REGION
Saturday, October 12, 2019
East Oregonian
A3
Council to consider tax
abatement for Amazon
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
Boxes of the infl uenza vaccine sit in storage on Friday at Saint Anthony Hospital in Pendleton
awaiting Monday’s free drive-thru fl u shot clinic at the Pendleton Convention Center.
Local health organizations
advocate for fl u shots
By BEN LONERGAN
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Flu
shots offer residents a way
to protect themselves during
the fast approaching fl u sea-
son, according to local health
organizations.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recom-
mend that individuals should
aim to get the vaccination
before the end of October in an
effort to build up an immunity
before the start of fl u season.
Tracy Wart, an infec-
tion prevention nurse at Saint
Anthony Hospital in Pendle-
ton, advises that those who are
able to get a fl u shot should try
to get one sooner rather than
later because it typically takes
at least two or three weeks
after the vaccination for the
body to build up an immunity.
“We didn’t start to see the
fl u pop up until mid-Decem-
ber last year, but Washington
is starting to see a few cases
already,” said Wart. “There
are some predictions that we’ll
have a really bad year this
year.”
Wart says that predictions
for the fl u season are generally
developed by monitoring cases
in Australia where the fl u sea-
son is typically July through
September.
Umatilla County Pub-
lic Health Director Joe Fiu-
mara said while the Umatilla
County fl u season typically
peaks around January or Feb-
ruary, it is still a great time to
get the vaccine.
“It helps you and it helps
your community,” said Fiu-
mara of the vaccine. “We’re
putting these out there because
we believe in them and the
good they can do.”
While some people fear
the vaccine will make them
sick with the fl u, Wart said the
infl uenza vaccine no longer
carries the live virus and one
cannot get the fl u from the vac-
cine. Despite this, Wart said
that people may experience
some soreness or feel feverish
as a result of the vaccine build-
ing immunity in the body.
According to the CDC,
the fl u vaccine signifi cantly
reduces a child’s possibility of
dying from infl uenza. In addi-
tion to vaccinations, the CDC
recommends taking addi-
tional steps to combat infl u-
enza through frequent hand
washing and properly covering
one’s mouth and nose when
they sneeze or cough.
In an effort to get the vac-
cine to more people, Saint
Anthony Hospital will be host-
ing a free drive-thru immuni-
zation clinic for those 18 and
older on Monday, Oct. 14 from
2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Pendle-
ton Convention Center. The
drive-thru clinic allows vis-
itors to stay in the comfort of
their car and receive a vacci-
nation quickly and easily. Wart
Algae toxins identifi ed in the Willow
Creek Reservoir
MORROW COUNTY — Harmful algae blooms and tox-
ins have been found in the Willow Creek Reservoir, according
to a recreational advisory issued Friday by the Oregon Health
Authority.
The health authority said that cyanobacteria blooms and cya-
notoxins were found to be present in the reservoir in an amount
that is above guideline values for human exposure.
Symptoms from exposure to cyanotoxins include stomach
cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The OHA said that
more serious symptoms like numbness, dizziness and shortness
of breath may require medical attention.
People should avoid swimming and high-speed water activi-
ties in the lake where blooms were identifi ed.
According to the OHA, the toxins cannot be removed by fi l-
tering, boiling or treating the water, so drinking the water is not
advised. Those who might draw in-home water from the area
should use an alternative source.
People are discouraged from allowing children and pets like
dogs in the water. Dogs may consume the toxins by licking their
fur or nearby rocks and plants.
Fish from the area should have all fat, skin and organs
removed and be rinsed with clean water before freezing or
preparation. The OHA said that boating is safe as long as boat-
ers maintain slower speeds to reduce water spray, which could
be inhaled.
Willow Creek Reservoir is about 48 miles south of Hermiston.
Hermiston business woman enters
Umatilla County commissioner race
HERMISTON — Business owner Patricia Maier of Herm-
iston has joined the race for the Umatilla County Board of
Commissioners.
Maier is the fi rst woman to enter the contest for the Position
3 seat on the county board and fi led her candidacy paperwork
Thursday. She joins Dan Dorran, Mark Gomolski and Jona-
than Lopez, all of Hermiston, in the race to succeed Commis-
sioner Bill Elfering.
Maier is the owner and operator of the limited liability
company 1-A Construction & Fire. According to her fi ling,
she has a background that includes working as an administra-
tor for Northwest Pipeline, former director of United Way of
Umatilla and Morrow Counties and working in Butler County,
Kansas, as an assistant to the superintendent of schools.
