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Kinzua Resources owner takes
active interest in mill
WET
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Greg Demers, one of the prin
cipal ow ners o f Kinzua
Resources, is now at work at Kin
zua three days a week.
Demers, who is involved in
purchasing timber for the mill,
says that the owners plan to “ go
full steam ahead to get the mill
as competitive as possible, so we
can compete and survive. It’s got
to produce and be a better mill
than those around it,” Demers
told the Gazette-Times in an in
terview last week. He says that
m otivating the staff and
upgrading Kinzua, which was not
“ state of the art” as many were
lead to believe, will help the mill
compete.
Kinzua Resources recently
hired Rick Rea as general
manager, replacing Frank Pear
son, who resigned from that posi
tion to continue his job with Kin
zua, Corp. former owners of the
mill. Rea was general manager
for the Seneca sawmill, which,
Demers says is one of the best
sawmills in the state, “ on the
edge of technology” . “ He brings
a lot of expertise and knowledge
to stay com petitive,” said
Demers, “ which is basically
what’s going to happen here if it
(Kinzua Resources) is going to
stay long.”
Demers is actively involved in
overseeing operations and acquir
ing additional tim ber and
timberlands to keep the mill
operating. Demers says that
another of the principal owners,
Mel McDougal, is also actively
involved in the mill’s operation,
unlike the former owners of Kin
zua Corp. The company Demers
owns, ATR Services, one of the
principal owners of Kinzua
Resources, is mainly into timber
acquisition, although Demers
says his joint ventures have in
cluded development property and
cattle ranches.
Demers, 34, moved to Veneta
with his parents in 1963 from
Long Beach, CA. He first
became involved in the timber
business when he logged on his
parents land during the summers.
He attended Portland State
University, majoring in account
ing.
Demers lives in Veneta with his
wife, Peggy, and their five
children, all under eight years
old. The company has a plane and
a pilot, but Demers also has a
pilot’s license and is able to fly
home from Heppner in the
evenings.
Demers, commenting on the
negative press that his company
received before they announced
they planned to keep the mill
open, says that the members of
his corporation had “ limited ac
cess and limited knowledge” of
the operation of the mill before
they purchased it. He said that
they were not able to make their
decision as to whether to keep the
mill open until after they had been
in Heppner a couple of weeks.
“ We didn’t buy the mill to give
the Kinzua employees a job,” he
said. “ We’ve got an upbeat
outlook or we would never had
done it. It’s up to the workforce
to see that it stays competitive.”
Employees are now working
four 10-hour days, Monday
through Thursday.
Fire Department responds to PMH fire
VOL. 113
NO. 27
6 Pages Wednesday. June 22, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Teachers, district sign contract
The Morrow County School
District and the Morrow County
Education Association, repre
sented by Lisa Nelson, signed the
teachers’ contract for the 1994-95
school year.
According to Superintendent
Chuck Starr, the teachers will
receive a 6.75 percent salary in
crease, but will drop the six per
cent PERS pickup. There will be
no increase in insurance costs,
which arc capped at *425 per
month per employee.
Starr said that before budget
cuts, increases would have
amounted to a 2.95 percent in
crease. But because of $600,000
in cuts in in the general fund,
necessitated by Ballot Measure 5,
the total salaries and benefits for
1994-95 are less than the previous
year.
Starr said that negotiations
went very smoothly and com
mended the teachers and the
board for their cooperation,
especially considering the finan
cial limitations imposed on the
district . “ It has been extremely
positive,” said Starr.
Some extracurricular activities,
extra duty contracts for teachers
and coaches and other areas were
cut to balance the budget. This
fall the board will institute a four-
day student week which is intend
ed to save costs associated with
busing, food service, utilities and
substitute teachers. Teachers,
however, will still be employed
five days a week.
The teachers’ salary schedule
for 1994-95 ranges from $22,169
for a first year teacher with a
bachelor's degree to $40,119 for
a teacher with a master’s degree
plus 30 hours of additional educa
tion or a bachelor’s with 95
hours. The figures do not include
extra duty or extended day con
tracts. Extended day costs range
from $116.68 a day for the first
step, to $211.16 a day for the last.
