Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 1979)
XW'o The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 14, 1979 Sifting The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES WDE10PDCGtL? Editorials o Columns Letters From Readers through the EDITORIAL Pemocracy works when majority speaks We live in a day and age where more and more government ser vices are taken for granted, especially at the local level, yet when it comes time to pay for those services only a minority of the people speak. That was evidenced a couple weeks ago when the county and Pioneer Memorial Hospital tax levies were voted on by Morrow County taxpayers. The vote was a resounding "no" and voter turnout at the polls was an embarassing 37 percent or less. The county budget committee made up of citizens from throughout the county worked many hard and long hours coming up with a budget that would provide the services people expect and yet not provide for any frills. The same applies to the Pioneer Memorial board, who took into consideration the Hospital's prob lems over the past couple years, and took what they felt was formative action to correct those problems. Charge for inner tubes Editor: To the parents and kids of Heppner. It has been our practice, since Les Schwab has been in business in Heppner, to supply used inner tubes for the kids to use for floating or sledding. We have not charged for these tubes. But, as with the "Lady's flats fixed free" policy, the laws of today force out of existence some things that were simply meant to be "a good turn." Our corporate lawyers inform us that in order to protect the company from liability, we must write used tires up on an invoice, which takes time to process. ! I just wanted you all. to know why we can't just give tubes away anymore. We will now have tt charge 50-cents for each tube. Robb Rush, L.S.T.C. Heppner Vote yes m -sr" mr-ww tor nun Editor: On June 26 the hospital budget will be put before the voters again. Voter turnout was light last time. I wonder why? The non-voter will certain ly expect good health care if caught in an emergency. Tbat same non-voter will probably complain loudly if the service isn't up to his or her expectations. The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow ONFA Orsgon Nuwspopr PublifHors Association 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 March3, 1879. Second-class pottage paid at Heppner, Oregon SUBSCRIPTION RATE $8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County, $10.00 elsewhere1 G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hoger, General Manager Jim Hackett, News Editor Eileen Saling, Office Manager Gayle Rush, AdvertisingComposition Melissa Scott, Composition Qndi Doherty, office Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist Further, the issues were ex plainedalbeit not very well by county officials and hospital direc tors. The Gazette-Times published several news articles on the subject; the reasoning and neeed was laid out again in budget hearings, but few citizens showed up to listen. Voters will again have oppor tunity to pass judgement on the tax levies Tuesday, June 26 and again the levies are being explained both in public meetings and area news papers. Whether one votes "yes" or "no" on the respective levies isn't the point of this column; the point is that all voters have the oppor tunity to become informed and then express themselves at the polls. Democracy and mainten ance of local control over govern ment works for the betterment of all only when the majority speaks, not the minority. tmh The hospital and North Morrow Medical Clinic belong to the county. They provide services for us. I'm glad I don't live in a county without a hospital. Many of the local citizens feel the same way. But, I fail to understand why so few will take the time to exercise their responsi bility and vote. When the June 26 vote comes up, I will cast a "yes" vote. I feel the board has made an honest effort to assess the present and future needs of the hospital. I don't like paying taxes but I like having the services of the hospital available. If I lived in Boardman, I think I would like having that clinic in operation. There is talk around that if the budget fails someone will come up with the money to keep the hospital open. Before I could cast a no vote, I would have to know exactly where that money was going to come from. Sincerely, Liz Curtis Heppner PMH budget explained Editor: In discussing the hospital budget two questions keep surfacing: what happen ed to the Health District petitions and what happened to the $20,000 budgeted for doctor recruitment? A health district was proposed about a year ago. Petitions were circulated and presented to the county court. Signatures were verified by the county clerk. At this . point, everything was done according to the requirements of Oregon Law (ORS 440.305). But failure to receive endorse- First Dorothy Krebs, lone (left) was sworn in June 6 as Morrow County's first woman commissioner on the County Court by County Clerk Sadie Parrish. The swearing in ceremony filled the vacancy created by the death of Homer Hughes. ILLSlflf LELiib FROM OUR READERS ment from the city governments of the county caused the court to drop the proposal at this point. Money has been spent from the doctor recruitment item in the budget. A contract with Health Management Sys tems, Inc., of Pasco for doctor recruit ment