Elfering, also of Hermiston, said he anticipates the fi eld of
candidates will grow by the fi ling deadline of March 10, 2020.
He also said he has no plans to endorse any candidates for the
time being. Rather, he said, he and the public should have the
opportunity to hear from all the candidates about what they
want to do as commissioner.
City set to contribute $65,000 to vets
memorial
PENDLETON — At a meeting Tuesday, the Pendleton City
Council will spend much of its time discussing grants, on both
the giving and receiving end.
The council will be asked by its arts committee to approve a
$65,000 grant to help establish the Pendleton Veterans Memo-
says that there are roughly 750
doses available and advises
that people not wait for the last
minute if possible.
“Last year, we ran out about
45 minutes before the end of
the day,” Wart said. “I really
want to make sure that people
get there if they can.”
In addition to Monday’s
clinic in Pendleton, the Walla
Walla VA Clinic, Good Shep-
herd Health Care System and
Umatilla County Public Health
will be hosting similar events
in the coming days.
The Walla Walla VA Clinic
will host a drive-thru fl u shot
clinic for area veterans on Oct.
18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
the Jonathan M. Wainwright
Memorial VA Medical Center
in Walla Walla, Washington.
Good Shepherd Health
Care System will host two
clinics, the fi rst as a part of
its annual Community Meet-
ing and Health Fair on Oct.
30 from 5-6 p.m. at Hermis-
ton High School. The second
clinic, which will have a higher
number of vaccines available,
will take place at Good Shep-
herd Medical Center in Herm-
iston on Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. in the conference rooms
No. 1 and No. 2.
Umatilla County Public
Health will host a drive-thru
clinic open to all ages at Gib
Olinger Elementary School in
Milton-Freewater on Nov. 16
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
HERMISTON — The
Hermiston City Council
will consider a tax abate-
ment agreement with
Amazon on Monday.
The city and Umatilla
County are joint part-
ners in a long-term Rural
Enterprise Zone, which
under state statute allows
them to exempt certain
types of businesses locat-
ing or expanding in the
zone from property taxes
for seven to 15 years.
Lamb Weston used
the zone to get a 15-year
exemption on its $250
million expansion, in
exchange for $15 million
in payments directly to the
county and city.
The resolution on the
table Monday authorizes
the city to enter into an
agreement with Amazon if
it is willing to invest $200
million into the zone, pay
employees there at least
130% of the average wage
in Umatilla County and
pay “the required fees to
the zone over the term of
the agreement.”
The council will also
consider voting to vacate
the Southeast 10th Street
right-of-way between East
Penney Avenue and East
Feedville Road. Accord-
ing to a memo from city
planning director Clint
Spencer, the street is an
undeveloped right-of-way
through a fi eld, not used
for vehicle travel.
He said a developer
hopes to build a “large”
project there but would
need to build over the
right-of-way to make it fi t.
Also on the agenda is
an update to the street por-
tion of the city’s Capital
Improvement Plan, which
was adopted a year before
the water and sewer por-
tions. The update sug-
gested by the infrastruc-
ture committee would
plan for no capital projects
for streets in the 2023-
24 fi scal year in order to
accrue more money for
larger projects in succeed-
ing years. It would also
expand a project in the
unfunded list of projects
in the appendices, extend-
ing the length of Gettman
Road proposed for paving.
City staff will also
present a report Monday
on possible incentives the
city could use to encour-
age more housing growth.
The report notes that tax
credits and low-interest
loans are “generally not
available” for market-rate
housing, but lists several
state and federal incen-
tives that could help attract
more low-income housing.
The city council meets
Monday at 7 p.m. at city
hall, 180 N.E. Second St.
The full agenda packet can
be found online at hermis-
ton.or.us/meetings.
New city manager takes the reins
Ben Burgener
replaces former
city manager
Blair Larsen, who
resigned in May
By JADE MCDOWELL
East Oregonian
STANFIELD — Stan-
fi eld has a city manager
once again.
Ben Burgener started the
job about three weeks ago,
and said he was excited to
be chosen to help the city in
its next chapter.
“This is the perfect spot,
with a lot opportunity,” he
said. “Stanfi eld is primed
for growth.”
Burgener has an under-
graduate degree in recre-
ational management and a
master’s in public adminis-
tration from Brigham Young
University.
He
most
recently
ser ved
as a city
administra-
tor in Ada,
Burgener
Minnesota.
Burgener was born and
raised in Utah, but said he
was drawn to the Stanfi eld
job because he had previ-
ously spent some time liv-
ing in Corvallis and was
interested in returning to
Oregon. His wife and three
daughters moved to Stan-
fi eld with him.
