TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 15, 1979
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
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Consider consequences in
voting on Willow Creek Dam
Residents of Heppner have the unique
opportunity to determine the future of their town
when they go to the polls March 28.
Along with the ballot for a maintenance and
operating levy will be an opinion ballot asking
"whether or not you are in favor of Willow Creek
Dam."
The explanation of the ballot question reads:
"Presently the City of Heppner is extremely
vulnerable to floods. Are you in favor of the
Willow Creek Dam to reduce the Flood Plain
level in the City of Heppner, Oregon?"
The kicker in the ballot explanation is the
reference to the "flood plain." Unfortunately, no
explanation is given as to what the two
words flood plain actually mean. Therein lies
a complex issue is separate from, but greatly
affected by construction of the Willow Creek
Dam.
The real impact of the flood plain without
the Willow Creek Dam is that anyone building
within those bounadries will be severely
restricted. In most cases building couldn't be
done, leaving numerous vacant lots in Heppner
without potential. If the city planning commis
sion allowed construction, the person doing the
building would have to meet floodproofing
standards, which in the case of a private
residence means elevating the home three, four
or five feet off the ground; commercial
structures would have to put water-tight covers
over doors and windows. In addition, flood
insurance which is necessary to obtain a loan,
would be cost prohibitive. An example would be
a $100,000 building in a 5-foot flood plain; flood
insurance premiums would come to about $20,000
annually. ..that's each and every year.
The paragraph above is an over-simplification
of the flood plain problem Heppner faces,
but it points out the basics.
One of those basics is that before one makes
a choice on whether or not they are for the
Willow Creek Dam, the individual should
become familiar with the flood plain and what it
means to Heppner, and every citizen has the
opportunity to do just that.
Tonight, Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.,
the City of Heppner is sponsoring a public
meeting at which time the flood plain and how
the Willow Creek Dam affects the flood plain,
will be explained. The Heppner City Council has
passed the ball to the residents of Heppner and
the outcome will either be a first-and-ten or a
punt situation. It behooves the people of Heppner
to hang on to the ball.
'Shop Heppner'
campaign expands
Last week Heppner merchants began a
"shop Heppner" campaign in the Gazette-Times
for a two-fold purpose. First, the merchants
would like to have you shop Heppner first, and
secondly, because they're proud of Heppner's
business district and what it means to the
community.
For an area with the size and population of
Southern Morrow County, Heppner's business
selection and grouping is one of the best we've
seen. Last week's ad touched on the personal
service and selection aspects of shopping
Heppner. Future advertisements will tell you
how the business community contributes
financially to the well-being of the area;
shopping basket comparisons on items ranging
from groceries to drug products to clothing.
This week on page nine of the Gazette
Times your Heppner merchants ask the
question "You know you're living in Heppner
because..."
All you have to do is finish the thought with a
sentence or two, touching on some aspects of
living in a small town. Three responses will be
selected as "winners" and first, second and third
prizes will be awarded. The first place thought
will bring a $100 shopping spree to it's author;
the second place thought receives a $50 shopping
trip and third place is worth $25 on the town.
The contest is a fun one and the prizes aren't
bad for a few minutes effort and it carries
through the merchants' message "Shop
Heppner. ..We've Got a Lot To Offer!"
Public Officials
U.S. Sen.
Mark O. Hatfield
Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington,
D.C. 20510. Member of Appropriations
Committee, Interior Committee, Rules Com
mittee, and Indian Policy Review Commis
sion. Portland office, Pioneer Courthouse,
Rm. 107. 520 S.W. 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 N.E. Holladay, Rm. 700 (P.O. Box 3621),
Portland, Ore. 97208, phone 233-4471.
U.S. Rep. Al'Ullman,
Of The Second District
House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C.
20515. Member of Ways and Means Commit
tee. Salem office. 530 Center St., Rm 330 (P.O.
Box 247), Salem, Ore. 97308, phone 399-5724.
Gov. Vic Atiyeh
State Capitol, Salem, Ore. 97310, phone
378-3100.
State Sen.
Ken Jernstedt
(Morrow, Gilliam and other counties),
State Capitol, Rm. S317, Salem, Ore. 97310,
phone 378-8850.
State Sen.
Robert Smith
(Wheeler, Grant and other counties)
State Capitol, Rm. S323, Salem, Ore. 97310
phone 378-8176.
State Rep.
Bill Bellamy
(Morrow, Gilliam and other counties),
State Capitol, Rm. H364, Salem, Ore. 97310
phone 378-8853.
State Rep.
Max Simpson
(Wheeler, Grant and other counties),
State Capitol, Rm. H481, Salem, Ore. 97310,
phone 378-8789.
