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TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, July 26, 1979
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Editorials o Columns
UDEUPODEJ1?. Letters From Readers
Poll yields discontent about
hospital levies
In the wake of two failures by the
Pioneer Memorial Hospital levy to
secure a simple majority of votes, the
Gazette-Times conducted a readership
poll to determine why voters cast yes or
no ballots and what their vote would be
on the third levy election.
The deadline was set on Friday, July
20, a day after the news appeared of the
resignation of the Hospital Administra
tor. We had low response to the
anonymous poll; 30 submitted written
ballots through the mail or by dropping
them in a special box in the Gazette
office. However, we did receive a
number of remarks about personal
reasons for voting yes and no.
We don't know if the low turnout of
votes cast was indicative of apathy in the
approaching August 9 election, fatigue
from casting so many votes on a single
issue, vacation-time or farm activity at
harvest time but if that holds true for the
upcoming election, the turnout of voters
could drop substantially. In the Gazette's
poll on Willow Creek. 100 responses were
received but at a different time of year.
What comments we did receive were
extremely interesting. Before the resig
nation of the hospital administrator, a
majority of the 17 ballots submitted felt
changes were needed in the hospital
administration and also the board of
trustees. Very few had anything to say
about the specific budgetary financing of
the hospital levy. In fact, some went out
of their way to say that hospital cuts
weren't necessary to pass the levy
request.
Said one man and woman : "We want
our hospital but feel there should be a
change in the administration and the
board." We feel that if these changes
were made that the budget would pass
without having to be cut. If the budget
should pass the way conditions are now,
which are very bad, it is not going to
change the feelings between the people of
the community and the board. The board
and administrator must go.
However, one man who will vote in
favor of the August 9 levy, said, "We
need the hospital and I like the
administration. We must have the
hospital regardless. We can't have
something for nothing and I believe it is a
modest levy."
Another man who voted yes on both
levies but said he would vote no in the
August 9 levy before announcement of
the administrator's resignation, stated,
"The budget is still padded. They haven't
fired the administration. The hospital
board will not listen to interested parties
of groups. Who knows how much the
hospital should have to stay open?"
A woman who voted yes the first
time, but no the second time, planned to
vote against the August 9 levy. "I feel we
need the hospital very bad. It's a crying
shame to let the organization collapse
because the community won't support it.
I voted no because I feel we should get rid
of the administration and a member or
two on the board."
"If the County Court would wake up
to what the people need and appoint some
new board members and get rid of the
administration, the public would pass the
budget with no problem. It's not the levy
stopping it from passing."
People responding to the Gazette
' survey were positive in keeping the
hospital.
Said one woman who voted yes the
.first time, no the second and will vote yes
in the August 9 levy, "I don't like the idea
of gambling on the continuation of our
hospital. Infaltion hurts us everywhere
else. How can we expect to escape when
it comes." Another woman stated, "We
need the hospital for heart attack people,
broken bones, strokes and pneumonia
and will vote for the August 9 levy
because we are too far from the hospital
and need one close."
Her other comment was, "The levy
isn't too big to get rid of the
administration and some of the board
and the vote will pass, more will vote
yes."
"Hospital facilities are needed in an
area such as this especially with the mill.
I feel the administration is hurting the
hospital." was another reaction.
A man who voted yes in both
elections and will vote yes August 9 said
he thought "a hospital is very important
in an area like this with the mill and
logging, also the large amount of area
involved in ranches."
"We need the hospital facilities
period. It seems that some people want
services but are unwilling to defray
expenses," responded one man who will
vote in favor of the levy.
Need of the hospital came out strong
in most of the responses received. Said
one woman, "We need the hospital,
personalities, politics or anything else
aside."
"This doesn't apply just to the
upcoming levy. But I've long felt
Boardman and Irrigon shouldn't be
asked to pay for oufhospital where they
probably would never use. I hope we can
get other uses soon."
The poll sparked a lengthy response
from one man who said he did not vote for
the hospital budget "because I do not
believe the hospital board and admini
stration are being realistic. Having lived
in both Tillamook and Crook County, I
have discovered that county hospitals in
this day and age do not make it. The
reasons are more complex than I can
understand but management provided by
the Northwest Medical Association has
'pulled both of these hospitals out of such
problems as we have going here."
