City sewer renovation project in final stages
E F S S I E
V
CF ORE
NEWS P A P E R
EUr r
m
v r, r,
L 1
îmes
V 0L. 113
NO. 47
6 Pages Wednesday, November 16, 1994
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
lone Lady Cardinals win state title
With a major city streets
repaired, the meter is still tick
ing on the final stages of the
sewer renovation project. Final
adjustments and the installa
tion of a methane gas burner
are part of the count down. The
city council is now focussing on
restroom facilities at the city
park on Main Street.
This project will be primari
ly financed from a $20,000 gift
awarded to the city as one of
the recipients of a $250,000
donation to community pro
jects by former owners of Kin-
zua Mill Corporation.
Tentative plans envision a
concrete block building along
toe street side of city park pro
perty between the turn-around
and a proposed new play
ground site to the west. Pen
ding costs, new playground
equipment was discussed by
council members.
The council also approved
specifications to be written for
an automated water supply
system monitor. Estimated at
$30,000 funds for this project
were included in the city's cur
rent building and maintenance
bond. This machine, housed in
city hall, has not been func
tional for some time and parts
are no longer availaUe, city of
ficials said.
Early detection of a malfunc
tion at one of the city's wells,
such as a blown fuse or a
burned-out motor, can avert a
serious water shortage. Manual
inspection at the well sites is
now necessary on a daily basis.
There are no warnings available
if a shut-down occurs during
off hours, according to city for-
man David Winters.
The city council also agreed
to sponsor the Heppner sum
mer youth program, that
formerly was handled through
the Neighborhood Center. This
program for grades K-6 was in
stituted three years ago to pro
vide summer activities for
children. Council members
agreed to continue with liabili
ty insurance for this five day a
week program during July.
The city agreed to handle
the receipts and disbursements
for this program, but declined
to provide monetary assistance.
According to Pastor Stan Hoob-
ing, a proposed budget of
$11,000 includes funding for
lunches, transportation and
bus driver costs. Formerly the
project has been self-sup
porting through grants.
A proposed youth activity for
older youths, ages 14-20, is part
of an ambitious project as
presented by Joe Wilhelm. The
council endorsed this project
according to Wilhelm, 22 local
youths have expressed interest
in a sailing club, however
volunteer adult leaders are
needed.
Liability insurance will be
covered at a minimal cost,
Wilhelm said, for those Sea Ex
plorers part of the Boy Scout
Explorer program. Exposure to
related career opportunities
plus recreational quality time
creates a spin-off. Activities will
be at the Willow Creek Lake.
Currently Wilhelm is attemp
ting to establish a boat yard at
the Port of Morrow, which
would give employment for
three people. With more than
Extensions' future to be discussed
Front L-R: Asst, coach Anne Bedortha,, Bridget McElligott, Dawn Boor, LaRee Anderson,
Jessica Stefani, Kim Bedortha, Lynde Minster. Back l-r: head coach Charity McElligott, Becky
Picknell, Mary Jane McCarty, Angie Ball, Suzie Heideman, Melissa McElligott, Becky
Wagenblast, Allison Sullivan.
By Anne Morter
lasting the physical Powers ball the whole tournament."
The lone lady Cardinals sur
prised everyone but themselves
by taking the State 1A
volleyball championship last
weekend at Springfield High
School. Entering the tourna
ment unranked in the last poll,
the lady Cards played the cin-
drella role to perfection, knock
ing off Adrian in the opening
round, outfoxing and out-
Cruisers in the semi-finals and
finally blowing past Dufur in
two games in the champion
ship round.
First year coach, Charity
McElligott was understandably
thrilled with the outcome.
"The girls went there with on
ly one thing in mind," she said
of their quest to bring home the
title. "W e played good team
Along with the first place
trophy, two lone players,
junior Melissa McElligott and
senior Mary Jane McCarty were
named to the first team all tour
nament team.
The lady Cardinals finished
their dream season with an
overall 18-4 undefeated in
league play and with a district
championship in hand.