Persons wanting information on bills,
hearings, and other doings of the
Oregon Legislature may call,
toll-free, 1-8OO-452-0290
Oregon Newspaper
Publishers Association
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
U.S.P.S. 240-420
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
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
S8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; SI 0.00 elsewhere
. G.M. Reed, Publisher
Terry M. Hager, General Manager
Eileen Saling, Office Manager
Melissa Scott, Composition
Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist
Delores Reed, Co-publisher
Rick Steelhammer, News Editor
Gayle Rush, Composition
Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice
Ron Jordan, Printer
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Coast Guard cutter slips past Morrow County Grain Growers barge loading facility at Patterson
ferry. The vessel was making a springtime swing up the Columbia through Morrow County,
repairing navigational aids.
LlUFTIUS from readers
Green defends city vote on dam
Citizens of Heppner:
At it's next regular meeting, April 2, the
Heppner City Council will make a decision that
will, in my opinion, determine the future of this
town. We must decide if we can live with the
flood plain as recently presented to us, or if the
reduction of flood plain and flood depths
expected to occur from construction of Willow
Creek Dam, warrant construction of such a dam.
This is such a serious decision, that the
council felt the people should have an
opportunity to express their desire. Consequent
ly, on March 28 at the budget election, you will
have a chance to mark a ballot advising the
council of the direction you wish to go.
It is most important that all be well informed
as to the consequences of their choice. There is a
lot of misinformation being passed around about
the flood plain and the dam. Accordingly, we
have arranged a town meeting for 7:30 p.m.
March 15 at the grade school multipurpose room
to explain the options available to us.
The City Council has been criticized for
asking to hear from you on this issue. It has been
alleged that the people don't understand the
situation sufficiently to make a decision. I will
continue to defend the council's action and I have
faith in the people of this town. However, I
cannot emphasize enough that we must all have
the true facts as to our choices before we vote.
Therefore, I will expect to see the multipurpose
room filled on March 15. Please don't let me
down.
Sincerely,
Cliff W. Green
Leave emotions out of Willow Creek
Dam vote, writer urges
Editor:
It seems these days we are all faced with
situations for which we do not feel wild
enthusiasm, and which are brought on by
circumstances over which we have no control.
The Willow Creek Dam seems to be a case in
point. We can't stop the flooding if nature deems
it, nor can we stop the government from denying
us financing if it feels we are not doing all we can
to prevent the flooding.
Heppner at least has a choice, unlike
Lexington and lone at present. It behooves the
people of Heppner to really understand all
aspects of "to have or not have" a dam before
casting their vote.
All areas in Morrow County were happy to
have the federal grant come through for Pioneer
Memorial Hospital, enabling us to secure the
badly needed x-ray machine and other
improvements. Does anyone know whether we
would be eligible for any further government
help with our hospital if we turn down the
proposed dam?
Who knows which businesses would be the
first to go for lack of funds for flood insurance?
Or a business loan? Which businesses do we
consider dispensible? Are our banks dispensi
ble? Is building to cease? And each homeowner
welded to their property for lack of mortgage
money?
I was in hopes that Heppner could apply for
funds to construct a low cost apartment house for
the elderly, such as John Day has just
completed. It could provide homes at a
reasonable cost so our retired could stay in the
community as many wish to do, and help free up
housing for growing families. But we could cross
off all types of assistance of this nature with no
federal funds available.
The people of Heppner are being asked by
their city council to vote on an apparently
emotion-fraught issue; unfortunately, emotion
has no place in a decision of such consequence. It
is vitally necessary that every person under
stand what a "no" or "yes" vote signifies for the
future.
Meg Murray
s
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through
the TIME
While the sheep industry is currently unable
to keep up with national demands for domestic
mutton and wool, the situation was substantially
different 50 years ago this week.
At that time, the Gazette-Times carried a
front-page article calling for reductions in
Oregon's sheep herds, since "Oregon now has all
the sheep she can properly feed." According to
the 1929 story, "Too many have the idea that
there is a lot of money to be made in sheep. All
kinds of people who have never been in the sheep
business are trying to buy sheep. It is not the old,
experienced sheep man, who is expanding the
business, but the merchant, lawyer, banker and
school teacher.. .If these amateur sheep specula
tors could injure no one but themselves, the
situation would be less serious, but if they keep
on at the present rate, they will put the prices of
ewes, feed and pasture to figures that will ruin
even our best operators."
During the same March week in 1929, Henry
Arbogast and son Eldon returned from a flying
trip to Portland, where they purchased a planer,
edger and other equipment to increase the output
of their Hardman area sawmill. Abrogast's
business agent, L.J. Scott, reported to the
Gazette-Times "an increased demand for
lumber at very attractive prices." Arbogast's
mill, at that time, had 500,000 board feet of logs
ready to be milled.
Two traveling businessmen from Portland
met head-on near Lena in Morrow County during
the same week, demolishing a new Hupmobile
Six and a Paige touring car. Ed Ziegler, on
business for the Ruby Livestock Co. in Portland,
claimed the blame for the accident, which
resulted in a $785 loss to the Hupmobile operated
by T.H. Newcombe, a traveling salesman for
Portland's J.K. Gill Co.
