Morrow County's Home-Owned Newspaper
Thr Heppner
azette
The Morrow County Budget committee scrutinized departmental budgets Tuesday
at the Pettyiohn Building conference hall
From left Judge Louis Carlson, Commissioner Irv Rauch, budget committee member
Bob Rietmann and Elden Padberg, Commissioner Jerry Peck, Budget Committee chair
man Matt Doherty. Budget Officer LoRayne Bowman, and County Clerk Barbara
Bloodsworth (with back to camera)
imes
VOL |05 NO 6 Wednesday. February 11, 1987 Heppner, Oregon 25‘
County works to hold down budget
10 Pages
M orrò» Count) Judge touts
(Prison Usi f ndav morning remind
cd the- counts hud yet committee that
it is then duts to scrutinize individual
Njdgcts to nuke certain that extx-n
Council reverses decision upheld for four years
Cemetery hill landowners to get city water
By Avon M elh)
In a quick one two three action
last week Heppner Cits Council
solved the long drawn out problem
o f allowing cits water service on the
hill above Heppner cemetery
A request lor water service to the
proposed Willow I ake Park near the
dam was made bs John I dwards o f
thr park board The same request
had been tabled h) the council last
month But Fdwaids said the hoard
was soon to meet with state officials
in an attempt to obtain a grant. and
it was felt their success might be
more likcls d the appr • al of the city
had been received so the would be
no question about eventual water
supplv to the area beside the dam
The land is owned by the Corps of
Fngrnccrs Water service is now
supplied to the office building used
hv the Corps and an addition could
be made to this line
Bob Ploshar councilman, said he
thought the cits had been denying
these requests long enough and was
getting nowhere " I 'm at the point
where I feel we should |ust grant
these requests." he said
Ploshar stated the motion and the
council approved the request
Ken Key. who was in the ju
dicrue asked that he be granted
water on his land across the road
from the Corps office He went over
the many requests he had made to the
city, saying he had asked to be .in
ncted. and that he had approval ot
the county for meeting all re
quirements to locate in the urban
growth boundary of the c it) He has
a small mobile home on the land
His application was granted
Bobby Angcll. who originally
owned the Key property. and still
owns 1.1 acres there, asked for water
scrv ice because she wants to live on
By Avon Melhy
Heppner residents w ill vote on a
charter amendment to allow the city
to sponsor remodeling Heppner
Hotel into a senior citizen housing
center, probably al the March <1
election
After expressing obiectionx tor the
past tw o months, the
ouncil
unanimo is.v adopted the mcaure at
a meeting last
"W e obtain
ed what we wanted
said Coun
cilmari Doug Lowe, a vote will
show if the people arc behind us ”
A giam lor V V o OOO nas Keen ob
tained by the c its tor the project An
additional $180,000 is needed but
council members were hesitant about
signing to place the city in debt tor
that amount without a vote
fust week it said the outcome
would depend on changing the
charter, which is necessary before
the loan can be made The Bank of
Kastern ( fregon has indicated a
20-year loan at six percent interest
may be available it the charter
change is approved
Tax Counsel Harvey Rogers.
Portland, w ill have to research pre
sent total debt of the city and sign to
authorize the loan It that authoriza
lion is received in time the vote w ill
be in March
There was a standing room only
crowd at city hall, with many ex
pressing interest in gaining approval
of the council tor completion of the
hotel project Hotel owner Arnie
Hednun reminded the council that
the ( Kid f ellows I odge had donated
AM).UN) tor the project 1 inda
(ie h rk e . secretary treasurer ot
Heppner Morrow Chamber ot Com
merce read an endorsement trom
that group and others spoke in lavor
City Attorney Bill Kuhn said it
was possible the hotel could be com
plcted and reads tor ixcupancy by
the end ot 1487
Plans are progressing on the
Heppner St Patrick's Day celcbra
turn Dave Sykes told the- council He
asked that the city become the ot
tid a l sponsor lor the event Bob
Kahl ot the St Patrick's Dav com
mittee whose company also carries
the insurance lor the c ity . explained
that it was necessary to have a liabili
ty policy in effect lor the event Thi
can be added to the city policy The
request was granted
Sew Council member Wilbur
Jac kson took part in the meeting He
How well do you know your home
to w n ’ f or the next five weeks you
w ill be able to 11 rid out. and maybe
win some prizes too
laxik inside this week's issue tor
details on the Rediscover Your
Hometown" contest, sponsored bv
local businesses who would like you
to become better acquainted with the
stores and businesses in our area
f\ach week photos ot the inside ot
tour local businesses w ill be printed
in the paper It you can correctly
match the photos with the tier .if
business at the bottom, and you are
the lirst correct entry drawn, vou
w ill win AI00 in gift certificates
trom lix a l stores
Sec inside tor a complete set ot
rules, your first set ot pictures and
w here you can enter this week Then
test your knowledge, and re diwover
vour hometown
Heppner to vote on hotel renovation
Tuesday
Continued page 2
Win $100 gift certificate
School budget up 16%
Next year's proposed scfnxil
budget w ill require A X 4 Y 4 I' more
