Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1983)
BTSStE 'AETZELL U OF ORE NEWSPAPER I. I 8 EUSEN E OR 97 4 03 VOL.101 NO. 45 THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 10. 1983 Chinese dignitary tours Willow A delegation of nine mem hern of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power from the Peoples Republic of China visited the Willow Creek Dam on Thursday, Nov. 3. One member of the group was Madam Quianm Zhengylng, minister of the ministry. Her position is comparable to the United States Secretary of Interior, explained Dug Dug ger. public affairs officer of the Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla, Wash. District, officer of the Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla, Wash. District. Dugger said the delegation is in the U.S. under the offices of the U S, and China Hydro power Protocol Agreement. The agreement, he explained, which was signed in 1979, offers China assistance from the U S in developing their water resources. The ministry members are visiting the Northwest to tour hydropower and flood control projects. The group visited San Fran cisco, and then Portland where they met with the Corps North Pacific Division 'office to get basin development In formation. Dugger said. Then Die delegation toured Bonne ville and John Day dams. They arrived by helicopter at the Willow Creek Dam site at 8:40 am. and left about one hour later. Col. Robert Wil liams, district engineer from the Walla Walla District, and Brigadier General James W. van Loben Sels, commanding general of the North Pacific Division, conducted a reur for the group After leaving Heppner, the delegation was to tour Dwor shak Dam in Idaho and then go on to Washington State for more tours, Dugger said. P.M.H. administrator leaves post, reason unclear A.K. "Lucky" Felt is no longer administrator of Pio neer Memorial Hospital. According to hospital Board Lity Jfolice Heppner City Police Chief Dean Oilman handed In his resignation to Heppner Mayor Cliff Green Monday night at a City Council meeting. Gilman, 62, will retire January 1, 1984. A police chief for 24 years, Oilman started as a city Po lice officer in 1946 and later served as chief for 12 years. Then for two years, in 1967 and 18, he worked for the Mor row County Sheriff's Depart ment, but then returned to the City Police Department, and became chief again in 1971. Gilman recalls that when he started in 1946. he was the only police officer for 14 months. He worked without a firearm or a city car, as most patrol work was done on foot. He explained that a pipe was attached to a post on top of what is now Murray Drug Store, which contained a red light, wired to the Heppner Hotel. The light could be seen from a distance and when someone needed him, they contacted the hotel, and someone in the hotel would flip a switch, turning the light on. He would then check with the hotel and find out where he Col. Robert Willlomt (R) loodt Modom Quianm Zhngyirg Chairman Fred Martin, Felt quit. According to Felt, he was fired. Martin said Monday the chief resigns ( ,' f;-V.yf p j in. i -i.n ii I ,1,111 II. 1 - - - Dean Gilman was needed. The first City Police car, he said, was pur chased in 1956. Until that time officers used their own vehi cles and were paid mileage. "I've seen a lot of changes in our town, in law enforcement, in equipment and in people," Gilman said. "Naturally, I The Heppsieir Morrow County's Home-Owned 10 PACES th woy to von which will (L) bvgint tour of dom site. board had met last week, "advised him (Felt) of their feeling, and he resigned." Martin would say no more view this (his retirement) with mixed emotions. "We (he and his wife, Mary Eleanor.) still have a deep interest in this town, and want the town to continue to do well. "It's time a younger person takes it (the job as police chief)," he said. I ': . CV - Weekly Newspaper 25 Cr. Dam f ' IM. .. . toke delegation lo tour dam. except to comment that the resignation took effect Im mediately. Contacted Tuesday, Felt said the hoard met twice last week, once on Tuesday and again Thursday. He said an executive session was held both times, during which he discussed "some Issues" with the board. Following the Thursday meeting, which was held at the law offices of Abrams and Kuhn in Heppner, "I was advised I was terminated This occurred without fore warning," Felt said. He said Boardmembers Fred Martin, La Verne Van Marter III, Ron McDonald and Gail Grill were present at the Thursday meeting, along with County Judge Don McEl ligott. Felt stated Grill informed him