Bad news for taxpayers
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Hospital levy to double;
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Rodeo
court
wins
'big one'
Increased farm land
values explained
The recent rise in assehsd
land values for Morrow
County has raised the eye
brows and voices of many
local residents involved in
agriculture.
In response to this interest,
Judge Paul Jones invited Bill
Johnson, manager of The
Dalles District of the Oregon
Department of Revenue, to
speak at the courthouse, Mon
day to, clear up some rumors
and provide some facts.
Nearly 80 farmers attended
the session, most of whom are
involved in wheat production.
Cancer fund
drive is on
Heppner residents may
donate to the American Can
cer Society Thursday evening,
May 16, when members of the
Heppner Soroptimist Club
conduct a door-to-door cam
paign. They will be assisted by
other women of the com
munity. In the 1973 cancer drive
Heppner did not give strong
support to the program be
cause no organized drive was
held locally. Because some
Heppner residents have been
stricken with the disease this
past year, members of the
Soroptimists hope support will
be stronger.
A fact sheet from the
Oregon Division of the Amer
ican Cancer Society says,
"Cancer strikes one in four
persons, or two of three
families. One in three cancer
patients are being saved. This
could be one in two with
earlier detection and treat
ment. Cancer takes the lives
of more teenagers than any
other disease. There are now
V
First place in the mounted
courts division of the Milton
Freewater Pea Festival
parade Saturday was won by
Queen Sherry Kemp and her
court and pennant bearers.
Twenty mounted courts
were entered in the division's
competition. "We are just
thrilled. The girls were up
against the big ones such as
the Pendleton Round-Up and
the Eastern Washington State
, Fair. The, judging was the
stiffest they wiil lace this
year," Suzanne Jepsen, court
chaperone, said.
The court and pennant
bearers rode in Saturday's
Johnson began by noting
that the farm income type
appraisal method which is
currently being used by
county assessors is in no way
new or untried. In fact, this
method has been used for
about seven years in the area
and apparently has not always
been so controversial as it is
now. He also noted that the
market wheat price has not
caused any large appraisal
increase until now.
"I felt it was pretty well
understood that it wasn't a
one-way street," he said, in
1,500.000 Americans alive to
day, cured of cancer."
Statistics published by the
Oregon Division state that 62
per cent of the money raised in
Oregon stays in Oregon. Of
this amount 10 per cent is used
for research in major Oregon
institutions, 18 per cent for
public and professional edu
cation, 21 per cent for patient
care, rehabilitation and com
munity service and 13 per cent
for fund raising and manage
ment of the program. The
remaining 38 per cent of the
money raised in Oregon goes
to the American Cancer So
ciety for use in research,
medical grants and fellow
ships and educational and
service programs.
The purpose of the drive is
to raise money and to educate
the public to cancer's danger
signals. Local chairwomen of
the drive for the Soroptimists
are Marlene Gray and Etta
Parker. County Cancer Cru
sade chairwoman is Mrs. Ron
Black of Boardman.
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Morrow County's Fair and Rodeo Court placed first in the
Milton-Freewater Pea Festival Saturday in a field of 20
competitors. The 1974 court are, from the left. Patricia Van
Schoiack, Michele Evans, Queen Sherry Kemp, Cassy Chapel
and Mickey Hoskins.
parade carrying their newly
won trophy. Following the
parade they attended the
Queen's luncheon, reported to
be a "grand" affair for 200
guests.
Sunday, May 5, was one of
those "rare days in May" and
a busy one for the court.
Queen Sherry and Princesses
Michele, Patricia, Cassy and
Mickey began the day's ac
tivities by attending Hope
Lutheran Church.
Jim Rogers, rodeo publicity
chairman, hosted a luncheon
for the court and the rodeo
board. Sunday was official
picture-taking day for the
court. The Dick Wtlkenson
reference to the fact that the
assessment rate wouldn't
always be lower than the
property owners would like.
According to Johnson, the
basic principle of this type of
land appraisal is the antici
pated production of the land,
and not just the past perfor
mance of the property. "In
land appraisal the past is only
helpful for evaluating the
future usefulness of the land,"
he explained.
Since the market price for
the coming years cannot be
pinpointed it must be com
puted, using the most ac
curate figures available, those
of the previous two years
market quotations, which is
then established by the local
assessors as the fair and basic
average price.
The statutes set up by the
Oregon legislature were
briefly read and explained by
Johnson, who noted some of
the more important ones.
One of the statutes provides
for a board of review which is
made up of two county court
appointed members, two
members of the court, two
assessor-appointed members
and one member appointed at
large by the other members.
The appraisal of the prop
erty is not the final settlement
if the property owner feels it is
unjust. Johnson said the
landowners can petition for
judicial review and possibly
receive a re-adjustment.
Although comparable sale
of land can be used in
establishing value of land it
cannot by Oregon statute be
used to evaluate land use.
Johnson talked briefly of
landlord-operator agreements
and how they affect property
assessment. He explained that
the most often used one third,
two-thirds rental arrange
ment is the most commonly
used division method. The
landlord is assessed for the net
income of the land along with
si?
