Sagebrush Coalition sponsors one
senator per county plan
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HEPPNER
35C
azette
imes
VOL. 112
NO. 1
6 Pages Wednesday, January 6, 1993
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
The Sagebrush Coalition has
unveiled its “ One Senator Per
County” project with the objec
tive of giving Central and Eastern
Oregon increased representation
in the Oregon State Senate.
Project director Gary Marks of
Heppner said that currently only
four of Oregon’s 30 state senators
represent the Central and Eastern
portions of the state, even though
the same area contains nearly
two-thirds of the state’s land
mass, 18 of the 36 counties, and
several important land-intensive
industries such as timber, farm
ing, and ranching.
“ The real issues here are
fairness and rural survival,”
Marks said. “ The Central and
Eastern portion of our state, an
area larger than 29 states, needs
more than four senators in the
Oregon legislature, especially at
a time when our natural resource
industries have come under in
creased scrutiny by urban
legislators.”
The Sagebrush Coalition would
remedy the im balance o f
legislative power by giving each
Oregon county one state senator,
rather than the current method of
basing state senate districts on
population. The “ One Senator
Per County” plan would result in
the east and the west sides of the
state having 18 senators apiece.
Marks points to the U.S. Con-
stitution as an example of the
Sagebrush Coalition’s plan in ac
tion. “ W hen our nation’s
founders wrote our U.S. Con
stitution they recognized the need
to balace the interests of popuated
and sparsely populated areas in
the national legislature,” Marks
said. “ As a result, the Constitu
tion grants two senators to each
state, regardless of population.
This means that sparsely
populated states like Wyoming
have equal voting power with
large states like California.”
Marks said that since congres
sional districts in the U.S. House
of Representatives are based on
an equal division of the popula
tion, the House and Senate
balance each other out. “ The
populated states control the
House and the sparsely populated
states hold the upper hand in the
Senate,” he said.
“ Unfortunately, in 1964, the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
states could not duplicate the U.S.
Constitution’s balanced for
mula,” Marks said. “ Basically,
the court took the 14th and 15th
amendments to the Constitution,
which were ratified shortly after
the Civil War to insure due pro
cess, equal protection of the laws
and the right to vote, and warped
them to say that states had to use
were in 1964,” Marks said.
The Sagebrush Coalition’s plan
seeks the signatures of Central
and Eastern Oregonians on a
resolution calling for actions by
county and state officials. The
resolution asks the 18 counties
east of the Cascades to submit to
their people an advisory ballot
measure seeking voter approval
of the “ One Senator Per Coun
ty' plan tor Oregon at the May
1993 primary election. The
resolution also asks Central and
Eastern Oregon’s state legislative
delegation to sponsor legislation
seeking a state-wide vote on a
constitutional amendment gran
ting one senator to each county
and seeking a U.S. Supreme
Court challenge to the 1964
decision.
“ Imagine Central and Eastern
Oregon overwhelmingly approv
ing an 18-county ballot measure
calling for one senator per coun
ty in May at the same time the
Legislature is in session and has
a bill calling for a state-wide vote
sitting in committee,” Marks
said. “ I think we’ll definitely get
some attention.”
Marks said resolutions could be
obtained by calling him at
676-9650.
population as the only basis of
distributing
state
senate
districts.”
“ The writers of those amend
ments in the late 1860’s never in
tended them to be used like they
School board adopts election zones Town and Country Day next week
Monday night the Morrow
County school board changed the
way school board members will
be elected in the future. The
board divided the school district
into seven election zones based on
population.
According to school district at
torney Ann Spicer, the change
was necessitated by state regula
tions which require school board
representation based on popula
tion. Spicer said that if the board
did not create the zones based on
population, the state would do it
for them and the board’s deci
sions in the interim would be
open to challenge in the courts.
The board currently has seven
members, one elected from each
community-Heppner, lone, Lex
ington, Boardman and Irrigon,
and two elected from the county
at large.
