Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1976)
PJ ospital budget BESS m e r needs booster THE GAZE VOL. M, NO. 39 Announcements! Winter weather has checked in early this year in many of Ore gon's mountain passes and much of the high country. In dealing with this early arrival, the Oregon Transportation Commission approved the use of studded tires beginning October 26, 1976. C T -I ' rr i 1 Marilyn Terjeson has been elected chairper son of the Advisory Council of the Morrow L'matilla Counties Re tired Senior Volunteer Program. Sherman Messenger, Lexington, is a new member of the council. During the summer quaitcr, RSVP volun teers gave 6,467 hours of service to the two-county area. These retired persons are available to serve any nonprofit organi zation or agency, ex cepting religious or po litical. For Information. ,.ll T7A V1II Business locates A tractor and automobile repair company that goes by two names In lone, is planning to move to different quarters In mid November or early De cember. According to Cleo Chiiders. owner of BaC Parts and Supply or BaC Repair, the machinery works In the pre sent building will be moved about half milt to the new location on the highway near Peecher'i Cafe. Th new building will glvt the company needed space. The old building Is M X 60 or j.OOO square feet. The new building will offer 1.000 square feet In Its metal, 100 X 70 foot space. The company will also eipand Its services, offering parta and equipment, repair on autoa as well as Iractor, bravy equipment and fartn equipment. The business will Incorpor ate parts stork and machine works and will feature new mechanical tools lo rebuild i Pacific parts of farm and heavy equipment The business now employs five persons, but Childef said will etpand employment, also. Plans are set for mid November or early December move Ifl. n S o IIEPPNER, OR. CBEC Condon meeting r rf n I ' .V.. j 'V ' ' i i : .l M- - J' ' . .x-. X' f " I t x . . i r i f i - I smaMaMMaai - ' Two hundred seventy mem bers and guests were present at the 32nd Annual Member ship Meeting held November 6th at Condon. President Van Rietmann told of the complex contract ual power supply problems the Board has faced recently and many wmilar problems on power supply contracts in the future. He also told of pro grams the Coop, had in effect to reduce "line loss" in getting the purchased power to the consumer's service. This was a very viable form of con servation, he stated. These improvements included: ca pacitor installations, a good meter testing program, new systems transmission and dis tribution lines, heavier ser vice drops, line balancing and conversion to higher voltage distribution lines for carrying distribution power. Director Dick Wilkinson recognued three employees with perfect records "on the job" or no lost time (such as sick leave) for the fiscal year: Lucia Barrett. Doyle Key and Bill McDowell. Other employ ees recognited for outstanding on the Job" records were: Dan James. Dave Harrison, Jim Prock. Lea Winters and Neil Parks. Elmer Palmer, a Director for 15 years, had announced retirement and the Board of Directors honored him with a plaque and gift certificate. Walt Jaeger was recognlxed for his years on the Board of Directors. The bylaw pmpoaal to amend the by laws calling for deredent lat rapilal rrtit paymenta to be specifically applicable to the death of "natural person" and calling for pmaihle limit on the amount of decedent estate payments In any one year w 52 voted In by JI to Van Rietmann was elected over John R a director for Zone I, tick Krrt was elected as directfW over Gary Crtch In Zone 1. and Herb Wrht was elected over R W, Roile In ?'e T. The belMing committee for counting "mail' and "in per-on- vrting was One Pterre, I hhili I ' IE-TIME Thursday, Nov. 11,1 76 i L Dave Dollarhide, Weatherford, Mike Sweeney, Clarence Potter and Bernard Aamodt. Manager Dave Harrison gave a colored slide presen tation of some of the system improvement projects of the past year. He also showed slides of many business build ings which had recently been converted to electric heating. Harrison told of the good work of the employees the past year, with no lost time acci dents once again; an out standing record on holding down workmen's compensa tion claims; a good safety record and a good Job of working on "catch up pro jects" as well as keeping up on new member service re quests. Treasurer Paul Tews cover- ed some items of the audit report recent and discussed the Board action in ef fecting a policy of discounting decedent estate payments unless they are made at the same time as general distribu- tton of patrons credits for specific years' credits. School meeting Riverside High School in Boardman will house the Morrow County School Dis trict Board meeting Novem ber 15 at ? M p m. A report from the district's architect on the progrtws of the district's building program Is epected Building projects Include shops in Heppner and lone and tljHftm addiUcrj at River side and A C. Houghton F.I menlary School In Irrlgon. The building program has plagued ith minor delays recently. A representative of the auditing firm of Wetherell. Wftherelt. Morrtson and fife ill bate representative present to dtcus the dtt- trkt financial statu and txnrnt the dttrkt audit risi for epwl rwetonity In etucation ami employment will be ctviiW ed by the rad f see! time WW. HEPPME 8 Pages 15C The dinner was served by the Condon Eastern Star ladies. Entertainment was provided by a Condon High School chorus and instrum ental group. Observe Nov. 11. 