tax money than this year, the budget
committee was told this week
The increase, it approved, would
raise tax rales bv SI Ml per thousand
in the counts
The proposed budget would re
quire voter approval ot a S '.4X6.038
one vear operating levy tor next
year This sear's operating levy is
S ' I40.M.1 Not requiring voter ap
proval A 'bh.7.'h serial levs, and a
AXK4 X4X tax base w ill be included
in the d istrict’s total lax asking
"la x rate computations are has
ed on a higher. but still conservalive
v aluation than we were using al this
--- r-V l-'t___, • V.1 -
I
die land She is the Inst one who
asked for service thete nx>rc than
four vears ago
Her application was also granted
Both Key and Angeli said thev
would annes to the cits and would
rventuallv want sewer service (See
related storv )
Councilman Doug 1 owe said he
hud talked to Kit (ieorge. chairman
o f the cctnetcrv hoard, and had been
told the cemetery board would have
no objections to annexing to the ci
tv it the city asked it to It is
ncccssarv to annex the cemetcrv in
order for the adjacent land, ot Key
wild Angeli to be annexed
dilures and revenues are presented
in realistic terms ot the taxpavers
ability to pav as well as providing
necessary binds to c.irrv on the
business ot the county without un
due fiscal restraints
It is equally imprtant that you are
cons meed the protected revenues are
realistic and w ill mall piobabililv he
forthcom ing," he said
He told the budget committee to
keep in mimi the direction taxpayers
said thev expect I) equality ot set
vices to all communities based on
need. 2) a no increase budget, it
(sissiblc ' i streamlined government
when feasible
"T h is vear s budget reflects a
reduction from last year in the
amount ot R id d ili provided the
budget committee can trim AK. I "
trom (his document." the |udge said
Ihc reason tor this reduction, he
continued is the desire ot the ( ourl
to stav w ith in the la x Rate
I imitatiuon I his lax Rate I imita
tion is based upon legislation en.v ted
time last year.' McCaslin said
"T h e assessor is using an Ax Ml
m illion figure tor next year rather
than AX7X m illion tor this vear Ills
reasoning is based on "potential
devaluations in the north counts
area
"C sing the AXM) figure, the tax
rale to raise the entire levy amount
calculates lo be $8 V Adding 39
the tax rale lor our debt payment
plus uncollected taxes A4X7.4XX
makes a total tax rale ot A4 I I lor
next vear. an increase ot SI '(lover
this year's AX 01 r a le ." the
superintendent said
VSe have attempted to squeeze
everything possible trom the budget
based on the all loo recent ex
pericnce with voter approvals to
balance this year's budget < hir mu
jor premise has been and is that we
can lake very little risk ot levs
failure
"A s you ituv recall, we ate allow
ed only one vote one request to ex
cccd the net tax rate' limitation
f ailing once means that we are in
another mess in not onlv detcrmin
mg how much can be levied legally
but also actually getting voter ap
proval ot enough money to operate
at or near present levels, he said
The budget committee w ill con
sider next year's budget at the
following meetings
February 2 ' 7 HI p m at River
side High School, and
Match 2 7 'O p m at | exington
Dislric t < fffice
Open house planned
Museum Curator Johanne Wood reminds everyone to
come to the Saturday open house at the museum Pain
tings by local artists including this one by Cork Norene
will be on display
•
'? s'
The M o rro w County (¡ra in
G ro w e r* w ill hold its annual
eusiomcr apprev i.it ion day this Satur
day. Fch 24
The day w ill start o ff with the
customary tree pancake breakfast
starting al X a m and last until mxm
You can also enter to win one ot
the many door prizes including a
Homelite chain saw with case. Iivrl
chest space heater, case o f oil. cot
lee urn and toy tractor
Alter breakfast you w ill be able to
visit with factory representatives
trom Century welding. Calkins.
yew tax levy $3,099,311 m
Oregon's governor
plans Heppner visit
Happy 100th Heppner
Heppner Mayor Cara Costa tells pupils at Heppner
Elementary School that women wore long dresses 100
years ago when Heppner became a "real'' city Monday,
Feb 9 was the 100th anniversary of Heppner's
incorporation
Governor Neil (ioldschmult w ill
be at an open house at Heppner ( i
tv Hall fro m 4 10a m Friday. Feb
20 The open house w ill com
memorate the February 4 lixith an
niversary
of
H eppner's
City planners say landowners must
meet requirements for water
Bv Avon Melbx
Heppner City Planning fo m m is
sum voted Mondav to advise the ci
IV. water service should rax be
allowed to Ken Key and Bobbie
Angcll property on Cemetcrv hill
until all requirements ot the urban
growth houndarv had been met
The vote was approved by Coin
rnissioners David Allvlott. Jetrv
Hollomon Vine v I anktord Chloc
Pearson and B ill Cox and opposed
by Ason Melby . who said the dec i
sum had already been made bv the
city council (See related store i
City Attornev Bill Kuhn said the
Conlract which would have to be
signcd before water could be- allow
ed on that properly would include a
provision that all requirements
would have to be met He said the
Key property was an illegal parti
non" because when selling it Angcll
hail not obtained a permit to parti
non Also putting a trailer on (In
land constituted a maior sub division
and this required streets i with c urbs.
