TWO-The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, February 8, 1979
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Sifting through
'-5-
the
JL 1IT1
Z2,
OTHERS SAY:
Increased basic school
support questioned
By Senator Ken Jernstedt
Although there has not been a lot said "publicly" around
the capitol concerning the subject of basic school support, I
can detect a considerable amount of support among
legislators for increasing the percentage the legislature
sends to the school districts of the state. This is, beyond
question, a form of property tax relief. But some of us are
wondering if it is property tax relief that the people
understand.
The last session increased the state's share of local
school support to 40 per cent of operating costs. This means
that property taxes pay for the other 60 per cent of school
funding. The greater the amount of state support, the less the
possibility that property taxes need to be increased.
However, the rapid growth of school costs have made a
number of legislators believe that the 40 per cent level is not
enough, and that the state's contribution to basic school
support should be increased in percentage.
The money is available, but we must act soon. If we fail
to retain at least the 40 per cent level, our other efforts at
property tax relief will be diluted.
So far the only major proposal presented to us on the
question of property tax relief is contained in House Joint
Resolution three and House Bill 2188, parts of the package
presented by Governor Atiyeh which is the so-called
cleaned-up v ersion of Measure 6 which was defeated by the
voter last November.
HJR 3 would be submitted to the people and if approved
would become part of the Oregon Constitution. Among other
things, it would mean that homeowners would pay no more
than l-'a per cent of their property assessment in taxes.
Mobile homes are included, but not rental property or second
homes.
HB 2188 spells out how the Atiyeh tax plan translates
from theory into practice. It would not become a part of the
Constitution and its provisions could be changed by simple
majority vote in the Legislature.
The Atiyeh program is in the House Revenue Committee,
which is trying to identify ways in which it can be improved.
No formal alternative has surfaced yet, although a number of
legislators have criticized the Atiyeh plan and have offered
programs of their own.
The Governor has asked the House to move with speed on
the question to make it possible for a vote of the people on
April 3. which is the date of school budget elections. To make
this deadline the Legislature must complete its work on this
package by February 28, which is fast approaching.
There's no question but that we must act on property tax
relief and do so this session. The sooner we act, the shorter
the session most likely will be.
Picture Credit
Speaking out on patriotic themes were lone High
School students taking part in a nationwide "Voice of
Democracy" program, sponsored locally by VFV and
VFW Auxiliary post 4184. The HIS students tape
recorded their self -composed messages for judging.
The message of local winner. Janet McElligott, was
recently aired on Pendleton's Radio KUMA. Her
speech took fourth place honors in district competition.
Shown here, front row from left, 3re lone Principal
Chuck Starr. VFW program co-ordinator'Jim Launer,
Janet McElligott and participants Chris Cheney.
Brenda Patton and Carol Chening. At back are
participant John Piening and teacher Tom Forsythe,
who was in charge of the IHS end of the program.
DEADLINES
General News & Society Friday, 5 p.m.
Sports & Weekend Events Monday, 5 p.m.
Late-breaking News Tuesday, 12 noon
Classified Advertising Monday, 5 p.m.
Display Advertising Monday, 5 p.m.
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
676-9228
l I r'l) if r Pf n
1 1 1 J ' -1 v 1 h
LETTERS FROM READERS:
Writer backs NMF hospital study
Editor:
I am writing this letter in.regards to the front page story
about the Pioneer Memorial Hospital. The board has asked
the Morrow County CoQrt permission to hire a health care
planning consultant. The dictionary says a consultant is one
who suggests, advises or gives out information.
Through the Morrow County Court, three different
groups submitted applications to do a study on the hospital.
The Northwest Medical Foundation was chosen to do so.
To obtain their information, some 1,500 questionnaires
were mailed out and 49 community leaders were
interviewed. The response, I feel, was very poor. Only 136
had-been patients, 138 residents, and 18 hospital employees
sent in their questionnaires.
From this information, a study was prepared. The study
consists of 103 pages and further documents pertaining to our
hospital. The study was then released to those who were
interviewed an a meeting was held with the NWMF on Jan.
18. A question and answer session was held at this time and
the board members at this time had no questions detrimental
to the study.
The NWMF was then asked to return to Portland and
condense the study and return to present it to you. This was
agreed to, and a tentative date was agreed on.
