FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 9, 1994
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U S P S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
Published «tek!> and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Hepp
ner. Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at Hepp
ner. Oregon. Office at 147 West Will«» Street. Telephone (503) 676-9228.
Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337.
Heppner. Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $16 in Morrow, Wheeler. Gilliam and
(.rant Counties; $23 elsewhere.
Joyce H u g h e s.............................................................Office Manager, Typesetting
April Hilton-Svkes ................................................................................ News Editor
Monique lies i n ................................................................................................Bindery
Penni k e e rse m a k e r..........................................................................................Printer
Jean Ann T u rn e r......................................................................................Distribution
David and April Hilton-Sykes, Publisher
Letters to the Editor
Get involved with your community
To the Editor:
Those o f us that sincerely love
living in south Morrow County
urgently need to re-evaluate our
volunteer efforts on behalf of our
community. A -need exists for
more people to be actively involv
ed in the decision-making process
of south Morrow County.
Recently the county court sent
a letter to the cities of Heppner,
Lexington and lone, as well as
numerous civic organizations,
'asking for help via a task force
examining facts concerning the
abandonment of the railroad line
and attendant possible problems
and/or opportunities this will
provide.
No one from any of the cities
involved responded, and too few
from anywhere else. When I
bluntly said recently that the city
should be listening to facts and
concerns, and cooperating with
the county court, the Heppner ci
ty manager was furious with me.
I fully realize the hours he spends
in meetings but what is so dif
ficult about delegating someone
else (like any city council
member or a staff member) to go?
Beats no communication surely.
Another person present said
that there had already been a
meeting concerning Rails to
Trails, so why go? I do not know
where this person got the impres
sion that this was the purpose of
the task force. Nothing could be
further from the truth.
The Willow Creek Dam was
built with an additional water for
irrigation purposes included in the
plans. This potential has never
been developed because we
presently have no irrigation
district.
I recently was visiting with our
district forest service ranger at a
Chamber of Commerce meeting
and asked if she thought the bull
nose trout was going to be plac
ed on the endangered species list.
She said yes. I asked what this
process was and she replied a
year of hearings. It is possible
that a restriction on how much
water could be used for irrigation
from Willow Creek couid be
forced upon us shortly thereafter.
The Army Corps of Engineers
is currently investigating whether
the money for the irrigation
potential was let go previously,
or still available. I suspect that all
such findings hinge on communi
ty involvement. A generator at
the dam is a possibility to help
pay for an irrigation project.
Many, many vital issues need ex
amining and good decisions
made. Now. before someone else
claims the water.
Without cooperation from all
quarters, and up-to-date local
knowledge of what we are faced
with, our community can go
down the drain. To illustrate your
concern for the future, please
pick up the phone, call the coun
ty court’s office and add your
name to the task force commit
tee. Discover what's at stake in
your own back yard.
Sincerely,
(s) Meg Murray
— Pettyjohn’s Farm & Builder’s Supply —
N ew sto re ho u rs
Starting Saturday, Feb. 12
Mon-Fri. 8:30 a.m . - 5 p.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m . - 12 noon
Closed Sundays
S h e riff’s R ep o rt
The Morrow County Sheriff s
office in Heppner reports dispat
ching the following business dur
ing the past week:
February 1: Morrow County
deputy responded to the Rippee
Road area for a report of an un
wanted person on private proper
ty. Deputy was unable to locate
person.
February 2: Morrow County
deputy responded to Brown’s
Truck Stop in Irrigon for a report
of Criminal Mischief. A window
was reported to be smashed on a
ton wagon;
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to Olson Road for an in
jury accident. Patient was
transported to Good Shepherd
Comm unity
Hospital
in
Hermiston.
Morrow County deputy in
vestigated the report o f a
suspicious item near the Port of
Morrow exit. It was a possible
flare;
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to West Glenn Addition
for an injury accident. Patient
was transported to Good
Shepherd Community Hospital;
Morrow County deputy took a
report o f suspicious c ir
cumstances at the Country
Garden Estates and the Irrigon
Trailer Park in Irrigon;
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Condon Fire
Dept to a haystack fire.
February 3: Morrow County
deputy took a report of vandalism
from Jack Chivington from the Ir
rigation District involving a piece
of equipment on Paul Smith
Road. Irrigon;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Rt. 2, Irrigon for a
report of a suspicious problem in
the neighborhood;
M orrow County deputy
responded to the Rt. 2 Irrigon
area for a report o f a
neighborhood disturbance;
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Boardman
Fire Dept to a reported fire
behind the Sandpiper Apartments
in the garbage dump area:
M orrow County deputy
responded to the Country Garden
Estates for a neighborhood
problem.
