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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1986)
The H eppner February 4 - la Gazette-Times M o r r o w C oun ty \ oi no no '• H o m e - O w n e d Weekly N e w s p o p e r Heppner, Oregon 25' ; w h > ne » pav . fkbh ia rv u . hm l ï p m . f s Tues \ S .s l Weather Thurs Kri Sat Sun Mon High 48 «5 36 35 41 41 33 I.O W 34 31 26 20 24 25 26 14 02 03 l>> til«' ( 'its o f H o pp ntT Duplication of services9 County considers elimination of Justice Court That Jus tier Court might he pro viding a duplication of the services available to Morrow County resi dents through District Court and be costing them unnecessary tax dol lars was a concern o( the Morrow County Budget (¡ommittee at a Budget Workshop session last F rr day afternoon Following discussion and presen tatinn of the justice court budget. Budget Committee member Klden Padherg moved to direct the County Court to investigate the possibility of saving tax dollars by eliminating Justice Court Morrow County Judge Don McKlligott seconded the motion Matt Doherty is chairman of the Budget Committee Commis sioner Jerry Feck was present for discussion Com m issioner Irv Kauch and Budget Committee mem ber Terry Thompson were absent Budget officer laiRayne Bowman and County Clerk Barbara Bloods worth were also present Justice of the Peace Charlotte Cray defended her court by telling the committee that although her budget looked like it was costing the taxpayers $10,900 for the coming tax year, that the history of the budget indicates that the actual cost has not been that great Revenues in justice court fluctuate according to the number of citations written and the number of small claims filed There's really no way to predict these revenues, and the court's purpose is not to make money off of people, but since she has served as Justice of the Peace, she says the court has never used the entire amount which was budgeted for expenses During 1963, the total revenues from Justice Court were $54.662 43, expenses were $53.320 24, so the court made $1,342 1» During 1984, the total revenues were $51,131 88 expenses were $55,76? 44, so it cost the taxpayers $4,635 56 to operate the court for two days a week at Irrigon and two days at Heppner each week Expected revenues for 1985 are $63,915 98 expenses are expected to be $58,901, so if this continues, the Court would make money again this year The incon venience which would occur from not having a local judge would not justify the minimal cost savings. Cray said Padberg suggested that perhaps people would pay a fine at District Court that they would contest in Justice Court which would also cost the county more money to bring in a jury Justice Gray pointed out that fines which are collected in Justice Court are kept in the county, but addition to all of the business which doing some Circuit Court work in fines which are collected in District the Justice Court handles in four addition to his District Court duties Court are paid to the state of Oregon days is an unreasonable expects "H r couliln t go to Irrigon either Justice Court provides additional lion. Justice C»ray says There is Spicer said She said the county services to the county which are not nothing in current statutes which court may not realm- that Currin is provided by District Court, she said required by law to hold court in the Since District Court is held only one allow for a District Court Judge to hold court at Irrigon. she say county seat, and would not be able to day each week in Morrow County go to Irrigon as Gray does now The and by Oregon State Statute 46 019 Should Judge Curnn be willing to cost of filing small claims would also hold court there, the county would «3 > must be held at least one day a have to provide a suitable courtroom go up. Spicer said, from the current week at Heppner when a judge is and a secretary to handle collection SIS in justice court, to about $60 in needed to sign search warrants, of fines That still does not guaran district court "This would make regular warrants, or to arraign tee that the state w ill let him go small claims out of reach for most someone who has been arrested and peopl«," Spicer said there Nor does it take into consider held, it would be necessary to travel ation that he docs have a caseload Additionally, nholixhing the Jus to Hermiston to obtain those ser now that keeps him busy the four tice Court would cause problems for vices days a week that h r is not in law enforcement, who would he Statutes also dictate that a judge required to travel to Hrrmiston to Heppner must be on call seven days a week, In addition to this, she pointed out. have search warrants signed Jus 24 hours a day , and with Justice Morrow County has more control tice Court can now sign search Court, Morrow County has a judge over a judge which is elected