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If.u-ar.e, Or 97-103
voiers to me pons i uesaay in oevy oj elections
Roads, inflation boost County budget
Morrow County voters are
asked to approve a $494,410
tax levy outside the 6 percent
limitation imposed by the
State Constitution in next
Tuesday's budget election.
Both County Judge D.O.
Nelson and Warren McCoy are
concerned that voters are
hard-pressed by reappraisal
in the northern part of the
county, specifically Irrigon,
may vote their pocketbooks.
McCoy, Irrigon, says
"People are upset about their
taxes. I was upset by my
own."
And he blamed the federal
and state government for the
cause of the inflation which is
adding a financial burden to
local government.
"All the demands have been
put on us by the state and
VOL. 97, NO. 20
ui . Li . .J I . - u. V
Bill Kenny (right) has been selected as Valedictorian for the
Heppner High School Class of 1979 and Scott McEwen (left)
named Salutatorian. The pair are the top students
scholastically In this year's graduating class.
Top honors
Bill Kenny and Scott Mc
Ewen have been named vale
dictorian and salutatorian of
the Heppner High School class
of 1979 as the seniors with the
highest scholastic average in
four years. As the class
valedictorian, Bill Kenny
compiled a 3.98 grade point
average and except for a B
plus in freshman algebra,
received A's for every course
taken. Salutatorian Scott Mc
Ewen's average is 3.85.
Six in the graduating class
including Kenny and McEwen
will receive honor plaques for
their scholastic achievements.
Also receiving the honor are
Gazette deadlines revised
New and advertising dead
lines at the Heppner Gazette
Times are being revised
effective immediately, Terry
M. Hager, managing editor
announced this week.
Deadlines for all materials
submitted for publication will
be one day earlier to enable
distribution of the newspaper
on Wednesday afternoon.
Hager said the move would
give readers more notice for
weekend events and would
enable shoppers to read mer
chants' advertisements prior
to the usual Thursday-through-Saturday
sale period.
Deadlines for advertising
will be: display advertising,
federal government. Inflation
is killing us."
Nelson referred to the
reappraisal situation in the
Irrigon area as a possible
source of voter dissatisfaction
during a speech to the
Heppner Chamber of Com
merce. But he strongly de
fends this year's budget.
"We think we have a good
budget. To keep the roads up,
we need the $100,000."
The County Judge said the
county court could have asked
for millions of dollars for road
repairs but added, "there's a
limit to how much we can
afford."
The proposed budget is
$247,406 higher than last
year's budget figure attrib
uted to the loss of $35,996 in
federal CETA employment
go to pair
Maureen Healy, Michelle
Cutsforth, Julie Grieb and
Jackie Mollahan.
Both Kenny and McEwen
plan to attend Oregon State
University; Bill will major in
music education, Scott in
pre-medicine. Kenny is active
in the school's drama club,
and band president of the
National Honor Society while
Scott is a member of the NHS,
played varsity football and
baseball.
Bill is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Kenny and .Scott's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Don
McEwen.
Monday at 12-noon ; classified
advertisements, Monday at 4
p.m. ; legal notice advertising,
Monday at 4 p.m.
News deadlines are as
follows: general news and
society items, Friday at 5
p.m., except events which
occur on the weekend, for
which the deadline is Monday
at 12-noon. The final news
deadline will be Tuesday at 9
a.m.
Clubs and organizations
wishing news release forms
should call the Gazette-Times
at 676-9228.
News items may be called
into the Gazette-Times office
Monday through Friday from
funds, a $47,000 reduction in
federal in lieu of taxes
because of a decline in federal
forest receipts, a phase-cut in
anti-recession funds amount
ing to $24,000 and a seven and
a half percent increase in road
dept. salaries totalling $64,260.
To pass, the budget requires
a simple majority vote. The
first year a proposal was
submitted outside the six
percent limitation; it drew a
tie vote and was resubmitted
with a resulting majority.
Nelson and McCoy have
made several appearances
before organizations in both
the North and South ends of
the county, stressing the
individual features of the
budget. Their audiences have
Morrow
HEPPNER, OREGON
Arietta Aldrich (left), and Michelle McElligott (right) have
been named Valedictorian and Salutatorian respectively for
lone High School's graduating class. Arietta is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Aldrich and Michelle, the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Don McElligott.
ione names
The valedictorian for Ione
High School Class of 1979 is
Arietta Aldrich, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Aldrich
with a 3.42 g.p.a. Michelle
McElligott, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Don McElligott has
been selected as salutatorian
with a 3.3 gradepoint average.
Arietta has been active as
editor of the high school
annual and a member of the
National Honor Society and
the Girls Letter Club. She
plans to attend Blue Mountain
Community College and
major in accounting.
Michelle is president of the
Girls Letter Club, vice presi-
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or may be
deposited in the mail slot of
the G-T office anytime.
Poppy sale
Thursday
The Buddy Poppies which
will be offered to you on the
streets May 17-18 are sold by a
volunteer. All proceeds will go
to the relief and welfare of the
needy veteran, his widow and
orphans.
been small, Nelson said.
