To reconstruct, expend llc-pner wctcr system
hmd election called for Dec. 3
$450.
000
Heppner residents will go to
the polls In special election
Dec. S to decide whether
$450,000 In general obligation
bond? will be Issued to
Improve, reconstruct and ex
tend the water supply system
of the City of Heppner. The
Common Council unanimously
endorsed the resolution at a
special meeting Thursday
night.
The city is faced with an
emergency situation because
the State of Oregon recently
refused to permit the city to
make any new water connec
tions until its water system
has been brought up to
accepted state standards.
Navy willing to relocate range
Rear Admiral John Tierney,
speaking before the Rotary
Club in Hermistnn Thursday,
told business and professional
men that "the Navy is less
pessimistic ana more opti
mistic" that It has been in
some time in trying to find an
alternate site to replace the
Bon rd ni un Bombing Range.
"Another site is under
investigation by the Navy at
this time," Tierney continued.
"I am not at liberty to disclose
the location a! this time due to
the public's rewtion. The
proposed site is owned by 36
individuals, and each land
owner must be contacted
before any commitments can
be made. Should the Navy
disclose the proposed site at
this time, oquisition would be
virtually impossible."
') The Navy is faced with
many problems in trying to
relocate, other than finding a
suitable site. Among them are
1
Hear Admiral John Tierney speaking before the
Kotary Club in llermiston last week said "The Navy
will relocate facilities from Boardman as soon as we
can find a place to move to."
PGE$500,000 land
deal near Cecil
Portland General Electric has purchased 1,700 acres of
ranch land in Gilliam County, in the Pebble Springs area
near Arlington, the Gazette-Times learned yesterday.
The $500,000 land deal was recorded in Gilliam County
court house Oct. 31. It involves purchase of the Krebs Bros.,
Inc.. lands. According to the records, $100,000 in cash was
paid to consummate the transaction.
The area has been the second choice site for a nuclear
fueled generating plant to be built by PGE. The first choice is
the Cartv site near Boardman.
Unconfirmed reports to the Gazette-Times indicate that
PGE does not consider the Pebble Springs site an alternative
to the Carty one. but "in addition to it." If so, this could mean
that a nuclear generating plant could be located at Carty
when the Navy pulls out. plus one to be constructed at Pebble
' PNo Morrow County land was involved in the PGE-Krebs
Bros, transaction, although part of it is adjacent to Morrow
County.
Steve Anderson, city engi
neer, said the following work
will have to be dune to bring
Heppner's present water ayi
tem up to state standards:
improve Well 3 and utilize the
Thorpe Well as a standby
source of water: relocate the
existing 8-Inch Willow Creek
transmission line and replace
It with a 12 inch line; relocate
Reservoir No. 1 on the West
hill, directly in line with
Willow St., and Increase iti
capacity to one million gal
lons; automate Wells 2, 3 and S
to maintain an automatic
water level within the reser
voir; and improve the present
distribution system within city
limits.
The latter includes taking
the relocation of its $200
million bombing range facili
ties and approval by Congress
of the site. Should the Navy
decide to move its facilities
immediately, the earliest
possible date it could relocate
is 1979-80.
New sites for the Navy have
been under study since 1960,
with seven sites considered at
that time. All seven sites were
rejected by the Navy for
various reasons; namely the
distance from Whidbey Is
land, Wn., which should be
inside a radius of 200 miles;
the terrain, weather, and air
traffic.
Another study was con
ducted by a research team
from Stanford University, in
1969, and nine sites were
proposed. Seven of which had
previously been considered by
the Navy.
The Port of Morrow has
been instrumental in trying to
over the present county water
system and extending a new
lo-inch feeder line to Heppner
High School; placing a cross
tie in Qua id St. to upgrade the
elementary school system;
and Installing new water
mains in Riverside, Center
and May streets.
At present, Heppner High
School and the elementary
school are only receiving IS
and 20 per cent, respectively,
of the required water needs as
determined by the Oregon
Insurance Rating Bureau.
New fire hydrants would
also be installed ; existing ones
would be brought up to state
standards.
The estimated total cost of
the project is $791,620, with the
force the Navy to relocate its
facilities by promoting nu
clear power parks east of the
Cascades.
