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Health D istrict proposal greeted with disdain
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MCHD may expand Boardman, Irrigon med facilities
Residents of Boardman and repeatedly requested over the
Irrigon may soon see expand­ last several years.
Other services discussed for
ed health care services in their
communities. At its recent the Boardman medical center
strategic planning session, the were physical therapy and
Morrow County Health District home health care. Laboratory
Board discussed plans to build and x-ray capabilities were also
new facilities for these com­ included in preliminary plans.
According to Erich, the new
munities in the coming year.
Members proposed building a center could even offer a con­
9,954 square foot medical cen­ ference room for public use. A
ter in Boardman and a 2,322 future site for the center has not
square foot medical clinic in Ir­ been identified. Erich said the
rigon. "W e're very interested district plans to work with the
in enhancing services for city to determine the best loca­
Boardman and Irrigon," said tion.
The board also agreed to pur­
chairperson Cara Osmin. "W e
recognize their rapid growth sue construction of a medical
and it is our goal to meet any clinic in Irrigon. Plans include
three medical exam rooms and
resulting health care needs."
The Boardman facility would laboratory and x-ray facilities.
allow the district to house the Erich said the city of Irrigon has
community's medical and den­ expressed a willingness to do­
tal clinics under one roof while nate land for this project, con­
\ providing additional space for tingent upon final plan appro­
a new urgent care center. Dis­ val. Two sites are presently un­
trict administrator Kevin Erich der consideration.
"W e see our efforts as a pro­
said the urgent care center
gressive
move," said Erich, ad­
would provide residents with
ding,
"Forty
years ago, local
expanded hours of access to
and
federal
funds
were used
emergency services. He told
the board that urgent care is a to build a much-needed hos­
service Boardman citizens have pital in Heppner. With its sub-
stantial population growth, the
north county now has similar
pressing health needs and we
are determined to meet them as
well."
Erich stressed that the district
is just beginning to plan for
both projects and that no firm
costs have been identified. He
added, however, that construc­
tion costs for both buildings are
estimated $100 per square foot.
"Our tax base is not adequate
to cover the cost« of these pro­
jects. It covers operations only.
To expedite construction and
ensure that these projects do
indeed become reality, the
board plans to ask voters to ap­
prove a bond measure," Erich
said. He added that he doesn't
expect the measure to go to
voters before the November
ballot.
Board members agreed that
they will need to determine
how receptive Morrow Coun­
ty residents are to expansion
plans before going further.
Town hall meetings are being
planned for February in each of
the county's five incorporated
communities to solicit neces­
sary public input.
Em ploym ent Relations Board IC A B O plans
rules in favor of school board meeting, Jan. 16
The Employment Relations
Board (ERB) of Oregon on Fri­
day, Jan. 5 unanimously agreed
that the Morrow County
School District (MCSD) did not
commit an unfair labor practice
when it solicited bids and re­
cognized Mid Columbia Trans­
portation, Inc., as low bidder
for contracting transportation
before completing negotiations
with the Oregon School Em­
ployees Association (OSEA).
This decision reverses the deci­
sion of the Administrative Law
judge brought forth in June
1995.
In its "Conclusions of Law",
ERB states that "the district did
not violate ORS 243.672(l)(e)
when it solicited bids for stu­
dent transportation services
and selected a transportation
contractor before completing
bargaining with O SEA ." With
regard to OSEA's charge that
the district was involved in
"surface bargaining" rather
than legitimate bargaining on
this issue, ERB says, "...w e fail
to find any of the other relevant
behaviors discussed in 'McKen­
zie' as indicators of surface
bargaining. In fact, (Chuck)
Starr (MCSD superintendent)
did attempt to bargain over the
only proposal relating to con­
tracting out (sick leave payout)
submitted by OSEA represen­
tatives. He also continued to
solicit other proposals from the
union, but none were brought
forth. Under these circum­
stances, this board cannot infer,
from the totality of Starr's con­
duct, that the district bargain­
ed in bad faith."
ERB concludes that, "B e ­
cause OSEA failed to carry its
burden of proving that the
district committed a "per se"
violation of ORS 243.672(l)(e)
or that the district violated
(l)(e) by engaging in surface
bargaining, the complaint must
be dismissed."
