The. Library
University of Orecoa
Eugene. Or 97403
For Microfilm
The Heppner
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
VOL. 96 NO. 31
HEPPNER, OREGON
THURSDAY. AUGUST 3, 1978
14 PAGES
20c
r :
. . v. . -.....
j ' - Ss
Valby area wheat rancher
current grain harvest with
Atiyeh tours hospital, wheat fields
in swing through Morrow
A tour of trouble-plagued
Pioneer Memorial Hospital,
visits to area wheat ranches, a
talk to a large group of county
Republicans, and a quick
round of golf combined to
make GOP gubernatorial can
didate Vic Atiyeh's presence
known during a whirlwind
campaign swing through Mor
row County Sunday.
Arriving at Lexington air
port early Sunday morning,
Atiyeh went on to attend
services at Valby Lutheran
Church, then appeared at a
brunch with about 50 county
Republicans at the home of his
local campaign chairman,
Don Peterson.
After touring the Heppner
hospital with nursing supervi
sor Karmon Bjella, Atiyeh
stressed the importance of
keeping the facility open and
staffed. While admitting that
there was little he could do
directly to help the hospital
out of its plight should he be
elected governor, Atiyeh said
he could "make an issue of it"
to generate publicity, "to
make the Doctor Search
Committee's job easier."
Prior to his impromptu tour
of the hospital, Atiyeh sur
veyed Valby area wheatland,
stopping at one point to climb
aboard a combine with Peter- '
son to get a firsthand, if brief,
feel of the current harvest
season. The Republican candi
date later played in a four
some with Peterson, Roberta
Klaus, and Harold Kerr dur
' ing Family Day golf activities
at the Willow Creek Country
Club.
In an interview with the
Gazette-Times, Atiyeh stated
that he was still undecided on
whether or not to support the
controversial but popular
Ballot Measure Six, a referen
dum calling for a llk per cent
property tax limitation.
Atiyeh's opponent in the
gubernatorial showdown, in-
. "X " " )F
sv A
Don Peterson talks about the
Repuclican gubernatorial
cumbant Bob Straub, has
come out against the measure,
terming it "the most serious
threat that government in
Oregon has faced for a long
time."
"I will make up my mind in
my own good time plenty of
time ahead of the election,"
Atiyeh told the Gazette-Times,
"It's too important and com
plex an issue to jump on right
away. ..I'm not playing any
games," he added.
Atiyeh said he saw positive
points of the measure as being
the forced limitation of state
government spending, the fact
that direct property tax relief
would result, and that de
creased property taxes would
"make it easier for young
people to buy homes, and
make it easier for homeown
ers to stay in their homes."
On the negative side, the
Republican hopeful said, were
inequities in the measure
between owners of residential
and commercial property,
haziness on whether farm
propoety would retain its
current special property tax
status, and a possible cooling
effect on the bond market for
Oregon bond-funded projects.
In addition, Atiyeh said,
passage of the property tax
initiative would mean less
money that could be claimed
under property tax deductions
in state and federal income
tax forms. The decrease in
deductions would mean that
the state would collect an
estimated $8 million, and the
federal government would
collect about $90 million extra
in income taxes from Oregon
ians. Despite problems with the
tax initiative, Atiyeh said he,
as governor, would be able to
cope with the measure should
it pass. The state could
guarantee local bond issues,
he said, and the anticipated $8
million extra the state would
wtM hi m . .murp-fruifnumm-MDm mm -M' mmmm
1 I f '
4 i
candidate Vic Atiyeh from Peterson's combine. Atiyeh was
in Morrow County Sunday.
receive from income taxes
due to reduced property tax
deductions could be rebated.
"What the people are telling
us is that they want less
government spending and
more property tax relief,"
Atiyeh said. If we (lawmak
ers) tell them we'll take care
of property tax relief during
the next session, I don't think
the people would believe us."
With Ballot Measure Six,
"the people have a tool in
hand," continued Atiyeh. "It
may be a crude one, but it's
the only one they have."
The Republican candidate
stated that Gov. Straub's
statement that he plans to use
an estimated $200 million in
surplus state income for
property tax relief marks "the
first time he's ever said
anything constructive about
property tax relief.. .But if he
expects us to believe that we
can count on this in future
years, he's wrong. You can't
tell if you're going to have a
surplus two or three years
from now."
Atiyeh said he expects the
property tax initiative to pass.
Turning to local issues,
Atiyeh said that as governor,
he "would fight for Columbia
River water" for irrigation
use, to ensure that Oregon
farmers get "their fair
share." A moratorium on the
proposed Columbia diversion
project which would provide
irrigation water to farmers in
both Washington and Oregon
was extended last week.
