The Heppner
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Morrow County's Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
VOL. AH NO. II
12 PAGES
20 (FATS
THURSDAY. MARCH 13. 1!W0
HKI'PNKH. OREGON
o
At county level
Elected officials challenged
in May
By Steven A. Powell
Seven applications for
enmity offices wore filed in the
Morrow County clerk's office
during the past week so, as of
noon Tuesday, five hours
before the deadline, races
were developing for almost
every position.
County Assessor Lireg
Sweek, Heppner-I), is the only
person running for that posi
tion. If the salary approved by
the county court budget com
mittee is adopted by the voters
in the May 20 primary
election. Sweek and the other
elected officials will tie mak
ing $19.1.18 His current salary
is $14,594 per year.
Sheriff Larry Fctsch, lone
I). is the only on1 running for
that position. His salary also
will he $10.(118. up from
$15,11115.
Ernest Jorgensen. fifth dis
trict justice, is the only person
running for that office. His
salary will increase from
$10,770 to $17,M5 with the
approved budget.
Charlotte Cray, sixth dis
trict justice, requested a raise
to he equal with Jorgensen 's
salary but the county budget
committee decided to have
that court meet four days a
week when the new district
court comes to Heppner,
beginning July 1. The salary
for the position will be $14,356,
up from $10.:m.
Dave Krumbein is the only
IHTsnii running for county
survevor.
Greetings from Dublin:
to the people of
The Rt. Mon. the Lord Mayor,
GREETINGS
On the occasion of St. Patrick's Day I extend to all the
readers of the Heppner Gazette-Times cordial greetings from
the people of Dublin. We wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day.
Dublin this week is crowded with visitors from all over the
world but in particular from th United States of America.
Their presence among us, especially at our Parade, adds colour,
excitement and spectacle and we are happy to wish them all a
sincere Cead Mile Failte.
In many parts of Ireland today the most popular activity will
be "drowning the Shamrock" in traditional style with good Irish
whiskey. I have no doubt that many Irish people and their
friends in Oregon will do likewise.
My colleagues on the City Council join me in wishing all Irish
people in Morrow County, all their friends, the Editor, staff
and readers of the Heppner Gazette-Times, a very happy St. Patrick's
Day and success and happiness for the rest of the year.
La Fheile Padraig fe mhaise dhibh go leir.
.7 .F.V. iITmS. - - r V
roriniarv vote
But there will be races for
all of the other elective offices
John Mollahan, Heppner D,
has filed for the county judge
position as has Daniel
Creamer, Irrigon-D. They will
be competing with Don McEI
Iigott, who was appointed
alMut five months ago when
DO. Nelson resigned. The
county judge position will earn
$25,000 a year with the budget
committee's recommenda
tions. The judge makes $17,028
this year,
Merlin Cantin. Heppner-ft,
is challenging Dorothy Krebs.
Ione-R. for the two-year term
for county commissioner, The
two county commissioners
will split $20,435, up from
$17,028,
Pauline Winter, Heppner-R.
will compete with Barbara
Bloodsworth . Heppner -D. for
the county clerk's position.
Bloodsworth was appointed to
the position a few months ago
to replace Sadie Parrish, who
retired. Thut position will earn
$19.f.l8, up from $!5.fi5.
The most interesting race
should be for the county
treasurer-tax collector posi
tion. Mary Martin, Lexington
K. has filed along with Margot
Sherer. Ione-D, Alice Vance.
Heppner-R. and Beverly Lau
ner. Heppner-D. That position
will also earn $19,618. up from
$lt.32fi. The two offices are
being combined this year In
1979 HI), both offices earned
$11,326.
In what promises to be
Councillor William Cumitkejr.
9 4
WILLIAM CUMIST
LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN
another close race, Warren
McCoy, Irrigon-R, is being
challenged by Gene Allen.
Board mar, R. and Jim
Brooks. Boardman-R. for the
four-year county commis
sioner position. As mentioned
earlier, the two commission
ers chosen will split $20,435 for
the parl-time job.
Committee
persons
needed
The nine county precinct
committee persons will also
be elected at the May 20
election. Each precinct is
supposed to have two Demo
crats and two Republicans on
the committee for a total of 3fi.
18 from each party.
Republican F.E. Glenn is
the only person who has filed
for the Boardman precinct.
Democrat Thomas Huston is
the only one from Hardman.
From lone, one Democrat
position has not been filed for.
Dale Conklin, D. has filed for
one spot with Irene Holtz and
Rolx-rt H. Jepsen filed for the
Republican party.
Lexington has all four
positions filed for with James
and Barbara Bloodsworth on
the Democrat side and Ste
phen and Cathy Peck on the
Republican side.
No one has filed in Irrigon.
Ken Turner and Pauline
Morrow County
Office of tht Lord Mayor
Mansion House
Dublin 2
Telephone 76 18 45
Winter have filed for the
Republican positions for the
Heppner Northeast precinct
and no one has filed for the
Democrats.
Paul Jones is a Democrat
for the Northwest precinct in
Heppner with Lynnea Sargent
for the Republicans.