February 4: Morrow County
deputy assisted the Boardman
Police Dept with a neighborhood
disturbance at the Sandpiper
apartments.
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to Olson Road for a
female with an injury. Female
was transported to Good
Shepherd Community Hospital in
Hermiston;
Morrow County Sheriffs of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to Lamb Weston for a
male with an illness. Patient was
transported to Good Shepherd
Com m unity
Hospital
in
Hermiston;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Hwy 74 and 207 on
W. Main for a three vehicle ac
cident. Lulu Stump Rowan. 79,
was cited for Failure to Yield
Right of Way;
Morrow County Sheriffs of
fice dispatched the Lexington
EMT’s and Fire Dept, to a three
vehicle accident on W. Main.
Hwy. 74 and Hwy. 206. Hepp
ner ambulance was dispatched for
transport to Pioneer memorial
Hospital;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Rt. 2, Irrigon. for
a report of a pickup driving on
posted land;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Lindsay Canyon on
Bombing Range Road for a motor
vehicle accident that involved hit
ting a deer. A tow was requested:
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to the Trail Apartments
for a feamle in labor. Female was
transported to Good Shepherd
Community Hospital;
M orrow County deputies
responded to Boardman Foods,
for a disturbance call;
Morrow County Sheriff s of
fice dispatched the Heppner am
bulance and eeputy to a motor
vehicle accident on Blackhorse
Canyon. One person was
transported to Pioneer Memorial
Hospital with injuries;
Morrow County deputy took a
report of a possible theft at the
Engineer School in Boardman;
M orrow County deputy
responded to 1-84, mile post 164
for a traffic problem involving
juveniles.
February 5: Morrow County
deputy transported two juveniles
into Boardman from the freeway;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Oregon Potato Inc.,
for a report of vandalism done to
a vehicle parked in the parking
lot. A battery and tools were also
taken;
M orrow County deputy
responded to the area o f
Nevada/Division St., Irrigon, for
a complaint of loud music;
M orrow County deputy
assisted the Boardman Police
Dept, with a fugitive arrest.
Fugitive was transported to
Franklin County Jail;
Morrow County Sheriffs of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to the BP station for an
intoxicated male. There was no
transport needed;
M orrow County deputy
responded to Rt. 1, Boardman,
for a break-in at the Haas res.;
M orrow County deputies
responded to Boardman Foods
for an attempted assault distur
bance. There were no arrests
made;
M orrow County deputies
responded to 5th and Oregon in
Irrigon for a report of a traffic
problem. A vehicle had backed
into a fence;
M orrow County deputy
responded to the Irrigon Fruit
Stand for an intoxicated male.
Male was transported to the detox
center;
M orrow County deputy
responded to B & C Repair in
lone for a report of theft to a pepsi
machine;
Morrow County Sheriffs of
fice dispatched the Boardman am
bulance to Wilson Road for a
female with injuries. Female was
transported to St. Anthony-’s
Hospital in Pendleton;
M orrow County deputy
responded to the lone area for a
restraining order problem.
February 6: Morrow County
deputies responded to a family
disturbance in Boardman. Pro
blem was resolved;
Morrow County Sheriffs of
fice dispatched the Boardman
Fire Dept, to a kitchen fire at
Mancamp;
Morrow County deputy in
vestigated a report of a suspicious
person at the Irrigon trailer court.
February 7: Morrow County
deputy responded to a citizen
report of a disabled vehicle. Call
was unfounded;
M orrow County deputy
responded to a juvenile problem
in Irrigon. Problem was resolved;
M orrow County deputy
assisted the Irrigon Fire Dept,
with a fire in a residence.
Some time ago, I spoke about the
Boardman annexation and its cost
to the county and other cities. The
air has cleared a little and what
emerges is not good news for the
county. If Boardman annexes
Coyote Springs, it will bring to
Boardman an additional $300,000
of assessed value onto their books. The road tax, which is
a tax on gasoline, is distributed to the counties and cities based upon
assessed value. The loss of the assessed value ot the Co-gen plant
to the county will result in an approximate loss of $145,000 in road
tax (which is directed to the county road department), and a cor
responding increase to Boardman.
This is the bad news. The good news is that the county may well
be able to give responsibility for Columbia Blvd. to Boardman as
part of an annexation agreement. This would avoid the county pay
ing the three million dollar reconstruction cost for scheduled im
provements to Columbia Blvd.