Thirty years ago this week, Rod Wentworth
and Omar Rietmann gave a demonstration of
their new stubble cutting machine, invented by
the pair in lone.
The machine operated on the principle of a
fan-blade lawn mower, working off a power take
Off unit of a tractor. The Nelson Brothers wheat
operation at Lexington was to use the device
during the 1949 wheat season.
During the same week, Malarky and Moore
of Portland submitted a low bid of $167,300 for
construction of the proposed Pioneer Memorial
Hospital, La Verne Van Marter was attempting
to organize a summer baseball league, and
Heppner's William Kenny was nominated in
Gonzaga University's "Most Popular Irish Lad"
contest.
Twenty-five years ago, Juergen Dobberke,
journalist for the Berlin newspaper "Der Tag,"
spent a week on the Gazette-Times staff as part
of an exchange program worked out by the
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Assn. Among
other things, Dobberke observed that "Heppner
is not yet a paradise-lost, because it does not
have any TV sets. You still have the time
available to read a book, talk to friends, or listen
to a good record."
Ten years ago this week, Vernon "Pete"
Gilman became the 20,000th patient admitted to
Pioneer Memorial Hospital, then in its 19th year.
Losses to Sutherlin and Dayton high schools
prevented the Heppner Mustangs from receiving
the State A-2 basketball crown in state
tournament action at Coos Bay. However,
Heppner's John McCabe was made an honorable
mention choice for the state's A-2 All-Star squad.
Five years ago this week, Heppner's
planning commission gave tentative approval to
Kinzua Corporation's planned $385,000, 22-unit
housing project, to be located on 2.12 acres
adjacent to Pioneer Memorial Hospital.
Tax relief proposals again being considered
in Oregon Legislature ; initiatives abound
By Kathleen Glanville Eagle Newspaper Capitol Correspondent
SALEM If the Oregon Leg
islature does nothing else this
year, it has to come up with a
tax-relief plan that will make
most Oregonians happy.
If it doesn't, taxpayers are
likely to take things into their
own hands. No one scoffs at a
frustrated electorate, particu
larly after propopents of
tax-limitation gathered a rec
ord number of signatures to
put Measure 6 on the Novem
ber 1978 ballot.
Some people aren't waiting
to see what kind of tax relief
the Legislature is going to
produce. Nineteen initiative
petitions have already been
filed for the 1980 election. Six
deal with some form of tax
reform and more are expected.
But it's not just tax reform
that has inspired people to
circumvent the Legislature.
Leslie V. Bahr of Salem
wants to limit legislative
salaries and expenses. Marc
Chaitlin of Ashland wants to
limit legislative terms. Lynn
Abraham of Salem wants
highway taxes to be used just
for highways. Peter Applegate
of Ashland wants a constitu
tional amendment to keep
women from charging their
husbands with rape. And Karl
Wiensz of Rickreall wants to
repeal the 55 mph speed limit.
Six of the initiatives were
filed by Jimmy Dale Witten
burg, former Portland pharm
acist. His prescription for
good government over the
past two years has been a
series of initiative petitions
aimed at abolishing the Ore
gon Liquor Control Commis
sion. It was Whittenburg who
copied California's Proposi
tion 13 to give rebellious
taxpayers in Oregon a banner
to gather around.
Whittenburg, who has rec
ently served time in jail on
bad check charges, hasn't
filed any tax proposals this
year, but he has a petition to
prohibit banks from charging
a penalty for overdrawn
checks.
Secretary of State Norma
Paulus says some people
manipulate the initiative pro
cess. It's simple to file a
petition, hold a press confer
ence to publicize an issue, and
never gather a single signa
ture, she says.
It costs the state about $400
to process each initiative
petition, frivilous or not.
Paulus and Attorney Gener
al James Redden are backing
legislation requiring 20 signa
tures before an initiative
petition can be filed. That
might weed out those who fill
out their petitions on the spur
of the minute in the capitol
coffee shop.
"I'm not trying to keep
down the number of peti
tions," says Paulus. "It would
just preclude to some degree
having Mr. Whittenburg file
petitions dealing with his
personal problems."
Although some of the prop
osals are silly, illegal of
self-serving, Paulus thinks the
Legislature should take note
of the surge of interest in the
initiative process.
Dissatisfaction with state
government prompted Ore
gonians to adopt the initiative
and referendum provisions in
1902 and Oregon was the first
state to make use of the
measures. There were seven
initiative measures on the 1978
ballot,Uhe largest number for
any year since 1936.
"When representative gov
ernment is working very well
in the minds of the people,
there wouldn't be any need to
do this except in an extra
ordinary occurance," she
says. "Yet now it's an
everyday process.
Cofit. on page 3