Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 23, 1994)
I , . ■ » . .............. ........... » . . . . H l II i ' ll ... ........... « mm ................ . 'I , - . ' Community band wins Leprechaun’s choice 2 I F ORF : -vj Students from Heppner and lone schools participated in the band during the parade ■ *-1 Meeting slated to help if mill closes ■ * :.':j • :'V J Meetings for anyone affected by the possible closure of Kinzua Mill have been scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m., Monday, March 28, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church Parish Hall in Heppner. R epresentatives from the Oregon Employment Depart ment, the Community Action Program of East Central Oregon, the Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation, Blue Mountain Community College and the Oregon State University County Extension office will be in attendance to provide informa tion on benefits and services. The meetings are sponsored by Heppner Economic Development Corporation and Kinzua Cor poration. A parade entry, comprised of Heppner and lone band students and lead by instructor Geneva M atthews, captured the “ Leprechaun’s Choice” award in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade held Saturday, March 19, in downtown Heppner. While the sun shone on the parade, sharp winds put a chill on the event. Willow Creek Country Club took first in the float division, with the second place award go ing to the Heppner Elks Lodge. . ■ f. v‘ ■ t - "■.•'.'r V i) ’* ? ■■■ :.- - v. * • v • V •" - ' > '■ '• o .. » ..• >■ ■■ : v- ■ > ’ t t. ■ ■ ; ßt ' ■.•/ . ' * ■ •- .v.' ;4 * '. . » ' «. ‘ .'i'" ■•3 V *. * ’« . -■ * ~ 'A The Morrow County School Board, at their March 14 meeting, approved a “ level levy” structuring o f the proposed district general obligation bonds. The bonds are to finance school building improvements and addi tions if they were approved by voters in the March 22 election. The bond issue was defeated. The board chose the “ level levy” option because it would cost the district around $600 thousand less in interest over the life of the bond. In the “ level levy” option the tax rate would start at $1.97 pier thousand assess ed valuation the first year o f the levy and would end at a rate of $1.34 per thousand the last year o f the levy, 2009. The first year o f the levy, a taxpayer with a $ 7 5 ,0 0 0 hom e would pay $147.75, which would decrease over the 15-year life of the bond. The other option, rejected by the board, was a ’’level tax rate” structuring, in which the tax rate would stay constant at $1.60 per thousand. The taxes in this option remain at $120 per year for the owner o f a $75,000 home. In other business District Superintendent Chuck Starr told the board that he now anticipates that the board will have $603 thousand less in resources for the . 1994-95 school year. Starr said that will mean a smaller ending fund balance and therefore a smaller beginning fund balance. He said that the district will have to borrow to get through the tran sition period between the end of the budget period and when tax monies arrive in November. Starr also told the board that an Education Service District annex ation of the Morrow County School district will save the district $509 thousand which can be used to offset the decrease in revenues. The district formerly contracted with ESD for services, which will now be paid through taxes. The taxpayer will not pay more for services, but the district will benefit by not having to pay ESD. In other business, the board: -heard a report on the propos ed four-day school week. Starr said that the plan has a potential savings o f $125,000 a year from the general fund budget. Starr said that other advantages would be less absenteeism and less disruption of class time for sports and other events, but the plan would result in longer days for younger children and may create problems for families who rely on child care. Teachers would work the same number o f hours, as would most of the classified staff, but cooks and bus drivers would work fewer hours; -approved 1994-95 contracts of Bill Karwacki, Heppner Elemen- tary/Middle School principal, and Shirley Landauer, business manager; -approved a two percent salary increase for administrators and for confidential employees; -approved 1994-95 school calendar option A. Under this op tion, school would start in August and would be dismissed for a two-week Christmas break. Pool feasibility study to be presented The Exploratory Pool Com mission will release the Pool Feasibility Study and present the commission’s recommendations to the Willow Creek Park District at a meeting on Tuesday, March 29. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Basin Electric Co-op board room. Members o f the pool commis sion are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting. The commis sion also wishes to extend an in vitation to the People for the Pool. The general public is also invited. Easter egg hunt slated in lone April 2 Children pre-school through fourth grade are invited to par ticipate in the lone Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday April 2 beginn ing at 10:30 a.m. Children in first through fourth grades will hunt eggs at the City Park in lone while pre-school through kindergarten will hunt eggs on the Catholic church lawn. The Easter Egg hunt is spon sored by the lone Extension Club. All children are welcome. Special Election Results March 22, 1994 ■ . ■ » » • ■ • • *.!• j ? v* \ • . • ■* :• • ■ - .* V ■ * ' r ■ » . ■'.