He even had a comment about the
Gazette's past news coverage, "If the
newspaper had enough guts to investi
gate and report the situation at that time,
instead of hiding it, the whole problem
might not have come this far."
I am not against the hospital but until
I see them trying to improve the care
available and quit worrying about
wasting money for empty buildings, I
will not vote for the hospital."
A man and woman said they would
vote no on August 9 despite voting yes on
the preceding two levy ballots. "If it
can't support itself, it should close." It
should be self-supporting, not tax
supported." Why keep putting it up for a
vote when it has already been voted down
twice."
Another couple who said they would
also vote no, explained their reason "as a
protest against handling of the manager
ial situation at the hospital. The vote was
not against the budget itself. The court
should consider the wishes of the people
they service; until that is done the vote
will be negative as far as we are
concerned."
The idea of a hospital district came
from one woman, "I feel if a hospital
district could be formed to include Spray
and Fossil areas would help; also I see
nothing wrong with turning the hospital
over to a church organization."
One man and woman felt separating
the hospital from the county levy hurt its
chances "because I think the whole issue
should automatically be included in the
county budget instead of voted on
separately."
X
They both felt the hospital
"vitally necessarv for this area "
was
SB
Legislative Report from the State Capita)
EXCLUSIVE to Oregon's Weekly Newspa
pers trom Associated Oregon Industries.
Salem
Scene
It is not uncommon to equate youth
with energy.
And on that basis it would appear
appropriate for Gov. Victor Atiyeh to
appoint 28-year-old Lynn D. Frank as
Director of the Department of Energy.
But the Governor had even more
appropriate reasons for elevating the
youthful budget analyst to leadership of
an agency which has achieved a
particularly high degree of public
awareness in a short period of time.
Lynn Frank has played an important
role in the fledgling agency's affairs
since its beginning. Technically an
employee of the Executive Department's
Budget and Management Division, he
was assigned to DOE as principal
administrative analyst and wound up
working about as closely as anyone could
with his predecessor agency chiefs.
Function of the Budget and Manage
ment Division's analysts is to work
hand-in-glove with agencies to prepare
biennial operating budgets and help
those agencies acquire funding from the
Legislature.
Elevated from his analyst role on
April 11 this year, Frank found himself
appearing before Legislative Ways &
J OHPA
Or.gon Nswtpop.r
Publnhars Association
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
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at Heppner, Oregon under the Art of March3, 1879. Second-class postage
paid at Heppner, Oregon
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$8.00 In Morrow, Unatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; $10.00 elsewhere
Dolores Reed, Co-publisher
GM. Reed, Publisher
Terry M. Hoger, Generol Manager
Eileen Soling, Office Manager
Melissa Scott, Composition
Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist
Jim Hackett, News Editor
Gayle Rush, AdvertisingComposition
Cindi Doherty, Office
By Jock Zimmerman
Means Committee as agency head
testifying in behalf of a budget document
he had already fine-toothed professional
ly. Not unexpectedly, the department's
budget was looked upon favorably by
lawmakers. And that was only the
beginning for the Energy Department.
DOE's entire legislative package prob
ably met with more success than any
other submitted by a state agency.
Lynn Frank isn't taking credit for
these accomplishments personally. He
recognizes he has been thrust into a
spotlight position at a time when his
agency's purpose is uppermost in many
minds. Circumstances locally and world
wide combined to propel energy subjects
to a level of public interest higher even
than tax relief during this year's biennial
meeting of the Legislature in Salem.
The Department of Energy was
conceived during the 1973-74 energy
shortages and was concerned primarily
with conservation and energy demand
forecasting upon official formation in
1975. Operating during its first biennium
on a budget of $1.6 million with a staff of
28 persons, DOE got off to a stormy and
controversial beginning. Its first director
was fired and his replacement after
easing the turbulence, winning a $3.3
million budget and expanding personnel
to 36 resigned before he could be
reappointed following the successful bid
of Gov. Atiyeh over former Gov. Bob
Straub.
As the national and world energy
situation worsened, the Department
again found itself involved in legislative
Cont. on page 7
FROM OUR READERS
Develop Bombing Range land
Editor:
I want to thank Mr. C.K. Peck for his
thoughtfully written letter in this column
July 19.
I totally agree with his reluctance to
develop the U.S. Navy bombing range
into more irrigated farming land with the
market prices of farm products as they
have been for so many years. However, I
have reason to believe these prices will
soon change for the better.