The judge said last year's
road budget was $648,387; this
year's figure is $809,000. That
includes a serial levy passed
by the voters for $195,000
which is a carryover fund for
three years.
The county budget will meet
a voter test with a separate
ballot measure on authoriza
tion to the county to levy taxes
in the amount of $598,587
outside the six percent limita
tion. This is the second year in
which the two measures have
been divided.
Commissioner Warren Mc
Coy favors the separation.
"You can give the people a
choice instead of throwing it
all in one."
Continued on page 3
The Heppner
County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
top students
dent of the senior class,
secretary-treasurer of the stu
dent body, a member of NHS
and active at volleyball,
basketball and tennis.
Dr. Pagel
on call
weekend
Persons needing medical
attention this coming week
end, May 19-20, should be
informed that Dr. Joan Pagel
of Portland will be at Pioneer
Memorial Hospital in the
absence of a resident physi
cian in town.
Dr. Pagel will be on call
24-hours a day at the hospital
and will regularly see patients
there between the hours of 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., by appoint
ment. She will arrive at the
hospital Friday and remain on
call through early Monday
morning.
Hospital Administrator Bob
Byrnes also noted that Dr.
Wallace H. Wolff has resumed
practice, although this is not
his regular weekend for being
on call.
Byrnes said the commun
ity's response to Dr. Pagel has
been "very good" with the
doctor being kept busy with
patients during the daytime
hours.
Increased PMH levy is explained
"The 1979-80 Pioneer Mem
orial Hospital Budget is more
than just a minimal operating
budget," Administrator Bob
Byrnes told Chamber of Com
merce members Monday, "It
is a planning and goal-oriented
budget to accomplish those
things which are the expecta
tions of the people in the
health care service area."
When voters go to the polls
next Tuesday they will be
asked to approve a special
levy in the amount of $544,122
to improve and operate PMH
for the next year. The total
budget for the ensuing year
tops out at $1.7 million, up
$650,750 from this year.
Byrnes points out that
several items new to the PMH
budget account for a substan
tial portion of the increase.
THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1979
Area high schools prepare
for commencement exercises
Area high schools are gear
ing )p for baccalaureate and
commencement exercises for
graduating seniors with dates
already set and even one high
school preparing for its senior
sneak.
Heppner High School has
scheduled its Baccalaureate
for May 24, 7:30 p.m. at the
Catholic Church with Dick
Bigelow of the Baptist Church
officiating. The invocation and
benediction will be given by
Six candidates
CountyCoinmiioner
Six candidates tossed their
political hats in the ring
Monday night in a bid for the
County Commissioner's seat
held by the late Homer
Hughes of Lexington.
Applying for the job at the
special Republican Central
Committee meeting at the
Circuit Courtroom of the
Morrow County Courthouse in
Heppner were Merle Cantin,
Ralph Crumb, Don Peterson,
Dorothy Krebs, June Lind
strom and Dick Wilkinson , all
from Heppner-Lexington and
Ione.
Following a two hour ses
sion of five minute speeches
by the candidates and a
question and answer period,
the County GOP extended the
deadline for announcement of
candidacy to noon, Monday,
May 21 with a decision to be
reached in a closed caucus,
Wednesday, May 23 at the
Courthouse.
Central Committee Chair
man Steve Peck said Monday
night's meeting was not an
"official" meeting because it
was required to give possible
candidates a six day notice of
formal sessions. The commit
tee hopes to attract other
candidates to apply for the job
which pays $9,000 a year.
By law, the central commit
tee must make a recommend
ation to the Morrow County
Court for the Republican to fill
the post. The County Court can
either accept or deny the
recommendation but must
appoint a Republican.
To ensure a fair decision,
Included is $157,000 for the
North Morrow Medical Clinic
in Boardman; $139,588 for
physicians services in south
ern Morrow County; $50,000
for management, consulting
and planning; a $50,000 in
crease in the contingency
fund; and $30,000 for capital
improvements and replace
ment of equipment.
Included in those figures is
$100,000 that will be used to
guarantee a minimum $50,000
annual salary for two doctors,
one for Boardman and one for
Heppner. Voters should under
stand the average physician
generates well in excess of
$50,000 a year income, in
which case the tax dollars
would never be spent. The
board anticipates it will takt a
$20,000 to attract the doctors to
two seniors, Barb Devine and
Phil Marquardt. . : .
Graduation exercises are
set for Saturday, May 26 at
7:30 p.m. at the high school
gym . The senior class motto is
"Life's Been Good" and
according to Michele Port
man, student counselor, the
school's band director and a
student are composing a
graduating sone to the chosen
itheme. Bill Kenny has been
named valedictorian and Scott
Peck appointed Heppner City
Councilman Clifford Green,
also a Central Committee
member, to chair a rules
committee for the May 23rd
meeting and it was the
consensus of the board to close
the final decision-making to
the public. Chairman Steve
Peck was cautious in closing
the session, emphasizing the
goal of the party to make its
political processes as open as
possible.
