County approves emergency funding for
Morrow County Neighborhood Council
Morrow County s Home-Owned Newspaper
The Heppner
imes
VOL 105 NO 2
Wednesday, January 14. 1987
Heppner, Oregon 25*
8 Pages
Die Morrow County Court list
Wcdncvlay approved a pavmcnl of
SI .l*X> to the directors ot the M or
row Counts Neighborhood Council
The counts said it w ould he
ncccssarv to have a signed agree
ment stipulating public use o f the
moncs to maintain operations pen
ding incorporation ot the Morrow
Counts Neighborhood C ouncil
before pas men! c*>uld be mask
The Ncighborhiod Council has
filesl lor status as a nonprofit cot
poration. but nonprofit status was
tux official at last Wednesday's
Court meeting The commissioners
considered but ti>ok no action con
ceming. a S7N*I donation during
January and an additional donation
of Slut*) the first o f eas h ot the nest
fise months which would total the
amount included in this year's
budget but inX already paid for the
Neighhorhiiod Center
Morrow Counts Judge 1 ouis
Carlwin asked the esecutise heard ot
directors it thes could operate the
Neighborhood Council very long on
an aU soluntcer basis
"W e can do it because the need
is so great
Neola Mackey, presi
dent ot the council's board ot diree
tors said W e plan to have a cheese
distribution in February. and w ill
continue local food drives which
always do well
A ll tocxJ distributed during the last
Thanksgiving and C hristm as
distributions w ith the esception ot a
Boardman firm s ' donation o f
turkeys, was collected in the
Heppner Is lin g to n area, she said
We are making plans to hold food
drives in Boardman and Irrtgon and
store the loud there tor distribution
in that area IHinng the past July
Dec . the Hcrmiston Neighborhood
Center distributed 4.42M ¡sounds of
food in tJse Boardnun area and 1.171
pounds o f tood in the Irrtgon area
The Court also considered bills fur
labor and materials at the founda
tion building on the h ill hs Heppner
Moslual Clinic
The foundation
minister health care funds
A public hearing on the proposed
medical district will be held .a 7 p m
January 20 in Heppner. and later the
counts court w ill nuke a linal dcci
sion on what to do Hearings have
already been field in other areas ot
the county
In other business at the meeting
the hotel renovation project in Hcpp
ner was discussed lo ca l resident
Ciexirge K ottlcr asked what (he cits
council needed from the town to
show that there was support for the
Kents troni apartments in the hotel
would be used to pay o ff the debt,
but Kuhn said the city council has
shown reluctance to commit to the
project, tearing it may go defunct
However. Kuhn said that further
delay on the project could jeopardize
the 1500,000 grant already
•approved
Mayor Cara Cuoia pointed out that
the cits is indeed being asked to put
its name on a loan o l 5 tbO.OU). but
that it would be fully secured by the
hotel She said the value o f the hotel
would exceed the amount o f the
loan ' l he project definitely would
be a shot in the anil lor downtown
development," she said
Discussion of the school levy elec
tion also was aired at the meeting
Superintendent Doyle McCuslin
said that the public is asking lor bet
ter ¡subtle relations and mo-c com
munteations over budget matters in
the district He said the district is
considering a survey to feel out
public opinion in the county
On the reputation o f the district
when it is having budget problems,
McCaslin said "w e have wounded
ourselves in a ttra ctin g new
teachers
"W'< are competing nntionwijc
tor teachers I think it the statt sees
another good effort in May (when
(he 19X7 KM budget is voted on) then
I think it w ill help," he said
Bob M iller of (he Port of Morrow
also spoke al (he meeting, giving a
hriel overview ol lami and utilities
available at (he port
M iller said the ¡sort is geared up
to handle large or small industrial
development, and that it hopex! to in
crease its shipping through a con
tamer shipping dock located on port
property
Several concerns aired at Heppner Town meeting
addition made to the clinic to house
the ambulance
The committee also recommend
cd tfiat a rapid response vehicle
should be located in Irrtgon. and that
space should be provided at the
North Morrow Annex in Irrigon tor
use by a physician on a part time
basis.