Starr said he was very pleas­
ed with ERB's decision, and
said, " I hope that this decision
will help put to rest the out­
standing issues between OSEA
and our school district and
allow us to return to the posi­
tive relations we have had in
the past."
For more information concer­
ning this decision, contact Starr
at (541) 989-8202.
Strategies to meet
The North Central Oregon
Regional Strategy Board meet­
ing will be held Thursday, Jan.
18, beginning at 10 a.m. at the
Fossil Senior Center in Fossil.
The lone Community Agri-
Business
Organization
(ICABO) will hold a meeting
Tuesday, January 16, at 7 p.m.
at Beechers Restaurant in lone.
The public is welcome to at­
tend, says 19% president Jim
Swanson.
Swanson said some of the
projects planned for the com­
ing year include a senior hous­
ing project and looking for new
businesses to locate in the area.
He urged the community to get
involved and help the growth
of the lone area.
Guest speakers scheduled for
Tuesday's meeting include:
Corol Mitchell of CAPCO, Dar­
win Merrill of the Commission
on Children and Families, and
Kevin Erich, hospital adminis­
trator.
Ongoing projects of ICABO
include the Fourth of July
Celebration, the Emert Addi­
tion, a housing division that
has added five new homes in
the past two years, and work
on an access road between lone
and the county's north end.
ICABO meets on a regular
basis the first and third Wed­
nesdays of each month at
Beecher's Restaurant. Most
meetings start at noon, but
several evening meetings are
being planned to allow for a
greater participation of com­
munity members who cannot
attend during the day.
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By April Hilton-Sykes
(Editor’s note: see related story
this page.)
A proposal by the Morrow
County
Health
District
(MCHD) to build a medical cen­
ter in Boardman and a medical
clinic in Irrigon came under at­
tack by Boardman residents at
the MCHD regular meeting
held Monday night, Jan. 8, in
Irrigon.
MCHD, in a news release
earlier that day, outlined a plan
proposing a 9,954 square foot
medical center in Boardman
and a 2,322 square foot clinic in
Irrigon. MCHD Chairperson
Cara Osmin said that the
district is "interested in enhan­
cing services for Boardman and
Irrigon. We recognize their
rapid growth and it's our goal
to meet any resulting health
care needs."
The district plans to ask
district voters to fund the clinics
with a bond measure. No cost
has been set for construction.
The Boardman center would
bring medical and dental
clinics, an urgent care center,
physical therapy and home
health facilities under one roof.
There is currently a medical
clinic in Boardman, which is
owned by the district and
operated by Dr. Robert Boss.
That clinic had earlier been
criticized as being inadequate
for the community's medical
needs.
The proposed Irrigon clinic
would include three medical
exam rooms and laboratory and
x-ray facilities. There is current­
ly no medical clinic or doctor's
office in Irrigon.
Boardman pharmacist Ray
Michael led the attack on the
board and the proposal by
reading several letters from
Boardman residents concerning
construction plans and Dr.
Boss, who is in the midst of
contract negotiations with the
board.
According to Michael, Dewey
and Jeanne West of Boardman
asked him to read a letter ad­
monishing the board and
MCHD Administrator Kevin
Erich for their "cavalier" treat­
ment of Dr. Boss. Michael also
read a letter from John Prag,
Boardman real estate consul­
tant, lambasting the board for
considering the proposed
development. According to
Michael, Prag asked what the
district was thinking of, pro­
posing a new clinic when a
clinic already existed. Further,
according to Michael, Prag
said, " I had no idea it was the
goal of the district to create an
empire at the taxpayer's ex­
pense."
Tom Meyers of Boardman
said he had "a problem" with
the board for spending
$200,000 in salary for Dr. Ed
Beretta and $100,000 for Dr.
Jeanne Berretta, when it won't
pay Dr. Boss what he requests.
He said the board's attitude
was, "If the Berrettas squeal we
(the board) will do whatever it
takes. If Dr. Boss squeals, we
(the board) don't care."
Meyer's figures on the Ber­
rettas' salaries, however, are in­
correct. Dr. Ed Berretta's base
salary is $120,000, with F1CA,
payroll taxes, medical dental in­
surance, malpractice insurance,
workman's comp, life and dis­
ability insurance, state unem­
ployment insurance and conti­
nuing education added on for
a total package of $146,000. Dr.