4
Ranch provided the back
ground for pictures which will
be used by the rodeo board for
publicity.
The girls then finished out
the day by participating in the
Wrangler Playday.
Assisting Mrs. Jepsen with
chaperone duties for the 1974
court is Clista Venard of
Heppner. Pennant bearers for
this year's court are Barbara
Palmer and Sherry Wilson of
lone and Teresa Hughes and
Sally Matheny of Heppner
The bearers wear matching
outfits of blue pants and blue
flowered shirts which blend
with the colors of the court's
outfits.
his operating expenses.
"However, only those owner
expenses which are attributed
to obtaining the highest level
of land use are involved," he
said.
A statue provides that the
assessor may use information
from many sources in gaining
.assessment values. These
sources include banks, county
agents, and questionnaires
sent out by the assessor.
Johnson mentioned the
wheat and barley diversion
programs, currently used in
land assessment, which allow
for summer fallow and high
yield programs. "When this
type of deferral was first used
it lowered the appraisal rates ;
however, the market price
changed that," he said.
To explain the system more
precisely Johnson filled a
blackboard with figures to
illustrate how the appraisers
do their job. He explained that
many factors or constants are
used as "average" or "stan
Continued on Page 9
Waste
plan
ok'd
The Morrow County Solid
Waste Management Plan has
been tenatively approved by
the Department of Environ
mental Quality as presented
by John McDonald of Clark
and Groff Inc.
The notice of approval was
received in Judge Paul Jone's
office Tuesday afternoon and
passed on to County Planner
Del Smith.
Further public meetings
will be held in the near future
to finalize the plan as ap
proved by DEQ.
Huge increases in budgets
for Pioneer Memorial Hos
pital and Morrow County
Road Department were ex
plained by Ilene Wyman,
hospital administrator, and
Judge Paul Jone3 at the
chamber of commerce Mon
day. Mrs. Wyman said the serial
levy of $22,500 per year plus an
annual $10,000 for the county
expired last year. A new levy
of $65,000 a year for a
three-year period is being
asked, with the county re
linguishing its support funds.
Part of the increase, ac
cording to Mrs. Wyman, is for
the retirement plan for hos
pital employees and payment
into the state unemployment
plan. These two items total
$23,270. Salary increases
amount to $1,100, which brings
hospital workers up to new
minimum wage scales. The
current hospital budget is
$408,000.
Pioneer Hospital serves as a
combination hospital and
nursing home, with facilities
for 20 patients in each section.
However, hospital patients
seldom exceed eight in num
ber, while the nursing home
has a waiting list.
THE
GAZETTE-TIME
Vol. 91, No. 13
Valley View Estates:
Water
aired
A special meeting of the
Heppner Common Council and
the Utilities Board was held
last Wednesday at 8 p.m. at
City Hall to hear Steve
Anderson, city engineer, give
a report on drainage problems
on Gilmore and Morrow
streets.
Anderson told the council
that owners of Valley View
Estates housing subdivision
would be responsible for all
drainage problems and run-off
that is created by the subdivi
sion now under construction.
He also noted that plans have
been submitted by the sub
divider showing the installa
tion of various catch basins
and the installation of 8-inch
storm drains to handle water
run-off problems within the
subdivision and on Gilmore
Stre'et.
"The developer should not
be held responsible for the
city's drainage problems, as
long as he doesn't create any
new ones. Some of the
' responsibility for drainage
belongs to the city, and
although the developer is
trying to eliminate any further
problems, he should not be
held responsible for water on
existing city streets," Ander
son explained.
"The city will have to do
something with its existing
streets, and the city will not
have to pay for anything that
will help the developer," he
added.
Further questions by the
council were answered by
Anderson, who then asked all
interested council members to
meet with him at 8 a.m.
Friday morning at the sub
division site and go over any
problems they might have
regarding the drainage
problems.
Friday morning at 8 a.m.
Anderson met with four coun
cilmen and, according to
reports, all questions regard
ing the run-off were answered
to the apparent satisfaction of
those present.
Anderson told the council
that he had been notified that
Dave Miller of the' Corps of
Engineers would be in Hepp
ner Friday to conduct pre
liminary negotiations regard
ing the cost of the water main
and related facilities. "The
Corps is interested in knowing
what portions of the trans
mission line will be the Corps'
At present one nurse has
been taking care of all hospital
patients and checking on
nursing home , patients each
half-hour. The state requires
that a registered nurse be on
duty in both hospital and
nursing home during the day
shift for the entire week.
Negotiations with the state
resulted in the hospital having
a registered nurse on duty
during the day shift, four days
a week, and a licensed
practical nurse on duty the
remainder of the week.
The change means a budget
increase of $6,900 per yeir.
To further meet state re
quirements, Mrs. Wyman
said, all bathrooms must be
equipped with electronic
devices for the elderly as well
as hospital patients. The
water must not be hotter than
110 degrees, whereas the
present water is connected to
the kitchen and laboratory
source and exceeds ,110 de
grees. New booster tanks
must be installed to solve the
problem.
