them into molds and cut- ting them into shapes. Most of her soaps have strips or geometric shapes in dif- ferent colors, which she described as a careful sci- ence to create. “I can’t put it in too hot or (the colors) will just blend, and I can’t pour it too cold or it will stick,” she said. Kathy Street, library director for Oregon Trail Library District, was using the event as an opportunity to spread the word about the Dolly Parton Imagina- tion Library. The library dis- trict has joined the national program, which sends a free book each month to children from birth to five years old. “If you sign the child up when they’re first born, by the time they turn five they will have 60 books,” she said. The James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation has given the library district a grant to cover half the cost, and local sponsors have helped with the rest. Street said they estimate about 400 children in Morrow County are eligible, and so far they have signed up 99 children. For more information about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, avail- able to all Morrow County children under the age of five, call the 541-481-3365. Staff photo by Jade McDowell Attendees bid on silent auction items at the Pendle- ton Salvation Army “Keep the Kettles Hot” fundrais- er dinner on Saturday. Salvation Army banquet rings in the Christmas season By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian The Pendleton Salva- tion Army got support for its 126 years of service to Umatilla County on Satur- day during their annual red kettle kickoff. The dinner with auc- tion and live entertain- ment helped raise funds for the nonprofit’s programs, which include free lunches, emergency response, hous- ing, counseling and a youth program. Some of the volunteers serving food at the event know all about how money raised by the Salvation Army gets put to use. Lau- rie Galindo said during her year and a half of home- lessness in Pendleton she was able to get meals and other assistance from the Salvation Army. Now that she is getting back on her feet she has been giv- ing back by volunteering herself. “I’m very grateful these doors are open for people,” she said. “Even one meal can give you the energy to get those small goals that helped me get where I am now.” The nonprofit also helped her get clean again. She had been sober for more than four years before relapsing and then recovering, and said she now tries to give hope and encouragement to those she serves meals to. “I talk to people at lunch,” she said. “I was out there with them, and now I’m on the other side.” Capt. Ricky Scruggs of the Salvation Army told the banquet audi- ence that the organiza- tion works hard to help people, from adults with additions to children in EOTEC to hold Hermiston Mudfest on Nov. 18 The Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center is seeing a more diverse lineup of events as people continue to think up new uses for the space. On Nov. 18, EOTEC is partnering with a private group to host the Herm- iston Mudfest, featuring head-to-head mud drags open to vehicles ranging from Jeeps to ATVs. EOTEC general man- ager Al Davis said when they tested the idea of a mud drag in the swale behind the event cen- ter building, 40 people showed up to watch. Now that an offi- cial event is being pub- licized on social media, the response has been enthusiastic. “We started out doing something small and local, and it’s grown to be bigger than we thought it would,” he said. VenuWorks, the com- pany contracted by the city of Hermiston to run EOTEC, recently wrapped up a community survey about what types of events the community hopes to see at EOTEC. Davis said the city’s EOTEC advisory commit- tee will discuss the results later this month, and they will be presented to the city council in December. He said some of the pop- ular ideas survey respon- dents listed were concerts, green space for sports like lacrosse and the return of Want Year Around Outdoor Space? W e’ve Got Solutions! FREE Estimates! 541-720-0772 Visit our showroom: 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick, WA 99336 Patio Rooms Awnings · Sunrooms Pergolas · Patio Covers All Season Shades Solar Screens & More! (Call for Showroom Hours) www.mybackyardbydesignor.com License #188965 Hermiston’s holiday fes- tival of lights. People also said they wished EOTEC would update its website — something VenuWorks was already working on. The updated website at www.eotechermiston.com is now live, featuring aerial footage of the grounds, updated and expanded information about the venue, rental rates and an the youth program who have a parent in jail or other challenges. “You never know the impact you’re going to have,” he said. He referenced the song “Silver Bells” in relation to the bell-ringing volun- teers who collect donations in red kettles during the Christmas season, noting that in the song, the bells are heard “above all the hustle and bustle” of the holiday season. Capt. Sylvia Scruggs thanked everyone for their generous support and said the Salvation Army hall where they were gathered belonged to everyone in the community. “This is a place peo- ple come to seek help, to seek refuge and to seek the Lord,” she said. Many local businesses and individuals donated cash and auction items to the event, while the Uma- tilla County Cattleman’s Association donated and cooked the tri-tip, and other food for the meal was donated and prepared by BudRich Potatoes, Smith’s Frozen Foods, Lorrane Newman, Starbucks and Stahl Farms Hutterrite Colony. Sen. Bill Hansell, a longtime board mem- ber, said all leftover food would be put to use at the free lunches the Salvation Army serves those in need. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. 11/5-6 Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie 11/7 • 12pm Barefoot in the Park HERMISTON By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Page 3A upcoming events calen- dar. Events listed include a Prestige Wrestling tour- nament on Dec. 8 and the Hermiston Farm Fair Nov. 28-30. The Hermiston Mudfest will start preliminary runs at 10 a.m. on Nov. 18, with gates open at 8 a.m. Cost is $35 for a truck and driver, $15 for a spectator (bring- ing a lawn chair is encour- aged) and $5 for children. Burgers will be available on-site. Registration forms can be picked up at 395 Quickstop, 445 N. First St. in Hermiston. For more information email Davis at adavis@eotechermiston. com. ——— Contact Jade McDowell at jmcdowell@eastorego- nian.com or 541-564-4536. THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS (PG) 4:40 7:00 9:40 BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (PG13) 3:50 6:50 9:50 HUNTER KILLER (R) 4:00 6:40 9:20 HALLOWEEN (R) 4:50 7:10 9:30 GOOSEBUMPS 2: HAUNTED HALLOWEEN (PG) 5:00 VENOM (PG13) 7:20 10:00 * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 NOTICE OF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION Th e family of Willard K Smith would like to thank everyone for the love and support shown to us during our loss. Th e family truly appreciates all the beautiful fl owers, cards, food and memorial contributions. A sincere thank you from Elly, Billie & Torie, Bobbie & Lee, Karen & Don, Kristi & Dick. Gertrude L. Mc Rae Trust Fund scholarship applications are now available for 2018-2019. Applicants must be a Grant County high school graduate to qualify. Graduates of high schools in Morrow, Wasco and Wheeler counties may also be considered, if too few Grant County applications are received. Preference will be given to Grant County graduates who reside in Oregon and have already completed one or more years at an accredited college. To request an application form, please contact Grant County, 201 S. Humbolt Street, Suite 280, Canyon City, OR 97820 or call 541-575-0059. You may also request an application via email to wrightl@grantcounty-or.gov. Completed applications including all required documents must be received by Grant County on or before Friday, November 16, 2018. 86590