* "*. * t ' ' V ■ *. S* V » . '*• 'i Shall M orrow C ounty levy $3,229,726 outside the tax base for operating pur poses for fiscal year 1994-95? Shall M orrow C ounty levy $478,723 n u tc irip th p ta h a co fn p p lth 1 c cell a rp C UUlOlUw II IO l Cl x A UdOv HJI r th 11 lv/ p 1 h ICalll operations for fiscal year 1994-1995? -i : • • <*«'*. «. - . c L . • V Shall the D istrict be authorized to con tract a general obligation bonded in debtedness in an am ount not to exceed $15,585,000? Boardman Irrigon lone Lexington Heppner/Hardman Totals Boardman Irrigon lone Lexington Heppner/Hardman Totals Boardman Irrigon lone Lexington Heppner/Hardman Totals Yes 314 304 160 143 484 1405 276 245 169 156 625 1471 319 215 132 102 399 1167 No 237 310 99 86 364 1096 274 370 89 73 279 1085 229 396 125 119 462 1331 with his MG Midget. Rob Skaggs was second with his 1949 Dodge. All automobile winners were from Heppner. In the kids and pets division, the Van Cleaves of Heppner won the best behaved pet award. Bran di Brantley took the most talented pet category and best Irish dress ed pet went to Jeanette Brantly, both Heppner. Heidi Kurtz, also of Heppner won the best looking pet entry. 'r .!. 1 Michelle Hams finds hidden shamrock ESD annexation save district money k The Bank of Eastern Oregon’s “ lepreclowns” strolled to a first place in the individual group divi sion, while the Pendleton Shrine Club finished second. Ken Turner took first in the an tique tractor division with his tractor and thresher. Bud Englert was first in the pre-1945 antique automobiles division, with second place going to Darrell Vinson. Stub Lewis drove to first place in the post-1945 automobile division Michelle Hams with her coins she won by finding the hidden shamrock. The silver coins are donated by the Bank of Eastern Oregon. Michelle Hams, Heppner, was the winner of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Hunt. She followed the clues and found the shamrock hidden on the bulletin board at the Post Office. She won the set of coins from the Bank of Eastern Oregon. Following are the clues printed in the paper and the answers to those clues. Clue Number one: Where there’s contests for the young; Below a hydro project done; On a fodder lane look west; From this point you’ll start your quest. Contest for the young is the baseball field under the Willow Creek dam. Fodder lane is Alfalfa Street. Clue number two: Down a street and park the same; to the right always remain; seven tenths o f mile will lead; unscramble this: nusaytrsb is where you'll be; if you’re lost don’t be blue; lea below starts next week’s clue. Down Hager street next to Hager park, .7 miles to Stansbury (nusaytrsb) Street; lea below is lower field by grade school. Lea means meadow or field. Clue number three: A child's stop, a scrambled road; last week’s clue told where to go; left you are with lea below; a girl's best friend near water’s flow; you won’t get wet on this Irish quest; moving homes now on your left. The stop sign by the grade school and Stansbury is scrambl ed road. Baseball diamond on lower field across bridge by RV park. Clue number four: Standing Mainly where you are; the goal you seek is not far; visit now our cerebral home; and ask Melvil Dewey next week where to roam. Standing on Main Street visit the library. The orginator of the Dewey Decimal system used to file books at the library. Clue number 4 Vi: The beau ty of number nine one four; it’s Melvil’s clue-but wait, there’s more! She borrowed Ireland in eighty-five; February ninth didn't pass her by; find the son, now don’t be shy; he has for you final clue number five. Book number 914 called Beautiful Ireland was checked out by Gwen Healy February 9, 1985. Her son is Jerry Healy and he had clue No. 5. Clue number five: 97836 Mrs. O’Leary’s pic. The shamrock was hidden under the poster for Mrs. O’Leary’s stew feed on the Post Office bulletin board. City sewer project ‘going really well’ Heppner City Manager Gary Marks reports that the city sewer project is “ going really well." Marks says that the pre-fabricated panels for the storage tank have been delivered and work on the foundation has begun. Also in the works is renovation o f the con trol building. An underground TV inspection o f the city sewer system , however, has revealed some ma jor problems in some sections of the system on Main, Center and Church streets that could cause “ substantial collapse.” Marks said that work on these areas will begin as soon as possible. He estimates that the project will cost between $75 and $85 thousand. He said that a grouting project, that was budgeted at $54.000, will be cancelled and the monies used for pipeline reconstruction. Marks says that half o f the dif ference will come from the pro ject contingency fund and another $10 to $15 thousand will come from the sewer reserve fund. which has been set aside for system repairs. Marks said that the street resur facing and repair project is scheduled to begin this summer. He said that four inches of gravel and a new asphalt surface will be put on most roads and they will try to add a “ couple” feet to the w idths of the streets. Most of the shoulders will still be gravel, he said, but the surfaces will be reconditioned. Curbs will be put in on Church Street and nearly the entire length of Gilmore to correct drainage problems, he said. Marks also said that work will be done to stabilize Cannon Street near Willow Creek to pre vent further deterioration. In other business, Marks reported that the city has refinanced the city water bond through the Bank of Eastern Oregon. The new rate of 4.95 percent interest is slightly lower than the current rate, but the real savings comes because the new bond will Watch For SPRING SALE CIRCULAR In the mail today I -V |: • I • ; ! » ’ ' * • 1 7 .'■< •/ • • r V-.V K : : : be for only 15 years, instead of 29 years, which remains on the old bond. The old bond was originally for 40 years. Marks says that the total interest savings will be $158.106, which is “ money the city won’t tax tax payers.” The total interest on the new bond is about half of the in terest on the previous bond. Boardman Easter egg hunt set The Boardman Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday, April 2 at 10 a.m. at the Boardman Ci ty Park. The hunt is for children through fourth grade. The hunt will feature music, the Easter Bunny, prizes for different age groups and bags of candy for all participants and is sponsored by the Boardman Tillicum Club. Just a sample of the many good buys M O R R O W C O U N T Y G R A IN G R O W E R S Lexington, OR. • 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 I • - * ' • •' ' ; ■ p i m P H S iv.!