The extra duty salary schedule
ranges over 10 steps in six
categories from $1,884 to $2,993
for high school coaches, (foot
ball, basketball, volleyball) men
tor teachers; from $1,330 to
$2,439 for high school head
coaches, (track, baseball, FFA,
wrestling) high school athletic
director; $1,108 to $2.217 for
high school head coaches (golf,
tennis, softball) high school assis
tant coaches, (all sports except
golf, tennis and softball), junior
high head coaches (football,
baseball, basketball, tack,
volleyball, w restling) head
teacher; $887 to $1.995 for junior
high athletic director, coordinator
of talented and gifted music,
band, rally squad and computer
coordinator; $776 to $1,330 for
junior high assistant coaches
(football, basketball, tack,
baseball, volleyball, wrestling)
high school assistant coaches
(golf, tennis and softball) music,
chorus and dance team advisor;
$554 to $1,164 for annual drama
(three act play) advisor and
newspaper advisor. The scale
also includes $250 per year for
outdoor education advisors
(Tupper).
In other business, the board:
-approved a bond election
notice and resolution for a
$15,585,000 bond levy up to the
voters in September for construc
tion and remodeling at county
schools.
-approved a policy for fund
raising activités;
-adopted learning goals;
-adopted the language arts cur
riculum, language arts textbook
and request for a waiver on
language arts adoption for
kindergarten;
-approved a request for a
waiver on hours per day to ac
commodate a four-day week;
-rejected a proposal from Bob
Krein to establish a cross coun
try program at Heppner High
School. The program would in
itially involve only one student;
-approved a request from Bob
Ployhar to raise funds for a
coaching position for C-team
basketball in Heppner;
-adopted and appropriated a
$13,997,034 budget for 1994-95;
-levied ad valorem taxes in the
amount of $9,004,340;
-approved changing the school
board meeting date from the third
Monday to the second Monday;
-approved hiring Duane Yecha
as principal at Riverside High
School, replacing Dave Young-
bluth, who resigned.
-approved extra duty contracts.
Extra duty contracts for the
Heppner-Ione area are as follows:
Heppner Elementary/Middle
School: Dave Gunderson, head
boys’ basketball, head football;
Jess Osmin, assistant football;
Greg Grant, assistant boys’
basketball; Pam Dowdy, head
volleyball, head girls’ basketball;
Vicki Broden, assistant volley
ball; Ron Brisbois, assistant girls’
basketball; Susie Hisler head
track;
Heppner High: Greg Grant,
head football and head golf; Les
Payne, assistant football; Terri
Gentry head volleyball; Lee
Padberg, head boys’ basketball;
Bob Ployhar, assistant boys’
basketball; Mark Dowdy, head
girls’ basketball; Dana Reid,
assistant girls' basketball; Rick
Johnston, head baseball; Robin
Graff, assistant baseball; Dale
Conklin, head track, athletic
director; Steve Brownfield, assis
tant track; Bill Umbarger, FFA;
Linda Dutcher, TAG, annual;
band and chorus-open.
lone Schools: Gregg Rietmann,
head football; Robin Graff, assis
tant football; Greg Likens, head
volleyball, assistant track; Anne
Bedortha, assistant volleyball;
Del LaRue, head boys’ basket
ball, head track, athletic director;
Dean Robinson, assistant boys’
basketball, head football-IMS,
head track-IMS; Dana Heideman,
head girls’ basketball; Kelley
Swarat. assistant girls’ basketball;
Jim Raible, head tennis, drama;
Barb Collin, head volleyball- Heppner volunteer firemen Jeff Maben (front) and Terry Chinen help put out grass fire.
IMS; Dale Holland, head boys’
A ccording to a hospital fire, only to have it flare up later.
Heppner Fire Department
basketball-IMS; Steve Schaber-
responded to a fire at Pioneer spokesperson, hospital staff had
Hospital staff had the fire
head girls’ basketball-IMS; Bet Memorial Hospital Tuesday been burning weeds and other “ pretty much under control” by
ty Rietmann, head teacher; Diana evening June 21. This was the debris. The fire was believed to the time the fire department
Kincaid, TAG; Sarah Rucker, an first trip out for the new truck, be out and the workers left the arrived.
nual; Geneva Mathews, music said fire chief Forrie Burkenbine.
(shared HES).