Two options, drawn up by
Spicer and county school
superintendent Ralph Reed, were
presented to the board. The board
rejected option A, a proposed
zoning map based on com
munities and agreed on option B.
a map which has zones based
more on north to south divisions.
Approval of plan B hinged on
formation of a zoning map which
will divide the zones, to an even
greater extent, into ribbon-like
slices running north to south.
Proponents of this plan maintain
ed that it may benefit the district
by eliminating some of the north-
south divisions. Proponents of the
community based plan argued
that communities would be better
represented and have better ac
cess to their board members with
plan A. Both A and B options
were based on population.
Another option discussed was
to elect all board members at
large. This option, however,
Reception set for Judge Wallace
A reception for newly-elected
district court judge Jeff Wallace
will be held Friday, Jan. 8 at 10
a.m. at the district court office on
the second floor of the Morrow
County Courthouse in Heppner.
The reception is being held to
mark the investiture of Judge
Wallace.
The public is invited to attend.
Refreshments will be served.
Snow hits Morrow County
Kelli Straley and her dad Jay show off their snowman they built
in the front yard of their home on South Court St. in Heppner.
would require a vote of the peo
ple and zoning would still be re
quired until an election could be
held. According to Spicer, court
challenges could occur. “ This is
not an option I would recom
mend,” said Spicer.
Because a board position is up
for election in March, the district
was on a strict time line to
establish zones before the Jan. 21
filing deadline. That position is
now held by Scott Bauska, Board-
man, who was elected to an at-
large position.
Under the new zoning, Bauska
may run for re-election from zone
7, which has 1,120 people and
encompasses the south Boardman
area.
The new zone l , with a popula
tion of around 1,084, includes the
north Boardman area. Board
member Alan Holmes, elected
from the former Boardman zone,
lives in this zone. Election for this
term will be held in the spring of
1994.
Zone 2 includes rural Irrigon
and extends to South Morrow
County. Lexington is also includ
ed in this zone which has a poula-
tion of around 1,116. Two board
members currently reside in this
zone, Dwayne Carroll, who was
elected from the Imgon zone, and
Marcia Kemp, elected from the
Lexington zone. Election for this
zone will be held in the spring of
19%. Carroll will retain this posi
tion until the election because
Kemp’s term expires first.
Zone 3 encompasses West
Morrow County and runs from
Boardman to South Morrow
County. It includes a portion of
Boardman and has a population
of around 1,073. Board members
John Rietmann, elected from the
lone area, and Molly Rill, elected
from the Lexington area, both
reside in this zone. Because their
terms expire at the same time,
they both may run for re-election
in the spring of 1995.
Zone 4, with a population of
around 1,092, encompasses most
of the city of Heppner. No board
member currently resides in this
zone. Election for this zone will
be held in the spring of 1995.
Zone 5, which is also empty,
encompasses the city of Irrigon.
Election for this zone with a
population of around 1,078 will
also be in the spring of 1995.
Zone 6 includes the area sur
rounding Heppner, including
Hardman. Bill Doherty, who was
elected to an at-large position,
lives in this zone, which has a
population of around 1,065. Elec
tion will be held in the spring of
19%.
Board members will retain
their positions until their terms
expire. New terms are all four-
year positions and board
members must live in the zones
to which they are elected. Voters
in the entire county, however,
will vote on each board position.
Special guest speakers at the
Town and Country Day luncheon
set for noon on January 13 at the
Heppner Elks Club will be two
members of the Sagebrush Coali
tion, John Larkin and Dennis
Maloney.
Larkin, who is the owner of
KTVZ television station in Bend
is the chair of the Sagebrush
Coalition.
Maloney, director of the
Deschutes Department of Com
munity Corrections, is one of the
founders of the group and is cur
rently on the steering committee.
The Sagebrush Coalition is an
organization which promotes the
interests of Eastern Oregon. The
luncheon buffet is $5.