for the Boardman Clinic came from this item. Emergency physician services is being paid from this part of the budget. The fee for the Northwest Medical Foundation had to come from this item. At this time it appears that over one-half of the amount budgeted fpr doctor recruitment will not have been spent. However, budgeted money that is not spent does not always create a cash carryover. Failure of the hospital to generate anticipated income required that many items in the budget could not be fully spent as budgeted. L.E.Dick Need hospital Editor: As a taxpayer I would like to say how wonderful it is to have a hospital here when we need it. We don't like to pay taxes anymore than anyone else but the hospital is a necessity. Hubert had an accident this weekend and the ambulance arrived in about three minutes. We were so thankful that we had the hospital here and the wonderful staff. Also thankful forthe response to Randall and Marlene Peterson when calling for help. Please, everyone, get behind ypur hospital and staff. You may be the next one to need it. Faye Wilson Sonics lucky? Editor: "Lucky?" The Sonics were lucky? I want you to know that I am not what you would call a real dyed-in-the-wool Sonic fan but to call the NBA Champions "lucky" takes courage. To call a team which won their division race, were champions of the Western Conference and won the NBA championship 4 games to 1 (The four they won were consecutive wins, the single loss was because of a "homer" called back in Maryland in the first game) "lucky is to call Tom Watson (won over $350,000 so far this year), Seattle Slew, (Triple Crown), the New York Yankees (World Series winners) the Pittsburg Steelers (NFL champs) and Richard Schmidt (Class A State Champion in the triple jump) "lucky" and that just ain't so. It is working harder over the long haul that makes champions, not luck. Just keeping you on your toes. 01 Bleacher Seats Robb Rush ii K Lf . i woman commissioner Need more communication from hospital officials Editor: I feel that time is running out for a joint effort to bring back Pioneer Memorial Hospital as a looked upon place of beauty of service to the community. The County Court has been asked time and time again to save the hospital. They had a study made by Northwest Medical Foundation a very complete one. This has been set aside or dumped in the waste paper basket with no action. The feeling of the court at one time, Mr. Hughes especially, and Mr. McCoy was very favorable towards the North west Medical Foundation no action. In the meantime, we have lost Mr. Hughes but have gained a new commissioner who has been so outspoken that she will not even consider a church-affiliated group running the hospital. People of the community who have attended the County Court and the Hospital Board meetings have asked questions of both and have come away with no answers and no actions. The hospital board continues to try to figure out how they can get the present doctor to go down the road instead of trying to get along with him and keep his patients here and not for him to send patients outside the area to other hospitals. Having lost the first time around, the hospital board has come back and I quote "Let's give the public a J.C. Penney bargain and try to get the budget below $500,000 so it doesn't look so large." The management plan was removed but how about this $25,000 for doctor search of which the committee no longer exists. The board wants to guarantee $75,000 plus to physicians while the North Morrow Clinic still lies vacant in the Boardman area. They can't even find one. There is $60,000 needed in the budget to finish the hospital addition if it is ever approved and built. The Heppner Planning Commission refused a variance last night (June. 11, 1979) for the addition to be put against the back property on Thompson Street. This is already a congested area. The hospital board has known for quite some time that this variance was needed but has waited until time to turn the first shovel of dirt if it is ever turned. Who is going to be asked for the new addition extension of the parking lot when the time comes. The Planning Commission needs to know the board's full intentions and the city council needs to look realistically at this congested area. The safety of pedestrians around I I - the residential area and the effects on the areas as a whole. The hospital board has asked for its own study. It is called a short-long term study required by the state. When the present board at the last meeting was told they would have to spend some additional time having meetings with the committee that are to be involved, some members expressed the feeling that they had spent enough time. To work, the plan of the Oregon Association of Hospitals will take meetings and more meetings if it is to accomplish anything for the taxpayers of Morrow County. We are no longer talking of six months contract with the O.A.O.H. but could go on forever. If it is to succeed, it must become a 100 percent community and county effort. To sum up the budget, there has been very little change from the originally . proposed budget. They wanted the word "management" removed. The money generated by the physicians was increased. Where are the physicians that will generate this increase? The County Court has done very little helping the hospital cause. The two members of the original court don't even agree. One says, "The doors at Pioneer