For Heppner the committee
"s tro n g ly " recommended that the
Board ot Pioneer Memorial Hospital
take immediate steps to reduce
operating costs there It said that the
hospital beds should be reduced from
1 2 to four and the nursing home beds
be increased by eight
The committee felt that the proper
ty laves used by the hospital be
reduced by the same amount need
ed to fund the committee's recom
mcndations tor improvements in the
other communities, thus causing no
overall increase in taxes It this could
not be accomplished it was recom
mended that the district board
"review the status of the hospital for
change to an emergency center
Medical districts, school levy elec
lion, the Port o f Morrow and the c i
ty o f Heppner were the main topics
o f discussion at a tow n hall meeting
held in Heppner last Wednesday
night
About 150 people came to the
meeting to discuss problems facing
Morrow County
Discussions about a proposed
medical district in the county look up
most o f the time at tJie meeting, with
l-arry M ills, Jhoneer Memorial
Hospital Administrator Jotui Hempel
and Boardnun doctor Steve /ic lin
ski the main participants
M ills is chairman o f a committee
which |ust finished work on a three
page studs o f the needs end funding
o f health care in the county
Made up ol citizens from all areas
o f the cisunty. the committee recom
mended, after one month o f work,
that a single health district be set up
to oversee health care and provide
for equitable distribution of health
care funds in the county
The committee was formed earlier
by the county court after the court
received petitions from both ends o f
the county requesting health districts
be set up
One petition from (he Boardnun
area asked that a separate health
district he formed in the county with
the dividing line at the Willamette
Baseline North ot l-cxington A se
cond petition from the Heppner area
asked the court to consider forming
one county wide district
The Boardnun petition was in
mated because o f what residents
there saw as unequal distribution of
funds in the county The Heppner
signatures were gathered later feel
ing that one district would better
serve the needs o f the county as a
whole
At Wednesday's meeting M ills
said that during the committee's
work it was learned that lone is in
terested in having an ambulance and
crew in that town, and that Board
man needs new equipment tor its
TM I s (including a new ambulance),
improvements made to the North
Morrow Medical Center and a new
Hospital A d m in istra to r John
Hempel said cost cutting measures
arc already underway at the hospital,
however, fie stressed that the single
biggest thing the people can do to
preserve the hospital " is to use it
'It we had two more patients per
day using the hospital there would
be no more need lor a tax asking."
he said "People need to utilize in
town physicians Jhcsc are things
people have to look at II (hev want
a h< ispital here in the long run they
better use i t , " he said
Has ing one medical district in the
counts received strong support from
those present at the town hall
meeting, with ms>st saying they did
not wish to see the county split
l)r /ic ltn s k i o f Ik ardiiun spoke
out against the committee's recom
mcndation, saying he felt it was a
stalling tactic, and that a single
district would provide no "fo rm u la "
for distribution o f funds
Under the single health district,
representatives would be elected
from all areas o f the cisuntv to ad
project
The city has v i tar received a
AN*),ouii grant to renovate the old
hotel into a senior citizen housing
and recreation center A loan of
$ iqtl.(M ) has also been approved bv
the state o f Oregon tor the project
In addition S ltX l.lM ) has already
been committed to the project local
ly . said attorney Bill Kuhn, who has
been w orking closely on the
renov at ion
Dial is a show of support." said
Kuhn
Building is being remodeled to housc
Justice Court, the Morrow County
M ental H ealth Services, and
Juvenile Services The Court asked
(hat contractors Dennis M iller ami
David Allsiott submit their bills tor
contracted services rattier than an
hourly billing, since the county w ill
approve payment based on the
contract
I'ndersheriff V erlin Denton ask
ed tfse Court's approval tor purchase
o f seven bullet proof vests required
