Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1978)
BESSIE WETZELL U OF ORE NEWSPAPER LIB EUGENE OR 97403 Tim tier at nrn)ce ctnrtc fmm QCVfitfrl budget requests substantial increase how Energy in the making An aerial view of Portland General Electric's Boardman Coal-Fired Plant complex shows Carty Reservoir, developed by PGE and Boeing Agri-Industrial. The primary function of the reservoir is for coolant water, and for its' contribution of pumping facilities and pipeline from the Columbia, Boeing will get about 11,000 acre feet of irrigation water. PGE, Boeing and Department of Fish & Wildlife officials will meet next Monday to talk over public access and the recreational possibilities Carty Reservoir offers. Public access , recreation asked for Carty reservior Public Access to Carty Reservoir at Portland General Electric's coal-fired plant south of Boardman was a main item of discussion as the state Energy Facility Siting Council met in Boardman Tuesday. The EFSC, which handles all energy plant siting re quests in Oregon, also heard a report on the construction status of the Boardman plant and toured the site after lunch. The Heppner-Morrow Coun ty Chamber of Commerce asked PGE and the EFSC to "give strong consideration to recreational uses of Carty Reservoir, at such a time and Takes aim 4 f r y 1'-..',, .t.,,KKmmmy V . r J m : v "' ' " Vr - V. y - I 'AT"" ? i if'"L . v-'. . in such a manner as those recreational uses become compatible with the primary industrial uses of the reser voir." The Chamber statement also asked special considera tion for waterfowl hunting, which it felt, would help mitigate the loss of waterfowl hunting on the Columbia River. PGE's Doug Heider said the utility would "support water fowl hunting on the reservoir after construction at the site is completed." Heider pointed out that PGE does not own the land occupied by the reservoir. The reser WH -"',; Monte Stookey wields his axe and gets in a little throwing practice at Kinzua Corporation's log yard before he gets into competition this Saturday at the First Annual Heppner Spring Lumberjack Show. Sponsored by the Morrow County Fair Committee with Kinzua Corporation's help, the show is scheduled to begin at I p.m. Local and world champion contestants will compete in a number of events. See story for more details. voir site is under lease to Boeing Agri-Industrial from the State Department of Veterans Affairs. PGE and Boeing officials will meet Friday to discuss public access to Carty Reser voir and on Monday PGE, Boeing and Department of Fish & Wildlife personnel will discuss alternatives available for recreation. . In another matter before the Council, Dorothy Kennedy, representing the Port of Morrow, read a 15-point state ment that concluded with the request that siting for a nuclear plant be allowed at the Cont. page 3 ... I ' - . . - : Work began this week on the Morrow County budget for fiscal year 1978-79, as the County Court and the Budget Committee met for the first time to 'start from scratch', reviewing budget requests from all departments of coun ty operation. The proposed budget stands at $783,454 in its present form, $122,879 over expected resour ces in the next fiscal year. These resources include $327,509 in county taxes (tax base plus six per cent) and $366,068 in other sources. The committee spent Tues day going over each depart ment's budget requests item by item and plan another meeting April 24 to finish the THE VOL. 96 NO. 15 Committee trims $4300 from city budget; library and swimming pool still funded ' The Heppner Budget Com mittee took the knife to the proposed city budget Thurs day but could find only $4,300 to trim from the already bare-bones document. After making reductions in two budget items and completely eliminating another, the bud get now stands at .36,759 outside the six per cent limitation. The City Council will meet in special session Thursday (today) at 8 p.m. in City Hall to set a date for presenting the budget to the voters. Councilman Larry Mills set the tone for last week's meeting by saying there was no way the budget was going to get down to the six per cent limitation, but "there are a few places where a few bucks can come out". riHTiTrrrrr?! IIP' '. v o ; ." .....Mmjm-. ' ; ...9 jm ... ; (rv I I 7 . ' f , .... . . . v .. . - - r . - . I preliminary review before making any major decisions on cuts or changes in the proposed budget. Judge D.O. Nelson told Budget Committee members they would have to decide whether it would be necessary to go beyond the six per cent limitation and whether to ask for a more realistic tax base in the November election. He said Morrow County voters spent around $390,000 for support of BMCC this year while paying only $308,000 for total county operation. Nelson explained that the county has been able to avoid exceeding the six per cent limitation in the past by transferring revenue sharing HEPPNER, OREGON, Trorn there, the committee agreed to cut $2,000 from the $6,000 general government contingency fund and $300 from the $550 budgeted for a new electric typewriter in the Library Department. Com pletely axed was $2,000 bud geted for new furniture in City Hall. The committee also placed the city's anticipated $6,000 allotment from state revenue sharing funds into the Street Department paving fund. Remaining in tact were budget requests of $60,317 for the Police Department, up from the current year's $52,498; $5,574 for the Fire Department, down from this year's $9,075; and the Swim ming Pool budget of $7,240, the majority of which should come from gate receipts. The Library Department was left with a budget of Lumberjacks T JLUL JTJL JLVTJL JLJLJL at Saturday show Saw dust and wood chips will start flying this Saturday, April 15, at 1 p.m. as the first annual Heppner Spring Lum berjack Show gets underway at the Morrow County Fair grounds. Forty-eight entries have been received by the Fair Committee including those from champions throughout the Northwest. Local competitors signed up for the contest include Mark Greenup, entering the choker and stock saw