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TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, February 9, 1978
LETTERS
Willow Creek
Dam project
endorsed
1 it D fi I III W M B ffj fj
COMMENTS
EDITORIAL
1
Tonight's the night for residents to register some
control over the future of their communities.
The opportunity comes in the form of a public
meeting on the proposed construction of the Willow
Creek Dam project..
Senator Mark Hatfield announced recently that he
could obtain the money necessary to fund construction
of the dam as it was authorized in 1965 by congress.
The Senator says it can be done without going
through the bureaucratic boondoggle that happened
here in the early 70's when the Corp of Engineers came
to town for public hearings and cost-benefit ratio
reports. Hatfield proposed to include the appropriation
in the Public Works Bill passed each year by congress;
a massive, catch-all bill that approves the spending for
thousands of projects throughout the United States.
What can the dam do for Souther Morrow County?
One, it will provide flood protection; two, a
reservoir for irrigation; three, some recreational
facilities; and four, it will provide for the economic
stability and continued orderly growth of the area.
The cities of Heppner, Lexington and lone are
currently faced with flood plains that will virtually
eliminate the possibility of new construction and
extensive remodeling in the commercial and some
residential sections of the respective cities.
With the construction of the dam, however, flood
plains in those cities would be eliminated for all intents
and purposes. Work done by the Heppner Water.
Control District has probably already accomplished
lowering of the flood plain to an extent but we bet
Housing and Urban Development (HUD(, who now
administers the national flood insurance program,
wouldn't believe it.
It is indeed unfortunate that productive agricul
tural lands need to be taken to construct the dam, but
we feel it would be more unfortunate if the cities of
Heppner, Lexington and lone gradually became
villages.
We support the construction of Willow Creek Dam
under the original authorization with the understand
ing that no further studies and public hearings will
need to be done.
We all know that this is an election year for Senator
Hatfield although there really isn't much percentage
in this project for him because the issue will be decided
locally long before election time; and we all know the
Corp of Engineers can't stand the sight of running
water, which most of us don't agree with; and the
sentimental aspects of the issue are numberless.
Residents should look at the facts. ..especially the fact
of what the dam could do for them and their families in
the years ahead.
Below is a Straw Ballot readers are
urged to mark and return. Local
officals tcill use ballot results in their
decision on the Willow Creek Dam
project
Straw Ballot
Willow Creek Dam Project
Yes, I would like to see
Willow Creek Dam constructed
No, I would not like to see
Willow Creek Dam constructed
! Comments .
Pleaae mail ballot to P.O. Boi 337, Heppner OR 97836
THE
GAZETTE
TIMES
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class
matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under
the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at
Heppner, Oregon.
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner
and the County of Morrow
G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher
Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Jim Summers, News Editor
Eileen Saling, Office Manager
Elane Blanchet, Reporter
Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing
Justine Weatherford Local Columnist
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Dollars dictate jail talks
by Jim Summers
Everytime the Morrow
County Sheriff's Office picks
up a prisoner requiring lod
ging, the case for a county
lock-up facility picks up a
little steam.
It's been that way since 1976
when the old jail, constructed
along with the courthouse in
1902, was forced to close its
doors for not meeting present
day state standards and the
county sheriff had to start
looking around for someone
else to take his prisoners. So
far there has always been a
taker, but the prospect of
neighboring county jails hang
ing up a no vacancy sign, as
well as the mounting costs in
time, manpower and dollars
needed for the transporting,
has added more fuel to the
fire.
Last month, more than a
year of talk about the jail issue
materialized on paper when
the County Court, County
Budget Committee, Revenue
Sharing Committee, and re
presentatives from the Sher
iff's and District Attorney's
Offices met with Portland
architect Jack Miller to re
view blueprints and cost
estimates for remodeling the
547 square foot jail building.
The price tag was $89,000.
So with the cards on the
table and not enough money to
back up their hand, the County
Court asked for a reshuffle
and sent Miller back to the
drawing board to come with
similar information on a
separate, expanded facility,
with adjoining office space.
All intended to be placed
somewhere on the courthouse
grounds.