I feel that the public wants to keep this hospital in our
community. At this meeting it was stressed by Mr. Blair that
a doctor would be placed at Boardman and one at Condon. A
practioner at Fossil and a doctor-surgeon, internest and a
nurse-anesthetist would be placed in Heppner.
One thing must be understood. What the hospital board is
asking for is a person who is paid for only giving advice. I feel
we would be paying someone for something we already know.
Even if he hired doctors to come in, we would have no
guarantee as to how long they would stay.
When we talk of the NWMF, we are talking of an
organization that has at its disposal the people that they are
telling us we need and need badly.
At the last hospital board meeting, we were told that we
are $75. (XX) in the red for six month's operation. Through gifts
of $33,000. a prettier picture was painted, leaving us only
$42,000 in debt. We are paying out approximately $39,000 and
a rentable house to two people in the administration. By
adding this all together, a foreseeable $117,000 indebtedness
could exist by the end of the year.
I would rather see your money and mine, as taxes, be put
forth to a better use. such as the NWMF, and I would feel we
would be receiving something for our dollars invested.
No doubt if we are to save our hospital, a subsidy must
still be continued. The amount and length of time becomes a
question at this time.
A unit such as we now have cannot have the ups and
downs that it has had and survive. Doctors coming and
doctors going. Indebtedness which, if it happened to you or I,
would cause us to declare bankruptcy.
The NWMF feels it would have to re-educate the
surrounding counties and the people of Morrow County into
use of the hospital. They feel they can do so.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
$8.00 In Morrow, Umatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County,- $10.00 elsewhere
The Heppner
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act
of M3rrh-3,iS79. Second-closs postage paia at Heppner, Oregon.
4
G.M. Reed, Publisher
Rick Seelhammer, News Editor
Gayle Rush, Compojitton
Dolores Reed, Co-publisher
Eileei Soling, Office Manager
Melissa Scott. Composition
Ron Jordon, Printer
Tvry M. Hoger, Managing Editor
Justine Weatherford, local Columnist
Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice
Consultants may hire people to come here, but no
guarantee is made on the amount of time they may stay.
We do not know how long the doctors with NWMF would
stay, but we know they have at their disposal personnel to
replace them and we wouldn't have to go searching for
doctors again.
The foundation at large can fall back on itself for
personnel, financial aid and planning.
I would rather see an organization with experience and
expertise come in, and with oub subsidizing, which is now of
no return, be allowed to run PMH, if an agreement can be
made with the Morrow County Court and the people.
Attend the public meeting and take part in saving our
hospital.
Merl Cantin
Advisory Committee
member on schools
Editor:
One of the obligations of School Advisory Committee
members is visiting the schools. .As a member of the Heppner
Advisory Committee, I recently spent parts of three days at
our grade and high schools.
From my observations I am pleased to report that in
general, our local educational system is in excellent
condition. For the most part, our teachers are doing a fine
job. Our buildings and their fantastic array of educational
equipment are a real credit to the taxpayers. There are a few
problems in need of attention which I will take to the
Advisory Committee at the next meeting, February 13th.
I would encourage any interested citizen to visit their
school.
Stephen K. Peck
Concerned Parents
purpose explained
Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to explain the
purpose and goals of the Concerned Parents Group. In the
absence of a PTA or similar organization, we felt that the
Morrow County School System and parents needed a direct
line of communication.
The first objective of the organization was to find out
what the major concerns of parents in the community were
and then educate ourselves to the nature and seriousness of
these concerns.
In this "discovery" period, we found that some of the
areas discussed were much bigger problems than we had
imagined. At the same time, we found many positive, good
things were happening in the schools.
Most of the problems faced in our school system are not
unique to Morrow County. They exist all over the country.
This fact has not convinced us that this is the way it has to be.
By working with, supporting and providing input to our
educators, we hope that education can be provided at the
highest quality possible.
Paul Sumner
Chairman, Concerned Parents Group
...have something
to say?
The Gazette-Times welcomes
letters from readers on any subject
of general interestletters should
be not more than 250 words
A total of 42 inches of snow had fallen on Heppner during
a three-week period of unseasonably severe weather during
this period 50 years ago.
The snowfall was so heavy, it caved in the roof of a
lambing shed at the Pat Connell place at Spring Hollow,
killing nearly a dozen ewes.
