NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Community Health Beat
Submitted Photo
Steins Pillar Elementary School in Prineville.
Crook County
voters reject
school bond
By BRYCE DOLE
The Bulletin
PRINEVILLE — A bond
measure that would have
funneled millions of dollars
toward improvements for
Crook County School Dis-
trict’s oldest facilities has
failed, district officials con-
ceded Tuesday.
In all, 51.37% of vot-
ers said no to the $66 mil-
lion bond while 48.63% said
yes, according to the Oregon
Secretary of State’s website
as of Tuesday afternoon,
a gap that has only grown
over the past week. The
deadline for certifying the
election isn’t until June 13,
but Tuesday was the final
day on which ballots mailed
last week could be counted.
The bond measure was
one of at least eight in mostly
rural Oregon school dis-
tricts that failed this election
cycle, according to the Ore-
gon School Boards Associ-
ation. Voters approved at
least six other bond mea-
sures, five of which were in
school districts located in
the Willamette Valley.
Crook County School
District
officials
attri-
bute the bond failures in
rural districts largely to the
nationwide economic tur-
moil brought on by inflation
and surging gas prices.
“I suppose miracles hap-
pen, but the trend hasn’t
changed since last Tues-
day,” school board mem-
ber Scott Cooper said of the
bond measure’s failure. “I
point the finger directly at
the deterioration of the eco-
nomic situation.”
The district’s superin-
tendent, Sara E. Johnson,
agreed that economic insta-
bility, atop national fears
over the war in Ukraine
and cultural upheaval over
schools, may have nega-
tively impacted voter inter-
est in the bond.
“People are afraid, and
things are unsteady,” John-
son said. “Voting for more
taxes wasn’t their first pri-
ority.” The measure would
have increased the tax rate
by 10 cents per $1,000 of
assessed property value, dis-
trict officials have said.
But with the district’s
decades-old boilers, roofs
and other facilities getting
older and repairs growing
more expensive each year,
district officials say they
will almost certainly have to
go out for another bond.
District officials said
it’s possible that the dis-
trict might trim the bond but
noted that many of the dis-
trict’s essential facilities,
including roofs, will need to
be replaced eventually.
The bond was intended
to fund new and expanded
facilities to improve the
school district’s programs
and security. The district
hoped to improve its old
roofs, boilers, undersized
cafeterias and locker rooms
and an auditorium. It also
hoped to expand middle
school classrooms that are
becoming too small for the
growing district.
The bond also would
have allowed the district to
receive $4 million in grant
funds from the Oregon
School Capital Improve-
ment Matching Program.
Cooper did not voice any
regret in going out for the
bond this cycle. He said the
voter turnout was larger than
what the district has seen for
bond measures in the past,
and he noted that it failed by
a relatively small margin.
He did say, though, that
had the district known how
the economy would change,
they may have put off the
bond measure proposal.
“I think we failed to take
into account the very real
economic pain that’s being
inflicted on people,” he said.
He added: “We were watch-
ing with some horror in the
last couple of weeks as the
markets tanked.”
Cooper and Johnson said
it’s possible that the district
goes out for another bond as
early as next November, but
said district officials have
had little discussion over
what they plan to do next.
Cooper said of a possible
November bond proposal, “I
wouldn’t rule that out.”
Teachers could get
pandemic bonus
By IAN CRAWFORD
Baker City Herald
BAKER CITY — Baker
School District teach-
ers and other employees
who have worked through-
out the pandemic could
receive a bonus payment
of $860 if they stay on
through the 2022-23 school
year.
Employees who worked
for one year during the pan-
demic and stay for next
year could get $430.
The money would be
from a state grant program
designed to reward school
employees who stayed
during the pandemic and
encourage them to continue
in their jobs.
The Baker School Board
voted on May 19 to apply
for $242,000 from the state
program.
The district filed the
grant “in an effort to retain
our contracted teachers,
classified, and confiden-
tial staff on our payroll who
worked during the pandemic
and will continue with us,”
said Lindsey McDowell,
the district’s public infor-
mation and communica-
tions coordinator.
“To my knowledge, there
was no significant staff exo-
dus during the pandemic,
even when the vaccination
mandate went into place,”
McDowell said. “Although
we won’t know probably
until August, I am told that
we do expect most staff to
return next year.”
What's new at BMHD?
Rehabilitation Department Expands
Services
We’re continuing to expand services in our Rehab Department and are now
offering lymphedema management and pelvic floor physical therapy!
We are excited to announce that Katie Cole, PT, DPT, CLT has received her
certification in managing lymphedema. She can treat a range of patients
from acute to chronic with coordinated care with the patient’s physician.
Katie Hughes PT, DPT has obtained additional training in pelvic floor health
and is now seeing patients who deal with pelvic floor dysfunction including
pain, urinary retention issues, and pre/post pregnancy.
As always, please stop by to say hi or give us a call to ask any questions that
you may have. We look forward to providing these therapies to our
community!
Rehabilitation Services - 541-575-4157
Dine & Walk With a Doc
Join us the second Tuesday of each month starting in July for a complementary
catered meal while you enjoy a talk on health and wellness topics from your
local healthcare providers/professionals. After we eat, we’ll take a walk around
beautiful 7th Street Complex. A new topic will be presented each month.
What Time: Dinner will begin at 5:30 pm and a walk around the complex will
follow.
Where: Dinner will be served at the Veteran Memorial Picnic Shelter @ 7th
Street
When: July 12th, August 9th, September 13th
This is a FREE event and people of all ages are invited!
In collaboration with: John Day/Canyon City Parks & Rec, Community Counseling Solutions & Grant
County Community Health Improvement Coalition
FREE Bicycle Helmets!
Our Injury Prevention Program has
FREE bicycle helmets for all ages -
both children and adults. Stop by
Strawberry Wilderness Community
Clinic to pick yours up anytime
during regular business hours. No
appointment needed!
Locally Grown
Prenatal/Postpartum
Classes
Register now for June
prenatal/postpartum classes by
visiting our website. Classes are
FREE, dinner is provided.
Dates: June 8th, 15, 27th
5:30pm-8:00pm
We're Hiring!
Recruiter | Human Resources - (Full Time)
Environmental Services Technician | Housekeeping/Laundry - (Full Time)
Activities Director | Care Center - (Full Time)
Claims & Billing Specialist | Business Office - (Full Time)
Many other full-time, part-time & casual positions open,
visit our website for more information & to apply.
Save the Date:
Blue Mountain Healthcare Foundation
Fundraiser Golf Scramble
Saturday, July 16th, 2022
John Day Golf Club
www.bluemountainhospital.org
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