BESSIE WETZELL
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NEWSPAPER LIB v -E'JdENE
OR 97403, .. a ; v,.-u
60 attend public hearing.
Residents decry Morrow
More than 60 Morrow Cou
nty residents turned out for
the Oregon Department of
Transportation public hearing
on the preliminary six-year
road plan held in Heppner
Tuesday night and sentiments
expressed could have left no
doubt in the minds of ODT
personnel.
About half of those present
made statements to the high
way department officials and
the word was "Morrow County
residents are tired of second
grade, dangerous roads".
Tom Walsh, ODT commis
sioner from Portland, said the
turnout was one of the better
out of 39 such meetings held
throughout the state and top in
the Eastern Oregon region.
"We want to know what you
see as priorities," Said Walsh,
Overrules Planning Commission
Council
Cason and Hardy Construc
tion Co. of Gresham overcame
a major obstacle on the road
to building an apartment
complex in Heppner when the
City Council Monday over
turned an earlier Planning
Commission decision and
granted the company a condi
tional use permit.
An initial application by
Cason and Hardy was denied
by the Planning Commission
last month after residents in
the proposed construction
area showed up at a public
hearing to voice their protests.
Plans call for the building of
three eight-unit apartment
buildings in the area of Aiken
and Elder Streets near the
CBEC facility. Objections
mainly centered on the in
creased traffic the apart
ments would bring to the area
as well as the capability of the
access bridge to handle the
added stress.
Some twenty residents
again jammed City Hall
Monday for the appeal hear
ing but only two of the citizens
spoke in opposition of the
apartments. Pauline Bier sub
mitted a 24-signature petition
signed by nearby residents
who opposed the apartments
because of the increased
traffic. Another resident
questioned whether the city
water system in that part of
town could adequately cover
the apartments.
Grain Growers...
Strong
Although profits are down
and the coming year looks like
another medoicre-to-poor one
for America's farmer, Mor
row County Grain Growers
Manager Larry Mills told
members at the annual meet
ing Monday evening the local
co-operative is strong finan
cially and will continue to
increase services for its grower-members.
"Prospects for 77-78 unfor
tunately look about like the
year we've just gone
through," Mills told the crowd
od 250 persons gathered In the
Fair Pavilion for dinner and
annual business meeting.
He said recent rumors about
less-than-average Russian
wheat crop probably wouldn't
have much effect on prices,
but added that economists felt
the price ..of wheat would
"so they can be incorporated
in the final decisions made in
January and February."
The six-year program a
preliminary report listed
four projects for Morrow
County. The first two sched
uled for 1981 funding includ
ed overlay-widening projects
on the Heppner Highway
between Lexington and Ar
lington and on the Hep-pner-Spray
Highway from
Rock Creek to the Wheeler
County line.
Two other projects were
programmed for 1983, includ
ing some five miles of overlay
and widening on the Ruggs to
Dry Creek road and overlay
and widening of Highway 207
from Lexington to the Umatil
la County line.
W.E. Schwartz, regional
Thursday, Nov. 10, 1977
OKs apartment
Planning Commission
Chairman Ed Dick told the
Council that the Commission
decision was based on the
testimony and objections
heard at the first public
hearing. In a prepared state
ment read to the Council, Dick
said, "The Planning Commis
sion did not consider the
adequacy of the water and
sewer facilities of the area.
They did not consider merits
of the application as far as
land use were concerned. The
commission did not check into
such things as proper access
or egress, proper drainage of
the area, or whether or not the
parking was adequate. The
square footage of the area was
not checked nor were the set
backs checked. These were
things the Planning Commis
sion should have considered
but in view of the opposition,
for which there did not appear
to be a solution, it did not
appear to be necessary."
Kenneth Hardy, represent
ing Cason and Hardy at the
meeting, told the Council, "As
h interpret the zoning ordi
nances of this city, I've met all
the requirements as far as lot
size and set backs."