In recent years Portland
General Electric, the Oregon
Congressional delegation and
state and business leaders
have been seeking the relo
cation of the range. In
October, the Oregon Nuclear
and Thermal Energy Council
decided that the Portland
General Electric nuclear
plant should not be built unless
the Navy relocates.
"Nuclear power is impor
tant, especially during the
energy crisis," said Tierney,
"and we are in sympathy with
residents who are in favor of
both the power and the -agricultural
development in
this area. Our presence in
Boardman is detrimental to
the Carty plant," said Tier
ney, referring to the use of
coolant water from the plant
for agricultural irrigation.
CB ponders
PUC ban
on lighting
Columbia Basin is consid
ering plans which might be
considered by its board of
directors on the banning of
display lighting.
The P.U.C. has issued an
order directing privately
owned electric utilities in the
state to disconnect service to
customers who refuse to
comply with its directive
banning display lighting.
The rural electric co-ops are
not directly under the P.U.C.
in this matter, such action is to
a certain degree a policy
decision of the board of
directors.
It is requested that the small
commercial consumers
should continue to fully, vol
untarily cooperate with the
ban on advertising signs.
Signs should be directly asso
ciated with security or safety
needs, if not advertising a
service offered in evening
hours.
Manager David Harrison
said that a check on Heppner
Main Street on the evening of
Nov. 7 showed only one
advertising light in use. "The
Columbia Basin appreciates
the fine cooperative attitude of
the business membership,"
Harrison said.
Russ Dolven in
RCA National
rodeo finals
Russ Dolven, 32, Wicken
burg, Arix., formerly of Lex
ington, will be entered in the
Rodeo Cowboy Association s
National Finals.
The finals will be held in
Oklahoma City, Dec. 1-9.
Dolven will be entered in the
steer wrestling event. Only the
top 15 cowboys in each rodeo
event are invited to partici
pate in the national finals.
Dolven has been following
the rodeo circuit for several
years, and is well known here
for his rodeo performances
and for having lived and
attended school at Lexington.
Orwick elected
Elected to three-year terms
in the Lexington city election.
Nov. 6, were Gene Orwick.
mayor; Clifford Williams,
Leonard Munkers. Ed Baker
and Bud Wilson, councilmen;
and Ron Riley, recorder.
U.S. government paying $348,
750 of the amount. Estimated
total cost to the City of
Heppner Is $442,870,
The new system will allow
the development of the West,
South and East hills and allow
for any future industrial
development In the city.
Anderson estimated the
population of Heppner to be
2,300 within the next 10 years.
(BAM
Vol. 90, No 3
Judge defends Lake Penland
Jones' appointment to
Gov. Tom McCall last
Thursday announced he would
let stand the appointment of
Morrow County Judge Paul
Jones to the new state Land
Conservation and Develop
ment Commission.
Jones' confirmation was
held up pending an investi
gation of his connection with
the Lake Penland Corporation
conducted by the Local Gov
ernment Relations Division
and the Real Estate Commis
sion. Jones, one of the original 25
investors in the recreational
facility who each put up $3,000
Jones won't 'sacrifice' Penland
Morrow County Judge Paul
Jones has denied a story in the
Sunday Oregonian to the
effect that he is sacrificing his
$3,000 equity in Lake Penland.
"I never made that state
- ment either to the corporation r
or to the governor. I have no
intention of sacrificing or
giving away to the corporation
my $3,000 equity," he said in a
statement to the Gazette
Times. The full text of Jones'
statement follows:
"A recent news item has
indicated a possible conflict of
interest with my position as
commissioner due to my
association with Lake Pen
land. In the Sunday Oregonian
a statement was made that I
am sacrificing my $3,000
equity in Lake Penland.
"I never made that state
ment either to the corporation
or to the governor. I have no
intention of sacrificing or
giving away to the corporation
my $3,000 equity in the
corporation. I am today re
Voters approve college bonds
In the largest vote in the
college's history, Blue Moun
tain Community College won
voter approval Nov. 6 to
complete a building program
planned 11 years ago.
Voters in Morrow and Uma
tilla counties approved a
$1,600,000 bond issue to con
struct a physical education
and music facility which,
when completed, will essen
tially complete the campus.
