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FOUR Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 28, 1996 Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the Countv of Morrow' The Heppner GAZETTE-TIM ES U S P S 240-420 Morrow County's Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published ueeldx and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Hepp- ner ( trefoil under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at Hepp- 11« r Oregon Office at 147 W est W illow Street. Telephone (503) 676-9228. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Bo* 337, lleppuei Oregon 9 7 836 Subscriptions $18 in Morrow, W heeler, Gilliam and Grunt (anilities, $25 elsewhere. April llilton-Svkes News Editor Stephanie Jensen Typesetting, Layout, Distribution Monique Desin Adsertising layout it Graphics Penni keerseinaker . ................................ s , .................................... Printer David Sykes, Publisher More accountability with home rule This statement is not complete ly accurate. As a statutory county, we cannot legally con solidate or eliminate depart ments that are headed by elected officials. We must adopt a home rule form of county government to do this. I am surprised that Judge Carlson seems to be opposed to this measure. The biggest ad vantage that I see for home rule is that every administrative department would become ac countable to the governing body of the county. This would eliminate the power struggles between elected officials. As an administrator who has worked to establish cohesive county policies, without having the authority to enforce them, I would think that Judge Carlson would see the advantages of home rule. If you are in favor of less divi sion in county government and more accountability, you should vote yes on home rule governm ent for Morrow County. Sincerely, Lisa Rietmann lone To the Editor: I am writing is support of the proposed home rule charter for Morrow County. As a member of the committee that drafted this charter 1 feel that, despite what has been implied, we did give careful and thorough con sideration to the issues sur rounding home rule. We met for nearly a year before we even started to draft a charter. When we had drafted the char ter and solicited public com ment on it, we took those com ments into consideration and amended it appropriately We did not make these decisions lightly or in haste. I am proud of the work that we accom plished as a committee and believe that Morrow County can benefit from it. I would also like to address a statement made by Morrow County judge Louis Carlson in a recent article in the East Oregonian. Judge Carlson is quoted as saying that "posi tions can be consolidated and changed due to need with our current government make-up." Morrow County needs home rule To the Editor: This letter is written is sup port of the home rule issue on the ballot for Morrow County. Morrow County needs home rule to ensure equal represen tation, make county goverment more efficient and to bring government into the 21st century. For too long, a wedge has been drawn between the north and south ends of the county. The new home rule charter will ensure adequate represention for all parts of the county. Trying to run a multi-million dollar operation with five or six bosses doesn't make sense. V • . » * Home rule will make county government more efficient by having one administrator re sponsible for the overall opera tion of county government. With the number of people employed by the county, we need to use the expertise of a "business manager" to address the needs of this huge com pany. I support the majority opi nion of the charter committee who studied this issue for many months to come up with a positive recommendation on home rule. Vote yes on home rule. (s) George Koffler Heppner Come Share With Us at lg Willow Creek Baptist Church Bible Study for all ages 2 p.m. Worship Service 3 p.m. Meeting in the 7th Day Adventist Church 560 North Minor Í COAST TO COAST YOUR SOURCE FOR PAINT ■> V. vi » f •. Skeptical of sults solely from its own Twi light Zone misconceptions re garding charter government and does not arise from any committee. legitimate complaint about the The very though makes my contents of the ballot title. skin crawl. Sincerely, To set the record straight: (s) Valerie B. Doherty I did not indicate in any way Lexington that Morrow County was pre sently impaired in its ability to pass ordinances relating to mat ters of county concern. On the contrary, I provided the com mittee with copies of the statute which specifically empowers the county to do so "to the To the Editor: On March 12, Morrow Coun fullest extend allowed by con stitutions and laws of the ty voters will have the oppor United States and of this tunity to make a positive state." In fact, Morrow Coun change. We can vote yes to ty has routinely enacted such adopt the proposed Home Rule Charter. ordinances. Most of us have felt the frus I did not hint, suggest, advise or imply in any way that pass tration of our county activities age of a charter would change being authorized or mandated the fundamental relationship by the state. The needs of Mor between the state and one of its row County are not necessari political subdivisions-in this ly the same as other statutory case, a county. With or without counties. Unfortunately, the a charter, a county is still a state cannot look at each coun political subdivision of state ty and address those individual government. The implication needs, so we all live by the that, by means of passing a same government organiza charter, Morrow County can tion. Under home rule, citizens of declare some sort of separate sovereignty is simply outlan Morrow County would have dish, and is certainly a notion the power to adopt and amend that was never expressed or in their own county ordinances timated by me. and government organization. I did not imply in any way The charter can also be amend that the offices of clerk, trea ed by a vote of the people as surer, sheriff, surveyor or changes are needed. assessor could be eliminated. The proposed home rule Those offices, and their func charter would allow individuals tions, are mandated by statute who hold full-time jobs the op and cannot be impaired by portunity to hold one of five charter or otherwise. By charter commission positions. The it is possible to make the of commissioners would be elect ficials themselves appointed ed at large. A chairman would through the governmental be elected by the commission bureaucracy rather than elected ers. The commissioners would directly by the people, but the receive a monthly stipend, the functions of their offices may amount to be determined by not be compromised. the budget committee. Board I did not indicate that it meetings could be held in the would be impossible to hire a evenings instead of all day on county administrator without Wednesdays to better accom passing a charter. This is ridi modate those serving. culous. Of course, the county The board of commissioners could create such a position, would develop administrative and fill it, but has never at policies and procedures and tempted to do so, probably for appoint a county administrator. fear of being laughed out of TTie administrator would report town by the budget committee. directly to the board of commis I could go on and on with sioners for the day-to-day ad this, but hope that this wil