BESSIE WETZELL
U OF ORE
NEWSPAPER LID
EUGENE OR 07403
TTfie Heppiieff
Morrow
vol. ioz no. 12 Thursday, march 22. iwn
Jim Swanson named
Conservation Man of
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Jim Srvyonton with ha cloughlar
Jim Swanson, lone, hat
been named 19M Conservation
Man of the Year for Morrow
County.
Jim and hia wife, Monica,
farm three fieldi in the lone
area, and were chosen for the
award because of farming
practices with terracea, wa
terway!, reservoirs and che
micals. Jim's late father, Garland
Swanson, won the award In
1963, for his work in dams and
strip farming.
Jim says he started on his
current erosion control
project around 1975 when, be
cause of heavy rainfall, he
began having problems with
soil erosion.
He called in Bob Adelman
from the A.S C.S. office, and
together they put in a six -year
plan that has proved success
ful to the Swansons.
"First we took out the
strips, and most of the dams,"
says Jim in explaining the
conservation plan that was
laid out. "Then we started
putting in terraces."
When the terrace project is
completed this year, the
Swansons will have installed
over 84,000 feet of level ter
races to control water erosion
on the hillside.
Jim will also have put in
17,160 feet of grassed water
ways and Installed six reser
voirs strategically placed on
canyons running through his
fields, all in the past six years.
"One amazing thing is we
layed out a six-year plan and
stuck with it," says Swanson.
"You can always find fault
after several years but we
haven't. We stuck with the
plan."
The terracing is partially
funded on a yearly basis by
the federal government,
which has placed terrace work
in Morrow County on a high
priority.
. Jim says he gets a certain
amount of money each year to
do the work, but he has opted
to go ahead and finish the
terraces ahead of schedule to
save money.
"Rather than leave a ter
race half finished one year, we
went ahead and finished it
cont. p. 5
Adrwnne, wife Monka, ton luk
Co. voters to elect school board
directors, advisory comm. members
Next Tuesday, Mar. 27,
Morrow Co. voters will go to
the polls and elect three Mor
row County School Board
directors and several advisory
committee members.
Seeking election for director
from Zone II are Bryan
Timmsof Irrigon and Dwayne
Carroll of Hermiston (Morrow
Co, resident). The four-year
term is presently held by Bob
Byrd of Irrigon, who is not
seeking re-election.
Running from Zone V are
Frank Pearson and Robert
"Bob" Mahoney, both of Hep
pner. The position is also a
four-year term and is current
ly held by Jean Bennett.
School district asks
approval of
$4,796,414 tax levy
Morrow County voters will
be asked to approve a tax levy
next Tuesday of $4,796,414 for
the year 1984 85.
The amount represents
taxes outside the tax base
needed to operate the school
system.
The school's total budget
expenditure for next year is
$7,697,678, which is up five
percent over the present year.
Including the district's tax
base of $742,978 (the amount
that can be levied without
voter approval) local property
taxes make up $5,539,392 of the
proposed budget.
County polling places announced
The following polling places
will be open from 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. next Tuesday, Mar. 27,
for a county -wide election:
The Heppner Neighborhood
Center, for all Heppner and
Hardman residents;
The Morrow County School
County's
pagks
Morrow County
the Year
and mother Ireno.
Three people are vying for
the Zone VI at large position:
incumbent Pauline Winter of
Heppner, William James
Doherty of Lexington an Mel
vin J. "Jack" Strege of
Boardman.
Vying for Position No. one
on the Heppner-Lexington Ad
visory Committee, a three
year term, are incumbent
Dean Robinson and Helen
Riehl, both of Heppner.
George tfoffler of Heppner
is running for Position no. two
on the Heppner-Lexington Ad
visory Committee, a three
year term. Koffler, who
presently holds the position, is
running unopposed.
This represents an increase
in the tax rate by 44 cents over
the present year or from $7.17
to $7.61 per $1,000 of valuation.
The largest increases in the
budget are due to salary in
crements, increases in the
cost of health insurance, costs
of supplies, major repairs and
school bus replacement.
The amount of the budget
which is partially funded by
the state is $4,553,702, and the
amount tota'ly funded by tax
payers is $985,690.
There will be only one bal
lot; however, and voters will
not see an "A" and "B" ballot
as in years past.
District office, for all Lexing
ton voters;
The North Morrow annex,
for all Irrigon voters;
lone City Hallk, for all re
gistered lone voters; and
Greenfield Grange, for all
Boardman voters.