in warrants "This would add a available locally who can provide Morrow County District Court minimum of two hours, with the needed services District Court judges are elected by voters in both officer having to drive over there Judges must also be available the Morrow and Cmatilla Counties, and find the judge, and drive back." she same hours, but you would have to since Cmatilla county has a greater Mid As far as expense goes, Spicer go to them Sometimes, she said, if population, most likely would con said she didn't think it would save an officer must drive 100 miles trol the selection of a judge Since much money, as the money the round trip to obtain a judge's sig the Justice of the Peace is elec ted in Justice Court takes in from fines nature on a search warrant, the Morrow County only , voters can and Just about offsets the expense of the evidence might be gone by the time should have the right to vote me out court. Spicer said he ciu ld obtain the necessary signa of office. If they choose lure Not very often, but sometimes Heppner attorney Ann Spicer, a even with regular warrants, she member of Kuhn and Spicer law said, tune is important if the suspect firm , said that atsilishing the justice may be leaving the county Because supplies of emergency court would not save the county any foud are running low at the Heppner Another factor she points out is money. and would result in an Neighborhood Center, a food drive that statutes require a suspect who incredible backing in the courts is arrested and kept in custody to be has been planned for the month of Instead of the six months it now March Donations may be taken to arraigned within 36 hours, excluding tak- to process a case, it w ill take weekends, of his arrest Without a the Center or left at boxes which w ill three years." Spicer said "We be set up at stores around town. said Justice of the Peace. Morrow County would have cases thrown out left and a spokesperson would not be able to provide that right " Spicer said that Judge service Emergency food is provided Curnn of District Court is extremely through the Center for local families Small claims and evictions cost busy now. and is in fact already less in Justice Court, she said If with an immediate need someone were to file a small claim of $30 in Justice Court, the filing fee would be $30 which includes the sheriff's services That $30 fee is added to the amount which is owed, and if the claim is awarded, the Jacobson, representative lor M or person filed against must pay $60 A mediation session between Mor row County teachers To file the same claim in District row County teachers and the school Monday n ig h t’s meeting was Court costs $51 30 including sheriff's hoard at Riverside High School in "very discouraging " he said We services which means that the jier Boardman Monday night accom went in thinking there were two son filed against would have to pay plished little $81 30 for the same claim The same issues presented in issues, but now it appears that there During the 1985 calendar year. factfinding were discussed by both are more like four or five, hr said Justice Court handled 2,337 traffic sides with the teachers offering a The teachers have not accepted the offenses. 271 misdemeanor and fel proposal and the district returning a board's offer concerning insurance, ony cases ' including all game viola counterproposal "We made some fair share, tracher rights, and the tions), 39 small claims, and 27 civil progress." Jack Liles, school board arrangement of the salary schedule The next step w ill be to orgamte. cases During the same time. representative observed, "but about and get out more information in the District Court which is held one day three issues are still unresolved " each week at Heppner handled 39 He expects the Board to present a form of fliers, and talking to people in the county to try to gain support traffic offenses, 52 misdemeanor factual report of their position at the Jacohson says that teachers plan to and felony cases. 12 civil cases, and next meeting 7 .10 p m Monday, have a delegation at next work's 18 small claims M 17 To expect Judge Ralph Currin to Although three issues remain un school hoard meeting "Our purpose is to get a settle handle all of the business during one resolved. no future bargaining ses ment," he emphasizes "We don't day each week that hr now handles sums have been set Another meet want to strike, but what it comes with Circuit and District Courts in mg is the next step, though, he said Another meeting right away might down to is that we w ill end up doing not accomplish anything, said Bill what we have to, to get a settle men! " Food drive slated Good turnout at Appreciation Day Seven hundred fifty pisijile showed upat Morrow County Grain Growers Appreciation Day last Saturday for a free breakfast of pancakes, ham, eggs, coffee