The vote was 2176 to 1531.
The issue carried in all but
five of the college district's 22
precincts. Morrow County
voters approved the levy 226 to
'Our Town' slated for
tlov. 15, 16 & 17
Remember when the milk
w as brought by a friendly old
milkman and his horse-draWn
cart? When doctors made
calls? Your first strawberry
soda with your sweetheart at
the corner drug store'?
All of these scenes out of the
past will come alive Nov. 15,
16 and 17 at the Heppner High
School when the Heppner
Drama Club presents Thorton
Wilder's "Our Town."
Linda Slusher, director of
the play, said the unique
The proposed Improvements
will allow for the population
increase. More Important, he
says, it will enable the city to
provide itself with an ade
quate water supply, while
furnishing both schools the
water necessary to meet fire
protection standards.
As of Jan. 1, 1973, the
assessed valuation of the City
of Heppner was $7,720,654. The
to launch the development,
and for which he would have
received one lakeside lot, was
charged with having had a
conflict of interest by the
Attorney General because he
actively supported develop
ment of Lake Penland while
serving as a county commis
sioner at the same time he was
an investor in the corporation.
Jones was, in effect, ordered
to divest himself of his Lake
Penland investment, which he
at first agreed to do. But later,
on Nov. 10, Jones wrote L.E,
Dick, president of the corpor
ation, to disregard his ex
questing my attorney to take
the necessary legal procedure
to place any title or interest
that I own in Lake Penland in
a trust until such time as I
' leave office in this county, not
-,4-eause of the proposed ap-,
pointment to the LCDC, but
because it has been inferred
that it is in conflict with my
position as Judge of Morrow
County.
"I do this with regret since it
has been a gratification to look
forward to building a cabin on
one of the lots in the near
future.
"I also regret that my
association with Lake Penland
has resulted in embarrass
ment to them because of my
membership. Our intent from
beginning to end has been to
build a facility for the general
public, to promote tourism
and recreation in this county
that we could be proud of, and
this we have done.
"I was informed several
months ago that my name,
166 and Umatilla County
approved 1950 to 1365. The
vote exceeded by 376 the
previous high total vote in
April 1968.
The college board of educa
tion met yesterday to canvass
the vote and instruct archi
tects on details that will
assure completion of the
building by fall term 1975.
Board Chairman Bob Zerba,
Athena, described the election
as an important step in the
college's history, adding that
it assures future students and
residents of the two-county
district of a well-rounded
staging of Our Town forces the
audience to use imagination
and their own lifetime experi
ences in relating to the
characters and their situation.
Our Town is a play set in the
small town of Grover's Cor
ner, New Hampshire, but it's
an expression of life with
which anyone watching can
identify.
Curtain time on all three
days is 8 p m. at Heppner High
School.
present city charter does not
allow the city to bond itself for
more than 10 per cent of Its
assessed valuation, or $772,
065. The city now has general
obligation bonds, sewer, in the
amount of $5,000 with a
maturity date of Feb. 1, 1974;
water bonds, $12,000, with a
maturity date of April 1. 1974;
and swimming pool and flood
damage repair bonds of $86-
Heppner, Ore., Thursday, November
pressed intent to return the
property to the corporation.
"It is my understanding,"
Jones wrote, "that the corpor
ation is not in a financial
position to do this at this time .
I have todav contacted my
attorney, Dennis Doherty, and
requested that he do what is
necessary to put my equity in
Lake Penland in trust until
such time as I leave the
service of Morrow County."
Jones told the Gazette
Times Monday that he is far
from happy with publicity
from the governor's office
with others from Eastern
Oregon, had been submitted to
the governor for his consider
ation for appointment to the
LCDC. After so much time had
elapsed, I had concluded that
. someone els bad been select
ed. ' " "
"Ron Schmidt of McCall's
office told me on Oct. 10 that
with my permission Gov.
McCall was appointing me to
the commission. At that time I
told him I would accept. Again
on Oct. 23, following a TV
news item involving Morrow
County, its officials and Lake
Penland officials, the gover
nor's office called, asking me
to withdraw my name. I
refused, saying that McCall
could fire me but I would not
quit.
