Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1994)
V- r S S I E u OF ff V W S P A F F V Estimated county tax rate $5.74 per 1,000 ■ r ~ e Y E T 2 ( Morrow County assessor Greg Sweek has announced that the total county estimated valuation is $790 million, up $10 million over last year. Sweek said that the increase in estimated valuation is based on the construction of an onion dehydrating plant in Board- man and the completion of the final phase of the gas pipeline construction. The estimated tax rate for county operations, including the medical fund, is $5.74 per thou ORE f ! F E R L i OH 9 7 4 n sand, up one cent over last year. The medical fund portion of the tax rate is 61 cents. Estimated cost to a taxpayer with a $40,000 home is $229.60. A taxpayer owning a $400,000 business will pay $2,296 and the owner of a $1 million farm will pay $5,740. Voters will decide the fate of the $3,708,449 county operating levy on March 22. This year’s levy is down $58,402, or one fourth of one percent over last year’s. The total county budget is $18,235,732, which is over $2 million more than last year's total county budget of $15,776,478. 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 required last year were $4,551,743. Last year’s total taxes were reported incorrectly in the Jan. 12 Gazette-Times. Extension wants own tax district School board cuts bond proposal The Morrow County School Board, Jan. 18, cut over a million and a half dollars from the pro posed bond issue which will fund additions and improvements to county schools. The board approved the $15,585,000 bond issue which will now appear before Morrow County voters in the March 22 election. Cuts from the previous bond proposal are as follows: -R iverside High School: auditorium and platform-$760, 000; corridor and lobby-$315, 000: enclosure for freezer-$19, 000; total cuts-$l ,094,000; -Sam Boardman Elementary: trash compactor-$15,500; baler- $7,690; total cuts-$23,190; -Columbia Junior High School: trash compactor-$15,500; baler- $7.690; total cuts-$23,190; -Heppner Elementary School: art, music rooms, cafeteria- $637,500; new gym-$900,000; trash compactor-$ 15,500; baler- $7,690; sub-total cuts-$l,560, 690. Instead of separate art, music, cafeteria and gym facilities at Heppner Elementary School, however, the board voted to com bine the four into one 12.000-square foot facility at an additional cost of $1,020.000, which would put HES’s total cuts at $540,690. The combined facility would be located at the site o f the present ju n io r high/middle school, which would be demolished. The Heppner High School gym will be remodeled and expanded to accommodate the additional students in grades seven and eight who will move from the junior high to the high school. Accor ding to school board chairman Marcia Kemp, the high school gym will be expanded to house two gyms, one for high school students and one for junior high students. Kemp said that some propos ed trash compactors and balers will be eliminated, but one for each community will remain in the budget. Complete bond issue figures are as follow s: -A.C. Houghton Elementary. Irrigon: sitework and demolition- $135,000; new constructional, 275.000; existing remodeling- $80,000; boiler rw m asbestos removal and reinsulation-$6.000; enclosing freezer-$ 19,000: storage building-$22,500; flush valves for urinals-$2,800; trash com pactor-$15,500; baler- $7,690; recycling bins-$5.000; remodel, repair parking-$25.000: total-$ 1,593.490; -Columbia Junior High. Ir rigon: sitework and demolition -$60.000; new class construc tio n a l .428.000; locker rw m construction^ 140,000: wheel ch air lift-$20,000; new roof-$ 100,000; recycling bins-$5,000; total-$l,753,000. -Heppner 7-12 (high school and junior high combined): chair lift-$35,000; computer lab-$102, 000; remodeling stage area- $48,000; construct greenhouse- $22,500; replace acoustical tile with carpet in gym-$ 10,000; replace ceiling tile in upstairs hall and floor tile-$23,500; replace wainscoat in halls-$15.000; replace glass panels-$2,000; carpet library and band room -$3.000: rem odel art room-$45,000; remodel vo-ag room-$l ,000; replace controls on two CZY units-$4,000; air lock bus entrance-$3,700; convert to hot water heat-$24,000; metal siding on gym-$ 15.000; trash compactor-$ 15,500: baler-$7, 690; recycling bins-$5,000; site work-$21,000; remodel and ex pand gym-$375,000; total-$777, 890. -Heppner Elementary 1-6: site work-$90,000; art, music, cafe teria, gym facility-$ 