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Voters to decide fate of 3,708,449
county budget March 22
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Morrow County voters will
decide the fate of a $3,708,449
county operating levy in the
March 22 election. According to
Morrow County Judge Louis
Carlson, the levy is down
$58,402 over the ‘93-94 budget,
which translates to one fourth of
one percent. Last year’s levy was
$3,766,851.
"W e think we’re doing a good
job of budgeting,” said Carlson.
"This is a levy we’re pleased
with.”
"W e are passing this budget
and levy on to the taxpayers with
our endorsement,” said John
Prag, Boardman, Morrow Coun
ty budget committee member.
" I ’ve got to tell you that we
worked hard to pare this thing
down to a manageable size and
this committee is going to support
it.”
Total taxes required, which in
clude the six percent increase
allowed by law without a vote of
the people are $4.540,435. Total
taxes for
‘93-94
were
$4,557,743.
The total county budget
however is up to $18,235,732,
over $2 million in ‘93-94
Morrow County
accountant Lisanne Currin said
that increases in other revenues
besides taxes, especially in the
medical fund, account for the in
crease in the total budget and the
drop in taxes asked.
The county budget includes a
one and a half percent increase in
salaries.
The county assessor has not yet
released an estimated assessed
valuation, so the cost to the in
dividual taxpayer has not yet been
determined.
Carlson said that the cash car
ryover has been upped this year
to around $530,000. While the
increased carryover is an im
provement over last year’s car
ryover, which was only
$300,000, ideally, says Carlson,
the ending fund balance should be
around $1 million. “ It is clear
that within the private business
sector, expenditures must not ex
ceed income. This same applica
tion holds true with government
at all levels. Last year, we had to
borrow against the new year in
come to make it through the year,
a policy that we do not want to
continue,” Carlson said.
Two positions have been add
ed to the county budget in the
road department, said Carlson.
The two new positions, which
Carlson calls the “pothole SWAT
TEAM” were created to "p ro
vide a quicker response to peo
ple reporting problems.” The
team will repair potholes and sign
and stripe county roads.
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Cindi Parcel honored by
Eleanor Gonty
Commission for the Blind
honored by
second graders
VOL. 113
NO. 2
6 Pages Wednesday, January 12, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Some city sewer lines need replaced
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The Heppner City Council
Monday night, Jan. 10, heard a
report on the condition of the ci
ty sewer pipes from Don Olson,
wastewater inspector with Ander
son Perry Associates engineering
firm, who have been in charge of
the sewer project.
According to Olson, around
400 feet out of 6,000 feet of the
line surveyed are "really bad"
and will need replacement in the
future. "The remaining 5,000
feet actually look quite good for
the age of the system," said city
manager Gary Marks.
Some of the deteriorating line
will be included in the sewer pro
ject already underway but some
will not. Main Street and Church
Street surveyed in this recent
report were not included in the
j 1988 survey and will not be in
cluded in the sewer project.
Marks said that repairs should be
w made on Church Street before the
street’s renovation which is
scheduled to begin this year. " It’s
foolish not to replace it (before
the street project). It’s good
business to do it right the first
tim e.” Main Street is scheduled
for renovation in ‘97-98.
Olson also reported that some
features of the sewer project have
been eliminated for a savings of
$7,158 and reported on the sewer
project’s progress.
In other business Tom Springer
and Dean Gilman representing
Heppner TV, requested interven
tion on behalf of the city concer
ning problems with U.S. West.
According to Springer, poles for
the television cable were install
ed in Heppner in the 1950s and
the phone company did not install
their cables until the 1970s.
Springer and Gilman say that the
phone cables are in such close
proximity to the TV cables that
it is difficult to complete TV cable
repairs or installation without
damaging telephone cable. If, in
the process of repairs or installa
tion, the cable company, or any
other entity hits a telephone line,
the telephone company charges
that entity. This was the case last
year when the cable company hit
a telephone cable. The TV cable
company was charged $1,500 and
the accident put the phone service
out for four hours. " I t’s a hard
ship on the entire city when the
phone lines are o u t," says
Springer.
Marks agreed to speak to the
phone company concerning this
matter, but the council, saying the
matter was a separate issue, voted
in favor of an ordinance granting
U.S. West a franchise for service.
U.S. West is in the process of
selling the franchise.
In other business the city
council:
-approved an ordinance annex
ing the sewer plant into the city
of Heppner. The plant was adja
cent to the city limits and no other
property was annexed;
-established the 1994 St.
Patrick’s celebration for March
18-20 and appointed Claudia
Hughes and Rene Devin co
chairpersons, approved the
closure of Willow Street for the
event and agreed to charge a $25
peddler’s license for groups
wishing to sell during the event;
-approved a request for an
agreement with Heppner T.V.
regarding the use of a joint ease
ment for a wastewater pipeline;
-passed two resolutions concer
ning participation in the Ci-
ty/County Insurance Service
Trust Pools;
-approved a resolution adopting
the city’s supplemental budget for
fiscal year 1993-94;
-approved accounts payable.
Long-time school volunteer
Eleanor Gonty was honored by
Lea Calvert’s second grade
students Jan. 6 at Heppner
Elementary School.
The students made cards and
enjoyed "Gummi Bears” in
celebration of Gonty's 76th bir
thday. Ironically it was also the
76th day of school this year.