races; Monte and Sharon Stookey in the Jack and Jill crosscut race; Monte and Mike Stookey in the double bucking event; Monte Stookey in the choker, axe throwing and stock saw races; and Dick Hoffman. The entry deadline for local contestants interested in com peting for the trophy for best Morrow County lumberjack has been held open through Friday, and entries should be money to the general fund as an indirect tax offset, a practice which has subse quently reduced the amount of revenue sharing money paid to the county each year. The largest budget increase request reviewed by the Budget Committee this week came from the Sheriff's Office which asked for $196,117 as compared to its current $125,027 budget. Sheriff Larry Fetsch said he needs two more deputies to add to his present three-deputy staff in order to have at least one patrolman on duty in the county at all times. Besides salary, the addition would include two more vehi cles, equipped with radio equipment. T THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978 $7,019, after receiving no funds from the city for the current year. Even with the addition of the revenue sharing funds, the Street Department budget of $34,350 is still well below the current budgeted amount of $55,070. The cut was made, despite the addition of an employe, because no actual paving is planned for the coming year and general fund transfers were reduced. An additional employe in the Water Utility Department helped jump its budget re quest up to $76,600 from the current year's $69,200. The 10 per cent pay raise for city employes was also left in tact and Mills commented on the increase by saying the city "has to stay competitive" in the job market, adding that "right now we're forced into a directed to Gary Grieb or Monte Stookey. Master of ceremonies at the eight-event show will be Willie Schlegel ; while DickSargeant, Ken Grieb, Stan Kemp and Alvin McCabe will act as official timers. Sharon Stoo key will serve as secretary. At noon the Fair Committee will begin serving hambur gers, homemade stew, hot dogs and homemade pie. Beer will be available at a conces sion stand manned by the lone American Legion, and the Heppner Lion's Club will sell popcorn and cotton candy. Dr. L.D. Tibbies, medical attendants and a first-aid wagon will be on hand at the show in case of accident. Admission to the Morrow County Fair Committee spon sored show will be $2.50 for adults and $1.25 for children 12 and under. Cont. page 3 Fetsch also asked for an additional communications clerk and two more vehicles to replace those with high mile age readings. The County Court requested an increase from $25,171 to $44,997, the major part going for salaries of County Com missioners formerly paid out of the Road Department budget, and to cover increases in the cost of supplies, The Courthouse budget re quest reflects the hiring of a full-time janitor, increasing from $9,190 to $15,590. - Nelson said the increase in budget requests in each de partment also includes a six per cent salary increase for all county employes and addi nrTrTrTr?rCH TWO SECTIONS 14 PAGES game of catchup". Last year the 10 per cent raise proposal was cut to six per cent after the second budget defeat. Committee Chairman Howard Bryant said he justified the increase by looking at it as an News lone plans cleanup week The City of lone is planning a city-wide Clean-up Week from Sunday, April 23, through Saturday, April 28. All lone residents are encouraged to do their part in making the city a more attractive place to live by sprucing up outside living areas. Pick-up service for rubbish materials will be provided on Friday and Saturday of Clean-up Week and residents are asked to put the rubbish in a convenient place. Board to meet April 17 The regular April meeting of the Morrow County School Board is scheduled for Monday, April 17, beginning at 8 p.m. in the A.C. Houghton Elementary library. The Board agenda will include consideration of the District's school calendar for tiie coming year, the approval of skill and career competencies for graduation, a policy on transfer students and athletic eligibility and a request from Heppner High Band for a tour of schools on the Oregon coast. The Board is also expected to establish the conditions of sale for the district-owned teacherage in Boardman. BMCC sets new election After a narrow 37-vote defeat in the April 4 election, the Blue Mountain Community College board of education has set May 23 as the date to again bring the college levy before the voters of Morrow and Umatilla counties. The board will reconvene the budget committee prior to the election date to review the proposed operating budget and determine what changes, if any, should be made before resubmitting the levy to the voters. Harshmans recovering Noel Harshman, injured in a one-vehicle accident near Hardman last week, is now convalescing at the home of his father, Gay Harshman, on Willow Creek. Gay said his son, suffering a broken jaw and a damaged eye nerve, is doing fine but travels to Walla Walla every two days to be examined by his doctor. Debbie Harshman, also injured in the accident, is expected to remain a patient in Pioneer Memorial Hospital for another four to six weeks to recover from a broken pelvis. tional costs for such items as supplies because of the infla tion rate. He emphasized that the budget planning process is presently at its very first stage and present requests don't necessarily reflect what the final budget will actually look like. "By the next time we meet, we'll have a better idea of the total picture," Nelson said. He added that the preliminary budget is in his office for anyone interested in looking it over. Gary Grieb was elected chairman of the Budget Com mittee on Tuesday, replacing Harry O'Donnell who declined to be renominated. Dan Creamer of Irrigon was intro duced as a new member of the committee. 20c 8 per cent raise over the two-year period. In reviewing the total bud get picture, Bryant hit the nail on the head by saying, "the six per cent limitation is no longer a reality". Briefs ) ' ( 4b
