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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1996)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 14, 1996 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the Counts of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U S P S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published wee kb and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Hepp ner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at Hepp ner, Oregon. Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (503) 676-9228. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $18 in Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and Grant Counties: $25 elsewhere. April Hilton-Sykes....................................................................................... News Editor Stephanie Jensen Typesetting, Layout, Distribution Monique Devin .............................. Advertising layout & Graphics Penni K eersem aker....................................................... v_................................... Printer David Sykes, Publisher Letters to the Editor > Health District newsletter in error To the Editor: The most recent issue of the Morrow County Health District newsletter contained a chart entitled, "What do services in Morrow County actually cost you, the homeowner?". The chart compares property taxes levied by the county's various taxing districts on a $50,000 home to provide services. Unfortunately, the figures reported for the city of Hepp ner are erroneous. The chart reports the annual property tax for the owner of a $50,000 home to be $630.68 to pay for city of Heppner services. Ac tually, such a taxpayer would pay only $293.93 for property tax supported city services. The same taxpayer would pay an additional $158.93 for voter- approved capital improvement project bonds, for a total pro perty tax of $452.86 for services and improvements. Sincerely, (s) Gary Marks Heppner city manager Area residents meet on rangeland issues Raymond French, Heppner, and Bob Lazinka, Pilot Rock, were members of the John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council who received training on Thursday, Feb. 1 from leading scientific experts in the Northwest at a one-day Range- land Ecology Short Course. Additionally, they began to review some preliminary stan dards for public rangeland health at a two-day meeting in Walla Walla, WA last week. The rangeland short course covered the principles of range- land ecology, the function of watersheds, the uses of range- lands in an ecological context and developing standards for rangeland health. Some pre liminary draft standards were presented for the council's review, along with samples of standards and guidelines from several other western states. Guidelines for livestock grazing on public lands will also be ad dressed by the council over the next year. The next scheduled meeting for the John Day/Snake Re source Advisory Council is May 1-3 in La Grande. The public is welcome to attend all council meetings and time is set aside at every meeting for public comments. Members of the public who wish to comment on the pre liminary draft standards and guidelines should contact a council member who lives io their vicinity or who represent their interest. Minutes of previous council meetings are available from Norm Hessel- dahl, Public Affairs Officer for the council, at P.O. Box 490, Prineville, OR 97754; (541) 416-6647. P io n e e r M em orial H ospital C linic w ill be closed on M onday February 19 fo r P re s id e n t’s Day. B uckle -U p ujeeh F E B R U A R Y 1 2 - 1 6 Heppner Branch 111 N. Main St. 676-9164 Letters to the Editor Ask some tough questions ■F Activities To Include: Children’s car seat giveaways. FREE refreshments. Buckle-Up Importance Video. FREE car seat safety inspections. • Visits from Vince & Larry the Crash Dummies. • Call your branch for schedule. purchase. Dr. Boss has requested an ad To the Editor: ditional $2,000 a month from After reading recent articles the Health District. In re concerning the Morrow Coun sponse, the district requested ty Health District's plans for ex that Dr. Boss submit to an audit panding services in Boardman, to ensure that funds are allo we felt the need to express our cated responsibly. To date, no opinions. audit has been agreed to by Dr. At the 216196 Boardman City Boss. Does this show that he Council meeting, Morrow has the interest of the taxpayer County Health District admin at heart? If he received a salary istrator Kevin Erich presented from the district and the district many facts and figures from the managed the clinic, Dr. Boss district's budget, the accuracy would no longer control the ap of which Mr. Gene Allen did proximate $500,000 in revenue not dispute. These should have and district funds. It would been included in any objective seem Dr. Boss doesn't care article addressing this subject. whose tax dollars he squanders This information was sorely as long as th^y don't ask too lacking in the recent East many questions or expect too Oregonian article by Laurie much accountability. Rees, 2/7/96. We are concerned that Board- We also believe the citizens of man residents are not receiving Boardman need to be aware of the health services that are their the attitudes of some city coun due. Residents must ask their cil members. The meeting was leaders if all segments of their purported to be an informa population are being served at tional session to assist the the Boardman clinic under Dr. council in making a decision Boss. Are the needs of all about the future of