Oscar Keithly appeared in Heppner in a horse-drawn
sleigh, prompting the Gazette-Times to note that "one does
not see many vehicles of this kind any more. But the deep
snow is causing them to re-appear, as this is about the only
sure means of transportation over unbroken roads."
It wasn't exactly ideal weather in which to be spending
much time in the saddle, but John J. Kelly, in charge of the
Mahoney and Kelly sheep operation, rose to the occasion,
spending the week moving a band of woolies from the Wyland
place beyond Hardman to Cecil.
The cold weather made indoor activities more attractive,
resulting in a large turnout for Heppner High School's
presentation of "The Charm School," a three-act comedy.
Heppner High junior Henry Robertson was cast in the
leading role.
B.G. Sigsbee's motion pictures of the recently concluded
Alpine area rabbit drive were being shown nightly as a short
subject feature at the Star Theater. Many local residents had
the thance to see themselves on film for the first time. The
footage of the rabbit drive, in which some 3,000 jackrabbits
were bludgeoned into the Great Beyond, appeared just before
the cartoon feature "Oscar the Rabbit," at the Star. Also
playing was Myrna Loy in "The Crimson City."
. Thirty years ago this week, final plans and architects'
drawings of the proposed Pioneer Memorial Hospital were
mailed to federal Health, Education and Welfare
Department officials in San Francisco. County officials were
hopeful that their planning effort would result in a federal
grant that would allow them to make the hospital a reality.
During the same week in 1949, Morrow County civic and
business leaders invited to attend a Pendleton Chamber of
Commerce meeting were told by Army Corps of Engineer
officials that the proposed Willow Creek Dam was included in
development plans for the Columbia Basin region.
A wheat storage space shortage that was threatening
already troubled area grain growers was eased somewhat 25
years ago this week.
Local wheat producers had experienced two years of
good production and poor prices, resulting in a good portion
of the county's wheat crop being stored in elevators and bins.
Prices remained poor during the 1954 season, but additional
storage space was nearly completely booked.
But the storage situation brightened when Morrow
County Grain Growers manager Al Lamb learned that the
U.S. Maritime Administration had agreed to allow 135
decommissioned or "mothballed" Navy cargo ships docked
at Astoria to be used for grain storage purposes. Grain from
the area could be barged to Astoria, and offloaded onto the
unused vessels, while farmers waited for prices to take an
upward turn.
Unusually heavy snowfall along upper Willow Creek 10
years ago this week resulted in a natural phenomenon almost
unheard of in this area : avalanches.
Dick Wilkinson, traveling about three miles upstream
from his Willow Creek ranch home, observed one such
avalanche start near the top of the rolling hills above the
creek valley. According to a Gazette-Times account, the
snowslide "gained momentum, and reached sizeable
proportions as it hit the creek. Sweeping on across, .it
dammed the creek under an accumulation of snow and debris
some five or six feet in depth. Within a short time, the stream
cut back through it."
Driving back up the canyon later in the day, Wilkinson
spotted four other minor avalanches that had been
triggered by the weight of the snow accumulation.
The heavy snowfall caused a variety of other problems to
the area. A Hager's Dairy truck, after making a delivery to
Heppner High School, lost control going back down the hill
into town, plunging into a ditch. Trucks jacknifed on the
Heppner-Condon highway on at least two occasions, blocking
both lanes of traffic until they could be towed away. Two
state snowplows were unable to negotiate the snow blanketed
highways, and had to be towed.
The weather was more spring-like five years ago this
week, providing an airy mood for many Morrow Countians.
Included in this group were Gerald Bunch, Steve Peck and Al
Bunch, who used the good weather to take advantage of
flying lessons. The three made their first solo flights during
this week in 1974.
During Mart Twain's day o a newipaperman, he wot editor of
a tmoll Missouri poper. On day h received a letter from a lufewriber,
ftoting that hm hod found a spider in his paper, and asked
this wet an omen of good or bod tuck.
Twain replied: "Finding m tpidrr in your paper it neither
good nor bod luck. The tpider m merely looking over our paper
to tee which merchant wot not advertising to that he could
go to that uore, tpin hit iceb acrott the dwr, and lead
m life of undisturbed peace ever aftencard."
THE
GAZETTE-TIMES
will keep the spider mcay from your door
m yrjrv ear.g..,-v ,t-y.--iH