by the deptuies' contracts " Ihc
vests we have are 7 10 years old ami
apparently thev deteriorate amt arc-
only good lor live scars.” he said
(Quantity price for the vests is 5 7 0 0
each The Court approved the pur
chase Irons S h e rilf s Dept funds
Die Court also approved renewal
of a service contract tor ntdintruame
o f a m icrofilm camera in the
Sheriff's Dept and the puis have ol
a ST77 computer terminal tor the
S h e riffs Office The terminal is
necessary, the um lrrshcnlt explain
ed because the department is behind
in filing reports which road deputies
write on the word processor because
they can get back on the road much
taster than if they had to write the
lom is by haml The other three ter
initials in the S heriffs Office are in
almost constant use. he said
In other business, the Court
approved payment of SI2,4bM lor
the addition at the North Morrow
Annex Bldg in lrngon and withheld
S4.0b<l from payment until the win
down, doors, ami the floor arc
repaired satisfactorily
approved purchase ol v h I iu iii
lights lor the front ot the Courthouse
Bldg in Heppner
approved
refunds
six
p ro p e rly
lax
heard a road report from Road
Supervisor Don Ball
approved ¡suiting an overhead
computer wire from the hospital to
the Foundation Bldg so the offices
there would be connected with the
county's computer system
heard that county Budget ( Miner
lasRayne Bowman is sending out
budget worksheets to the various
county departments Ihc first budget
workshop was scheduled lor 9 a in
January 10
held an executive sesison regat
ding personnel
reappointed Mary Brvant to i
three year term on the Revenue
Sharing Committee
reappointed Batten a BloodvwxHlh
to the Morrow County Museum
Board
approved claims alter Comnns
sioncr Irv Rauch determined that
shoe polish which tin- Sheriffs I Vp<
purchased was actually 574 worth of
leather dye which the S h e riffs
Deputies use to keep their leattier
gear from looking worn Rauch
spayed a dab o f the bias k dye on Ins
brown shoe then voted approval
Lifeguard begins registration service
Mustang Power
Mustangs Wayne Wilgers (32), Gene Garrett (40). and Trent Harrison (34) plot to
p6ofc> try Joycu Mxzgfs#«
take the ball from Stanfield during last Saturday's game The Mustangs went on to
win the game 60-51 See story page 8
1 ileguard Medical Transport, a
non profit air ambulance based in
Pendleton has announced the inccp
turn ot the 1 ileguard Medical
Transport Rural R egistration
Sy stem
Rural Registration is available to
anv individual or business living or
working outside the limits o f any ci
ty. town, or municipality w ithin the
Lifeguard Medical transport service
area ( 150 milcv in anv direction from
Pendleton)
Anyone wishing to register need
The committee viewed the pur
chase of a defibrillator for the North
Morrow Medical C linic, a solution
warmer lor the North Morrow Am
bulance. and a training fund lor
PMTs as critical, immediate needs
The provision of revenue sharing
funds was suggested as one option
lor meeting those immediate needs
The committee asked the county
court to act on the recommendation
within .10days, the same time period
the committee had to complete its in
vcstig a tio n
and
present
a
rcconmicndat ion
Members o l the audience applaud
cd the committee lor its efforts,
recognizing the time restraints the
committee lacexl. hut the recommcn
dal ion was not without opposition
Several people testified in oppovi
tion to creating new government to
address an old issue and urged the
court to deal w ith the issue
themselves
I have a lot o f respect for the
com m ittee." said Ed Glenn, hut I
think they missed the boat I'm tell
ing you folks, we don't need more
government We ¡ust need the pre
sent government to operate more ef
ficientJy That's the problem, tfse on
ly problem ."
Glenn urged Ihc court to make a
decision " W e ’ ve let a problem
develop and it s gotten out o f hand."
he said "D o n 't pass the buck fcllax.
ymi take the hull by the horns and
solve the pnsblem "
Steven Rowe, a member o f the
Norih M orrow Medical Board and
a proponent o f separate medical
districts, voiced no confidence in r
county wide health care system
" The north end has petitioned to
(he County Court, the county court
appoints a board, the board recom
mends appointing another board."
