Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1977)
0 p BESSIE WETZELL " OF ORE t V, S PAPER LIB ' OR 9 74 03 etertnme sewer issue -v -j, y- J a 7 A 1 . - 'v Drama and laughs Alice Abrams (1), in the role of Abbie, and Linda Bier, as Martha, set the table in anticipation of another unsuspecting gentleman caller during a scene from Heppner High Schcol's upcoming produc tion of "Arsenic and Old Lace" to be presented Friday and Monday evenings at the High School. Cur tain time is 8 p.m. Morrow County's award winning newspaper... THE VOL. 35 NO. 45 HEPPNER, OREGON Thursday, Nov. JTJ 1977 12 PAGES " ' " I5c Voters of lexington will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov, 29, to decide what could be the most important issue ever faced by a small rural community of under 300 population, whether to replace resident owned septic tanks with a new city operated sewer system. ,L The Nov. 29 ballot seeks 'voter opinion on the issuing of $225,000 in sewer bonds. If apassed, the bonds would go . towards a complete sewer line system and lagoon-type treat ment facility with a total price tag of $549,295. Senti ment has run high on the issue with most of the exchange boiling down to concern over user costs and growth impli cations. Interest in a new sewer system has been present in the city for quite some time with a feasibility study actually started more than a decade ago. It wasn't until last fall that a Pendleton engineering firm, J. Val Toronto and Associates began a facility plan on the system. The facility plan was 75 percent 1 funded by an Environmental Protection Agency grant that represents one of several funding programs available to the city. A letter form Mayor Lee Padber and the City Council explaining the bond election to city residents lists possible grant programs to include: a total expected EPA grant of $254,998; and an expected Farmers Home Administra- l i. in grant of $120,000. Accord ing to Toronto, the city has a firm committment of some $325,000 in grants with the other funds remaining un committed until after the bond election. "If the city is willing to make extra efforts in gaining additional data, it could poss ibly increase the grant money," Toronto said. "I expect FHA to reevaluate the situation in favor of more funds for Lexington." Depending on final outcome of the grant applications, city residents stand to pay be tween 25 and 30 percent of the system cost. The money would come from a user fee not to exceed $12.50 per month half of which would be in the form of a direct charge and half would be added to the resi dents' property taxes. If the fee went to the full amount, the result would tack $3.40 per $1,000 valuation onto Lexing ton's current tax rate of 52 cents per $1,000. The ad valorem taxes used to pay for the sewer system would be eligible under the homeown ers and renters rebate system now in effect. The city letter, mailed to residents this week, states, "FHA, to whom the bonds will likely be sold, will not approve more than $12.50 as a user fee. Therefore, the Council feels that this is the maximum amount that could be charged. If the project could not be constructed with the assur ance that this would be the maximum, the Council will not continue with the sewer project." Regardless of the final grant amounts, residents will have to bear the cost of hooking the Special poll book being developed Because the Lexington precinct covers a large area outside the city limits, a special poll book is being prepared by the County Clerk's office. City Recorder Lois Allyn said that beginning with a list of residences in the city from the Assessor's Office, she had checked this list against the list of water users of the town, and also with Mildred Davidson, who has served as clerk of the election board at several past elections. She also checked with several landowners to obtain the names of their renters. "I believe we have the names of all heads of households, although the Clerks office may have some names of other persons in the household that I do not have," Mrs. Allyn said. Persons over 18 who have not yet registered to vote may do so up to and including the day of the election on Nov. 29. ., Absentee ballots may be obtained by calling Mrs. Allyn, 989-8419. I Meeting next Monday. .. sewer line from their property line to the present building outlet. Also, since all res idences and businesses will be required to hook up to the system, if passed, an addition al $200 initial hook up fee will be charged. According to the Pendleton FHA office, low interest loans one to three percent for households with annual in come and loaned at an eight percent for households with incomes over $10,000. The same section of the program supplies grants to eligible senior citizens for the connection expenses. Although the grant funds are now a'vailable on a limited basis, the FHA expects the funds to increase before any applications from