BESSIE
U
OF ORE
W E T 2 E L L
Swanson, Brownfield, city of lone receive award
Y.’ S P A F E R
i «
e
M r
n a
Q
The city of lone has been
presented an Oregon Tourism
Division award for their work
during Cycle Oregon.
lone hosted 2,000 bicyclists
and another 200-300 support peo
ple with Cycle Oregon VI. With
local workers, the town of lone
swelled from a population of 250
to around 2,500 people.
Representatives from the
Tourism Division said, in presen
ting the award, that hosting Cy
cle Oregon involved “ every
member” of the lone Communi
ty, “ from students and teachers
to local ranchers and business
people.”
“ But most of all,” continued
the presenter, “ they wove the
spirit and warmth and enthusiasm
of their tiny community into the
hearts and memories of the
cyclists during the year Oregon
celebrated the 150th anniversary
of the Oregon Trail.”
Joe D’Nessandro, director of
the Oregon Tourism Division,
said “ The Oregon Tourism Divi
1 1
HEPPNER
sion commends the lone com
munity residents, and in par
ticular, Nancy Brownfield and
Jim Swanson, for creating a
warm, hospitable and memorable
experience for the Cycle Oregon
VI riders. Your enthusiasm, spirit
and hard work are exactly what
make Oregon a special place for
our visitors. Thank you for do
ing such a fantastic jo b .”
Paula Fasano o f Galford
Group, Inc., the producers of Cy
cle Oregon for the past three
years, was the person who
nom inated
Swanson
and
Brownfield. She also had nothing
but praise for the individuals and
the town. “ In the three years that
our company produced Cycle
Oregon and the more than 45
communities through which we
passed over those three years, 1
have been impressed with the
level of organization and dedica
tion that O regonians have
demonstrated to promote their
community and welcome tourists.
However, Nancy Brownfield and
Jim Swanson did so to such an
outstanding degree, sharing their
humor and their charisma with
thousands of people.”
“ Many cyclists, and staff,”
continued
Fasano,
“ will
remember lone and new-found
friends and feel with pride that
they have somehow become a
part of lone, if even for a day.
Jim and Nancy embody the spirit
of rural Oregon-the hospitality
and warmth that make us proud
of our state.”
According to Swanson, they
received notification that they had
been nominated for the tourism
award, but then heard nothing
more about it. Neither Swanson
or Brownfield were notified that
they had won the award and were
not present for the ceremony. Just
by coincidence, John Edmundson
of Heppner happened to be in at
tendance at the state banquet and
stepped in to receive the award.
The award was then presented to
Swanson during the lone Fourth
of July celebration.
Heppner council approves health district
lines
VOL. 113
NO. 30
6 Pages Wednesday, July 13, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
All county cities opt in county
wide medical district
An ad hoc committee recom
mended, at a public hearing con
cerning medical districts July 6,
that the Morrow County Court
create a county-wide medical
district* by resolution. As of
presstime Tuesday, all the cities
o f Morrow County, Boardman,
Irrigon, Heppner. lone and Lex
ington, have agreed to opt in the
county-wide resolution medical
district plan.
The July 6 hearing was a con
tinuation of hearings on a Board-
man medical district and a
separate county-wide district,
both of which were proposed by
petition.
The Boardman district proposal
was created to “ re d re ss”
grievances on behalf of Board-
man residents who say they are
not getting their fair share of
medical services. As proposed,
the Boardman medical district
would have included tax income
from the PGE Coal Fired Plant,
the proposed Coyote Springs Co-
Gen Plant and Port of Morrow.
A second petition was created
by Heppner area petitioners to
form a county-wide medical
district in response to the Board-
man medical district proposal.
Heppner area petitioners for a
county-wide district feared that
the Boardman district would take
funding away from south Mor
row County medical services.
But, cities were required to opt
in the county-wide district and the
city of Boardman took no action.
The cities of Heppner, lone, Lex
ington and Irrigon opted in the
county-wide medical district pro
posed by petition.
However, as submitted, the
boundaries of the two proposed
districts overlap and. according
to state regulations, districts of
fering the same services cannot
overlap. If both the Boardman
and the county-wide district pro
posals created by petition were
approved by voters, the districts
would be subject to lawsuit. A
suggestion that both districts be
withdrawn may also be illegal and
open to litigation.