Jeanne Berretta's base salary is
$80,000 with the above men­
tioned benefits added for a total
package of $100,000. Dr. Ernie
Atkins' base salary is $110,000,
with benefits added for a total
of $135,000. The Berrettas have
lived in Heppner for eight
years. This is the first year that
their salaries were over
$100,000. The salary figures Dr.
Boss is requesting and the
board's counter offer have not
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Proposed Irrigon medical clinic
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Proposed Boardman medical center
been disclosed.
The contracts for the Berret­
tas, signed by the MCHD
Board, specify that they pro­
vide emergency room coverage
at Pioneer Memorial Hospital
29 weeks and 26 weekends out
of the year, in addition to their
clinic hours. Dr. Atkins pro­
vides emergency room cover­
age 23 weeks and 23 weekends.
Meyers also alleged that
MCHD decided to put funding
for the new facilities up for a
vote because the board knew
the bond issue would be
defeated and then the health
district could "w ash their
hands" of Boardman's health
care problems."You know as
well as I do that the odds of
passing it are about three to
one," said Meyers. Meyers,
Boardman City Council presi­
dent, is also the husband of
Sharon Meyers, a member of
the Boardman Clinic staff.
Tony Carabba, physician's
assistant at the Boardman
Clinic, commented that he was
"surprised at the anxiety and
discomfort" that the plans have
created and added, "I've never
been anywhere that exhibited
so much of the Hatfields and
the McCoys," concerning Mor­
row County north-south
politics.
Carabba said that there is a
"big need" for expansion. He
also said that if the board and
Dr. Boss could not come to an
agreement and Dr. Boss left the
clinic, he didn't intend to stay
either.
Clinic employees Kathy Cash
and Debbie McDaniel also
spoke in favor of Dr. Boss.
Board Chair Cara Osmin
said, "W e (the board) want to
try our very best to give the
whole county what it needs."
Board member Jim Hankins,
Boardman, replied, "I'm kind
of frustrated because I hear all
this innuendo about what
we've offered. They (the Ber­
rettas' salaries) are nowhere
near $200,000. I get very frus­
trated when I get this negative
attitude from community
leaders. They go on innuendo,
misnomer. I almost agree that
Boardman would vote it
down."
Erich stressed that the plans
for expansion were still in the
early stages and that the board
plans to have a series of town
hall meetings to take communi­
ty input. "If we go for a bond
issue, we need to be sure were
planning 20 years down the
road," said Erich. "W e don't
know what your needs are 100
percent, but we want to know
and we care."
Erich said that building a new
hospital at Heppner was un­
realistic, but added that con­
sidering the age of the hospital,
which was built through a
bond issue around 40 years
ago, some improvements may
have to be made to the hos­
pital's physical plant.
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Erich said that other possi­
bilities for Boardman and Ir­
rigon include an adult foster
home with six to eight beds
with adult day care available.
Elks Hoop Shoot contest, Jan. 14
The Elks Hoop Shoot contest,
for kids eight to 13 years old
will be held this Sunday, Jan­
uary 14, at Heppner High
School.
Signup will be held from 3 to
3:30 p.m., with the contest get­
ting underway at 3:30 p.m.
There is no charge to compete.
Ages of children participating
will be determined as of April
19%.
District competition will be
held January 27 at Hermiston,
with state competition schedul­
ed in February at Keizer.
Local coordinator is Dave
Gunderson.
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Still no football field agreement
The Morrow County School
Board and the Morrow Coun­
ty Fair Board have not yet
agreed upon a lease for the
school district's use of the foot­
ball field at the fairgrounds.
According to Shirley Lan-
dauer, business manager, the
school board was informed that
the lease will be up at the end
of the school year.
Town and Country banquet Thursday
The Heppner Chamber of
Commerce annual Town and
Country Day is planned for this
Thursday, January 11, at St.
Patrick's Parish Hall in Hepp­
ner.
Meetings, which will be held
much of the day, start at 10
a.m. The luncheon, which in­
cludes the presentation of
Chamber awards, will be at
noon. Social hour will begin at
6 p.m. and the banquet, featur­
ing a prime rib dinner, enter­
tainment and the presentation
of man, woman, business and
educator of the year, will get
underway at 7 p.m.
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