A more pressing local issue,
Atiyeh said, is the ground
water situation affecting
Weather
by Don Gilliam
Prec. July .28
Normal .32
1977 .07
:;. I'
' ;:'! '3
. .
-;,
North Morrow County farm
ers irrigating by use of wells.
The Buttercreek area is
among several in the region
that may face well use
restrictions from the state
Department of Water Re
sources. "The water table is drop
ping," said Atiyeh, "so the
state ought to be solving the
problem ahead of the crisis,
working with the agricultural
community to find a solution."
Atiyeh added that he would
do "everything in my power"
towards getting the U.S. Navy
to vacate its huge bombing
range tract near Boardman,
so that the site could be put to
use by private agricultural
concerns. "The Navy doesn't
need that land," he said. But,
he noted, "the Navy hasn't
been very respectful of Ore
gon governors in the past."
Turning to Morrow County's
less-than-desirable highway
situation, Atiyeh said he would
consider diverting money
from park budgets, and trans
ferring state police funding
from sources other than the
Department of Transporta
tion, in order to free up money
for road improvements.
The Republican candidate
stated that he was opposed to
the regional government sys
tem (such as the Eastern
Oregon Association of Coun
ties), since such bodies "are
eroding the power of county
and city governments."
Atiyeh's wife, Dolores, ac
companied him through his
Morrow County campaign
sweep.
Hi Low
Wed., Jul. 26 72
Thurs.,Jul.27 84 54
Fri.,Jul. 28 89 51
Sat., Jul. 29 93 52
Sun., Jul. 30 94 56
Mon.,Jul.31 90 54
Tues., Aug. 1 92 52
County, hospital levy
elections are Tuesday
Morrow County voters will go to the polls next Tuesday,
August 8, to cast their ballots on two tax measures. Pioneer
Memorial Hospital is asking voter approval of a $146,598 levy
outside the six per cent limitation cut back for the $190,882
levy bid that voters turned down June 27. The County's
general fund budget requires a levy of $246,655 outside the six
per cent limitation the same levy amount submitted to
voters on June 27 which ended in a tie vote, 513-513.
Although Pioneer Memorial Hospital is county owned and
operated, earlier this year the County Court and the hospital
board of directors decided to put the two levy requests on
separate ballots.
This year marks the first time in over a decade that
Morrow County has had to go to the people for tax money
outside the annual six per cent increase allowed by law
without a vote nf the people. County Judge D O. Nelson cited
Hospital budget cut,
MD search $$added
Pioneer Memorial Hospi
tal's special levy request for
$146,598 is a must if health
care in Morrow County is to
remain at the level currently
enjoyed by area residents,
Hospital Administrator Bob
Byrnes told the Gazette-Times
this week.
byrnes said patient reve
nues won't provide the funds
necessary to operate the
' hospital for the next year even
though cost savings are being
realized throughout the hos
pital. In addition the hospital
budget includes more than
$50,000 for equipment and
improvements much of
which is being required by
state and federal regulatory
agencies to meet minimum
health care standards.
Another $20,000 item in the
budget is earmarked for
physician recruitment, an
item that was added to the
budget after voters turned
down a hospital levy request
Wilson resignation stands
council vote of confidence
Heppner City Council, meet
ing in a special session
last week, gave a unanimous
vote of confidence to Council
man Hubert Wilson, negating
a letter of resignation he had
tendered at the outset of the
meeting.
Wilson had offered his
resignation following a July 21
council meeting, in which he
introduced a motion to present
former city watermaster Vic
Groshens with $100 in cash, to
express the city's gratitude
for Groshen's efforts during
the recent water crisis.
During the July 21 meeting,
Wilson said he had talked with
Groshens, and learned that
the retired water superinten
dent had an income that was
approaching the limit that
would jeopardize his receiving
Social Security payments.
Groshens had indicated that
he did not want the city's
money.
Nevertheles, the council
voted to "designate $100 in
cash to Vic Groshens for his
services.and publicly extend
thanks to Victor and to Kinzua
corporation and all others who
extended help during the
crisis."
Avon Melby of the East
Oregonian, the only reporter
present at the July 21 meeting,
wrote an account of the
meeting, noting Groshen's
June 27.
Hospital administration and
the board of directors have cut
more than $43,000 from the
levy request defeated by
voters in June.
"We feel the budget before
the voters is the minimum
necessary to maintain satis
factory in-patient, emergency
and nursing home services,"
said Board Member Larry
Mills.
"The people let us know last
time that they were unhappy
with things at the hospital and
we have responded in the best
way we know," commented
Mills, referring to a public
meeting held last week and
another scheduled for Thurs
day, August 3 at 7:30 p.m. in
the Courthouse.