Initially there were eight
potential candidates. Dorris
Graves, Hardman, said she
was asked to apply by friends
and neighbors but said she
wouldn't want to run for
election a year from this
November.
Clifford Green asked her
whether her family operations
outside the county might
handicap her position as
commissioner; she replied
that she would be able to
devote Sunday to Wednesday
to the job and be helping with
the family's business in Wal
lowa the remainder of the
week.
She emphasized her enjoy
ment of analyzing and or
ganizing matters and felt her
experience with research an
important ingredient for a
commissioner's role.
June Lindstrom, Ione said
she was 40 years old, had her
children almost raised and
has time and energy to
devote to the job. She says she
doesn't have all the answers to
county problems but will work
towards solving them.
Morrow County in the first
place.
Board member Ed Dick,
referring to the salary guaran
tee and capital improvements
planned, said, "I'm sure the
actual cost to taxpayers will
be less when the full potential
of patient use of the hospital is
realized, but for that to
happen we need doctors locat
ed here."
In recent months the hos
pital board has been review
ing a number of management
proposals from various health
care firms and last month
decided that short and long
range plans for the hospital
must be developed before
hiring one of the firms to
manage the hospital. The
board plans to move ahead
quickly in this area and has
TWO SECTIONS 14 PAGES
McEwen, salutatorian.
' Heppner, seniors will attend
a special graduation celebra
tion May 23 with a trip to
Ritter Hot Springs.
Ione High School has slated
baccaluareate for this Sunday
at the United Church of Christ
at 7:30 p.m. Graduation exer
cises are Friday, May 25 at 8
p.m.
Riverside High School in
Boardman has set baccalaur
eate for Sunday in the school
Don Peterson was the only
member of the Central Com
mittee to toss his hat into the
ring and praised the candi
dates' interest n county
government. He told the
committee his political inter
est in farm organization, both
at the state and national level ;
he has done political lobbying,
served as county president of
the Wheat League and as one
of the workers on Governor
Atiyeh's campaign. "I'm con
cerned about county problems
and I'm a good listener. The
people of Oregon are going to
have to put up money for these
roads. I like this county and
want to be more of an intimate
part of it."
Peterson is the son of
former County Judge Paul
Peterson who attended the
opening session.
A friend of Dick Wilkinson ,
Randall Peterson spoke on his
behalf because as explained
by Peterson, he was unable to
attend because of his recovery
from a heart condition. Peter
son said Wilkinson is getting
along fine and since he will be
semi-retired from his farm
will be available for the
position. Wilkinson , an OSU
graduate, has served on
several boards including the
Columbia Basin Electrical
Co-op and is a life-long
resident of the area. Gene
Rietmann, Ione, withdrew his
candidacy after speaking at
length on county issues, say
ing the central committee had
an adequate number of good
candidates to draw from.
bid for
requested $50,000 to use in
planning and possibly for use
in hiring a management firm.
Again, monies not spent for
their budgeted purpose would
be returned to (he taxpayer.
A federal grant in t!ie
amount of $205,000 is expected
to be approved in the weeks
ahead and a local contribution
of about $60,000 is needed to
supplement the grant. "We
have received word that the
$60,000 will be returned to us,
but at this (jme we need to
budget the money to complete
the expansion project covered
under the grant," said Byrnes.
The capital improvements
and replacement fund reflects
a phased plan of replacement
for updating equipment with
much emphasis on emergency
Cont. on page 8
20 cents
auditorium and commence
ment exorcises for May '.'4 at
p.m. in the high school
gymnasium. Sunday's cere
mony is sponsored by the
ministerial association of
Boardman. Rev. David Piper
will present the program's
sermon; Rev. Neal King,
invocation; Rev. Al Gordan
ier, benediction: and bibles
presented to graduating sen
iors by Rev. Carl Wright.
The Central Committee ask
ed each candidate to present a
five minute speech regarding
his abilities and qualifications
for the position, then quizzed
the six on county roads.
Pioneer Memorial Hospital,
how to obtain more money for
Morrow County, the political
division between the north and
south ends of the county and
whether they would run for
election in 1980.
Merle Cantin, a telephone
company retiree, said he had
attended County Court meet
ings for over a year and felt
that a communications gap
exists between the board and
the public. He called for more
public input, and said if
appointed, would close the
budgetary situation of Pioneer
Memorial Hospital.
Ralph Crum , a farmer in
the Ione area, who said he first
came to north Morrow County
in 1946 after eight years in
Catepillar sales, insisted upon
getting the most for the
taxpayer's dollar.
Dorothy Krebs said she was
born in Pellican City, Oregon
near Klamath Falls, was 53
years old like Great Britain's
new prime minister, Margaret
Thatcher, had four children
and is married to Henry, a
sheep rancher. She stressed
her educational background,
experience and ability to
research solutions to county
problems, citing her B.A.
degree in General Chemistry
from O.S.U., a Master . of
Cont. on page 1 1
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