Park districts could fund school
extra-curricular programs
There still may be a way to
get around school district
budget cuts which next year
threaten cuts in sports and
other extra-curricular activities.
While the school district does
not say that all sports will
definitely be out, the district
has targeted sports and other
activities, such as school clubs,
for elimination in the 1995-%
school year. "Co-curricular ac
tivities is one of the targeted
areas," said a school district
spokesperson. "It is a strong
consideration for elimination."
A group of people has pro
posed that park districts in the
county be a funding source for
sports and other school ac
tivities. There is a park district
for the Boardman area, one for
the Irrigon area and one that
encompasses south Morrow
County.
School
Superintendent
Chuck Starr said at the school
board meeting Monday, Nov.
14, that he hopes that all three
park districts unite to put
together funding for extracur
ricular activities for all schools
in the county. He said that this
would eliminate problems
which could arise if different
park districts fund different co-
curricular activities. Starr said
that the proposed park district
program would function in a
fund raising capacity, and that
the school district would still be
in charge of running the
programs.
Starr met with Morrow
County Assessor Greg Sweek,
George Koffler, Heppner, Rick
Minster, lone, and Willow
Creek Park District chairman
Kenny Turner, secretary Nan
cy Brownfield, and members
Bob Kahl, John Ripple and
Robin Baker earlier to explore
the possibilities.
Minster says that the pro
posal is just in the planning
stages and that the group is in
the process of putting facts and
figures together. A meeting is
planned for next week concer
ning the issue.
Final General election results released
Results of the Nov. 8 election,
including absentee ballots have
been released by the Morrow
County Clerk's office.
Following are election returns:
-County Commissioner: Ray
French, 1,413 with 48.9 percent
of the vote; Art Kegler, 876,
30.3 percent; Jackie Bergstrom,
599, 20.7 percent;
-Morrow Health District
Director Zone 3: Robert Me
Kinley, 258, 56 percent; Roger
Trueax 203, 44 percent;
-Morrow Health District
Director Zone 5: Cara Osmin
493, 65 percent; Tom McElli
gott, 263, 34.8 percent;
-Formation of Extension
District: 1,451 no; 1,408 yes;
-Formation of Morrow Coun
ty Health District: 1,527 yes,
1,262 no.
The future of the Extension in
Morrow County will be
discussed in coming weeks by
local people and officials of the
Oregon State University Exten
sion Service following the nar
row defeat of the proposed
Morrow County 4-H and Ex
tension Service District in the
Nov. 8 general election.
The proposal, to establish an
Extension Service District with
its own tax base, failed by 43
votes. Local contributions to ex
tension work are part of the
Morrow County government
general fund. The service
district proposal came after the
Morrow County Court said that
it could not guarantee support
for Extension beyond the cur
rent fiscal year.
The Morrow County Exten
sion office and its staff of exten
sion agents and secretaries is
secure until June 30, 1995,
points out Roger Fletcher, ex
tension associate director for
county programs.
"What happens after June 30
is still to be decided," Fletcher
emphasized. "W e will be talk
ing with county extension ad
visory council, the Morrow
County Court, and others
about avenues of support."
Extension will try to maintain
the Morrow County office as
long as there is a possibility of
local support, he added.
Although state and federal
funds pay the salaries of Exten
sion agents working in the
county, local support is
necessary to pay the operation
costs of the local office.
Carol Michael-Bennett, ex
tension agent and county staff
chair, expressed the apprecia
tion to alTthe volunteers who
worked on the proposed
district. "They were tremen
dous. They have been working
since last January when they
started passing petitions to
form the district and raising
funds for election expenses."
Don Eppenbach, Irrigon,
chair of the county advisory
committee, said that many peo
ple may not have realized "that
this was not an additional tax.
People were already suppor
ting Extension through county
budget. The proposed district
simply shifted the location of
local funds for Extension from
the county to the district."
Fletcher said that he does not
expect a final decision about the
future of Extension in Morrow
County to be made for several
weeks. Extension educational
programs in agriculture, home
economics and 4-H have been
offered in the county since
1918.