It seems to me that not only will the co-gen plant be annexed to
Boardman, but that in time, many of the food processing plants in
the Port will also be interested in annexation. The reason is water.
The people that put Boardman together as a city several years ago
had the foresight to ask for and receive three ‘rainy water per
mits. These permits will provide approximately 60,000 gallons per
minute of water to Boardman and are the key to Boardman s future.
I want to thank Gene Allen for bringing me up to speed on these
issues. Smart guy.
Speaking of Gene Allen, on February 7, 1994, Gene filed with
the county a prospective petition to create a Boardman area health
district. This filing initiates a process which may culminate in
November with a vote by the people residing within Boardman
precincts 1 and 2 to create a health district for their own area. The
critical question appears to be whether the Coal-Fired plant would
be within the territory of the proposed district or not.
At the Boardman City Council meeting last week, a city council
member reported that the Coal-Fired plant was not interested in be
ing included within the district because it would result in an addi
tional $75,000 worth of property tax to the plant. Ultimately, the
question of boundaries for the district will be resolved by the coun
ty court, which must apply statutory criteria to determine what ter
ritory would benefit by formation of a district, and whether that ter
ritory is properly or improperly included within the proposed district
boundaries. Since the Coal-Fired plant is isolated from any residential
areas, and in light of its resistance to the proposal, I think it likely
that the plant will remain outside the proposed district.
On a cheerful note, the county will finally receive approximately
$1,317,452.61 in tax, together with interest, from AFC Industries^
Inc. as the result of a US Supreme Court decision that was recently
handed down. The dispute, which has been going on since 1988,
was whether counties were entitled to collect personal property taxes
on railroad cars which were located within the county on the an
nual designation day. The bad news is that the case has been remand
ed to the Ninth Court for entry of judgment, which probably will
take four to five months. In addition, there’s always the question
of whether all of those taxes will be collectible. Some of them
($471,251.55) have been paid into court under an “ escrow” but
the balance of $846,201.06 is still due and some of the companies
have since gone out of business.
Around
the
County
By Earl Woods, Jr.
Correction
#
Heppner Elks 358
676-9181
142 N. Main
"W}„ere Friends M eet“
Feb. 11 - Morrow County Grain Growers dinner
Feb. 12 - Moffit -Lankford wedding reception
Feb. 19 - 97th Anniversary Celebration.
Sherman to hold
spaghetti feed
A spaghetti feed will be held
Feb. 12 at the Sherman High
School cafeteria from 2-6 p.m.
during the Sherman/Heppner
game.
Prices are $2.50 for children 12
and under5, $4 for adults and $12
for a family.
Proceeds will go toward Lind
say Tindall’s trip to the British
Isles with the Northwest Basket
ball camp tour team.
A dessert bar will be sponsored
by the Wasco eighth grade class.
ty streets will be reconstructed
this year” in Heppner. The arti
cle should have read “ 23 streets
will be reconstructed this year.”
An article in the Feb. 2 issue
of the Gazette-Times entitled
“ HEDC focus on city im
provements,” stated that “ two ci-
Crab Feed
Two bands
Heppner Bowl
Featuring
=
'Our Place Cafe ’
i
i
Serving Lunch and Dinner
Open 11 a.m. until closing
Now under new management
v ïr r m r v r ï
hTTirnTTrTTi^
Court Street Market
111 N. Court Heppner 676-9643
GROCERIES - MEATS - PRODUCE
MJB 39 oz. ground
H e a d L e ttu c e
2
D a n is h S q u a s h
»o r$ l ° °
19 <
ib.
Ruby Red
C o ffe e
C ris c o O il
R e g » 4 " $ a * *
48 oz
Reg
»309
*1 **
Spam 12 oz.
491
G ra p e fru it
*>.
Red and green seedless
L uncheon M eat
Reg
. 2«
Ball Park 16 oz
G ra p e s
99€
C h o ic e L e m o n s
6 fo r$ l ° °
>b.
B eef F ra n k s
• ( * •
Fresh Oregon whole body
F ry e rs
79 <
Western Family 12 oz. frozen
O r a n g e J u ic e
Reg * i ~
8 5 C P o r k S h o u ld e r R o a st
$ l 1 0 ib
P o r k S h o u ld e r S te a k
• l 4 # ,b
Heinz 26 oz squeeze bottle
K e ts u p
Reg * i ^ $ l * °