Lexington would need to be processed. As for the sewer system itself, Toronto explained it as a two-cell contact stabilization pond to be placed on a 12.5 acre plant site. Padberg said a location for the plant has not yet been picked and would not be determined until the results of the election indicate which way the city will proceed. All sewer lines about 14,000 feet of eight-inch main line plus additional secondary line would be located on city property. The cost of repair ing the damage to streets for installation were included in the price estimate. Toronto said the system, as proposed could accomodate a 50 percent increase in pop ulation and the treatment facility would be built with provisions for future expan sion if necessary. o ecisioii on .Rode o CO The Morrow County Fair Board Monday night, decided to reconsider dropping Rodeo Cowboys Association sanc tioning from next year's rod eo. A final decision will be announced at a special meet ing next Monday night Rodeo Committee members and others interested in keep ing the Morrow County Rodeo an RCA event appeared be fore the Fair Board last ' Monday with new proposals for cutting expenses and increasing revenues. The Fair Board announced last month that RCA sanction ing of the rodeo would be dropped in favor of a jackpot event because the RCA rodeo was a money-losing proposi tion. Dennis Doherty, rodeo sec retary, read from two letters in presenting the rodeo com mittee's position. The first letter dealt with use of State Racing Commission funds for promotion of a rodeo; the second asking the Fair Board for permission to operate an RCA rodeo and five-member Queen and Court in 1978. Among the suggestions for making the production more profitable were a reduction in purses, addition of spectator pleasing events such as races and perhaps a clown, and a change in the dance format. Also suggested was a com bined effort in advertising and promotion between the fair and rodeo to attract specta tors to the dual weekend event. In regards to the use of Racing Commission funds for rodeo activity, Doherty offer ed his interpretation of the state statute in a three-page letter. Doherty stressed his opinion was not being made from his office of District Attorney. Doherty said the law does not specifically exempt rodeos as beneficiaries of Racing Commission funds, and in fact, the Racing Commission dis tributes $7,500 to the Pendle ton Round-Up and $4,000 to the Klamath Basin Roundup Association. "Consequently, it seems to me that the Fair Board is not restricted from using Racing Commission moneys to spon sor a rodeo. The decisions as to whether they should be used, in what amounts, and in what formats are, of course, the ultimate responsibility of the Fair Board," Doherty concluded. While the Fair Board did not indicate there would be a change from their original decision, it concurred that new information had been provided and the matter would be given reconsidera tion. The outcome of that consid eration will be told next Monday at a special meeting in the Fair office at 7:30 p.m. Day Care Chamber, MCEDA OpenHouse disapprove plan i An Open House, planned to give the community a chance to look over the new facilities of the Heppner Development Center at the 4-H Annex building at the fairgrounds, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Nov. 23, from 3 to 6 p.m. Coffee and cookies will be served and mothers are invited to bring their children for free care while they visit the Center during open house. Kathy Hazen, temporary director of the Center, said that the new facility is far superior to the Seventh Day Adventist Church gymnasium, which housed the day care center for three years. "The floor plan makes it easier to take care of the children and the kids really relate well to it," Mrs. Hazen commented. Potential problems with acoustics and the heating system failed to materialize and there have been no usage conflicts. "The question is, 'where are all the people'?" Mrs. Hazen said, voicing disappointment over a low turnout since the Center reopened on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The Center has been averaging about 10 children a day compared to 15 to 20 or more before the facility was forced to close on Oct. 1. Some mothers have so far stayed with childcare arrangements made while the Center was not operating. "After all the work that was done to move the center temporarily to the fairground, we are disappointed, but expecting more mothers to bring their children, especially when they see how nice our new facility is," Mrs. Hazen commented. With unanimous consent of its membership Monday noon, the Heppner-Morrow Cham ber of Commerce forwarded a letter to the Oregon Depar tment of Transportation urg ing reconsideration of the Department's preliminary six year road plan as it pertains to Morrow County. The Chamber is the second major organization represent ing the area's citizenry, busi