XW'o The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 14, 1979
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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