1,020,000; construct six rooms (computer, class, staff)-$714.000; replace urinal flush valves-$l .650; new boiler (primary)-$25,000; boiler room asbestos removal and re- insulation-$15.000; recycling bins-$5,000; air conditioning (primary)-$50.000; carpeting (primary)-$20.000: total-$1.940, 650. -lone Elementary: barrier free elevator-$ 100,000; flush valves -$ 1,350; main floor air condition in g ^ 19,000; electrical updating -$10,000; carpeting-$20.000; renovating basement-$50,000; repairing walks and concrete areas-$25,000; total-$225,350. -lone High School: install distance learning equipment- $12,000; replace ceiling tile $3.500; install lockers-$8,500; gym acoustical treatment-$10. 000; exterior painting (both buildings)-$20,000; roof gym/ locker areas-$44,000; flush valves for u rin a ls -$ l, 100; separate boiler for pool and locker room-$22,000; asbestos removal and reinsulation-$26, 000; trash compactor-$15,500; baler-$7,690; recycling bins- $5,000; total-$ 175,290. -R iverside High School, Boardm an: sitew ork and demolition-$ 150,000; new class room construction-$ 1,390,000; gym nasium /w restling-$l ,275, 000; lockers and weight room- $400,000: restrooms-$l 10,000; existing remodeling-$448,000; asbestos removal and reinsula- tion-$ 17,500; water tower for chillers-$23,000; mineral cap on roof-$ 10,000; intercom system- $7,000; trash compactor-$15, 500; baler-$7,690; recycling bins-$5,000; total-$3,858,690. -Sam Boardman Elementary: sitework and demolition-$30, 000; new classroom construction -$740,000; existing remodeling -$40,000; replacement of soffits -$9,000; fence playground- $16,000; repair gym floor-$36, 000; addition of four new rooms -$408,000; expanding storage- $22,500; recycling bins-$5,000; total-$l ,306,500. -District Office: replacement of floor tile-$8,500; chair lift to first floor-$30,000; roof gym (storage area)-$ 18,000; recycling bins- $5,000; total-$61,500. -District-wide: wiring and equipment for technology/com- munication update-$l ,000,000; copy machine updates-$80,000; total-$l.080,000. The bond proposal also in cludes $2,809,919 for contingen cy architectural and engineering designs and fees and the cost of issuance. District superintendent Chuck Starr says that the estimated tax rate for the proposed 15-year bond issue has not yet been determined. ESPN to drop Heppner TV Heppner T.V. Inc. is notifying all subscribers of the possibility that ESPN will drop Heppner T.V. in mid March. ESPN elected not to extend the present agreement, which ends March 15. according toJudie Laughlin, office manager. Negotiations on entering into a new agreement have not taken place because ESPN’s affiliate executive has not responsed to three letters sent to ESPN by Heppner T .V .’s Board if Directors’ legal counsel, said Laughlin. If subscribers would like to ex press their views on this matter or alternative programming, they may do so in writing to the Board of Directors. PO Box 587, Hepp ner, or drop comments at the T.V. office at 162 N. Main St. Consideration will be made at the next regular board meeting. lone Marketing club to meet The lone Marketing Club will meet on Thursday, February 3 at 6:30 a.m. at the Office Cafe in lone. Larry Lev, Oregon State University Extension economist will discuss wheat marketing potential for 1994. Wheat grow ers and agribusinessmen are invited to at tend. For more information con tact John Ripple at Morrow County Grain Growers. 989-8221 or Phil Nesse at the extension of fice 676-9642. The Morrow County Extension Advisory Council voted to pur sue the formation of a county 4-H and Extension Service District to provide continuing, stable fun ding for Extension work in the county. Since its beginning in Morrow County in 1918, extension has been supported by the county’s general hind budget. However, increasingly tight restraints on the county budget has made it more and more difficult for the Mor row County Court to guarantee local support in the future, ex plains Don Eppenbach, Irrigon advisory council president. “ That’s why the council decid ed to pursue the formation of an extension service district that would have its own tax base,’’ he stressed. State laws do not require the county to support Extension. It’s important to guarantee local support if Extension is to continue offering educational pro grams in agriculture, home economics, 4-H youth develop ment, energy and other areas in the future, Eppenbach pointed out. Extension is a three-way partnership between state, federal and