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
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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
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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
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C
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Remember when your word was your Bond. -
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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.