Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1989)
A .. à , FOUR - Hcppner Gazcttc-TImc». H rppnrr. Oregon W rdnnday. Maixh I. 1989 Open letter to Doyle McCaslin The Official Newspaper of the City of Hcppner and the County of Morrow ». To the Editor This is an open letter u> Mr Doyle McCaslin. Morrow County School Superintendent Dear Mr McCaslin: How dare you threaten me I support my hushand. and I helieve in him Whatever dccismn he makes, he makes with my blessing. So. how dare you write me a per- sonal letter threatening me. or using "scare tactics" to influence my hus band's decision concerning the im pending strike When did we become so familiar (hat you can address me by my first name ’ I have only seen you twice, and the first lime I had to introduce myself to you The second time, you walked past me on the street and * • * " — ■ —■ # •% The Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES M orrow C ounty’s Home-Owned Meekly Newspaper __ U 8 P S 240-420 u h llsh n t m r * W n ln n O a t mnd r n l r r r d a* w o n l t l t M m a llr r a IW Pual ( KTVr I t ir p f m r r , <>fr*„n u n d rr I h* A rt of M a r.h J . I ITS Sr,„o<j r t o « p u U a(a paid l i r p p n r r O r t y a t O f l k r at 147 VS« 4 W ilt..« S trr r t I .fcvfcunr <MU| »7». V22S ddrtm n m m u m k a tk m lo I h r l l r p p n r r ( . a i a i r - T t r o n , f . O . Bus U 7 . H rp p i r . O rag o « 47SV» Sul»» r ip tiu m $12 la S t o .r o » , VVhrrlrr. I.illta m a n d ( .r a n t oom taa, $ 2 J H a rw h rrr !'_ t « " i " ............................................................... * KTVr M aaafr r . T |p n d lM | St r u t h e rs t sans ... 1 ................................................................ New» Ida or .................................................. <■ raphirs Urpartmrnl .................................................. linpkln Urpartmrnl ................................................................................. IXUrtbotlun David and April Sykes, Publishers Are board members interested in stopping .strike? Letters to the Editor i • % ‘ « , ■ • • r « * -*s M , * * o * , *■ . . • -r;-/v c . ) t . 1 *1 , ■■» * * . , ^ > '* * , , V * > . - i . i / • ' •• - v 'w v X v • < V V. f. • . V • \ f J « ^ * I * . / ✓ * » _ * ‘ ¡X y- ■ W *. « 'V : ■» X ' i ^ - ‘ . / ' \ .» / i • ■ V ' ' ,1 » • I • Ì , • v 1. , y •' 'V * W ■ • To The Editor This week ihc staff at Russell Oil Company were sitting around discussing the contract problems bet ween the Morrow County School District Hoard and the Teachers Union We came up with a solution maybe not as eloquent as Stalford Mansell's, but effective, we believe none the less First get rid of the paid pnifessional negotiators on both sides This is a local problem and wc can solve it without Willamette Valley labor Attorneys If you think these guys arc helping, then remember whal the 1.000 I neixls ol Oregon cost the Port ol Morrow S econdly, wc need a single f rench would he a good candidate because he has been in the district a long time and is level headed Take l-arry French along wiih Dwayne Carroll, another level headed guy, anti stick them in the back mom of the Lexington Tavern with a gallon of whiskey. No one would he allow cd in or out until the whiskey is gone or the problem is solved It is our guess that these Iwo guys coukl solve the problem Yours very truly, (s) Donald E. Russell Steven P Doherty Carol A Marchck Dale Baker William I Elio % 4'*V » '*• ' ;, . M r REPAIR A R E B U IL T R IM S ROLLERS ^ M AC HISb H I IILD- UP vT Oh IDLERS A ROlLt RS s R E R IM S P R O C K E T S ^ D E S I G N A B U IL D O U R x %■ * », ? ¿ . V f '- f i Oil company offers solution to contract negotiations spokesman lor the leachers 1-arry ✓ NEW R A IL S * . * expressed your concern about our children's safety and why are the 'teachers calling the strike"’ W hy arc the negotiations at a standstill with NO ONE listening? Your letter also suggested (quite subtly I must add), that we should keep our children home during the strike Do you really think disconti nuing our children's education because the teacher chtxise to walk out is really in ihcir best interest'’ I alvi (ound it quite appalling, (hat you would want us. the parents, to ques lion our administrator's abilities to hire quality substitutes If they are to he questioned in this fashion, maybe we should have looked a' their ability to hire "quality" per maneni teachers of (he present I have the utmost respect and ap preciation for the job most teachers do They must be cxxnpcnsatcd for (he effon put fonh