local governments. State and federal funds pay the salaries of Extension agents and specialists; local funds support county office operations. The county’s contribution to Exten sion in the 1993-94 fiscal year is $94,640, which includes office wnt, secretarial support, and sup plies and materials. This is less than two percent of the county's general fund, according to Carol Michael-Bennett, extension agent and county staff chair. A petition drive, asking the Morrow County Court to refer the issue to a vote of the people in November, will begin soon. If approved in November, the district would be able to levy taxes in support of Extension for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995. “ This means that it’s important to maintain support for Extension in the county’s general fund budget for 1994-95.” said Michael-Bennett. Voters will be asked to approve a one-year serial levy for county government this spring. Morrow County would be the 13th Oregon county to have an extension service district if the issue is approved, adds Michael-Bennett. Wheeler County voters approv ed an Extension district in 1992. Other near-by Extension service districts are in Grant and Union counties. Approval of a district would mean that the Extension Service could plan for the future. “ Right now, each year we are uncertain about the future of the Morrow County office and the level of local support that is essential to be able to conduct solid educa tional programs that meet the needs of people,” Michael- Bennett stresses. Although final details are still to be worked out, it appears that it would cost about 15 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation to maintain existing Extension work in the county, Eppenbach ex plains. By law, the Morrow County commissioners would be the governing body of the district. Eppenbach stressed that addi tional information will be made available to county voters as the district formation is pursued. Bank o f EO donates to PM H Bank of Eastern Oregon Cashier Linda LaRue presents $2,500 donation to Pioneer Memorial Hospital Administrator Kevin Erich. The bank’s donation will be used towards purchase of a new X-ray machine at the hospital. Erich says the present X-ray machine is too old and is costing the hospital quite a bit of money in repairs The hospital is in the process of raising money for the pur chase, which could cost $125,000 for a used machine, or $200,000 for a new one “W e’re in the process of submitting grant proposals to grant agencies, and that might help us out,” Erich said. He said the hospital is also accepting donations from the community towards purchase of the new machine. Krein, Greenup win Voice of Democracy speech presented a plaque to VFW Voice of Democracy Contest winners Jenny Krein and Truitt Greenup. Krein placed first in the 1994 Heppner High School Voice of Democracy contest and second in the district competition. Greenup also placed first in the 1993 Heppner High School competi tion and went on to place third in the district competition. Mark M oeller and Patty Anderson tied for second place in this year’s in-school competition Robert Zaaklan. VFW Chief of Staff for District 8 (Morrow, Umatilla and Grant counties), and Bob Taylor. Heppner Local 4184 Voter registration workshop slated The volunteers for 4-H & Ex tension from Morrow County are sponsoring a voter registration and petition circulation workshop Wednesday, February 2 at 2 p.m. at Irrigon City Hall and at 7 p.m. at the Heppner Extension Office. The workshop will focus on techniques for registering voters and guidelines for circulating petitions. Oregon State Universi ty Extension staff will facilitate the workshop. For more information contact Carol Michael-Bennett, 503 676-9642 or 1-800-342-3664. and Kelsie Evans placed third. In the 46 years that the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary have been involved with the Voice of Democracy program, more than 6,000,000 high school students have participated. Participants write and then record a three-to- five minute audio essay express ing their views on a specific topic. This year’s topic was “ My Commitment to America” , last year’s topic was, “ My Voice in America’s Future” . National winners are chosen from the state winners to receive a total of over $88.500 in scholarships with a $20.000 first place award. Don’t miss the big CUSTOM ER A P P R E C IA T IO N D A Y Saturday, Feb. 12 Morrow County Grain Growers Phone 989-8221 1-800-452-7396 Lexington