Memorial Hospital will remain open as; long as there is a nickel in the county coffers." The other uses the hospital board terms, "We will have to throw away the key." Why has this come about there has been no public relations, no communica tions, no action on the part of the County Court and the one fact is they have all forgot about. You can fool the people some of the time but not all of the time. You now have your time. The hospital problem has become two fold. We have an administration problem. We have a board that would like to see the doctor leave town. What then? We have an administration and a board that is not responsive to the public. The County Court has taken a no action attitude; everything will resolve itself. This has gone on for 18 months or more and still has not been resolved. The hospital board, back against the wall, has finally turned to us, the public, hoping that, they might wine, dine and threaten us to vote their way. I have been asked and I quote, "Would you fight as hard for the hospital as you are fighting against it?" I have only one comment at this time. I feel the public has a right to know what is going on at the meetings held by the hospital board when the public is invited. I feel they should know where every dime of their money is being spent and for what. TIMES Fifty years ago, the Gazette-Times announced that three Heppner students received degrees at the annual com mencement exercises at the University of Oregon June 10. The three were Luola Benge, Mary Clark and W. Vawter Parker. . W.G. McCarty, mayor of Heppner appointed three members to the boxing commission made up of Gay M. Anderson, C.J.D. Bauman and Dr. A.H. Johnston. The Bob Clark shearing crew completed their work in Morrow County at the John Brosnan place on Butter Creek near Lena last evening after a successful season's run. Tuesday was Pioneers' Day at Chautauqua and large numbers of the early settlers of Morrow County were present to take in the program. S.E. Notson was in charge of the program at the big tent and acted as chairman. Milton Bower led the singing and the Rev. W.W. Head of lone delivered the service. In a J.C. Penney's ad, summer suits were advertised at $19.75, young men's dress pants, $3.98 to $5.90 and shoes at $4.98. The Star Theater was playing such movies as "West of Zanzibar", starring Lon Chainey, Lionel Barrymore, Mary Nolan and Warner Baxter while slated in coming weeks was Don Coleman in ".45 Caliber War." Sam Turner of Sand Hollow was seriously injured Tuesday morning by the horse he was riding rolling on him. He was after the cattle at the time and the horse stumbled and fell. No bones were broken but one hip was severely wrenched. Twenty-five years ago, Nelson Bail ey, operator of Bailey's Richfield Service in' Heppner announced that he had sold his business to Kemp Dick, Heppner. Dick has worked for the past several years for the local Standard Oil distributor. The County Court said Wednesday that bids for the new bedroom wing for Pioneer Memorial Hospital will be opened July 14 and it is hoped that construction of the badly needed addition can start immediately thereafter." The plans call for installation of a bed size elevator in the new unit and a public health center in the lower floors. The location of the Elks picnic was changed from the Blue Mt. Ranch to Battle Mountain State Park several miles south of Nye Junction on Highway 395. The change of location was made necessary by the heavy rains of the past two weeks. Members of the Morrow County Fair and Rodeo court and their parents met with rodeo officials at the fairgrounds Sunday afternoon for briefing on royal court activities and responsibilities. Members of the court are Grace Miller, queen, and princesses, Deann Steagall, Patsy' Wright and Janet Howton. Two will seek three year terms on the Heppner School District Bd. Seeking the position are Edgar Collison of Heppner and John Ernsdorff for administrator of Pioneer Memorial Hospital. Five years ago, the search was begun for a new supt. of Morrow County Schools because of the resignation of Ron Daniels. Members of the selection committee are Jim Bier, principal of Heppner High School; Mike Tolar, principal of the A.C. Houghton Elemen tary School and a faculty member of the Morrow County Education Assn. HaroJdCohn, one of Heppner's oldest pioneer residents, celebrated his 80th birthday. His father, Phil Cohn, came to Heppner prior to 1894 to work for Harry Heppner, Cohn's uncle. He was involved in the sheep and cattle business locally. Two hundred rodeo enthusiasts were present at the Morrow County Fair grounds Saturday and Sunday to cheer on 158 contestants entered in the Junior Rodeo. The lone Advisory Committee met June 6 at the high school for a discussion of current and planned career education al programs in the business and industrial arts departments. John Ed mundson reviewed the status of filling the business education and music positions. I still believe there is hope for Pioneer Memorial Hospital. I don't believe I am fighting against the hospital. It is needed but a joint effort on the part of the County Court, the hospital board and the most important, I feel, the community as a whole. I believe 100 percent involvement, public relations and full communications will be necessary to accomplish this. Blackmail, padded budgets, un answered questions and jio leadership will only lead to disaster. Merl Cantin