and hot chocolate The following door prize winners were selet list from the tickets drop pod in the door prize buckets Joe T aylor. Heppner Roll tool box, Charles McConnell Heppner pickup tool box. Ken Howard, la-xington string trim m er. Ginger O'Brien, Heppner coffee maker. Children's winners were Greggory Holtz, win of Mr and Mrs Elmer Holtz, lone rid ing tractor. Brian Gutierrez son of Mr and Mrs Kevin Gutierrez. Boardman Case tractor. Sally Cal vert, daughter of Mr and Mrs Dun Calvert, Heppner Horse van Little accomplished at mediation attempt $470 thousand in Revenue Sharing distributed Members of the Revenue Sharing Committees met with the County Court at 9 a m last Friday morning at the Columbia Basin Electric Co-op Conference Room to approve the disbursement of federal revenue sharing funds for local projects Morrow County has always kept Its revenue sharing amount at the maximum which it could receive by using the money only for special capital outlays and for social ser vices, the judge explained Some counties include the revenue sharing monies in their regular operating budget which reduces the amounts they may expect to receive in the future he said, but w r have not done that Other restrictions on revenue sharing funds prohibit their use for lobbying of any sort or for anything which the county would not spend its own funds With the Gramm Rudman bill and other federal legislation. Judge Don McElligott explained that the county does not expect to receive a full four entitlements this year and has bud geted accordingly The Revenue Sharing budget reflects only the amounts expected to be received for two entitlement periods and even then we may need to cut out the last quarter's payment, the judge said Revenue Sharing is not dead yet. McKlligott said. Morrow County and 2 . 0 M) other counties were recently assessed $2ixi apiece for their lobby ing efforts in behalf of revenue sharing The total amounts of last year's and this y ear's budgets do not reflect quite so great a difference, however, because the beginning fund balance is up from the carryover into last years account This year's total revenue sharing budget for two entitlement periods is $470.130 MMM that s good, soys Hillary Sfiellon of the pancake breakfast Hillary is the daughter of Don and Delores Shelton, Heppner. Four delegations appeared re questing a share of the funds Vera Cooley, chairman of the Morrow County Senior Citizens Advisory- Committee. and Rollin Reynolds, director of Senior Programs for the Area Agency on Aging reques ted $8 994 to supplement senior services in Morrow County The money would be used for two thirds funding of the salary for Phyllis Hunter, Morrow County's Senior Ser vices supervisor The Area Agency on Aging would continue to support the balance of her salary Services which she provides the county include technical assistance at both the Heppner and Irrigon mealsites. management and opera tion of the senior bus. personal door to door escort service for sen lors. legal services which do not require an attorney. Medicare assis lance, monitoring the nursing home facility patients and those receiving in home care, assistance with the building and development of the senior services center in Heppner. and helping clients gel appropriate social and health care services The Revenue Sharing Committee which consists of Mary Bryant. Heppner. Perry Morter. lone. John Grace. Boardman. and the county court Judge Don McKlligott. Com missioner Jerry Peck approved the senior services contribution as re quested Commissioner lrv Rauch was not present at the meeting Richard Gay. executive director of the Blue Ml Economic Develop ment Council which oversees the operation of the Heppner Neighbor hood Center requested $ 10.000 to assist in support of its projects in Morrow County which provide assis tance to low income people l.ast year for the entire county, the program provided emergency food for 1.(166 people, emergency clothing for 232. mediation for clients with other programs and services, fed eral surplus commodity cheese to 275 households, low income energy- assistance. a nutrition program which benefited 146 women and children, weatherization for nine homes, Christmas baskets to 68 families, and various other services The committee approved the re quest The Boardman Ambulance Board requested funds to purchase a lot and construct a suitable building to house the ambulance in north Mor row County The ambulance cur rently is housed at the Boardman rural fire hall which the board said was u nsatisfactory because the KMTs are allowed to use the build ing only two nights each month for training, and because the storage area at the fire hall is dirty eompar ed to that which is needed for the storage of medical supplies Ksti mated cost for a suitable building is $33.850 The ambulance board pro vioualy