Part of the thinking here
was if the Sheriff's Office
moved to the new jail building,
it would open up the present
office and possibly the old jail
to help ease the space problem
in other courthouse offices
which are already busting at
the seams.
Meanwhile, it's back to the
cash business with county
planners looking for some
grant money to finance the
construction and the sheriff
continuing to deal out the
bucks for transporting and
lodging the prisoners.
Last year Sheriff Larry
Fetsch and his deputies
racked up 10,025 miles and 422
manhours in shuffling the
prisoners back and forth from
Pendleton and The Dalles to
various trials, sentencings
and hearings. That amounts to
one-fifth of a man's time or
$2,294 in wages. Added to that
is another $1,303 eaten up in
vehicle charges at the county
rate of 13 cents per mile and
the $18 per day per prisoner
lodging fee charged by Uma
tilla County. .
"We need a facility here
someplace," said Fetsch.
"We've already been turned
down on prisoners by The
Dalles and I can see the day
when Umatilla County will no
longer be able to handle us. All
we want is a nice, simple,
clean jail and if they want to
remodel the old one it would
suit me fine."
The plans drafted by Miller
provide for a three-cell
facility with a booking-visiting
room, food preparation area,
shower and day area for
prisoners. One of the cells
would be a maximum security
area where women or juve
niles could be separated from
other prisoners. The jail would
be used for holding prisoners
only on short terms of up to 60
days.
Slightly less than half of the
$89,000 would cover the actual
remodeling such as plumbing
and wiring while the rest of
the money would go for the
hardware and security that is
required of every jail in the
state.
As is usually the case, the
Where to write
Federal
Following is a list of Oregon and Eastern Oregon public
officials for the information of readers who want to
communicate with them:
U.S. Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, Russell Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C. 20510. Member of Appropriations
Committee, Interior Committee, Rules Committee and
Indian Policy Review Commission. Portland office , Pioneer
Courthouse, Rm. 107, 520 SW Morrison, Portland, Ore. 97204,
phone 221-3386.
U.S. Sen Bob Packwood, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C, 20510. Member of Finance Committee and
Commerce Committee. Portland office, 1002 NE Halladay,
Rm. 700, (P.O. Bos 3621), Portland, Ore. 97208, phone
233-4471.-
U.S. Rep. Al Ullman, of the Second District, House Office
Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Member of Ways and
Means Committee. Salem office, 150 N. Church, Rm. 219
(P.O. Box 247), Salem, Ore. 97310, phone 399-5724.
State
Gov. Robert Straub, State Capitol, Salem, Ore. 97310,
phone 378-3100.
State Sen. Ken Jernstedt (Morrow, Gilliam and other
counties), 311 Pine St., Hood River, 386-1393.
State Rep. Jack Sumner (Morrow, Gilliam and other
counties). Route 1, Heppner, 676-5364.
bottom line on the issue is
money. Some, but not nearly
enough revenue sharing funds
can be put together, planners
are "still trying to identify
sources" of grant funds and
another bond issue pushed
before county voters would
probably go over like a lead
balloon.
Cost estimates for the separ
ate facility will not be avail
able from Miller for a couple
of weeks. But with instruc
tions from the court to design
a six-cell facility with addi
tional space for offices, the
price is expected to double and
it certainly won't be any
easier to come up with $180,000
than it is to come up with
$90,000.
"Sure, if they want to spend
twice as much to build a nice
big jail out on the grass it
would be great," Fetsch said.
"I just need to have some
thing, and soon."
Picture Credit
Sheriff Larry
Fetsch points to
prison graffiti
found when 1902
jail facility was
gutted last year.
Fetsch said the hole
in the ceiling was
the result of a long
ago escape attempt
Architects estimate'
$89,000 would be
needed to renn ovale
the stone structure
Sifting through
the TIMEsA
A front page story in the Times this week ten years ago
indicated that the county might be part of a trend that was
sweeping, and distrubing, the nation at that time: "County
and school officials are investigating the possibility that use
of marijuana has obtained a start in Morrow County, Judge
Paul Jones.. .told members of the Heppner-Morrow County
Chamber of Commerce Monday.