When asked his opinion of
the water system in the area
City Foreman Paul Sumner
said he considered the present
four-inch water main inade
quate to provide the necessary .
water and fire protection
financial position told
increase slightly toward the
end of the year.
Steve Green, Green & Green
Certified Public Accountants
of Pendleton, told members
that MCGG saw a growth of
$42,000 in net worth over the
past year although profits had
dropped about 17 percent in
both the grain and farm
supply departments.
Green said the decrease in
farm supply profits was due
largely to a narrower profit
margin MCGG was operating
on due . to generally poor
economic condition for farm
ers and livestock growers.
Significant losses were also
experienced in the newly
acquired chemical and ferti
lizer division because of a
.
engineer from LaGrande, said
Oregon's involvement in a
federal program the past 20
years saw most of the stat'es
highway funds go to the inter
state highway program and
consequently, primary and
secondary roads such as
those in Morrow County took
the back seat.
While opinions as to which
Morrow County roads needed
improvement first, the con
census of citizens in atten
dance was that something
needed to be started prior to
1981-83.
A count of ihose projects
most often mentioned by those
at the hearing indicated that
residents present at the meet
ing wanted Highway 207 from
Lexington to the Bombing
Range Road and on to
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HEPPNER,
should the apartments be
built. Sumner said a six-inch
main would be better suited to
the useage requirements in
the area.
Councilman Cliff Green then
asked Hardy if his company
would consider expanding the
water line to a six-inch main
for the one block needed to
connect to the primary line.
Hardy replied thathe could not
answer the question at that
time since it would take some
research on his part to
determine the costs involved.
But, Hardy added, "I'm
willing to do what is neces
Five directors
elected to CBEC
Former Heppner mayor,
Bill Collins, was elected to a
new Board of Director position
for Columbia Basin Electric
Coop for the City of Heppner.
He edged out Forrest Burken
bine by a vote of 245 to 244.
Voting took place at the CBEC
annual meeting on Nov. 3.
Also elected were: Walt
Jaeger over Ed Bates for the
district of South Gilliam
County North Wheeler Coun
ty; Floyd Anderson over Earl
Weatherford for the North
Gilliam County District; Ken
general cut-back in use of
those products in low moisture-yield
years.
"Morrow County Grain
Growers is in a sound finan
cial position and the audit
reveals the company is a
viable operation," concluded
Green.
In other business, Allan
Hughes, Homer Hughes, Paul
Hisler Jr., and Robert Stevens
were elected to three-year
terms on the board of direc
tors. Associate directors elec
ted at the meeting included
Frank Halvorsen, Mark Mil
ler, Steve Peck, Kenneth
Nelson and Joe McElligott.
Lee Palmer, retiring from
the board of directors this
Hermiston improved first and
foremost.
Running in almost a dead
heat with that project was the
Heppner Highway from lex
ington to lone and on down to
Interstate 80-N.
Dave Harrison, Columbia
Basin Electric Co-op manager
said, "Anywhere you drive in
Morrow County road condit
ions are horrible. ..but the con
dition of the lone road with
nine-foot travel ways is in
excusable." Assistant Superintendent of
Schools John Edmundson con
sidered the Lexington-lone
and beyond project to be top
priority.
"When I was principal of the
lone schools and still today
I was and am constantly in
fear of accidents involving
Morrow County's award
OREGON
permit
sary the line improvement
would benefit the entire area
and maybe some sharing
arrangement could be made."
Before the appeal was put to
a vote, Mayor Jerry Sweeney
said, "Even if the conditional ,
use permit is granted, Mr.
Hardy is still a long way from
building his aparments." The
plans still face review before
granting the building permit
and Dick cautioned the Coun
cil to "closely study the set
back requirements when re
viewing the building permit
application."
neth Wright over Harold Peck
in the south Morrow-East
Umatilla District; and Fred
Greiner was elected over Bob
Eaton for the City of Condon
position.
Two hundred and twenty
members and guests attended
the 33rd annual meeting at the
Morrow County Fairgrounds.
Entertainment was provided
by a band group from Heppner
High School, led by Jim
Ackley.