Therefore, the ad hoc commit
tee, which consists of Ed Glenn
and Art Kegler, Boardman, and
Larry Mills and George Koffier,
Heppner, recommended a third
option. In the third option, the
court would create a resolution to
form a county-wide district and
when that district is in place, the
other two districts would be
declared void. The resolution by
the county commissioners to
create a county-wide district
would not require a vote of the
people.
Mills said that the proposal for
a district created by resolution is
“ workable for all citizens of the
county. It is by far the best alter
native," he added.
John Prag, rural Boardman,
said, “ I am very pleased to hear
that we have an opportunity for
a real county-w ide health
district.”
Also at the hearing on July 6,
the County Court revealed the
established boundaries for the
proposed Boardman District,
which would include approx
imately the area from Bombing
Range Road west along the boun
dary of Bombing Range to the
county line, picking up the
population of the Boardman com
munity, but not including the
PGE Coal Fired Plant as propos
ed by the Boardman District peti
tioners. Because the boundaries
are not as proposed, this option
may also leave the decision open
to litigation.
The county court was to meet
Wednesday, July 13, to decide
whether to create a county-wide
district by resolution. Hearings
on the two petition-based districts
were to proceed as planned unless
the resolution passes.
If the resolution passes, the
medical district is required to
have a board, initially of five
members. The ad hoc committee
recommends that one board
member be elected from the city
limits of Boardman; one from the
city limits of Irrigon; one com
prised of precincts 1 and 2 from
outside Boardman and 5 and 6
outside Irrigon; one including
lone and Lexington precincts and
the area north and west of Hepp
ner; and one from Heppner and
the area south and east of Hepp
ner. As per the ad hoc commit
tee's recommendation, the direc
tors must reside in and be elected
from their respective district.
Once established, the board may
decide to create additional board
positions and. using accurate cur
rent population data, redraw the
zones. An at-large position is also
a possibility at a later date.
Since the election for directors
may not be held until November,
and probably later to allow for
establishment of districts. Mills
said that there is a possibility that
current medical board directors
would serve until the new direc
tors take office.
Another possibility is that the
court appoint board members to
serve until the next election.
The ad hoc committee recom
mended that the county “ transfer
all assets now used in the coun
ty’s health system including cash
on hand and receivables” and that
the district be formed with no tax
base. According to Morrow
County Counsel Val Doherty, a
tax base can only be put before
the voters in a primary or general
election which is every other
year. The new district would not
be able to go for a tax base until
the next primary in May of 1996.
However,they can go out for a
one-year operating levy or a serial
levy before that. To obtain tax
monies, the new medical district
board must attend tax compres
sion meetings in December
because of Ballot Measure 5 and
is required to turn maps of the
new district into the state depart
ment of revenue by March 31.
Medical services will continue to
operate on the current budget un
til June 30, 1995.
The transfer of contracts, such
as the agreements with the Drs.
Berretta in Heppner and Dr.
Robert Boss in Boardman, the
Adventist Health Systems, which
contracts for management of
county medical services.and am
bulance services is still unclear.
The contracts may have to be
renegotiated because one entity,
Morrow County Medical Board,
will no longer be in existence, or
may simply be transferred over.
Other recommendations from
the ad hoc committee include:
-replacement of outdated and
out-moded equipment, including
modern x-ray services and
consultation;
-modernization and enlarge
ment of the Boardman clinic to
include appropriate facilities;
-locally based Home Health
care;
-assisted living facilities in
cluding care for Alzheimer’s
patients;
-adequate and appropriate
health care facilities in Irrigon;
-assured continuity of existing
services;
-the means, timing and ad
visability of expanding the board
of directors from five to seven;
-adequate and stable funding
for health care;
-advanced life support am
bulance system; and
-improved occupational health
and safety services.
Fair tab to be published Aug. 10
The Heppner Gazette-Times
will publish a special Fair and
Rodeo edition on Wednesday,
August 10.
The deadline to submit news
and advertising for the fair and
rodeo tab is Wednesday. August
3.
At the Heppner City Council
meeting Monday night, July 11,
council members approved a re
quest from the ad hoc medical
districting committee to endorse
the formation of a county-wide
medical district by means of a
county court resolution.
According to ad hoc commit
tee members, George Koffier,
Heppner, and Art Kegler, Board-
man, who addressed the council,
all the petitioners of the two pro
posed medical district petitions
have signed this proposal. In
order for the county court to take
action, all five Morrow County
towns must also approve that
plan.