Corrine, Larry Lindsay and I
attended the Western Regional Gasohol
Symposium July 9-10 in Klamath Falls.
As a result, I am convinced that Gasohol
is the only practical answer our nation
has for an alternative liquid fuel.
To quote Robert Soleda, Director of
the National Gasohol Commission, "U.S.
Agriculture is a renewable energy
producer. Each year the farmers of
America harvest the crops to continually
supply our energy needs this is a use of
solar power that is abundant and
available now." And this totally new
demand for our agricultural crops will
put an economic base under all we can
produce. Full production is essential to
supply our energy and food needs.
Ethanol can be distilled from any
agricultural crop. 100 bushels of corn, for
instance, will produce 260 gallons of 200
proof ethanol plus corn oil, yeast carbon
dioxide and still have left 1850 lbs. of 62
percent protein livestock feed from the
stillage. When this stillage is dehydrated,
the same 62 percent protein is concen
trated into a granular corn meal much in
demand in the Orient and other areas of
the world as a human nutritional
supplement. Using agricultural products
for alcohol production does not compete
with human and animal food needs, the
process maximizes use of that product
for both, plus helping supply our nation's
"liquid energy needs.
The demand for gasohol is here, now.
Idaho Senators Frank Church and Jim
McClure recently conducted hearings
held by the Senate subcommittee on
Energy Research and Development in
Boise, Idaho. Title VIII of the Energy
Supply Act requires the sale of a 10
percent alcohol 90 percent gasoline
blend equal to 1 percent by volume of all
the gasoline in the country by 1981, 5
percent by 1985 and 10 percent by 1990.
Senator Church is considering amending
his bill to accelerate this production
schedule.
At the Gasohol Symposium Dennis
Young, Director of the Seattle district
office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, told us there are
now 500 applications for permits to build
ethanol distilleries in the 10 western
states. As these, plus hundreds of others
throughout the U.S. are constructed and
in production, the demand for our crops
will totally change the economics of
agriculture and marketing,
i So, how does all of this pertain to the
U.S. Navy bombing range? I believe this
land held by the U.S. Navy is energy
wasteful. The training flights from
Whidbey Island to this range use
hundreds of thousand gallons of precious
fuel each month, they do have other
i
Do you have
something
to say...
The Gazette-Times
welcomes letters from
readers on any subject
of general interest.
Letters should be less
than 250 words in
length and should be
signed by the author.
Names of letter
writers will be withheld
on request, for just
reason.
bombing ranges closer to their base and
they have modern electronic technology
available to them for training their
pilots. Giving up the lease on this land
would not endanger our national defense.
I believe the bombing range is land
wasteful. This area of Morrow County is
contributing nothing to the economy of
the county, state or nation. Our schools,
hospital, highway department and other
tax supported services desperately need
more funds and it is only through
additional developed land and related
industries that we will get them.
Morrow County needs one or more
farmer-owned ethanol distillery plants in
the middle of the bombing range right
now, to put a base under Morrow County
farm products and to create new
opportunities in agriculture for the young
people of this state as irrigated family
owned farms are developed around the
plants.
Thanks to the foresight of Rupert
Kennedy and previous commissioners of
the Port of Morrow, the Port has an
easement from the Columbia River to the
northern border of the bombing range
land for the laying of the primary water
delivery system to the land as well as an
underground pipeline to transport the
ethanol from the distilleries to storage'
facilities on Port of Morrow river front
property and from there to populated
areas of the country by barge, rail and
truck.
The American farmer can feed the
world, produce the energy necessary to
protect our American way of life and the
future of our country and finally become
solvent himself while he does it.
I believe the bombing range land
developed to its full agricultural poten
tial , to help fill our nation's needs for food
and energy, is its most valuable use.
Beverly Kyd
Vote for
hospital levy
Editor:
I did not receive a ballot but am
writing to say I nope all voters will vote
on August 9 to keep our hospital.
I have lived in Heppner for many
years and for the last 10 years have been
a patient in the nursing home and want to
spend the rest of my life here.
It means so much to be near your
friends and to have professional care
when it is needed.
Edna Turner
Heppner
North end
opposes levy
Editor:
Morrow County voters are being
asked to vote, for the third time, on a
budget to support the Pioneer Memorial
Hospital in Heppner.