Continued on Page 3...
year, was presented a desk
pen and barometer set on
behalf of the cooperative by
President Ron Haguewood.
Dr. Warren Kronstad was
featured speaker for the
banquet. Professor of agron
omy at Oregon State Univ
ersity, he spoke to the group
on food production and world
hunger.
Kronstad said education of
people living in food-poor
countries to technology and an
American "will" to solve the
problem were the most work
able solutions.
Kronstad said the American
farmer must be given the
incentive to produce food for
the hungry nations of the
world.
roads
school busses and students
because of the road condit
ions," said Edmundson.
Tim Tullis, president of the
Morrow County Economic
Development Association told
the highway officials that
current road conditions pri
marily those leading to the
North End were having a
detrimental effect on econom
ic development in Morrow
County when growth and
proper planning are most
important to citizens of the
area.
"Expansion of economic
development in Morrow Cou
nty should be a major factor in
determining project priorit
ies," said Tullis.
Those feelings were also
expressed by Louis Carlson,
Continued on Page 2....
winning newspaper..
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News
Legion hosts
lone services
Veterans' Day services will be held at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 11 at the lone Memorial Field. The lone
American Legion Post will conduct the services.
Speaker for the ceremony will be Chuck Starr,
principal of the lone schools. Rev. Bill Graham, lone
United Church of Christ, will deliver the invocation.
Following the service the Legion Auxiliary will
serve coffee and donuts at the American Legion Hall.
Veterans' Day
closures noted
Most area business and state offices will be closed Friday,
Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans' Day, opening again for
regular business hours Saturday.
Exceptions to the closures will be most area gas stations,
restaurants and Jerry's Mini Mart in Heppner.
Federal offices and the Post Office will be open Friday,
having observed Veterans' Day on Oct. 24 this year.
Strahms new owners
of Heppner Chevron
New owners of the heppner Chevron Station are Ed and
Barbara Strahm. The couple took over ownership of the Main
Street business from Wes Marlatt on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Strahm had worked part-time as a mechanic at the station
several years ago and for the past five years has been
employed at Kinzua Corporation. Mrs. Strahm has conducted
her own at-home cosmetic business and will now act as
bookkeeper and attendant for the family enterprise.
Both Strahms are 1972 graduates of Heppner High School.
r air noara
meets Monday
The Morrow County Fair Board will hold its regular
meeting Monday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. in the Fair Office at the
Fairgrounds.
Expected to be a main topic of discussion is the recent
decision by the Board to curtail RCA sanctioning of the
rodeo. Proponents of the RCA show will outline several
proposals for keeping the 1978 rodeo intact.
Fair Board Chairman Paul Hisler told the Gazette-Times
Tuesday that no decision is expected to be reached next
Monday, but said a special meeting at which a decision will
be announced will be scheduled for later this month.
Klaus wins finale
Roberta Klaus correctly picked seven of nine games last 4
week to become the final winner of the season in the
Gazette-Times football contest.
Rallying from a mid-season slump, Artie Bray finished
strong with a 7-2 card to grab second place. Bray lost his bid
to become a double first place winner by letting sentiments
overcome logic in picking LSU over Alabama in the
tiebreaker.
Taking the contest's grand prize of $25 was Robb Rush of
Heppner. Rush, a perfect-score winner last week, was five
games ahead of Lyle Lowe in season totals.
Mrs. Klaus, Bray and Rush can pick up their checks at the
G-T office.
The Gazette-Times and the sponsoring businesses thank all
i raui
of the contestants for making our
a sucess.
Voters
Measures, Special Levy
Turnout was light, as ex
pected, but Morrow County
voters who went to the polls
showed strong support for the
establishment of a Water
Development Loan Fund and
to a lesser degree, supported
the formation of an Energy
Conservation and Develop
ment Fund for non-nuclear
energy sources. Voters in the
Heppner precinct approved,
by a 2-to-l margin, a one-year
serial levy to replace the
Morgan Street bridge over
Willow Creek.