about 9:30 Thursday evening that he was "termi nated." Asked why Felt is no longer administrator, neither Felt nor Martin would comment. The board has a consulting contract with St. Vincent Hos pital in PorUand, Martin said, and an interim administrator may be available for the hos pital by next week. Ml Us 1 . ' ; , , ... z,., f & . HEPPNER, OREGON Heppner City Council says no to sending sales tax measure to voters The Heppner City Council voted Monday night against putting a proposed sales tax measure before the voters on a March or May 1984 vallot. The proposal includes a sales tax measure and a spending limitation measure (both sep arate measures). Both must be passed before either one may take effect. Another measure included in the pack age is a tax rate freeze. A majority of the taxing dis tricts must vote in favor of putting the proposal to the voters before it can be placed on the baliot. County Landfill rates to raise By MARY ANN CERULLO County Landfill fees are going up effective January 1, 1983 was the decision made last Wednesday by Morrow County Court. ; , A motion was made by Commissioner Irv Rauch to charge $2.50 a compacted yard or garbage and to in crease the fee for a pickup load by , 50 cents, Commis sioner Warren McCoy refused to second the motion stating he wouldn't vote on anything less than $3. According to McCoy, the landfill advisory committee recently met and agreed to recommend a landfill increase of $3.75 per compacted yard. 'There's no way we can run that landfill and have it pay for itself or even break even ..." stated McCoy during a discussion period. "Anyone who's in business can see there's got to be a change in fees," said Linda La Rue, mayor of lone. Judge Don McElligott seconded Rauch's motion and it passed with McCoy standing by a no vote. In response to the fee in crease, Heppner Garbage Dis posal Service owner Cliff Green later stated that he would request the Heppner City Council to allow him to raise his rates by 37 percent. This would bring his cost of $4 for the first can up to $5.50.and from $2 to $2.75 for each additional can. Green expec ted to make his request at the city council meeting on No vember 7 (See related story). The Court also noted in the public minutes that they re ceived a petition opposing user fees at the landfill. "Some people saw all this as a shot at Cliff (Green) and maybe a cheap shot but it wasn't intended to be," said Judge McElligott during the Wednesday meeting, "I'm sorry we can't run one landfill up and down this valley with a good, modern truck. We could charge people with their water bill and if a house doesn't have water, they wouldn't get a can," concluded McElligott.. In other business, county court : signed a five-month lease agreement with Dr. Clare " Koznek for the medical clinic in Heppner at $450 per month. learned that Dr. Koznek would like to continue discus sing a possible purchase of the Weather by the City of Hcppncr Total precipitation for October was US Normal Is Mi". "To refer it to the voters gives implied approval... we're just going to waste more money than the state has now to hold this election," said council member Warren Plo charsky. In another issue before the council. Cliff Green, owner of Heppner Garbage Disposal Service, requested a collection rate increase after action taken last Wednesday by Morrow County Court which will increase rates at the county landfill. Green will have to pay a fee of $2.50 per compacted yard of garbage clinic building. discussed making La Trace Street in Heppner a one way street going down the hill from Heppner High School with Kent Goodyear who re sides on the street. discussed "forming" a Templeman resigns as Mental Health Services director Terry Templeman, director of Morrow County Mental Health Services, announced he will resign from his position effective January 1, 1984. Templeman, 33, who came to Heppner in September, 1979. will go into a joint private practice with two other clinicians in Pendleton: Bruce Barnes, a licensed so cial worker, and Dr. Richard Johnson, M.D., psychiatrist. The three will share office space and a clerical staff, and will provide a full range of professional services, Tem pleman said. Some changes in the local program since Templeman has been director include ex panded services which now include clinicians in Board man who provide 24 hour emergency coverage; expan ded services to the schools from 15 hours per week to 30; and amalgamated Gilliam M.C.G.G. shows profit despite drop in income Morrow County Grain Growers, Inc. showed a profit in