proposed to the Boardman Rural Fire Board that the two hoards be combined and the fire hall be expanded to accommodate both services, but they were denied The ambulance board pays $100 per month rent to the fire district for use of the building Commissioner Peck told the dele gallon that he considered the re quest one year too late for Revenue Sharing money of that amount He said that the County Court would help them find alternatives which could take care of the problem Judge McKlligott concurred that the ambulance hoard should continue renting while checking into other possibilities The committee refus ed the* request Harold Peck requested $3.ixx> for materials to expand "Shorty's Mu seum," a non profit corporation at the Morrow County Fairgrounds The money would be used for re wiring and roofing materials Commissioner Peck moved to fund half or $1.500 of the money needed for purchase of materials Judge McKlligott offered Peck the use of salvageable tin from the wind dam aged portion of the airport roof at la-xington The balance of the revenue shar ing money was budgeted for capital outlay as follows $20 .000 for equipment purchases to expand the memory disk on the computer at the Courthouse to ac commodate the computer system which the hospital w ill purchase next year $10.01X1 for the development of the park behind Willow Creek Dam $25. (XX) to supplement the county 's land acquisition along the right of way on Wilson Road and the balance for acquisitions along lam er Willow Creek Road $383.036 for building improve ments and construction to enlarge the North Morrow Annex and make it handicapped accessible upgrade the heating system, replace the windows, provide for weatherstrip ping, and other projects to make the Courthouse building energy efficient and to pay the balance of the amounts for projects begun last year and carried into this budget year, namely roofing, repairing the stone work, and redesigning the parking lot so that the Courthouse meets guidelines and is handicapped ac cessible the Revenue Sharing Committee approved the proposed expenditures for capital outlay Kara M iller, 6 year-old daughter of George and Nancy M iller, lone, finds a good resting place during customer apprec iat ion day For out-of-town water users Rates may be going up Water rates for out of town users may I k - going up soon, under a play by the Heppner city council to raise the fees laist Tuesday the council discussed raising the rales for users outside the city lim its, who ore hooked up to city water lines The council (lid not decide how- much to charge out of town users, but did mention that a committee set up to study the issue recommended that the rates he double for that of intown water users The purpose of the increased rates is to compensate for city taxes that are paid toward the water system by users inside the city lim its 1 sers outside the city lim its do not pay city property taxes In other business at the meeting the council heard from Myron Hous Ion. who asked that the city do something about the dog jiroblem downtown Houston said that he counted 9» dogs running uji and down the street and lying in the door steps of businesses one day Heppner .Mayor Cara Costa said that without a dog pound the city did not have much control over the dog imputation and urged Houston to find out who owns a given dog and then file a com plaint against the owner at city hall, iiefore any thing could tie done heard from Kenneth Key, llepp ner who asked that the city provide water to property he just purchased on Cemetery Hill The property is outside the city lim its and was owned previously by Bobbie Angel City Attorney Bill Kuhn told Kev to go first to the county planning department, then to the city plan ning department, and then if nci es vary tiack to the city council heard from Sue Walker of I a-sing ton, who asked that the city change Its licensing procedure for out of town door to door peddlers, because she said $25 per day was too much for the city to charge The city agreed to look into (hanging the ordinance heard that council members were receiving com plaints about the tiack up city polit e car being jiarked in front of the police officers houses The jsilice chief said he would park the car at city hall from now on President’s Day observed Monday Feb 17 is Presidents Day or the date to observe W ashington's Birthday, but either way. It's a holiday for many people Both the jjosl office and the Heppner Forest Service office re port that they as well as other federal offices w ill close in obser vance of the holiday At first, the Extension office was not sure if they would observe the holiday, but confirmed that they as well as other Oregon slate offices w ill close Monday Reports from the Courthouse con firm that county offices w ill close to observe the holiday Heppner City Hall w ill also be