1976 Survey return sought Several weeks ago residents of Morrow County were asked to pick up and fill out a city council and planning commis sion attitude poll. Points of disbursement Included City IU; and the Post Office, to Local man in 'Deep fWaue all federal employ em have already celebrated their Veteran's Day holiday earlier th month, all federal office will be open today. November It All oiher bui nr In Heppner itl be c hated In observance of thia day htwwwing the American V(rar By La von Starr In the shadow of Pioneer Memorial Hospital stands a considerably less obvious structure. Yet, despite its menial stature, the Heppner Medical Clinic may very well be the life-blood of the Morrow County Hospital. Prior to the arrival of Drs. Richard Carpenter and Joe Gifford to the clinic nineteen months ago, Pioneer Memorial Hospital was averaging 100 out-patients a month. At present, the out-patient average runs approximately 250 a month. According to hospital administrator, Ilene Wyman, "Everyone seems to think it's (the clinic) great. The doctors are most satisfactory to our needs and we certainly needed them." The clinic, a $31,500.00 modular home, has handled some 3,000 charts (number of cases on file) since its opening. According to the two doctors, the facility is already too small. "One more examining room per side is needed and may have to be built in the near future," reviews Dr. Carpenter. Agreeing, Dr. Gifford points out, "It is a little on the small side for two physicians, but using the county hospital facilities also helps to relieve the tight space." i 'Pioneer Memorial Hospital is an excellent facility...' Basically, the immediate problem does not lie with the crowded quarters in the clinic. In order for H.M.C. to be an even greater aid to the medical needs of this county, the medical equipment available in Pioneer Memorial must be updated as soon as possible. Cautiously, Dr. Gifford estimates that, "the hospital will not be able to function as such, probably not beyond five years from now, without some major equipment replacement. There is a great chance Medicare or the government will reassess this hospital within five years. Look at the nursing home." The nursing home, located on the lower floor of Pioneer Memorial, according to Dr. Gifford, "can no longer take Medicare patients because it has been assessed to be below Medicare standards. What I'm wondering is how long it will be before that same situation will come to the hospital." Mrs. Wyman disagrees in part with that prognosis. "Medicare never has taken any of the patients in the nursing home. Most of them pay from their own pockets or adjust the fee with their insurance company if they can find one that will list this care." In order for the nursing home to be brought under the classification of what is termed a "skilled nursing facility" and receive benefits as such, estimates Dr. Carpenter, "it should convert the bed section of the hospital into a larger nursing home with room for 22 nursing patients. Then we could afford to go under the heading of a skilled nursing home." "Pioneer Memorial Hospital is an excellent facility serving the needs of the people well. But we must look forward to the future. It would take $500,000 to put in a modern twenty-two bed hospital in the present site utilizing present lab, surgery, delivery, and X-ray facilities as well as offices." What the present hospital lacks, at this writing, pinpoints Dr. Gifford. "is modern X-ray equipment." A need, according to Ms. Wyman, that will cost $30 or $40,000 for a screen and $100,000 for the machine. Pioneer Memorial received a $56,000 serial levy from the voters three years ago. The levy will go up for reelection again this spring. Six years ago, the levy had been for a $32,000 amount. Ms. Wyman sees the new levy being the $56,000 amount at the very least. name two. The date for return of this poll is November 15. The more responses we get from this the better for the survey, urges the planning office. The poll will be utilized for basic Freeze' EnMineman Second Class, Frank L. Lovgren. 