fiscal year 1983, despite a drop in income of over 24 percent during the same period, members were told during the annual meeting Monday night. The co-op did almost $10 million less in business than last year, but still showed a net savings, or profit, of $313,486. The drop in income was due mainly to lower sales in the farm supply department, and less commodity handled in the grain department, explained co-op General Manager Larry Mills. Mills said the co-op's fertili zer department did well last year, however, showing an increase in sales of about 36 percent, or $485,788. "Your co-op has a sound dumped at the landfill, an increase of almost 35 percent, he said. He is asking the council's okay to raise his customer's rates 37 percent; an increase of $1.50 for the First garbage can, for a total of $5.50 and a 75 cent increase for each additional can, for a total of $2.75. Green said he was requesting the two percent cushion because he feels he may lose some customers when the increase takes effect January 1. 1983. Green also said that he feels that his new rates are not out of line, stating an article ap- budget for weed control. The proposal included funds for chemicals, spray equipment, a four-wheel drive truck and a parttime employee to control weeds along county roads. No action was taken. and Wheeler counties into the program to provide better continuity of care across the counties. While in Heppner, the clini cal psychologist has been a member of the Pioneer Memorial Hospital staff and a member of the hospital Plan ning Committee. "One of the reasons I have chosen to leave at this time is that there are no licensed psychologists practicing in the Pendleton area," Templeman said. 'This will allow me more , time to spend with my family with less traveling. "I have really enjoyed working with the mental health board and county court. I think the most difficult part of the job has been relating to the state mental health divi sion in Salem." He and his wife, Bonnie, and sons Kharis, four, and Samuel, one, plan to move to financial picture and a sound base for future growth," said auditor Bob Green. "The board of directors and mana ger should be commended for maintaining a profitable pic ture even with a 24 percent decrease in income." The drop in income was attributed to a $9 million reduction in grain sales due to the large amount of grain that was entered into the govern mente reserve program, and a decline of over $1 million in the farm supply department due primarily to decreased demand for farm equipment. Mills said unless there are more exports the co-op could expect to see a carryover of wheat in July of "around three and a half million bushels." He said with an average crop next year, there could be four million bushels in storage af Tiies., Oct. 25 61 34 Wed.. Oct. 26 66 43 Thurj., Oct. 27 68 40 Frf.. Oct. 28 63 34 Sat.. Oct. 29 62 40 .12 Sun.. Oct. 30 70 50 .20 Mon.. Oct. 31 63 42 .02 Tues., Nov. 1 66 40 . .21 Wed.. Nov. 2 65 51 .07 Thurs.. Nov. 3 70 42 .04 Fri.. Nov. 4 56 35 Sat.. Nov. 5 59 44 .25 Sun., Nov. 6 59 34 .12 Mon.. Nov. 7 49 28 pearing in a December 1982 issue of the "East Oregonian" listed the average collection rates in Eastern Oregon at $5.51 for the First can and $2.78 for each additional can. A committee of council members Plocharsky, Les Paustian and Butch Laughlin are to consider Green's re quest. In a related matter, the council passed a resolution condemning the court's "un just" action in raising landfill rates. "This is just a step of a long stairway," Paustian said of the court's decision. A copy of the resolution is to te mailed to the court. In other business, the coun cil: accepted the resignation of Heppner City Police Chief Dean Gilman, who will retire January 1 1984 (See related cont. p. 3 Pendleton after the first of the year. The county's Menial Health Administrative Board is presently working to recruit a new director, Templeman said. ter harvest. Co-op President Gene Ma jeske introduced the guest speaker for the evening, who was Steve Burnet of Moro, a director on the Harvest States Board. Burnet presented a slide show and spoke on the Harvest States Cooperative, which was formed through a merger of North Pacific Grain Growers and G.T.A. Burnet said the merger will be of benefit to Northwest farmers because Harvest States is large and has more assets and resources to benefit the farmer. "There will be more gain to the farmers, and more gain to the Northwest farmers. They will have a stronger base and a larger base to work from," cont. p. 5 I Li U Terry Templeman