Hut m this situa turn, more must be taken into con sideration lhan just the best interest of our teachers Do not forget the best intcrcsi of our children' Wasn't that why you wanted to (each in (he first place? Also, don't forget that when this is settled, and it will be settled, you will be left to answer for your ac tions long alter your Union represen (alises and mediators have left town Thoughtfully yours (s) Kathy Moore I* O Box 12 Boardman, O r>97HIK IMHIUARKIAGI iÂ Ï ► u ; y ' ■ Vi * v Woman disappointed at handling of issues To the Editor Dear Teacher»: I have been a supporter to your cause for many months I believe most teachers deserve more pay than (hey are receiving in Morrow Coun ty. You are, aiter all. the people we are entrusting the future of our children to. but I must tell you. I have been really disappointed with the way these issues have been handled You arc being represented by a Union that has your best interest at heart, right? Hut what about the best in terest of our children? What about whal is best for ^furrow County and i t ’s resid en ts? O ther m ajor employers in this county have been forced to lay many people off. and make major cutbacks in wages and benefits to those who remain Your employer is not cutting back your wages, they arc offering increases (no matter how sight) Your benefits have not been reduced, they arc he mg frozen where they are currcnl- ly If the premiums arc raised, ask your union to look for a company with lower premiums The voters have turned down the school budget many time* in recent months The economy is such thal ihey arc about taxed out Yet, you choose this time to push to a strike situation for such large increases This to me does not make good sense. I would also like to address the let ler I received yesterday The letter OW N CABS & P R E S S U R 1 Z E R U N IT S FREE Estimates ^ , / ✓ TRACK PRESS IO TURN O R R E P L A C E P IN & B U S H I N G S r B&C REPAIRS, INC. 422 7418 422-7408 IONE. OREGON LOOK OUT! NOW THAT WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION Last week wr ran an ad asking people to donate Hems lor a fund raising auction Proceeds fmm the auction are to be used to help finance the Si Patrick’s Day weekend celebration ant) activities So far wr have only received a couple of the items locally We have v in e items donated by celebrities but thal will only comprise a small part of the auction To support a good cause, look around the house, in (he garage, in the basement or the closet and sec what yx>u might find li can be something new. something used, something big. or something small, an antique or a unique, a collectible, memorabilia, or some type of service Wr would like to have all items by March 14 so we van prepare an auction list for distribution Please contact one of the following pcttplc and we will gladly see that your donated item is picked up Thanks tor >our support Pat Sweeney 67K-9226 M ark h rin lrr 989-8572 C harlie Anderson 676-5182 Jerrs Heals 676-5240 ^ — ■* 4. X- ¡A * X j 7 ‘ll , • » t* ♦ » • jr V 1 * v :• ! __ x V J f *f , '*r, v t. j SS* j ! % ■ * J » ^ ■ * 8 9 * i » * V - i Vs . ' • Vv - • , » never even nodded your head So you see. we aren't even nodding ac quaintances. and arc not likely to become so We have lived in Hcppner and worked here since 1965 I suspect we will be here long after you arc gone We have never had a super visor or superintendent interfere with our personal life I have never interfered with my husband's job. so what makes you think you can in terfere with my job as a housewife and spouse I understand a similar letter from you was mailed to all the spouses of all the teachers - Shame on you! Very Sincerely, (s) Karen L. Holland TeacheA wife To the Editor: Morrow County School Board members have no interest in stopp ing a teacher strike They refused to meet with teachers last Saturday despite offers to resume talks Teachers were prepared to offer them a proposal of 4 2 %. this it less lhan the factfinder-% report of 4 5% for cost of living Here arc souk other facts worth thinking about: -budget audit proves there is a $1,938.000 carry-over in funds Why does the board say there is no money’’ -th e current budget includes $143.279 for teacher salary in creases This money is there now for salaries without a tax increase Why does the hoard refuse to use it? why does the hoard say wc need to cut hack on expenses and at the same time make plans to I) hire a business manager for the next schtxil year at a beginning salary of $35.000, plus full insurance and fringe benefits, 2) hire an assistant pniKip.il lor Riverside High .School for ‘A administrative salary , plus full insurance and fringe benefits (1989 90 year) Multiply these salaries by three years (number of teacher contract yean) add insurance and cost of liv ing raises, you should get a figure of over $200,000 Are these two people worth more than all the leachers now working in the district ’ Why does the hoard feel they can add two positions with no money for salaries? The school district has a current (Jan 31. 