Ballot Measure 1, callilng
for a borrowning fund for
farmers, found its strongest
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12 PAGES
Briefs
first annual football contest
J
approve Ballot
support in the Boardman
precinct where the vote was
107 yes and 30 no. Other
precinct totals included: Hep
pner, 184 yes and 84 no;
Lexington, 80 yes and 35 no;
lone, 99 yes and 45 no; and Ir
rigon, 96 yes and 33 no.
Ballot Measure 2, author
izing a bonding fund for the
development of nuclear alter
native energy sources, was
more closely contested but
still passed in the county. In
Heppner, the vote was 150 yes
and 119 no; Boardman, 78 yes
and 55 no; Irrigon, 82 yes and
47 no; lone, 72 yes and 70 no
and the Measure failed in
15c
Farm
drop
- Gross farm sales in Morrow County are down
about $5.5 million in 1977, an 8.5 percent decrease
from last year.
The loss down in total sales last year of $64.6
million to $59.1 million is due to the drought and
depressed farm prices which have offset new
acreage put under irrigation and an increase in
cattle numbers.
And at the same time Morrow County
farmers as with farmers througout the nation
have felt the pinch of increasing costs coupled with
a loss of income.
County Extension Agent Harold Kerr, who
compiles year-end statistics, said that an 8.5
percent drop in farm product sales actually
represents a 12-13 percent loss in income to the
average farmer because of increased costs over the
past year.
Potatoes still number
one crop in county
Potatoes led the county in dollar sales for the
third straight year with total sales estimated to be
at $32,080,000 which is almost identical to last year.
While potato acreage and yield were down in the
county, price was up.
Wheat is still Morrow County's number two
economic crop although farmers suffered a 50
percent reduction in wheat dollar sales, estimated
at $lO,292,ouo for 1977. Several factors contributed to
the decline but yield reductions averaging 11
bushels to the acre had the most impact. Price was
off an average of 21 cents per bushel over last year
and about 30,000 fewer acres were put in wheat
production.
Forage crops, including all types of hay and
silage are an easy third with $6.6 million in sales, up
slightly from 1976.
All other crops, including dry beans, watermelon,
grapes, sweet corn, soybeans, private timber sales
and others, produced $1.6 million in off -farm sales,
up $500,000 from 1976.
Livestock, led by beef sales, grossed $7.6 million
in 1977. Depressed prices are offset by increased
numbers of cattle in the North End of the county
resulting in an overall increase of $1.3 million in
beef sales.
Sheep, dairy, and swine all showed increases to
raise farm sales of livestock from $5.8 million in
1976 to the $7.6 million level this year.
The effect this loss has on Morrow County as a
whole is determined by the multiplier effect, set at
2Vi times the original agricultural sales figure.
In other words, a loss of $5.5 million in gross farm
sales means that nearly $14 million has been taken
out of the local economy.
Kerr explains, "As farmers and ranchers go
about their business, they generate other economic
activity. Agriculture production involves making
investments, hiring labor, buying inputs such as
fertilizer and fuel, machinery arid equipment,
incurring family and household expenses, etc. Thus,
the original dollar received by the farmer is spent
and keeps turning over in the local economy for a
time before leaving."
Lexington by a 49 yes-63 no
margin.
The special serial levy
election in Heppner 147 yes
and 75 no will enable the city
to take advantage of $118,000
in federal and state grant
funds to replace the dangerous
structure which currently
carries car traffic only across
Willow Creek on Morgan
Street.
Lexington showed the high
est voter turnout as 50 percent
of the 234 registered voters
cast their ballots. lone record
ed a 32 percent turnout;
Boardman 27 percent; Hep
pner 25 percent and Irrigon 20
percent.
High . . Low
Wed., Nov. 2 60 35 .02
Thu.,Nov.3 48 25
Fri.,Nov.4 51 25
Sat., Nov. 5 47 36
Sun., Nov. 6 57 35
Mon.,Nov.7 52 35 .10 ;
Tue.,Nov.8 47 23
sales
8.5
'71 ."