; f"
Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
25 Heppner, Oregon
i i
Also running unopposed for
the Heppner-Lexington Advi
sory Committee is Jean Bra
zell of Lexington. Brazell is
seeking election to Position
No. seven, a three-year term.
The position is now held by Ed
Struthers of Lexington.
Position no. four on the
lone-Lexington Advisory
Committee is being sought by
Julie Nelson of Lexington. She
runs unopposed for the three
year term, which is presently
held by Joan Doherty of Lex
ington. (Editor's note: more infor
mation about local candidates
is featured in a Candidates'
Forum, inside.
Voters to consider BMCC
directors Tues.
Morrow County voters will
be voting on Blue Mt. Com
munity College's proposed tax
levy and district directors as
well as several other matters
in next Tuesday's election.
The college is requesting a
levy of $3,190,237 for operation
in the 1984 85 year. Since the
college has no tax base, the
total levy is in excess of that
authorized by the Oregon Con
istutition and must be ap
proved by the voters each
year. The entire amount of the
levy refjnest is eligible for
state property tax relief. The
extimated tax rate is $1.44 per
$1,000 of true cash value
increase of three cents
an
per
$1,000 of true cash value over
the current year's levy.
Oths wins
G-T contest
Mike Oths of Heppner was
the first person to identify all
photos of Jim Farley in last
week's Gazette-Times and
phone the G-T office. The
special St. Patrick's Day con
test was sponsored by the
Gazette-Times.
For his efforts, Oths re
ceived two tickets to a ham
dinner at St. Patrick's Catho
lic Church parish hall Satur
day evening.
m i w
County budget up 27 ; voters
decide its fate Tuesday
Morrow County voters will
; be asked to approve a
; $7,707,408 budget for 1984-85 in
the election next Tuesday.
Last year's budget was
? $6,068,802, which represents
an increase of $1,638,606 or 27
percent.
The amount of property
taxes needed to balance the
budget is $3,120,440 which is up
$377,962 from last year's tax of
$2,742,478.
The general fund increased
$277,484, with increases in the
contingency funds, a slight
increase in materials and ser
vices, $23,000 for a weed con
trol district, $125,999 to deve
lop a park at Willow Creek
Dam, and a 10.8 percent in
crease in salaries for all elec
ted officials.
Revenues other than taxes
are expected to increase by
$316,303.
Pioneer Memorial Hospi
Coronation dinner
Morrow Co. royalty, live
music and good food will
highlight the 1984 Coronation
dinner for the Morrow County
Fair and Rodeo, Saturday,
March 24.
The potluck event will begin
at 6:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's
Parish Hall in Heppner.
This is the second annual
dinner ;'hich is open to the
community. Members of the
fair and rodeo board and
committees along with Indivi
duals and sponsors who sup
port and contribute to the
annual summer event are in
vited to attend, announced a
spokesperson for the event.
The increase if due to in
creases in the cost of mate
rials, services, telephone,
electricity and salaries. To
help offset the increases, the
college has reduced other
expenses, including adminis
trative positions. However,
funds are included for a full
time foreign language instruc
tor and matching funds for the
Small Business Assistance
Center.
Voters will also elect three
BMCC district directors in the
March 27 election.
Vying for Position No. three,
a four-year term, are Franklin
Hubbard of Hermiston and
incumbent Joe Green of Pen
dleton. Running for Position No.
lone business people to
meet, form group
lone business and agri-business
people will be meeting on
Wednesday, Mar. 28, 12 noon,
at Beecher's Cafe in lone,
announced Jim Swanson and
Chuck Starr. The purpose of
the meeting, they explained, is
to form an organization to
work on issues affecting the
area.
k "Anyone interesting in see
ing lone and south Morrow
Weather
by the City of Heppner
tal's budget is included in the
total county budget voters will
see Tuesday; however, the
hospital's budget will be
$338,258 up from $133,867 last
year.
The hospital increases will
be used for an anticipated
three percent cost of living
increase for salaries and
wages, plus step increases,
physician recruitment and
assistance, increases in free
assistance required on the Hill
Burton act for indigents, capi
tal expenditures for new
equipment, and anticipated
uncollectable debts.
In the area of doctor assis
tance and recruitment, the
hospital has budgeted $83,000;
partly to pay expenses in
locating the doctor already in
the community, and seeking
out another physician to move
to the area.