1989 audit) total investment figure of $4.652.212 14 Four million dollars of (his total is in cer tificates of deposit The rest of the money is in savings and checking ac counts in various hanks The school district cannot say they have no money Give your teachers the dignity and respect they deserve There is money to fund teacher salaries w ithtxit rais ing taxes Don’t accept run around answers from board members Get specifics Attend the informational meeting this Thursday. March 2, 7 p m ai the Irngon Senior Center Call the strike crisis headquarters af these numbers 481-2055 and 676-9254 (s) Marilyn Ornelas Irngon (s) Jennifer Wade Boardman Parent chooses to not send children to school To the Editor Will my children attend regular classes when the teachers strike this wm ! 1 No My reasons? Concern for the men tal and physical safety of my chikJrcg. How do I know that the replace ment teachers are not homosexual, communist, past felons, drug users, or sexual offenders ’ They are virtual strangers to me and this communi ty . selected because they currently for "some obscure reason" have been unable to secure a leas hing job in any other community in Oregon They arc "rejects” who have been selected by the Morrow County Schtxil Board "in a pinch". 1 personally know a certified teacher who was ousted from a school district (in eastern Oregon) with glowing recommendations because he is a lousy teacher, and this was the fastest and easiest way to exit him from their district It hap pens every day Can I trust the responsibility for my childs' welfare on a day to day basis to such a person in these cir cumstances? I can not I will not Whal percentage of seniors have been denied graduation in the history of Oregon based upon absence from schtxil during a teacher strike'’ Zero percentage I have a parental obligation to my children Placing them in the hands of substituic leachers in this situation is not in their best interests I would be in fact subjecting them to unknown factors that could nsk their physical and moral safety Is the nsk worth it? No (*) Wanda Tracy Boardman In the Public Service ? W e've had occasion over the years to serve in a variety of public offices Employed as a Deputy Slate Public Defender, contracted as a trial lesel Public Defender, elected to a schtxil hoard and appointed to a variety of state and local btiards and commissions. y — f we've seen the public service from many angles We've even been called upon to serve as a national, stale and local taxpayer We've also seen private enterprise from several points of s tew customer. en trepreneur, em ployee, ow ner. ___________________ employer The difference between private enterprise and public servxc. wc think, is self The private sector run* well when every participant acts on selfish motives The customer always buys at the lowest possible price he can find, the entrepreneur always tries to make the highest possible profit The employee seeks the highest wage for the least amount of effon and the employer tries to get (he best possible help for the lowest possible salary Everyone in me private sector acts in their own selfish interest But it's different in the public sector Some things can only he done by some form of "public" entity and cannot be done as well by any private business National defense, for ex ample. is best provided by an armed force maintained by a national govern mmt We remember a time when service in the armed forces was an obliga tion each of us owed for the privilege of living in America, an obligation readily accepted and honorably fulfilled And we remember when paying income taxes to support such an armed force was a patriotic duty proudly performed We think the difference was "selflessness " Thai certainly is true about the literally hundreds of folks who spend their time sitting through thousands of meetings, making tens of thousands of decisions in the name of the public There must be dozens ot state boards and commissions, hundreds of city councils, planning commissions, park