ness and industry to respond negatively to the ODTs plan since a public hearing the Department held here last Tuesday. Late last week Tim Tullis, president of the Morrow County Economic Develop ment Association (MCEDA) said that group sent a letter to ODT "concerning the lack of state highway system im provements planned for Mor row County" in the immediate future. "We intend to supply the Oregon Department of Trans portation with additional ma terials relating to the econom ic impact a poor road system is having and will continue to have on Morrow County," said Tullis. The first road improvement projects scheduled by the state for Morrow County come in 1981. On tap then is overlay-widening projects for the Heppner Highway from Lexington through lone and on to I-80N near Arlington and a project for overlay widening of the Heppner Spray Highway from Rock Creek to the Wheeler County line. A project of concern to many South End residents is Highway 207 from Lexington to the Echo junction. How ever, that project isn't on the board until 1983. Also sched uled for improvement in 1983 is widening of the road from Ruggs to Dry Creek. The Chamber letter asked reconsideration of the High way 207 and Lexington to lone projects, questioning the importance put on the pro jects by the ODT because they are set so far into the future. The Chamber's statement read in part, "...the Heppner Morrow Chamber of Com merce feels the Department of Transportation has erred in determining the economic im pact and needs of highways and transportation facilities in Morrow County." Tullis voiced MCEDA's even stronger feelings. "Morrow County is deserv ing of some major highway projects immediately... not only for the good of the local area, but for the good of the state economy," said Tullis. He explained, "We current ly have a coal-fired power generating plant being con structed, moves being made to get the bombing range released from the Navy and put under irrigation, and by 1983 a second coal-fired plant will be nearing completition." "The industry and agricul ture Morrow County is on the verge of experiencing is awe some in its demension and roads are an integral part of that development," said Tul lis. "Six years from now will be too late for Morrow County and the people living here especially the South End," he concluded. Tullis said MCEDA is urg ing citizens to write their views and opinions to the Oregon Department of Trans portation in care of W.E. Schwartz, Region Engineer, P.O. Box 850, La Grande, Oregon. "Public outrage with the state road system in Morrow County will be instrumental in obtaining much needed road improvements," said Tullis. News briefs Morgan St. Bridge bids in January The Heppner City Council is expected to open bids for construction of a new bridge on Morgan Street sometime in January, according to Mayor Jerry Sweeney. An $18,000 one-year serial levy to finance the new structure was approved by a 2 to 1 margin in last week's special election. The city funds will be added to $103,000 in federal and state grants and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in early summer. The project is expected to take about 2'z months if all goes well, Sweeney said. Apartment hearing 'to be continued' A public hearing on a conditional use permit to build three four-plex apartment buildings on property adjacent to Chase and Skyline Streets in Heppner will be continued on Nov. 29 since the construction firm failed to furnish detailed plans to the Planning Commission in advance of last week's meeting. The Simplex Construction Co. of Umatilla is seeking to build the apartments but the builders ran into considerable citizen opposition at the first public hearing. Residents voiced objections to the plan mainly because of insufficient water pressure to the area and the fact that the steep access route is not designed to handle the added traffic the apartments would bring. Farm disaster funds to help local farmers Recent approval of a bill that immediately removes limits on federal disaster compensation for farmers means an additional $6.4 million is on its way to help bail out Oregon agriculture with approximately $125,000 of that amount intended for Morrow County. President Carter signed the bill on Nov. 8 after it was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Bob Packwood. Packwood called the bill "the most significant drought legislation to come out of the Congress this year". Locally, the added funds will be handled through the ASCS office with distribution expected to begin next week and be completed sometime next month. The bill changes previous legislation which stipulated that no farmer was entitled to more than $20,000 in compensation payments. In Morrow County the total amount so far distributed amounted to $1,165,876. Distribution under the previous system was not yet complete when the new legislation took effect. .v - r-' t V- -c r-', Win f.'i'l.