Rowe said "W hat assurance do we
have that ihc new board w ill address
the concerns.'' he queried, "n o one
as done H now
Rowe stressed lhal the north end
was looking (or provision ol needs,
not a gold ¡slated system
At the end of the hearing. Judge
Continued page 2
County hears recommendations and objections for one health care district
County Court in early December to
review health care throughout the
county, read the recommendation
before County Commissioners Irs
Rauch. (> W " J e rry " Peck. Judge
I ouis Carlson, and an attentive
Court at the conclusion of the first
public bearing Jjnuary b concerning
the formation o f separate medical
districts within the county
l-arry M ills, chairman of the ad
hex committee appointed by the
By Donna Schmidt
Boardman F lite r prise
A vinglc county wide health care
dislncl governed by an elected board
o f directors was the recommendation
presented to the Morrow County
G-T begins new weekly publication
«TRADER
Times. I he trader w ill feature
classified ads and short community
DX,
e
lo n e
Ir r ig o n
C
Pi
w
*5?
01
13
Yes
(U n o ffic ia l R esu lts)
School Levy
y'
Yes y '
No
/
353
No
471
Passed
/
192 /
Yes y /
713
No S ' No
No
No z '
/ 1 16 / S23
/ 222
/ 168S /
$366,736 per year
for three years
Yes a X Yes y
Yes
Total
As an introduction, tree i lassiticd
ads w ill be ottered in Die 1 radcr lor
the next two weeks lasok lor yixir
copy ol The Trader and use Ihc tree
H a rd m a n
nonces
Sp ecial
Electio n
Ja n u a ry
classified .id coupon found inside
Free classifieds w ill not be taken
over the phone
To place display ads in The I rader
contaci an advertising representative
at the Heppner Gazette
H eppner
A new publication, Ihc Morrow
County Trader, begins publication
this week Look lor the free shop
per in stores and businesses)» in lone.
Lexington, and Heppner
Published by the Heppner Gazette
B o a rd m a n
S t"'"' CO»1'*
1 14
Passed bv
Passed by
161
357
/
59
/
89 /
259
Passed bv
Passed by
Passed by
163
27
264
/
crowd of about 50 people
In the course of its review, the
committee talked with members o f
(he current health care boards,
reviewed operating budgets, looked
at existing medical equipment and
facilities, and examined current
county policies governing health
care
In Ms tact finding report, the com
iTiiltcc stated it found " the current
system ol funding and operating the
health care delivery system in the
county neither lair nor adequate for
the needs o f the county's residents
and that a change needs to be made
to provide a system lhat is dedicated
to solely providing health care
Part o f the proposed system would
include a seven member board of
directors composed of three elected
representatives from the north end of
the county. three tnwn the south end,
and one position at large The board
would oversee Ihc dclivercncc o f
health care in the county while re
taming the cxisiting medical hoards
in an advisory capacity
In the event a county wide health
care district were formed and a
hoard o f directors elected, the com
mittec suggested changes or im
provetnents he made in each o f the
five cities within the county (see
box) Funds for the improvements
should be acquired by reducing the
lax requirem ents fo r Pioneer
Memorial Hospital in Heppner. (he
report said
No specific guidelines were
recommended on the armsunt o f
funds necessary to satisfy health care
needs w ithin the county or on the
manner o f distribution o f funds to
each end o f the counts
Passed bv
972
Continued page 2
Weather Report
t>T C*y
x ■•<•<
lam i.irv 7 Januars 1.1
High 1ove Kain Snow
Wed
Thur X
1 h
Sat
Sun
Mon
1 ues
.17
18
.17
15
37
51
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20
Ib
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Market
Report
ol ffv# Mr*»rn* County (*<•*'- (,
Tuesday, Jan II
Soft White
Jan
Feb
March
New Crop
»7
‘ 2 07 »2
»2
*2
ob
ok
>/o
75
Barley
Jan
»Ml
»H4 5()
M
*b0
New Crop
Hard Red Winter • »rdinanes
‘ 2 01
Jan
PIK
|0 b 1
Cash hy Fri
KIM 51
On account