Terry and Karen Thompson
are the Republicans filing for
the Heppner Southeast pre
cinct and Jerry Healy and Ida
Lynn the Democrats.
Avon Melby has filed as a
Republican for a Southeast
Heppner precinct committee
person position and the Demo
crats have Mary Bryant and
Harold Peck.
2 from north end
seek court seats
Two candidates from Mor
row County's north end an
nounced in Heppner Monday
they were filing for county
wide offices in the May
20 primary election Dan
Creamer of Irrigon. Demo
crat. for county judge and
Gene Allen of Boardman.
Republican, for county com
missioner. . . . . '
Creamer, who made a bid
for appointment last autumn
after former County Judge
D O. Nelson resigned, said "I
have nothing against Don
McEIIigott," who would be his
opponent in the election.
A former tugboat skipper
and active in community
affairs. Creamer had ap
peared before the county's
Democratic Central Commit
tee when a possible successor
to Nelson was being consi
dered. The committee nom
nated former Sheriff John
Mollahan. But Gov. Victor G.
Atiyeh named neither man to
the judicial vancancy. In
stead, he named McEIIigott,
an lone area farmer and
former school board member.
McEIIigott will be seeking
the Democratic nomination
for a full term as judge.
Creamer said, "If I had a
slogan, it would be "Better
Roads for Morrow County.'"
He said he felt the people of
the county wanted to make
sure that funds were used as,
and where, they were intended
and would support a serial
levy of as much as $2 million
to finance road improvements.
With regard to Pioneer
Memorial Hospital. Creamer
commented, "I opposed put
City contemplates
Heppner City Council has
agreed to have the Army
Corps of Engineers pay
$1,543,700 and the city pay
$253,500 to move one of the
existing city water reservoirs.
The Corps has agreed to
relocate the reservoir that is
in the area of the Willow Creek
Dam. At nocost to the city, the
Corps would move it to a spot
that would not be any better
than the water system is now.
The city council decided
last week to improve ihe city's
water system so it agreed to
have the city pay the extra
$253,000 to have the reservoir
moved to a site above the'
cemetery. With this plan, the
city will have better water
pressure in that extremely low
pressure area. That area is
Workers on the Pioneer Memorial Hospital expansion project
continue working despite the crazy spring weather the
countv has had latelv.
ting the hospital budget in
with the county budget. It
would be healthy, clean and
wholesome to have the hospi
tal budget set aside from the
county budget. Many pro
blems could be solved by
having a separate budget."
Cr(araer said A K. (Lucky)
Felt, hospital administrator,
V -ippeared "to be doing a real
fine job " Felt was appointed
last autumn to the hospital
post.
"I would favor the forma
tion of a health district, if that
would benefit the hospital."
Creamer said.
Creamer said he would
represent all sections of the
county. "I would like to do
away with the north and south
rivalry, and I hope that all of
the people of Morrow County
are as proud of the county as I
am."
Allen, a real estate broker
and a member of the Port of
Morrow Commission, said he
wold seek the introduction of
modern administrative me
thods to the county govern
ment if elected commissioner.
"The Morrow County go
vernment is big business." he
said.
Allen, who ; was raised in
Morrow County, serves as a
member also of the County
Planning Commission, Budget
Committee, and as chairman
of the Boardman Citizens
Involvement Committee.
Besides Allen, Jim Brooks
of Boardman. also a Republi
can, is challenging the incum
bent Commissioner Warren
McCoy of Irrigon for the GOP
nomination.
also prime area for develop
ment, the council said
To pay for that plan and also
to pipe water from that
reservoir to the Hock Street
area plus repairing existing
water line that is old and
deteriorating, the council has
tentatively decided to try for a
bond election for the May 20
primary election. The lx)iid
will be for $500,000.
To retire the bonded debt,
Scott Kvandall of the engi
neering firm Barrett and
Associates, said the city will
have to pay $15,000 each year
for 40 years. To raise that
money he said, the city would
have to raise its water rates $1
a month and charge 35 cents
per $1,000 valuation more in
property taxes for the city.
County salaries to increase
25budget committee says
By Steven A. Powell
Salaries for county elected
officials will increase approxi
mately 25 percent or more if
voters approve the county
budget that was completed
Monday by the county budget
committee.
The county judge salary will
increase from $17,028 to
$25,000 a year. The county
assessor's salary w ill increase
from $14,594 to $19,618. The
county clerk's salary will rise
from $15,695 to $19,618. The
county commissioners split
$20,435. up from $17,028.
The fifth district justice will
earn $17,945, up from $16,770.
The sixth district justice will
have an increase in salary
from $10.9:19 for five days a
week to $14,356 for four days a
week. The county planner will
have an increase from $14,513
to $16,102. The sheriff will
receive $19,618, up from
$15,695.
The tax collector-treasurer
will have an increase from
$11,288 to $19,618. This position
is being combined for the first
time so it will actually save
the county money because the
two positions this yearcost the
taxpayers $22,614.
Other county employees will
also have large increases. The
county health nurse will earn
$18.4t. up from $14,242. The
county janitor will receive a
raise from $11,718 to $12,480.