"We have listened to the
people, made some budget
cuts, established an em
ployee's relations committee
and are working hard to
Cont. on page 3
Social Security status and the
fact that the $100 appreciation
payment was specifically to
be made in cash.
When the article appeared
in print, it raised a furor
among council members, and
prompted Wilson to tender his
resignation.
"Because of the misunder
standing as to what I intended
to say at the council meeting
of July 21, I feel I have
embarrassed the city of Hepp
ner, the council and Mr. Vic
Groshens," Wilson stated in
ilson
resigns
Citing health reasons, Hu
bert Wilson has resigned his
positions as a city councilman
and a member of the Pioneer
Hospital Board of Directors.
Wilson submitted his letters
of resignation to the respec
tive government units last
week. He received a vote of
confidence from the Heppner
City Council (see separate
story this page), but decided
to resign anyway.
escalating personnel costs, equipment replacement and a
loss in federal revenues as the reason the County budgets
exceeded the six per cent limitation.
"It is imperative that both levy requests get voter
approval this time around," said Nelson, "because if they
are defeated it will mean cutting back on essential services
the people of Morrow County have come to expect and
enjoy."
The polls are open next Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Polling places are: Heppner, City Hall (Old Library);
Lexington. School District Office Bldg.; lone. City Hall;
Boardman, Greenfield Grange Hall ; Irrigon, Morrow County
Office Bldg.
Persons who have not registered to vote may still do so at
the County Clerk's office.
County submits same
budget; 'all needed 9
Billed as a "no-frills" bud
get, the Morrow County Court
is expecting voter approval of
a $246,655 special levy request
needed to balance the budget
for 1978-79.
County Judge D.O. Nelson
told the Gazette-Times this
week, "We think the people of
Morrow County realize that
we have held the line on
expenses and are asking for
only what we absolutely
need both in the County's
general fund budget and in the
Pioneer Memorial Hospital
budget."
The county budget of
$1,867,318 including the ser
ial road levy passed by voters
earlier this year would re
quire $2.20 per $1,000 assessed
valuation if approved by
voters.
"That's a bargain rate for
the support of county services
the citizens of Morrow County
enjoy," said Nelson.
The budget contains no
money for new construction
his letter of resignation. "It
was not my intent to say
anything that would embar
rass or offend anyone. It was
only my intent to thank Mr.
Groshens. I'm truly sorry if I
embarrassed anyone."
"We all have foot-in-mouth
disease once in a while,"
Wilson added during Wednes
day's meeting.
Although none of the council
members present during the
Groshen's gift vote disputed
the facts contained in Mrs.
Melby's account, during Wed
nesday's special meeting, the
reporter was asked to com
ment on her reasons for
writing the piece.
Councilman Larry Mills,
who voted for the gift,
acknowledged that the facts
were correct, but stated that
"the implications made in the
article were not the intent of
this body." City Administra
tor Marshall Lovgren said
that Melby's story "was
essentially correct," but "the
intent was not," sentiments
echoed by Councilman Cliff
Green, who also voted for the
gift.
Mrs. Melby, when called on
to explain her article, stated
that "the intent of the council
was commendable, but the
projects or capital improve
ments. Essentially, passage of
the budget would mean that
county government and its
services would carry on as
they have been.
The Court also received
some bad news last week from
the federal government. A
reduction of nearly $50,000 in
federal revenues is expected
for 1978-79; monies already
counted on to help balance the
budget.
"What that means is that we
already have to start thinking
about places to cut to make up
that loss in revenues," said
Nelson, "even without pas
sage of the special levy."
At the same time, negotia
tions with union employees in
the road and sheriff's depart
ments is continuing. The
county has budgeted only six
per cent for salary increases
while the union request is
reportedly much higher.
Cont. on page 3
despite
method was wrong. ..Had I not
reported it, I would have been
doing a disservice." She also
noted that tapes and council
minutes would verify the facts
contained in her story.
Business moved on to a
public discussion of the city's
water woes during July 18-20.
Councilman Green noted
that Wednesday's meeting
had originally been called as a
council water committee
meeting, only to learn later
that Mayor Jerry Sweeney
had changed the meeting into
a special public hearing on the
water crisis.
Green said the water prob
lems would have been better
addressed in a committee
situation, since the per
formance of employes would
be discussed.
The council authorized the
city attorney to draw up an
ordinance for a future vote on
a measure that would permit
the mayor to call special
council meetings only with the '
concurrence of at least three
council members.
Mayor Sweeney reacted by
dissolving all council commit
tees. "From now on, the whole
council will have to study
problems" as a group, he said.
Sweeney had done away
with committees once before'
during past years.