-approved resignations for:
Shane Fritz, extra duty TAG
coordinator RHS; Robert Hensel,
extra duty head wrestling coach,
The Morrow County School
Yecha and his wife have two
RHS; Bob Sagely, extra duty District has hired two new prin sons.
assistant volleyball coach, HHS; cipals to replace administrators at
John Sebastian, Connell, WA,
Jim Hankins, two-hour custodian, A.C. Houghton Elementary and will begin work as principal at
Paul Sumner was elected board
CJH; Mary O m berg, RHS at Riverside High School. Mick A.C. Houghton, also on August.
member
at the 39th annual
science teacher;
Tolar, long time principal at A.C. 2 .
meeting
of
the Heppner TV board
-approved request for part-time Houghton Elementary School in
Sebastian has been principal at
membership
held Tuesday, June
unpaid child care leave for Mary Irrigon will retire June 30 and Olds Junior High and migrant
14,
at
the
Heppner
TV office.
Haguewood, from full time Dave Youngbluth, principal at night school director for the
Sumner
replaces
Dan
Oglesbee
teacher to .56 time teacher at Riverside High School, resigned.
North Franklin School District at
whose
term
had
expired
and who
HES for 1994-95;
Duane A. Yecha, Lakeview, Connell, WA. since 1990. Prior
-approved employment for will start work at Riverside High to that he was principal at Poulsbo had moved out of town.
The members heard the finan
Hans Magden, RHS head wrestl School August 2.
Elementary from 1985 to 1990; cial report by accountant Dennis
ing coach 1994-95; Dave Horn,
Yecha has been principal at at Marcola School District from
Barnett of Barnett & Moro, Her-
SBE assistant custodian 1994-95; Lakeview High School for the
1982 to 1985; at Chenoweth Mid
Sharon Morris, temporary con past five years and also principal dle School at The Dalles from miston. Barnett stressed the fact
tract to teach at HES for .44 FTE at Daley Middle School in 1980 to 1982; at Royal High a raise in the basic fee is needed
because of increased costs in
for 1994-95; Vicki Broden, tem Lakeview for the past two years.
School from 1979 to 1980. cluding ESPN fees and the micro-
porary contract to add .5 FTE Prior to that he was vice-principal Before that he was assistant prin
Spanish teacher at HMS to at Lakeview High School and cipal at Madras Junior High and wave charge going up early in
replace home ec O.V. program before that, a woods, metals and teacher at Wilson Junior High 1994 for the four Portland sta
tions. The board of directors ap
1994-95; Michelle Miller-second drafting teacher at Newberg High School in Yakima.
proved the process to increase the
year probationary teacher con School. His extracurricular
Sebastian received a bachelor
tract at CJH to continue serving assignments include seven years of arts degree in political science basic rate by $4. A brief
breakdown of this increase con
as Chapter I teacher, replacing as a wrestling coach with OSAA from the
U niversity
of
temporary contract; Mark Girod, AAA state wrestling champion Washington in 1971 and a sists of $1.50 for the increase of
first year probationary science ships in 1986 and 1987 and se master’s of education in school costs on channel fees; $1.50 for
the loss in 93-94; and $1 for
teacher at RHS.
cond place in 1988.
administration from Central
reserve to maintain equipment.
-accepted donation of equip
Yecha received a bachelor of Washington University in 1973.
Rate increases must go before
ment, valued at $6,180.30 from arts degree in industrial education Sebastian is bilingual.
the
Heppner City Council to be
Columbia Junior High Student with a minor in physical educa
Sebastian and his wife, Rose,
Council.
tion from Washington State a special education teacher, have approved through the franchise
-authorized board chairman University in February of 1980.
three children, Marianne, a junior before implementation occurs.
At the board of directors
Marcia Kemp and Starr to sign a He earned a master’s of educa at the University of Washington.
memorandum of understanding tion degree in educational ad Carla, who will be a junior at meeting following the annual
membership meeting Greg Sweek
with the classified employees ministration from WSU in 1987.
Riverside High School and
was
elected president; Paul
after they ratify their contract He attended the standard ad Rachel, who will be a freshman
Sumner,
vice president and Judie
with the district.
ministration program at Portland at RHS. Sebastian was bom and
Laughlin
was re-appointed
State University from 1988 to raised in Yakima. WA.
secretary-treasurer.
1991.
Two new principals hired Sumner named
to TV board
Man trapped by
bulldozer
A 29 year old man was airlifted
to St. Mary’s Hospital in Walla
Walla, WA. following an acci
dent involving a “ cat” Tuesday,
June 21. After arriving at St.
Mary's he was transported to
Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
No further information was
available pending notification of
the man’s relatives. He was
believed to be from California.
«
LI’L HOE
Gasoline powered tiller/cultivator
See it at:
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington, OR • 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396