23. son of Mr. James C. Lovgren and Mrs. Jcannie Hansen, all of Heppne''. has completed "wintering over" period on the "ice" In the Antarctic. Lovgren was member of the US. Naval Support Force Antarctic (NSFA. Participating In Operation "Deep Freeie." his detach ment of NSFA was assigned to McMurdo Station, the largest U S. research station In Ant arctica Remaining isolated at McMwrdo during the Ant arctic winter, from mid Feb ruary until early October, Ivgre helped maintain the station during the winter. He also aiuusted with the preparations for the arrival of scientists and support person nel who conduct research projects during the austral summer. These projects art pert of the 15 Antarctica tleaearrh Program, sponsor ed by the SalMval Science A graduate of llrppoer High Schwl. Lovgren red the Navy in August of I planning for the cities of Hep pner, Lexington and Irrigon. It will also be incorporated in all comprehensive land use planning in the near future. Lexington has returned 20 percent of its population's polls. "That Is the minimum figure we're looking for." reports Don Burns of the planning office. "We're hop ing for more." Please send your completed poll to the Morrow County Planning Commission, Mor row County Court House, Heppner. Wanted Theme Reward offered It's time once again to play "Name That Theme." Name it and next year's Morrow County Fair may very writ represent aht brainstorm. This distinction atone will not be your sole reward A king's ransom tn the amount of $19 will be awarded the person submitting the chosen theme. Kings aren't quite worth what they used la be must be Inflation or something All entra, must be deliver ed to Delph Jtmet-Leilrg-Ion, or I-arty Mill -On F ftooeer IV . Hrppner. OR. by no later than Nov iv, rid lurk and may the best theme win. Judge Paul Jones, Morrow County, doesn't seem to feel the county court has that much decision making power concerning the hospital financing. "It is law that we can't give them any more money until the new levy comes into effect. I would certainly hope the hospital continues to operate in the manner it always has. If it calls for a new levy, I would implore the people to bring it about." Even with the levy, according to Ms. Wyman, "Most of that goes into maintenance. This building is 26 years old. We are in need of new floor tile, the DEQ has ruled . that we can no longer use our outdoor incinerator and must haul our refuse to the new landfill. This will take our workmen away from here to make three or four trips to the fill a day. A new DEQ approved incinerator would cost $10,000." With no other hospital of any kind in the county, Morrow residents can't afford to stand by and let their investment fall into uncertain depths of depreciation. Dr. Gifford fears the alternatives to the present medical facilities will be a holding room where patients will be brought to wait until they could be transferred to Pendleton or Hermiston. The doctors recommend that concerned citizens attend meetings of the hospital board, to search for a solution. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month at 10:00 a.m. in Ms. Wyman's office. She has also agreed to arrange special meetings for groups of individuals who find the 10:00 a.m. hour difficult. 'It is late that tee can't give them any more money until the new levy...' ' Another necessary improvement, claims Dr. Carpenter, "is building on a pleasant twenty bedroom wing now or we won't be allowed to do so in 10 years." That rationale derives from the proposed National Health Care program being pushed by the incoming democratic administration. Health Maintenance Organizations of Oregon, a program involving large governmental agency control of medical facilities, "will place wage and price controls on medical care," warns Dr. Carpenter. "The majority of funds will go to larger communities. Hospitals like ours will get less because of the less dense population." From Ilene Wyman's view, the county hospital can only survive by the generosity of the people. "Donations have been made in the past, using them as tax write-off makes such gifts more feasible." The loss of a hospital would have a severe effect on the liveability of a community, not to mention the effect it would have on the people it employs. But the ultimate and greatest effect would be felt by those people in i need of medical attention. Green to direct The Administrative Board of the Morrow County Mental Health Service announced late last week that Dr. Janice Green has been named to the post of director effective November 1. Dr. Green, a clinical psychologist, has been acting program director for the past three months while the Board organized and then screened applicants certified by the Eastern Oregon Com prehensive Community Men tal Health Center. Dr. Green, who has been working three days a week in Heppner and two days a week in the Boardman Irrigon area, stated her first major task will be screening applicants for the psychologist position so thai the clinic can be fully i NT r i I Archie Alderman, head of sprink ler maintenance for Kinxua Corp., was presented a cold watch by plant superintendent, Harry Ken. niton, .at his retirement dinner, October 27. Alderman, a resident of Heppner, had been with Klniua Corp. for 35' i years. manned as soon as possible. Dr. Green is married and has two teenage children. Her husband will join her here as soon as he is able to market their property in Carson City, NV, where they have lived for the past '.5 years. She states that she has very much enjoyed seeing the neuly independent agency through its first few months of bring separated from the Umatilla mental health clinic. As soon as the clinic is staffed and things settle down I bit, the plans to look for a permanent place to live. Her family needs enough space for horse and a big garden, as well at room under cover for various airplane and hang glider projects. P n V I I ! I i ? 1