Despite the large increase in
many of the salaries for
county officials, the total
county budget that needs to be
raised by county taxes is just
$:M7,321 more than this year.
That is because other re
$500,00
Kvandall made other re
commendations to the council
on areas of the water system
that need to be improved but
he added. "You can't afford it,
all now but replacement is
inevitable." He said with
inflation and higher costs it
will not get any cheaper to
improve the water system so
the sooner the city applies for
Farmer's Home Administra
tion grants and other types of
aid the better chance Ihe city
has of obtaining financial
help
Councilman Warren Plo
charsky was the only member
who voted against having the
bond election.
In other city council news,
the revenue sharing proce
dures were discussed but no
Land acquistion
set to begin for
Willow Creek Dam
About 30 Heppner area
residents turned out for the
public meeting on the Willow
Creek Dam project March 4 at
the high school.
Army Corps of Engineer'
representatives explained
that the design process is
almost complete and the real
estate acquisition phase is set
to begin. The relocation of the
city water tank and road
relocation work will begin in a
few months.
About 450 acres are needed
for the dam site, construction
areas, public use and access,
and for relocation of public
utilities, roads and highways.
A contract for construction
of the dam is planned for
sources will be much more
than last year.
This year's county budget
required $1,543,044 to Be
raised by county ' property
taxes and next year's request
is for $1,890,365.
County assessor Greg
Sweek said at his current
prediction of what the county
valuation will be next year,
properly owners in the tounty
will be taxed at a rate of $3.57
per $1,000 valuation for the
county budget. That is up from
$3.22 per $1,000 that was paid
this year. Taxes on a $50,000
property next year for the
county will be $178.50 while
last year taxes were $161.
Budget officer Alma Green
said the approved county
budget will only require an A
Ballot. She said the county
would have required a B ballot
too if the budget was for
$148,000 more.
Voters will see the figure
$1,327,375 on the ballot May 20
because $195,000 has already
been approved by a serial
road levy and $367,990 is
within the tax base and the six
percent limitation.
The salary section of the
budget could have been even
more because a salary com
mittee recommended that
county officials make $21,720,
which is an average salary for
the State of Oregon, they said.
The budget committee de
cided that was too much of a
jump all at once so the elected
officials will get the
$19,618 figure next year and
possibly the $21,720 figure the
following year.
County employees other
water bond
citizens came to the meeting.
City Administrator Marshall
Lovgren said that of
$19,350 from federal revenue
sharing. $16,740 would be
transferred to the street fund
and $2,600 to the sewer fund.
State revenue sharing will
have $6,200 in the street fund
that was proposed by the city
budget committee, "And since
that's how they intend to
spend the money and there is
no one from the public here to
object than that's how it will
be spent," Mayor Jerry
Sweeney said.
The council received a letter
signed by three women re
questing that the city pool
open at noon instead of at 1
p.m. as it did last year so
people who work can swim on
February of 1981. In 1982 the
dam will be raised during the
first six months of good
weather. Finishing and mis
cellaneous items will follow.
Corps Public Affairs Officer
Dug Duggar said there was
not much opposition at the
meeting last week but not all
of the landowners were there
either, he said.
Duggar said appraisals are
being done now and the real
estate acquisition phase is
scheduled to be completed by
May but that is "optimistic"
he said.
"If we have to go into
condemnation, it will take
longer," he said.
than the elected officials will
receive a pay hike of 11.4
percent with the approved
budget.
"That is the cost of living
adopted by the county," Alma
Green said.
At Monday's final meeting,
the budget committee dis
cussed the two county justice
courts.
Commissioner Wanreti Mt
Coy said he cannot see bof
justices receiving the same
salary.
"This is not to downgrade
Mrs. (Charlotte) Gray." he
said. "The Irrigon court holds
court on Monday but the
secretary is always there. You
can walk in any day and the
clerk is at work. There is not
the work in the office in
Heppner. I just can't justify
that much money."
In her budget request.
Justice Gray wanted to have
her salary raised to be equal
with Ernest Jorgensen's sal
ary at the Irrigon Court.
Jorgensen pays his wife, who
is the clerk there, out of his
salary but since Gray is her
own clerk, she argues that she
should be paid the same
amount. County Judge Don
McEIIigott came up with the
solution to pay the two justices
at the same rate but cut the
Sixth District Court in Hepp
ner down to four days a week
since a district court is going
to sit in Heppner one day a
week beginning July I.
"It bothers me to have two
judges hereon the same day,"
he said.
(Continued on page 12)
their lunch break. Council
took no action other than to
say it will consider the
request .
The city council agreed to
waive a city fee and let the
Camp Fire girls sell cookies in
Heppner without purchasing a
city permit.
Attorney Bill Kuhn said
Coates Construction Co. is
considering a suit against the
city and the council members
agreed to stand firm in their
decision not to pay. The
disagreement began when the
company broke a sewer main
line while working on a city
bridge. Coates Construction
replaced the line and wants to
be reimbursed for it. The city
council says it was the fault of
the company