Meetings will be held all day,
including the Small Woodlands
Association at 9 a.m., the Soil
and Water Conservation District
at 10 a.m. Water for Life direc
tor Todd Heidgerken will speak
at 2 p.m and at 4 p.m. Bruce
Duffe of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers will speak on the pool
operation change at the Willow
Creek Lake.
There will be a break at 3:45
p.m. hosted by the Bank of
Eastern Oregon and the social
hour at 6 p.m. will be sponsored
by the Morrow County Grain
Growers.
MCGG customer
appreciation
day slated
The Morrow County Grain
Growers Customer Appreciation
Day has been scheduled for Feb.
13, the co-op has announced.
The Wasco branch appreciation
day will be Feb. 20.
Weather Report
At 7 p.m. that evening a prime
rib dinner is planned at the Elks
club. Cowboy poet Leon Flick
will provide entertainment. Also
during the evening Chamber of
Commerce awards will be
presented and the Morrow Coun-
ty Fair and Oregon Trail Pro
Rodeo Court will be crowned.
The dinner is $15.
A gem drawing will be held
during the dinner compliments of
Peterson’s Jewelers.
All meetings and programs are
open to the public.
Town & Country Day
Wednesday, January 13, 1993
Heppner Elks Club
“ Rurai Folks Working Together”
All programs and meetings are open to the public
9 a.m .
Small W oodlands
10 a.m .
Soil and W ater C onservation D istrict
Noon
Luncheon Buffet, $5 H eppner Elks Club;
Sagebrush Coalition-speakers John Larkin and
Dennis Maloney.
2 p.m .
W ater for Life-Todd Heidgerken, D irector
Field Services, M orrow County Livestock
G rowers and W heat League.
3:45 p.m . Break, hosted by the Bank o f Eastern Oregon.
4 p.m .
“ Pool Operation Change at Willow Creek
L a k e ’’-B ruce D uffe. P u b lic m eeting-
Reservoir Regulation U .S. Army Corps o f
Engineers, Portland District.
6 p.m .
Social hour, hosted by M orrow County Grain
G rowers.
7 p.m .
Prime Rib D inner, $15. Leon Flick, cowboy
poet, Cham ber o f Comm erce awards; C or
onation o f M orrow County Fair and Oregon
Trail Pro Rodeo Court; Gem Drawing, com-
____________pliments o f Peterson’s Jewelers.____________
MSWC District to hold
annual meeting Jan. 13
The Morrow Soil and Water
Conservation District, in con
junction with Town and Country
Days, will hold its annual
meeting January 13 at the Hepp
ner Elks Club, 142 N. Main in
Heppner.
The regular monthly board
meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m.
with the annual meeting follow-
ing at 10 a.m.
This year’s speaker will be Ed
W eber from the Natural
Resources Division of the Oregon
Department of Agriculture. He
will be speaking on the role of
soil and water conservation
districts in the implementation of
legislation dealing with natural
resource management programs.
Singspiration January 10
by City ot Hepooer
Dec. 29 - Jan. 4, 1992
Tues.
Weds.
Thurs.
Fri.
Sat.
Sun.
Mon.
High
28
30
23
25
32
38
38
Low
15
20
19
19
19
22
20
Pree
.07
.04
.05
.13
.0
.19
.06
Snow
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•4 "new
'¿ ’’new
2” new
2 Vi gmd
2 \ "new
1 Vi "new
The next singspiration, spon
sored by the South Morrow
Ministerial Association, will be
held at the Heppner Seventh-Day
Adventist Church. 560 N. Minor,
on January 10 beginning at 7:30
p.m.
The Community Choir is put
ting on a program the same even
ing starting at 6 p.m ., so
organizers hope that by starting
the singspiration a half an hour
later than usual, those interested
can attend both programs.
Special musical numbers by
other church groups or communi
ty members will be welcomed.
Refreshments will be served
following the singing.
Bank o f EastemOregon
Jinnounciiig. . .
HOME LOAN PROGRAM
Rates as low as 7.25%
Member
U reaon ? OIC
Arlmaton • HeDDner
Arlington
Heppner • lone • /
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