and fire district boards and thousands of other committees where citizens selflessly lend their gtxxl judgement, sound experience anti gtxxl common sense to pursue the public gtxxl And wc expect a great deal of them Wc expect them to always make the "right" dccisxin without ctHisKlcration for their own ccononuc, political or stxial interests Wc set up elaborate rules to assure their "eth ics," to prevent their "conflictsof inters!." and to guarantee their accountability In short, we demand their absolute selflessness That expectation is not limned to the unpaid, volunteer board and com mission members It extends to paid public employees as well We expect much more from a dump truc k dirver working lor the cixinty than one work ing for a private contractor Because it's our tax dollars that pay them, wc expect public employees to work harder, longer and to do better than their private sector counterparts, and for a lower salary. Wc tolerate a large degree of selfishness in private business, but wc expect absolute selflessness in the public serv ice, even o f the same people doing the same kind of work And after all isn't that the way it ought to be? In a private deal you will look out for yourself and 1 w ill look out for myself and the better of us will prevail Bui in a public matter. I expect you to look after the public- interest (and that includes my own) even to the expense of your own interest. As I see it. serving the public interest is a very difficult job. Some folks are just not up to it, to be sure But we should all thank our lucky stars for those who try Why in the world would anyone step up to serve as a schtxil hoard member in these times of turmoil? I can't imagine. But for at least one position there arc several candidates Why would anyone want to serve as a port commissioner or a planning commission member or in any number of other elective or appointive posi (tons? Especially with hard issues eilher at hand or just over ihe horizon’ We re happy they are And public employees? They must either be out ol their mind, or con siderably more selfless than 1 lace W olff N .D . advises Patients In Need of Record Transfers To Mail a Dated and Signed Request to Him at Box 785 Heppner, By March 17th. What’s a strike worth to you? To the Editor These are trying times in Morrow County. Wc have the "N o rth " .igainsi the "South" in a whole new and frightening way It's not the North end against the .South end, because in this issue we both arc go ing to lose, it's not even the leachers against the School Board, it in realitv is neighbors against neighbors, and csen friends against friends I dtm't honestly believe the wounds from this " w a r" will heal for quite a while, and the scars will last forever Money seems to be the issue, but in effect il will he children ages 6-18 thal w ill hear the hrunt of the scars from this present confrontation I helieve that should a strike be call ed. the teachers brought in cannot possibly pick up where the present educators left nil. as they must first learn the way s of our system They won't even know the names of our children It will he very confusing lo many students to have someone new, and even frightening to many of the younger children I wonder how many of our children's qualified educators will opt lo lease this county that chooses not lo support them, and I wonder how much education will he lost in the prtvess I personally classify my children's teachers importance in our lives as second only to our ckvtor They nur ture their minds and help to produce the type of adults that can he an asset to our community and that wc can be proud of. I'm afraid thal the stone thrown by the lac k of community support is giv ing to he like a rock in a pool of water The wases of problems caus ed by that one stone will go on and on. How many gtxxl leachers will we lose? How many friends will be gone? Whal is it worth to you? I am one who supports Ihc teachers! (s) Gail Papincau C ourt StrtH*t > la rk el CHECK OUR EVERYDAY LOW PRICES WHERE YOUR DOLLAR MAKES MORE CENTS Texas Pink Grapefruit 5 for 99 Fresh 39*, Brussel Sprouts large .Mr 99* 19* G reen Peppers Dry Yellow Onions Beef A Boneless'' Round Steak *1 « Cube Steak Beef Rib Steak Tide Detergent 147 04 Gold & Soft M argarine 19 * i ib tub W estern Family 95*... >»,99* Entrees 4 to s oz Prices good March 2nd. - 6th Large Kggs Banquet, cooking bag Ball Park Beef Franks 1 lb OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 7 A M - 6 P M. C o u rt Street M a rk e t 111 N. Court Heppner 676-9643