The state also demands that
a social director, an occupa
tional therapist and a medical
librarian be hired, full or part
time. There are only fiva
Heppner, Ore., Thursday, May 16, 1974
run-off problems
at council meeting
responsibility and what a
mount the City of Heppner will
have to pay," Anderson said.
After a meeting with Miller
Friday, Anderson announced
that it appears as though
negotiations will proceed
smoothly with the Corps of
Engineers. In a brief inter
view with Miller, the Gazette
Times 'learned that negotia
tions for the water relocation
on Willlow Creek Dam ire a
little irregular at this time
because according to Miller,
negotiations are usually held
after all hurdles have been
cleared. Should the dam
receive the official go-ahead,
the Corps will be able to act at
once.
Miller said that it has been
at least 10 years since he has
been in Heppner, and he
Honor students from Hepp
ner High School were tapped
today for membership into the
nation's leading high school
honorary, The Society of
Outstanding American High
School Students.
The following students have
been awarded the honor: Cyde
Marie Allstott, Gregory Paul
Davidson, Kristi Lyn Hague
wood, Gary Dean Hunt,
Charma Trudi Marquardt,
Luke Padberg, Robanai Coral
Riddle, Anita Louise David
son, Shannon Kelly, Michael
Allen Mills, and Sandra Kay
Palmer.
These students are now
participating in The Society of
Outstanding American High
School Student's Annual
Awards Program which offers
$800,000 in renewable college
scholarships. The scholar
ships consist of unrestricted
cash awards to colleges of the
student's choice and renew
able annual scholarships to
I
persons in Eastern Oregon
who have these combined
qualifications. If the three
positions are filled separately
it would add $26,000 per year
to the operating budget.
An ionization system
(smoke detector system) is
required, whereas the hospital
is now equipped with a
sprinkler system in case of
fire. All draperies must be
replaced with a fire resistant
material.
Mrs. Wyman said the raise
in hospital rates has taken
care of the increase in
employe salaries, even though
the number of patients ad
mitted has dropped 13 per cent
during the past year.
, "The hospital has been
operating without the benefits
of the Medicare Funding
program, and now it seems as
though the State is complying
with some of the regulations of
the Health and Welfare De
partment," she said.
"We don't want to give up
the hospital for a nursing
home, yet the state has us in a
bind, and there doesn't seem
to be any simple solution to the
problem."
Asked what portion of the
total budget would be a
wanted a first-hand view of
the proposed site rather than
study aerial photos and con
tour maps.
He stated the Corps would
be willing to help the city on
water relocation facilities on a
percentage basis rather than a
lump sum basis. One of the
reasons for the percentage
basis is the rising costs of
material and labor. Should the
cost of material continue to
increase, the city would bene
fit from a straight percentage
basis rather than a lump sum
cost figure at the present time.
Miller also suggested that
many of the w,ork items could
be grouped into categories
rather than individual items,
as long as the work is in direct
relation with the work to be
performed.
SS:S:S:i:;SSS:
Heppner honor
students named
leading colleges and uni
versities across the nation.
The Society of Outstanding
American High School Stu
dents Awards Program is one
of the largest of its kind in the
country.
The Awards Program is one
means The Society uses to
promote academic achieve
ment and civic responsibility
on the part of American youth.
These students are also
recognized nationally in an
annually published volume,
The Society of Outstanding
American High School Stu
dents, which is distributed to
colleges, universities and
libraries across the nation.
Principals and counselors of
high schools submit' to The
Society each year a limited
number of their top students.
The Society then selects only
the young men and women
who have distinguished them
selves as the highest of
achievers for membership.
one-time budget item , she said
"About $11,000 will be a
one-time budget item, te
remainder of the cost will
continue to go on and on."
Judge Paul Jones spoke to
members about the proposed
road budget for the new fiscal
year.
The budget shows an in
crease of $171,776 for the
general road fund. This a
mount includes an 82 per cent
increase for the employe
salaries.
With the exception of $5,600
per year for the service of a
county surveyor, whf? the
county has not previously'had.
most of the increase is due to
the increase in costs of
materials for roadway work.
"Last year road oil cost the
county $37 per ton. The cost
has risen to $75 per ton, or a
100 per cent increase. The
same is true of diesel oil and
gasoline. Last year we were
able to purchase gasoline in
bulk quantities, now we are
unable to do so and are forced
to pay a premimum price for
it," he said.
"Failure to pass the road
levy would result in the county
patching, sealing and repair
Continued on Page 9
15c
Anderson suggested to the
council they take home a
drawing he presented to them
for further study, and the
council meet again the fol
lowing Wednesday night to
approve the plans.
Anderson contends it would
be in the city's interest to wait
another three months and see
if the authorization of the
Willow Creek Dam is ap
proved by Congress. It is
impossible for the city to
construct a one million gallon
reservoir at this time, and
should the dame be approved,
and negotiations are com
pleted with the Corps of
Engineers, work would be
able to proceed without fur
ther delay.
Continued on Page 9
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