Gonty helps out in the
classroom listening to the
children read. "She helps us read
stories,” said second grader Ariel
Johnson. "She’s really nice when
she does.”
Gonty started volunteering at
the school in 1980. Over the
years she has also helped with
students in classroom s of
teachers, K$y Chinen, Kitty
Bredemeier and Pat Edmundson.
Gonty says the love of kids
spurred her to volunteer. "I like
k id s ,” said Gonty. ‘‘It's
something I could do. It’s such a
rewarding thing to meet them on
the street.” Gonty has grand
children about the same age as the
students in her second grade
classroom.
Gonty says the most fun she
has had in a classroom is this year
when she helped the students
make gingerbread houses at
Christmas time.
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Photo by Joyce Hughes
Cindi P arcel does her work release program through the high
school this year, working in the cafeteria w here she helps
p repare lunch, serve and cleanup. Last year she helped with
the H eppn er Day C are.
Cindi Parcel of Heppner was
honored by the Oregon Commis
sion for the Blind at its 1993
awards recognition ceremony
held December 30 in Portland.
Parcel was recognized for her
contributions to the commission’s
summer work experience pro
gram at the School for the Blind
in Salem. She explored a variety
of jobs including child care,
housekeeping, sales, stocking
shelves and gardening. She was
selected for recognition because
of her "consistent enthusiasm,”
said an Oregon Commission for
the Blind news release.
Chamber installs new officers
District Schools receive site council grants
A total of $6.2 million in state
grants has been awarded to 342
schools to help train teachers and
other school employees in the
various elements of Oregon’s
school reform program.
Heppner High School Site
Council received a $4,410 grant;
lone, schools a $4,200 grant;
Riverside High School, $7.950
and Sam Boardman Elementary,
$6.960.
Retraining is the top priority of
the school reform program this
biennium. The funds were ap
propriated by the
1993
legislature.
The goals of the school reform
act, passed by the 1991
legislature is to "produce the best
educated citizens in the nation by
the year 2000 and a work force
equal to any in the world by the
year 2010,” said an Oregon
.Department of Education news
release.
"T o do this,” said state school
superintendent Norma Paulus.
"w e must invest in retraining
teachers, for it is they who will
make the difference.”
Paulus said the average age of
an Oregon teacher is 41. "W hat
we know about teaching has
grown dramatically in the last 20
years.” said Paulus, "yet we
haven’t given teachers the time
and other resources to make
needed changes.”
For instance, Ontario High
School will use much of its grant
for computer training. Mike
Taylor, principal of the school,
said Ontario has a computer in
every classroom, but not all
teachers are trained to operate
them. “ This grant will give us a
real opportunity to do some
serious staff development,” he
said.
All schools which received
grants have site councils, in
cluding teachers, other employees
and parents, which steer local im
provement efforts. The grants,
which run from $3,000 to
$70,000, will be used during an
18 month period beginning in
January.
The recipients were selected
from 465 applicants. Grants
cover 41 percent of Oregon’s
schools and 33 of the 36 counties.
"O ur grant will provide train
ing for school and community
representatives on our site coun
cil to work effectively together to
make sound decisions for kids,”
said Kathleen Hering. principal of
Calapooia Middle School in
Albany.
Elks Hoop shoot Mon. Jan. 17
The annual Elks Hoop Shoot
contest for boys and girls ages
eight to 13 will be held Monday,
Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King Day)
beginning at 1 p.m. at Heppner
and lone high schools.
The three age brackets for
competition will be 8-9, 10-11
and 12-13. Age will be determin-
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N ew C h a m b er of C o m m erce officers (left to right): David Taylor of Barnett, Dennis & M oro
accountants; Ann M urray of M u rra y ’s Drug; G ary M arks, H ep p n er City M anager; Bill Kuhn
of Spicer, Kuhn & Mills attorneys; John Edm unson, and Steve Dickenson, Heppner High School
Principal.
ed as of April 1, 1994.
Winners from the local hoop
shoot contest will go to district
competition in Hermiston on
Saturday, Jan. 29. State competi
tion will be held in Keizer, near
Salem, on Feb. 12.
For more information contact
Dave Gunderson, Heppner. or
Dick Allen, lone.
VA '>i
ner High School library. Board
elections and discussion of future
fundraisers will be on the agenda.
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People for the Pool plans meeting
People for the Pool will be
holding their annual meeting on
January 17 at 7 p.m. at the Hepp
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D e la n n e Ferguson
Heppner High School Principal
Steve Dickenson took over
leadership of the Heppner
Chamber of Commerce Tuesday,
when he was sworn in as new
president by outgoing 1993 Presi
dent Rollie Marshall.
Dickenson was second vice
president last year, and will
assume the duties of chamber
president immediately. John Ed
mondson was elected 1994 se
cond vice president.
Also at the noon meeting the
annual Hats Off award given to
a chamber member who shows
exemplary service to the com
munity. was given to Delanne
Ferguson. Ferguson is head
ranger at the Heppner Forest
Service.
During Tuesday's meeting
Marshall reviewed the 1993 ac
complishments of the Chamber of
Commerce, including work with
Cycle Oregon's lunch, the annual
rose sale, taking tickets at the
rodeo, helping with the annual St.
Patrick's Day celebration, and
other activities.
Ferguson was honored for her
work on Cycle Oregon lunches,
the annual Lunch with Santa pro
gram, and other activities. She
was presented with a special Hats
Off cap for her efforts.
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