meeting the city street requirements)
be constructed
Several members ot the Planning
Commission said thev did not want
a bunch o f tra ito rs up th e r e ." and
vo te ti to w rite a letter to the city
Proposal that the Planning ( orti
mission nuke a comprehensive
emergenev response plan, and set
boundaries tor the Heppner am
hulancc service, was nude to the
commission hv Kent (¡oodvear a
member ot the County Planning
Commission He said the county
court wanted this done
Commissioners said thev did not
teel this came under their mandale
ot planning lor lami use. and should
properly hr done bv the council il il
was to apply only lo th e city No ac
don was taken
I )an Meadt't. hired ti> assist the 11
tv with u|xlating the comprehensive
plan sjh I things were going well
with the state I and CYwservat Kin and
I h-velopiix-nt Commission o lin e
Most ot the revised sections hase
been approved Some minor revi
sums arc still to be nude to meet
I CfM s approval but these should
he settled before the public hearing
set lor March 2 at 7 p m at ( ity flail
prior to the regular March council
meeting At the hearing all changes
made in the comprehensive plan will
be explained
Grain Growers sponsor free breakfast
1 Ml*.,
bv the Oregon legislature in |4 ( l'
and pros Klees that the tax rate shall
be no higher than the highest o f the
last five veats In the case ot Mor
row Cmintv that vear was 14X1 X2.
when the rate was V4 19 pet SI .(UK)
ot assessed property value "T he
vountv assessor estimates that this
scat's valuation w ill be down to
A x'd m illion from last year's AX7X
m illion the Court has deicrmincdv
to slay within the A4 '4 lim itation."
Carlson said
Die county is hviking at a one
of
the
March ' I election That would he
combined with its tax base of
A " '. '2 0 A tax base can be col
levied each year without voter ap
proval but a levy must be approved
bv voters
The total budget is expected to be
about A7 4 nultikon compared to a
ligurc ot about Ax ' m illion bclore
preliminaiv cuts were nude
"II the budget committee finds
that it should not stav within the l ax
Rate- I imitation, the budget w ill he
vubmitted to the public in this form
one 1 1 me onlv .' fudge ( arlson said
" I f the budget is turned down bv the
voters, there w ill he no recourse but
to submit the budget t her carter in the
form ot a serial levs in multiple
scars in equal proportion." he said
II the budget stavs within the Tax
Rate I mutation, the budget may be
submitted to voters as many tinws as
necessary lor .qrpiosal
I he budget committee expected
to wind up Us itK-etings luesday
afternoon
The March '1 vote w ill not in
solve lax monies lor I de-guard
Medical Itansjxirt A seiml less lor
A2X. 14 ' already has been approved
bv Motrow County lo t l ilt-guard
laraky Pipe Key Industry. Cenex
Seed. DuPont. Monsanto. Mohay.
Case IH and others
There w ill also be demonstrations
during the day by the Morrow ( nun
ly F.xicnsion Serv ice and the ( fregon
Wheat l eague
A photographer w ill also be on
hand to take tariulv photos
The following week, on Saturday.
Fch 2 I there w ill be an open house
at the M ( ( i ( i W asc o parts house
trom X a m to noon F.vcryonc is
welcome to attend txxh onm k « ..w
St. Patrick ’.s Day photos needed
I he ( (azette I imev is hvikmg for
pictures o f St Patrick's dav trom
previous years The pictures w ill he
copied and used tor promotion ot the
event, and will be returned to owners
unaltered
It you have photox
(negatives prclcrredi that you could
loan please contact David Sykes at
the (¡azette Times very vxin, as St
P a tric k 's Day is approaching
rapidly
Neil Goldschmidt
Weather Report
by Oy of
F rh rtiu rv 2 - 10
High lo w Rain
32
4'
47
47
40
40
17
Wed
Units
Fri
Sal
Sun
Mon
Tues
24
24
27
28
12
31
V)
lo g
Fog
1 og
Fog
Market Report
a'
4
•♦s# M r C o x / * * » <
liH-sday. February I»
Soli
While
Fch
March
A pril
•3 15
May
» ' 07 » ' 01 »2 4H
fune
»2 4V»2 40 *2 K7
New Crop July
*2.83
New Crop. August
*2 81
Barley
Feb
*40
March
*89
New crop
*72.
Hard Red Winter Ordinaries *1 (8)
PIK
( ash
I O b'*
V«- )