"The judge said that there is strong evidence that we do
have in our schools and community some of the drugs we've
seen about on television and read about in the news.. .We
don't believe there is anything yet but marijuana."
Editor Wes Sherman commented on the problem on page
two: '
"In view of the widely spreading use of drugs and
narcotics around the nation, it should come as no shock that a
few young people are suspected of bringing marijuana
here.. .Nevertheless, there is a tendency for parents and the
public to think with some naivity, 'It couldn't happen here.'
"...Smoking and drinking by youth are serious enough,
but experimenting with marijuana is dynamite. Somehow
they need to be impressed with the fact.. .that the
consequences are so serious that they far transcend any
pleasure, kick or bravado that may be experienced...one
thing is sure, thousands of hopelessly-hooked users of hard
narcotics got their start on marijuana and lesser
drugs. ..There is no place in Morrow County and we pledge
every assistance in doing our part to see that it gets no start
here."
In other front page news this week in 1968, Marcia Jones,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Jones was selected princess
to represent the Wranglers riding club in the 1968 Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo; Jerry Sweeney was president of the
Oregon State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers at
the board's annual meeting in Portland; Dick McElligott,
Eryce Keene and Albert Wright were elected as supervisors
in the Heppner Soil and Water Conservation District; and
Michael D. Benge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Terrel Benge of lone,
was reported as missing in Vietman. (All of Morrow County
later celebrated Benge's return; he is now working to
facilitate the return of Americans still missing in Vietnam.)
Patricia Jean Steagall, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Wilbur Steagall of Lexington, was chosen queen of the 1958
Morrow County Fair and Rodeo this week 20 years ago. She
planned to appear astride her registered thoroughbred
Justice K. Kratzer during her reign.
Fifty years ago this week, the Heppner Gazette-Times
published a bulky, four-section, 32-page special booster
edition, hoping to attract new settlers to Morrow County:
"...This vast area represents a field of opportunity that
heretofore has not been presented to the home seeker.
Consequently, the great numbers of newcomers that are
populating the western part of Oregon have passed by
Morrow County, simply because they did not know that here
was a great virgin territory offering in richest abundance the
opportunities which they sought. We firmly believe that the
next few years will see growth and progress here never
before equalized in our history. ..We hope that you will also
get in on the ground floor."
Sifting through the booster edition is a fascinating study
of the history of the county in the making, 50 years ago.
It is hard to imagine any aspect of life here that was not
at least touched upon and described in the most glowing
terms. Heppner, lone, Lexington, Irrigon and Boardman
were described as "New Western Cities in the Making" and
the advantages of living and working in each were covered.
"Welcome to Morrow County, Oregon, 'Where Wheat is
King', the front page of the special edition proclaimed, and
much space was given to the consideration to not only wheat
raising in the county but every aspect of agriculture,
including cattle, potatoes, irrigation, hogs, onions, sheep
poultry, etc. A photo headlined "Scientific Methods in
Morrow County" shows teams of horses pulling threshing
machines.
Businesses, churches, banks, and fraternal organiza
tions were all described in many articles throughout the
section. "County School System Holds Place among Leaders
in State" was the headline for a story designed to encourage
would-be settlers with children to consider the county as a
home site.
Roads in the county must have been considerably better
than those of today or perhaps the standards were a bit
lower for much space was given to the description of the
"Fine Roads in County; Good Transportation Facilities".
Historical accounts of life in the county prior to 1928 also
make for good reaading for anyone interested in county
history.
Reading the booster section, a person can't help but
wonder why a county 'boom' did not materialize fifty years
ago as a result of the fantastic publicity.
Letters Policy
ALL LETTERS of general interest are welcomed,
providing they are in good taste and not libelous.
250 WORDS IS about the maximum length we can
accept, however, if you need more space, please use
it.
ALL LETTERS MUST be signed to be considered. If
you wish to have your name withheld for good
cause we will do so after contacting you for an
explanation.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS should be included. The
number will only be used by the Gazette-Times to
confirm it was you who wrote the letter.
THE GAZETTE-TIMES reserves the right to refuse
any letter it deems unfit for publication.
LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor,
Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Ore., 97836.