Surveyors begin work on city roads
A team of surveyors is at
work on the streets of Heppner
in preparation for reconstruc
tion of Main and May streets
scheduled to be let in 1997.
The survey team arrived this
week and is expected to remain
in the area until March because
of a complex mapping job.
While the main part of the
mapping process will be be
downtown, some work will
also be done on the outskirts of
town. In addition to mapping
the elevations of the existing
road and sidewalks, the team
of around three or four people
will map the water lines, water
valves and water meters, sewer
lines, property pins and
business entries.
Dick Baldwin, engineering
specialist with the Oregon
Department of Transportation
out of LaGrande, says that in
addition to satisfying people's
curiosity about the survey
crew, he is concerned about the
crew's safety and asks that peo
ple be extra careful when driv
ing near the surveyors. "In the
last five m o n th s," says
Baldwin, "five Department of
Transportation people have
been killed."
The reconstruction project
will involve rebuilding Main
and May streets and will also
include work on side streets
and sidewalks. After the survey
has been completed the infor
mation will be turned over to
a designer in the Department of
Transportation who will design
a new highway and then the
design will be sent to Salem.
200 boats now docking in the
Columbia River upper region,
Wilhelm said the only boat
repair facilities are in Portland.
This is very time consuming
and an expensive way to
facilitate pleasure boat repairs,
he said.
In other business:
The council declined a plea
from Janice Skaggs, director of
the Neighborhood Center for
funding. According to Skaggs
a shortfall in funding is ex
pected when it comes to pro
viding Christmas baskets for
around 60 needy families. The
annual budget for the
Neighborhood Center is pro
posed at $8,000 with $800 fund
ed through the county's
general fund. Grants have been
sought to provide additional
funding, she said.
The council agreed to a re
quest that would transfer the
Heppner Garbage Disposal
Service ownership from Cliff
Green to his son, David Green.
A 10 year extension of this solid
waste franchise was approved.
The council agreed to
upgrade Garriques Street, a
dedicated city street, by gravel
ing this road that gives access
to property owners Phil and
Shirley Landauer.
Heppner High School
counselor Barbara Hayes
agreed to work with a council
member committee to for
mulate guide lines for a $500
Heppner High School scholar
ship offered by Perry and
Anderson Associates, La-
Grande, engineers of the city
sewer system renovation.
ASCS office
reorganized
"The Agricultural Stabiliza
tion and Conservation Service
or ASCS office, officially no
longer exists," said Skip Mat
thews, acting director of the
newly formed Farm Service
Agency.
The 1994 USD A Reorganiza
tion Act has reorganized certain
phases of the local USD A of
fices and services including
ACSC, Soil Conservation Ser
vice, Farmers Home Ad
ministration and Federal Crop
Insurance.
"O ne of the goals of the cur
rent administration in Wash
ington, D .C .," says Matthews,
"was to consolidate field of
fices, reduce bureaucracy and
bring more efficiency to USDA
programs through a complete
restructuring of USDA on both
the national and local levels."
This act allows the Secretary
of Agriculture to do that by
reducing staff by 7,500 posi
tions, cutting the number of
USDA agencies from 43 to 30
and closing approximately
1,100 field offices nationwide.
These actions are expected to
save the tax payers $2.5 billion
dollars, $61 million as a result
of the new Farm Service Agen
cy alone.
Matthews explained that he
doesn't foresee any drastic
changes in the local office or the
surrounding counties, but he
added, "at this point all we
know for sure is the name
change. No one in authority
has actually come out and said
what is going to happen for cer
tain. It is pretty early in the pro
cess to know excactly what
changes, if any, are in store for
our office here in Heppner."
Deadline set to
order wreaths
November 28 is the last day
to order wreaths and swags
from the Heppner Garden Club
Greens shop. Call Ida Farra,
676-9446 to order.
iV e'ft keep y o u warm this w inter
¿S»*
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221
1-800-824-7185
r