“ There’s no foot dragging that
we know of,“ Kegler said.
Boardman and lone have already
agreed. Lexington and Irrigon ci
ty council meetings, held this
week, are also expected to add
their approval. Providing there is known as the “ 1903 Memorial
no opposition, the county court Park.”
-Skip Mathews, chairman of
/>lans to take action this week.
the
exploratory swimming pool
F.ormation of a county-wide
commission,
requested that the
medical district by county court
city
explore
options
for use of the
resolution is anticipated to pre
city’s
former
pool
site.
Mathews,
empt the two medical district peti
council
member
Dave
Pranger
tions that have already been fil
and
city
manager
Gary
Marks
ed which would otherwise be pla-
volunteered
study
proposals
and
ed on the November ballot.
remodeling
costs
to
renovate
the
Funding for medical services
site.
Because
grant
money
was
under the current medical levy,
about $500.000 will continue used for the former city pool, that
through July, 1995. If the medical site must be used for some type
district is formed. Koffier said a of recreation such as a ball court.
The city granted a request for
levy for the following fiscal year
an
easement permitting First In
would probably be voted on in
terstate
Bank to install an
March. 1995. A tax base cannot
underground
flow meter to
be put before the voters except
monitor
seepage
content. Accor
during a general election.
ding
to
First
Interstate,
the base
In other business:
ment
of
the
bank
building
is
-Marsha DeBo was seated as a
receiving
petroleum
infiltration
in
new council member by appoint
ment to fill a vacancy on the city seepage water presumed to be
caused by the rupture of an
council
-Rose Moe was presented a underground gasoline tank during
plaque as the winner of the the construction of the Forest Ser
’’name the park” contest. The vice building that is directly
mini-park at the confluence of across the street.
-City street repaving is under
Hinton and Willow Creek, now
way
this week. Contractors for
under development, will be
the wastewater system are in the
Rose Moe (r) receives plaque from Mayor Bob Jepsen
SWCD seeking director nominations
The Morrow County Soil and
Water Conservation District will
have four director positions open
ing this year. “ The district is
looking for directors who are
conservation minded and com
mitted to conserving and protec
ting the natural resources of Mor
row County for the economic and
environmental benefit of the
citizens of the county.“ said a
spokesperson. The Morrow
County SWCD Board also acts as
the County Weed Control Board.
Directors must live in the
district and zone for which they
are elected. The zones up for
election this year are zone
1-Boardman area; Zone 3-Ione
area south and west to Gilliam
County line; Zone 4-Lexington
area south to Hardman; and Zone
5-Heppner area east to Umatilla
County line.
The duties o f the board
members include the identifica
tion of local conservation needs,
the supervising of paid staff ot the
district, and cooperation with
state and federal agencies at mon
thly meetings.
“ If you are concerned with the
wise use of our renewable natural
resources and are interested in be
ing involved with a grass roots
organization that can influence
state and federal laws affecting
those resources,“ said the
spokesperson, “ please contact the
district office at 676-5452.”
Directors are elected on a nonpar
tisan ballot at the general election
to be held Tuesday. November 8.
&
m
**
Marsha DeBo
process of repairing sewer lines.
Sections of Main Street will be
temporarily blocked off during
construction, which will cause
some inconvenience, engineer
Don Olsen said.
Olsen also reported that the
sewer system project is on track
and should be finished next
month. Repairs at the plant are
underway. The golf course is
now being irrigated with fresh
water that has been pumped into
the effluent holding tank near the
golf course.
Regional
strategies
to meet
South Morrow County project
leaders will meet on Monday. Ju
ly 18, at 7. p.m. in the Colum
bia Basin Conference Room to
discuss the Regional Economic
Development Strategies (REDS)
program.
The meeting will be for the
purpose o f explaining the
timelines, procedures, funds,
priorities and key industries for
round four of the REDS program.
The public is welcome to
attend.
HARVEST HOURS
Lexington
M on.-Fri.
7 a.m .-6 p.m.
Sat.
7 a.m .-5 p.m.
W asco Parts O utlet
M on.-Fr.
7 a.m .-6 p.m .
Sat.
8 a.m .-3 p.m.
H a rro w County C ra in C row ers
L exing to n 989-8221
1-800-824-7185