"This is an important part
The program will include
the introduction of the court,
Queen Sylvia Ladd and prin
cesses Shelley Stroeber and
Bridgett Greenup. Entertain
ment will be by the Rev. Cathy
Barker of the United Church
of Christ, lone, and memories
will be shared by Shorty Peck,
Merlyn Robinson and Ray
mond French of past fairs and
rodeos.
Master of ceremonies. Ro
deo Chairman Don Stroeber
and Fair Board Chairman
Charley Daley will speak on
the 1984 shows.
budget,
Four, a four-year term, are
Dr. Mike Elsberry of Milton
Freewater, Phillip Houk of
Pendleton and incumbent Ken
Dauble of Weston.
Houl submitted the follow
ing statement:
"I have great respect for the
present board, but feel that I
can enhance the character of
the board along with contribu
ting my knowledge and expe
rience. I am currently em
ployed as director of the Fit
ness Academy at St. Anthony
Hospital and serve on the Blue
Mountain Community College
Long Range Planning Com
mittee, as well as serving a
four-year term on the Umatil
la County Juvenile Services
Commission."
County continue to prosper
should attend this meeting,"
Swanson and Starr said.
Budget
committee
to meet
The City of Heppner Budget
Committee will hold its first
meeting next Monday, Mar,
26. The group will meet at
Heppner City Hall at 7:30 p.m.
High LowPrecip.
Tues., March 13 51 40 .26
Wed.. March 14 58 42 .27
Thurs., March 15 53 39 .06
Fri., March 16 57 33 .01
Sat., March 17 53 36
Sun., March 18 51 44 .01
Mon., March 19 61 44 02
of our hospital," says board
member Ron McDonald. "We
are competing with other
areas for physicians." He
points out that more physi
cians in the area would in
crease use of the hospital and
thus increase the revenues of
the hospital. "We would like to
see more OBs (delivery of
babies) at the hospital," he
says.
Funds for equipment re
placement at the hospital have
been increased over last year,
partly because of a change in
purchasing methods, and
partly because of a need to
keep equipment in good shape
and up-to-date.
Included in equipment pur
chases are 15 separate items
ranging from a new tub in the
nursing home, to six new
electrid beds, to a new cautery
for surgery.
"We need to keep our equip
ment up to give good care,"
scheduled Mar. 24
Also honored with the court
will be the five pennant
bearers Dyann Brosnan, Bo
bette Angell, Stacey Kennedy,
Christy Stroeber and Lori
Cecil.
Many community sponsors
will also be recognized.
Queen Sylvia Ladd, 18, of
lone, is the daughter of Elmer
and Lorraine Ladd. She is a
sophomore at Blue Mountain
Community College and has
an older brother, Richard.
Princess Bridgett Greenup,
16, is a junior at Heppner High
School. The princess is the
New owners take over
Heppner Chevron station
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Howard and Donna Buchanan are the new owners of the
Chevron station in Heppner. The Buchanans, who came to
Heppner from Hood River, purchased the station from Tom
Troxell of Heppner. They took over the business March 10.
Since 1959, the couple had lived In Hood River, where they
had an auto repair shop.
The Buchanans have a married daughter, Angelia, 19, who
lives in Hood River, and a 16-year-old son, Keith, who la a
sophomore at Heppner High School.
The station's new name is Howard's Chevron; the phone
number, unchanged, is 676-5556.
to
says McDonald. He also points
out that the total purchase
price must be reflected in the
budget the year the item is
bought, instead of spread out
over several years as has been
done in the past.
In the county road fund,
expenditures increased by
$10,248, and revenues there
are expected to be down
$156,259.
Also included in the budget
is $11,445 to partially offset the
cost of connecting the fair
grounds to the City of Hep
pner 's sewer system. The fair
had trouble with a plugged up
system last year.
The tax levy for the pro
posed budget would be $3.90
per $1,000 valuation as com
pared to an actual rate of $3.53
last year. The rate is based on
a county valuation of
$800,000,000.
daughter of Don and Colleen
Greenup and has three sisters,
Tag Ash beck, Mary Ann Davis
and Sue Walton, and two
brothers Bill and Greg.
Princess Shelley Stroeber,
16, is the daughter of Don and
Jan Stroeber of Heppner. The
junior at Heppner High School
has two sisters Cindy and
Christy.
The evening will conclude
with a dance to the music of
Firelight, a country rock band
that will perform from 9 p.m.
to 1 a.m. at the fair pavilion in
Heppner. Admission will be $3
per person.
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