He was busy Friday lives-
treaming the grand open-
ing of Mama Bear’s Quilt
Shop on the city’s Face-
book page. Burgener said
he hopes to be able to help
Stanfi eld attract new eco-
nomic development, partic-
ularly on the land just south
of Interstate 84, which the
city recently brought into its
urban growth boundary.
“It’s a great spot, and
being able to develop that
will be fun,” he said.
He said an Oregon
Department of Transporta-
tion project to revamp Main
Street should help revital-
ize downtown, and he also
hopes to see more housing
projects come into Stan-
fi eld. He plans to use his
expertise in recreational
management to develop
new parks and recreation
offerings in town.
Burgener replaced for-
mer city manager Blair
Larsen, who resigned in
May to take a job in Sweet
Home. He said he hopes
people will feel welcome to
give their input as he gets
settled into the new job.
“I have an open door pol-
icy,” he said. “I’d love to talk
to people about their ideas.”
BRIEFLY
rial Park near the corner of Highway 11 and Southeast Court
Avenue.
The project is a collaboration between the city and Veterans
of Foreign Wars Post 922, which has already purchased some of
the materials for the main attraction that will feature a medallion
for each branch of the military and a to-be-determined center-
piece art installation.
With the total cost of the project set at $123,753, committee
Chairman Charles Denight wrote in a report that the rest would
be covered by a state grant and a VFW fundraising campaign.
With the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range in
the midst of a seven-fi gure industrial expansion, and the city is
looking to recoup some of the costs through a grant.
Staff is recommending that the council allow Business Ore-
gon to designate the range’s expansion a Regionally Specifi c
Industrial Site.
The designation will allow the city to apply for a 50% income
tax reimbursement from the state for each job created on the site,
up to $20 million.
The expansion will be paid for in part by a $3 million grant
from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The
council will also vote to accept the grant at the meeting.
The council meeting will be held Tuesday at the council
chambers in city hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Ave.
Convention Center, Oct. 21 at the Sherwood Heights Ele-
mentary School gym, and Oct. 28 at the Washington Ele-
mentary School gym.
Eastern Oregon mayors, managers
resume seats on boards
SALEM — Two mayors and two city mangers from East-
ern Oregon again take seats on statewide association boards.
The Oregon Mayors Association and the Oregon City/
County Management Association selected offi cers and
board members for 2020 during their annual business meet-
ings at the League of Oregon Cities 94th Annual Confer-
ence in Bend.
Weston’s Jennifer Spurgeon and Elgin’s Allan Duffy
resumed their roles as members of the board of directors for
the Oregon Mayors Association. Likewise, Pendleton City
Manager Robb Corbett and Irrigon City Manager Aaron
Palmquist take seats again on the board for the City/County
Management Association.
The two associations are affi liate organizations of the
League of Oregon Cities.
— East Oregonian staff
City to hold public meetings on street
funding
PENDLETON — The city of Pendleton is still consid-
ering its funding options for street repair and improve-
ment and wants to hear from the public about what they
should do.
After spending the past few months presenting options
to various community groups, the city will hold a series of
public meetings across the city.
The meetings will be held on Monday at the Pendleton
FREE Drive-Thru
Flu Shot Clinic
10/11-10/13
10/14
Cineplex Show Times
Cineplex Show Times
$5 Classic Movie
$5 Classic Movie
Showing Wednesday @ 12p
Showing Wednesday @ 12p
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Gemini Man (PG13)
1:20p* 4:10p
7:00p 9:40p
The Addams Family (PG)
2D 2:20p* 4:30p 6:40p
12:10p* 8:50p
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1:30p* 4:20p
7:10p 9:50p
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12:20p* 2:30p*
4:40p 6:50p 9:00p
Rambo: Last Blood (R)
12:30p* 2:40p*
4:50p 7:20p 9:30p
Gemini Man (PG13)
4:10p 7:00p 9:40p
The Addams Family (PG)
2D 4:30p 6:40p
8:50p
Joker (R)
4:20p 7:10p 9:50p
Abominable (PG)
4:40p 6:50p 9:00p
Rambo: Last Blood (R)
4:50p 7:20p 9:30p
* Matinee Pricing
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wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850
wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850
Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216
Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216
October 14
2PM to 6PM
Pendleton Convention Center
Parking Lot
Flu shot drive through clinic
for people ages 18 and older
We will have both low and high dose
vaccine available, and we are limited to the
first 750 people.
For more info call
541-278-3262
2801 St. Anthony Way
Pendleton, OR 97801
www.sahpendleton.org