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.
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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 '
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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
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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.
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