It should be clear by now that the
north end of Morrow County does not feel
responsible for paying taxes to operate a
hospital in south Morrow County. If there
is a need for a hospital in Heppner, why
not form a South-Morrow County District
and let the voters who would use the
hospital decide if they want to finance it
with their taxes.
Taxes in north Morrow County have
become so exorbitant, it is difficult to
own your own home. We feel it is both
unfair and unrealistic to ask us to pay
additional taxes to pay for a hospital in
Heppner.
Apparently this is going to be voted
on again the first part of August. I trust
this time there will be a decisive no vote
so we will not be constantly asked to vote
on it again.
We are not against south Morrow
County-only against additional taxes to
pay for a hospital that we could not use.
Sincerely,
Dennis and Erma Kotila
. " . Irrigon, Oregon
Sifting
through
the
TIMES
Fifty years ago: Miss Reita Neel of
Heppner will be queen of the 1929
Heppner Rodeo, according to announce
ments made today by C.W. McNamer,
president of the rodeo association. Mr.
McNamer considers the management
very fortunate in receiving the official
acceptance of Miss Neel.
Prize money totalling more than
$1,500 is offered again this year in the
numerous events including the Morrow
- County Derby, three quarter mile race on
Saturday.
Mrs. Wiles is harvest cook on one of
the Rietmann ranches north of town.
A.A. McCable reports that on his
ranch the thermometer registered six
degrees above zero.
Last week there were some fine
potatoes on display at the Bristow and
. Johnson store. They were dry land
potatoes raised by Earl Murray on his
ranch near lone.
Oscar Keithley who was in the city
Wednesday from his Eight Mile farm
reports that he will start cutting his
wheat crop today. He has 600 acres to
harvest and the grain promises to yield
well.
Twenty-five years ago, in an effort to
find some means of solving Heppner's
school building problems that will meet
the approval of the voters of the district,
the board of school District No. 1 Friday
decided to call for another special site
selection to be held on Saturday, August
14.
The annual kickoff dance is this
Saturday night at the fair pavilion in
Heppner opening the series of dances and
activities leading up to the Morrow
County Fair and Rodeo on September 2,
3, 4 and 5. The first dance will present
Queen Grace Miller of Boardman and her
entire court.
John B. Ernsdorff, administrator at
Pioneer Memorial Hospital, revealed
today he has resigned his position here to
accept a similar one as head of St.
Joseph's Hospital at Lewiston, Idaho. He
will leave here October 1. Ernsdorff
came here three years ago and was from
Spokane.
Heppner's notorious "deadman's
corner" claimed another victim Sunday
evening when a car carrying six persons
left the road and crashed into a bridge
abutment. Killed outright was Bill
Wickland and the other five occupants
suffered injuries. Wickland had been a
prominent rodeo performer at the
Pendleton Roundup.
The accident occured one fourth mile
south of Heppner on the Condon highway.
It is the same spot where 17 other
accidents, three of them fatal have
occured since 1947.
State highway department workmen
Tuesday started construction of a
triangular safety island in the center of
the three way intersection in front of the
courthouse. The safety island will be
lighted and will hold road signs that have
been nearly inconspicuous because of
their distance from the intersection.
A field and range fire, the first of the
season in this area, burned between 150
and 200 acres of wheat and rangeland on
the Bill McClintock Ranch in Gooseberry
Wednesday afternoon.
Two men who police say have
admitted taking and slaughtering two fat
lambs are free on $2,500 bail each after
they were arrested last weekend near
French Pass by state police and Sheriff
C.J.D. Bauman.
Five years ago, a native of Morrow
County, Matthew Doherty, a 1945
graduate of lone High School, was named
as superintendent of county schools.
Doherty was assistant superintendent of
the Hermiston Public Schools and has
had 22 years experience in education.
Doherty was active in sports as a student
at lone High School and has continued his
interest in sports.
Patricia Van Schoiack says, "Come to
the Fair: see what Morrow County kids
can do," she knows what she's talking
about.
The search for another doctor for
Heppner continues. Members of the
doctor and hospital committee met at the
courthouse July 17 to hear progress
reports from Hospital Administrator
Ilene Wyman and Morrow County Judge
Paul Jones.
Jones said a doctor recruiter and a
representative of the Seventh Day
Foundation met in Portland to receive
assistance in obtaining a doctor.