"Wednesday, Nov. 7, fol
lowing an intensive investi
gation, which the corporation
and myself had requested, the
governor announced his in
tention to let my nomination
stand.
physical education, health and
recreation program.
"Our mandate is to see to it
that these facilities are used
seven days a week by students
and other citizens from
throughout the far reaches of
Umatilla and Morrow coun
ties," Zebra added.
The building will include a
1 ; ;
, ! v. : .
' . . V
' V .-mill , hwM
-- -- h;;t:: X'jiUv-
" " iithzzuj i h
V ' ""' f .. '
ooo and $90,000, respectively,
dite in 1983 and 1986.
The city, under its present
charter, will have a reserve
bonding capacity of $596,065
after April 1, 1974.
The council announced that
the improvement program
will not raise present water
rates.
Funds to pay for the bonds
will be obtained by an ad
13, 1973
that, while clearing him of any
illegality in the Lake Penland
Corp., left him and the
corporation both under a cloud
of suspicion.
McCall, in a press inter
view, was quoted as saying
that a factor militating a
gainst Jones' appointment to
the LCDC is that the corpor
ation itself "disregarded, ap
parently out of carelessness,
certain requirements for sub
dividing land."-
Jones disputes that any
requirements were not, or are
not, being met. Instead of the
investigation, which he had
interest
"The area comprising this
Congressional District is one
which the governor has ap
pointed me to represent. All
other appointees are from
west of the Cascades.
, 'The personal satisfaction
that this appointment first
afforded me had been wiped
out by events of the last two
weeks. However, I would be
disappointed if the people of
my county expected me to quit
while both the corporation and
myself are still under fire."
Jones went to Eugene Tues
day to attend a convention of
the State Association of Ore
gon Counties, of which he is a
past president. He said he
planned to go by Salem and
"demand written documen
tation of illegal or question
able practices" on the part of
Lake Penland officials or
himself.
"I am entitled to know the
results of that investigation,
and I demand to know whats
wrong, if any, were commit
ted," he said.
music facility, indoor swim
ming pool, gymnasium for
basketball, volleyball, gym
nastics and other activities;
and facilities for weight-lifting,
wrestling and handball.
Precincts voting against the
bond issue were Hermiston,
Milton-Freewater, Stanfield,
Umapine and lone.
Members of the cast of the play "Our Town" are shews
rehearsing the wedding scene. Pictured above, from
the left, are Toni Toll. Joha .Meyers and Jak t hitty.
valorem tax on property. Any
additional operating costs
would be offset by revenue
derived from new water users
and other services.
There will be an increase In
the property tax. The bonds
will add $4.74 per $1,000
valuation to the present tax
load, bringing the total tax
rate for 1974-75 lo $30.12 per
$1,000.
IS cents
stand
demanded, clearing him and
the corporation of any wrong
doing, "it has served only to
create a lingering suspicion
that something is amiss in the
corporation's activity."
The findings of the investi
gation have never been given
him, Jones said. "I only know
what has appeared in the
press."
Jones must still be approved
by the Senate Committee on
Excutive Appointments, pro
ably in December, and then by
the full Senate at the special
session next year.
Noise
parade
studied
Parades, Christmas deco
rations and underground
"sprinkler systems were the,
topics discussed at the lone
City Council meeting Nov. 6.
Mike Warren, student body
president, and John Edmund-t
son, principal of the lone High
School, appeared before the
council to discuss the student
noise parade held Oct. 18. The
city council had received
several complaints that the
actions of some of the drivers
taking part in the parade were
dangerous. The city council
asked the lone student council
to draw up some guidelines for
future noise parades and to
present them at the next city
council meeting. Further ac
tion was postponed until the
student report is received and
reviewed.
" Mrs. Mary Holtz was ap
pointed to investigate the cost
of Christmas decorations that
do not require electrical
lighting. The city's present
decorations will not be usable
this year due to the governor's
ban on outdoor lighting.
The council studied plans
for the underground sprinkler
system to be installed in the
city park. No action was taken
and the study will be con
tinued at the next meeting.
C.J.D. Pauman, Heppner, is
in intensive care , at the
Veterans's Hospital, Walla
Walla, Wn.