Boardman's socioeconomic groups being health care. However, some met? If not, why not? members of Boardman's coun Let your voices be heard and cil and mayor appeared and ask some tough questions. acted as if they were more in Questions that deserve to be terested in attacking Mr. Erich answered. than objectively listening to his (s) Peggy A. Johnson presentation. In fact, he was (s) Delia Robinson rudely dismissed. (s) Vickie Turrell One wonders what the true Heppner motivation behind the Board- man City Council's plan to Emotion a break from the health district is? Question: If the clinic can be driving force run more efficiently and more profitably under the manage To the Editor: ment of the health district (Dr. How often we see folks with Boss would be retained as differing opinions readily resort physician), why is the council to name calling, slurs and opposed to this proposal? Mr. slanders, rather than squarely Erich showed that reimburse face the issue of difference. Our ments from Medicare and friends and neighbors in Board- Medicaid could have been in creased by $100,000 if the clinic man who simply want to make their own decisions about had been associated with the health care are being ridiculed hospital through the Federal as irrational, childish, misin Rural Health Clinic Act. formed and engaged in rumor We believe the Health District and innuendo. is spending tax dollars respon Opinions about how things sibly. From attending the meet ought to be are based only in ing, it did not appear to us that part on knowledge and rational Boardman residents need be thought. Emotion can play a concerned about losing their major role in forming opinions, physician due to neglect on the especially about matters politic. part of the district. Mr. Erich Emotion, not just knowledge, stated that he would work to was the driving force behind resolve, differences between the the American Revolution, the district and Dr. Boss. We be civil rights movement and the lieve him. war on drugs. If the true goal of the council Emotion, not just knowledge is to ensure continued health nor logic, is the driving force care for Boardman, why was behind the feud over health Dr. Zelinski's offer so harshly care. Our friends believe rebuffed by the mayor and strongly in asserting their own some council members? Dr. right to self-determination. The Zelinski asked that residents ability to made the decisions not be stampeded into an ine that most affect oneself (or at quitable contract with Dr. Boss least to participate in them in from the fear of losing him. Dr. some meaningful way), is an Zelinski stated he would be emotional issue that cannot be willing to cover the Boardman disproved with any set of facts, clinic free of charge for up to six however selectively drawn. months until a reasonable set Nor can one be dissuaded from tlement could be made. it with the highest degree of ra Are Dr. Boss' demands real tional logic. ly reasonable? According to re Likewise, the power to con cent articles and meeting infor trol other people and make mation, it was shown that Dr. decisions for them as we may, Boss receives an approximate is a strong emotional rush that $130,00 stipend to operate the defies either logic or wisdom. Boardman Health Care Center. The people of Boardman are Additionally, he retains all not asking to make health care revenues, estimated to be bet decisions for the rest of the ween $300,000-350,000. Dr. county, that we will leave up to Boss pays no rent and no pro them. We don't insist on tak perty taxes. The district is rep- ing away their ability to make sonsible for building mainte whatever decisions they may nance and some equipment desire. We only ask to be re • • • • Donators Include: John & Nella Britt N M S Enterprises John Britt Logging Country Shears Dr. Dick Tem ple C olum bia River Air B P O E #358-H eppner Elks Lodge Kinzua Resources. Inc. M iller's Mini Mart VanArsdale Air Service Morrow County Grain Growers First Interstate Bank-Staff of H eppner Br Aid Association for Lutherans Br 9601 Les Schwab Tire Center-H eppner Special thanks to U P S * and the Oregon Department of Transportation for their support of this program. S p o n s o r e d B y The B a n k T h a t C a r e s O First Interstate Bank t G e n u i n e C h e v r o l e t Remember when your word was your Bond. - You sealed a deal with a handshake - That's still the way we do business today. C O M F O R T A B L E • T R U S T F U L L • H O N E S T • C A R IN G The Largest Volume Chevy Truck Dealer in Eastern Oregon SHERRELL CHEVROLET H e r m is to n , O r e g o n 1 -8 0 0 - 5 6 7 - 6 4 8 7 N e w C a r S a le s 5 6 7 -6 4 8 8 Used C a r C e n te r 5 6 7 -3 9 1 9 moved from the Morrow Coun ty Health District so we can make our own decisions about the kind of health care we want. That's all. Hoping for this little bit of freedom is an emotional thing, one that is contested on an equally emotional basis. (s) Ed Glenn (s) Frances Glenn Boardman Seeks support for scholarship To the Editor: College tuition continues to rise at twice the rate of inflation and student borrowing for col lege is rising by more than $25 billion per year. Those chal lenges have helped motivate the South Morrow County Scholarship Trust (SMCST) to work even harder this year to raise funds and award scholar ships to assist local students. To expand financial and academic support for students across the country the national "Dollars for Scholars" organiz ation has designated 1996 as "Year of the Scholar." Collec tively, Dollars for Scholars' 760 chapters are committing them selves to raise more than $20 million for scholarships this year for students in their local communities. The "Year of the Scholar" was officially launched on Jan. 25 with a spirited kickoff rally at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. It was hosted by actor John Rit ter and also featured a number of California education and civic leaders, students and vol unteers from many of Califor nia's 50 Dollars for Scholars chapters. The SMCST has set its own fund raising goal of $12,000 for 1996 and plans to observe "Year of the Scholar" by spon soring in the month of February "cash cans" in local businesses and restaurants of lone, Lex ington and Heppner where people can give a dollar or more to local students; and by hosting the lamb barbecue dur ing the week of St. Patrick's celebration in Heppner; and with donations sent to P.O. Box 296, Heppner, OR 97836. With continued strong sup port from the fine people of south Morrow County, we in tend to help meet the chal lenges facing our high school graduates of lone, Lexington and Heppner. Please lend your support. If you would like to get directly involved in the pro gram, call me at (541) 676-5069. Sincerely, (s) Rev. Stan Hoobing President, SMCST Think before approving Home Rule To the Editor: 220 years ago the United States of America was born of a dream. The dream was that all men were created equal and that each had the God-given right to life, liberty and the pur suit of happiness. In order to make that dream a reality, the people of this nation had to fight and even die to destroy the yoke of tyranny which gave them taxation without repre sentation. With this accom plished, the USA became a haven for the "poor huddled masses" who longed for the freedom held by each US citi zen. Today, two centuries later, our borders are guarded to keep a flood of people out, while many countries in the world use border guards to keep their people in. It cannot be said that the USA does not make mistakes. Like an adolescent, at times we fall victim to things we should not. Many times, a study of history would have exposed the error before it becomes a problem; however along with freedom comes a responsibili ty for our own actions and we have at times paid bitterly for our mistakes. In each generation, there are those who, for one reason or another, wish to return to the era of taxation without repre sentation. In the present gen eration, this quest for regres sion is based mostly on the old assumption that the "m asses" are somehow not intelligent enough to take care of them selves and really need a "rul ing class" to govern them. This ruling class will then collect taxes from the "m asses" in order to administer a "more ef ficient" form of government. Now we in Morrow County are embarked on a quest to change our county govern ment. This change will not make that government more responsive to the needs of the taxpayers of Morrow County. On the contrary, the "Home Rule Charter" to be voted on seeks to replace the "unquali fied" officials who, after all, were elected by the "uneduca tion m asses". These "u n qualified" officials would be replaced with "qualified" ap pointees. The idea is that these appointees will not have to be concerned about annoying or alienating the "m asses" and can simply "get on with the business of governing". The only concern these appointees will have is that they have done enough favors for those who sit on the appointment boards or other high places to assure re appointment. The kings of England may vecome vindicat ed by the American people after all. This letter will cause some people to laugh, Some to swear, and some to nod in assent. That is all right. The purpose of this letter is to make you think seriously before you vote for the Home Rule Charter. As you have already figured out, I'm seriously opposed to giving up my right to vote for or against those who will govern my county, state or nation. Sincerely, (s) Ray Grace Heppner Voters clear t o the Editor: Thè voters made it clear that they wanted the person (Ron Wyden) who has been working many years on the hill in our « government, for the people and by the people. This election proved a fact, ' that money does not buy everything, especially in this case. Hopefully Senator Wyden will promote a bill that would limit the amount of dollars that could be spent on future elections. I'm sure that everyone can read between the lines; tax payers are tired of supporting fatherless families-in some cases, generations of them. Young, able-bodied people should work and make their own way. Those who protest abortion rights should volunteer their time, energy and money to care for the many unwanted child ren. Child abuse and neglect is on the rise. The reports are ap palling and despicable. Child ren deserve to be welcomed in to loving homes and, by all means, be wanted. They should receive the best of care, training and have a supporting family to help them grown up to be happy, honorable, in dependent and useful citizens. It is high time that we go back to the old-fashion morals and promote the family image of the father and mother for the young. Sincerely, Lois Winchester Heppner HHS FFA chapter competes at district The Heppner High School Future Farmers of America chapter competed in the Blue Mt. District leadership contest. Members Tina Kemp placed seventh in the co-op quiz and Mandi Gutierrez tied for fifth. Toni Kemp and Frank Martin placed third in the same division. Also attending the contest were: Jossie Evans, Dusty Rollis, Elliott Strouse, Josie Proctor, Angela Munkers, Donald White, Bobbi Rankin and Royal Robinson.