suf ministration of the county. The fice to make my point: none of person filling the position of this incredible tripe came from, administrator would be a poli by, or through me, and I want tical appointee and would serve nothing to do with it. It is legal at the will of the board of ly unsound, grossly mislead commissioners. ing, and I vehemently deny Currently, nine counties in that any such inferences could Oregon have adopted home reasonably have been made rule. Hood River County from the information I did pro established home rule in 1964. vide to the committee. Umatilla County is the most re I have only one more thing to cent home rule county, say. Ordinarily, when people, established in 1993. The charter special districts, committees, being proposed for voter ap interest goups or the like wish proval is patterned after Hood to put something on the ballot, River County with changes they are the ones responsible specific to Morrow County. for writing the ballot title. It is Your yes vote will afford then submitted to the county Morrow County wider repre clerk, who passes it to the sentation and more flexibility in district attorney for review. government operation. , This is the statutory procedure. Sincerely, In this case, however, the (s) Linda K. LaRue committee initially requested lone the county clerk to write the ballot title. When she very appropriately declined, the DA Compliments of the Morrow County Grain Growers was persuaded to do so. I was Tuesday, Feb. 27 not consulted. Soft White However, the ballot title is, in Feb.-April *5.48 my opinion, both legally ac May *5.47 curate and compliant with new crop-Aug. *4.84 statutory standards. To be Barley blunt, I believe that the PAC's Feb.-March *155 criticism of the ballot title re- Aug. *130 Letters to the Editor home rule Josephine County has also pro ved controversial. To the Editor: The petition to form a home After serving on the Morrow rule committee was signed by County Home Rule Committee many ranchers whose grazing for the last two years, I wish to permits are threatened by ac express my concerns on the tions of the Forest Service. It proposed county charter. was hoped that home rule The home rule charter as pro would give our county local posed will replace the three control over the resources that member county court with five fuel our economy, such as land, nominally paid members who will hold evening meetings. water and timber. However, The daily operations of the home rule counties in Oregon county will be conducted by a do not enjoy the same power full-time manager who will as home rule counties in New oversee all county depart Mexico who have taken on the ments. The intent is to allow federal government over re residents to serve who are source issues. In fact, non-chartered and unable to attend the current chartered counties have basical Wednesday meetings. I see ly the same power, although several problems with this pro state legislature could discrim posed arrangement. First of all, 1 doubt if county inate against non-chartered commissioners can adequately counties. Such action is unlike conduct county business by ly since most counties are not merely attending evening chartered and would quickly meetings. Under home rule in become chartered if needed. Hood River County, county Also, both forms of counties supervisor Jerry Robson told can pass ordinances but only a the Morrow County Home chartered county can impose Rule Committee that most com jail sentences over these or missioners in his county are dinances (and subject itself to self-employed, semi-retired, or additional legal liabilities). I agree with the majority of others who can devote week the Home Rule Committee that day time to fulfill their duties. the residents of Morrow Coun Hood River County commis ty should have the chance to sioners meet one evening a vote on the proposed charter. month and one afternoon a Since the attendance at the last month in order to conduct home rule meeting was small, county business. With many my vote was needed to put it other evening commitments, it on the ballot before the com would be difficult for many mission of the Home Rule residents of Morrow County to Committee expired. travel to one end of the county I have talked to many cur or the other several nights a rent, former and soon-to-retire month to conduct county county officials in Eastern business. In fact, in was hard Oregon who are skeptical of enough for members of the home rule. I am skeptical of a Home Rule Committee to get board of commissioners who together one evening a month. may not have the time to fully Secondly, many members of the committee have expressed understand and adequately their concern about recruiting direct our county government and retaining a competent through a county manager. (s) Daniel R. Van Schoiack county manager. It is very Heppner possible that Morrow County could become a training ground for management trainees look ing for career advancements. In Hood River County, Jerry Rob To the Editor: Morrow County voters have son stated that the tenure of now received their ballots to managers was "reasonably vote on the issue of adopting a short". Robson himself has fill home rule charter. The devel ed in the position during management vacancies. Rob opment of this document took son feels the current county place over the course of two manager (administrator) is do years, at the end of which ing well. It seems that home everyone associated with the rule runs smoothly in Hood process appeared to be thor River County under the leader oughly sick of it. I know I cer ship of Robson. That brings up tainly was. I need not elaborate the rea an observation by the Coos County Home Rule Charter sons for this reaction because I Committee who decided the believe that job has already advantages of adopting a been done (quite admirably, in county charter did not out my opinion) by Mr. Hal Din kins of Heppner. Mr. Dinkins weigh the disadvantages. The Coos County Home Rule has made it clear that he con Committee concluded that siders the particular charter counties which had been proposed by the charter com plagued by strife before adop mittee to be an absolute abor ting a charter were still tion which deserves nothing contention-ridden afterward, more than a decent burial. I and that counties which had quite agree with that assess enjoyed a cooperative atmos ment. That, however, is not why I phere before adoption con am writing this letter. I am tinued to experience a con writing this letter because 1 read genial and cooperative environ a full-page ad in last week's ment afterward. While Hood Gazette-Times, and also a River County government con yellow pamphlet that appear tinues to function smoothly after adopting a home rule ed in my mailbox (a very apt charter, Clatsop County con color choice for this particular tinues to battle within itself. journalistic effort). It is com Last year, I had a phone con mon knowledge that the PAC versation with Clatsop County which sponsored these extraor clerk Lori Davis and within two dinary materials includes a minutes became aware of a member of the charter commit power struggle between the tee. Therefore, I realized over county manager and county of the weekend-with growing ficials and learned of a petition horror-that some may suppose to repeal the home rule charter. that I might have been the Apparently, home rule didn't original source of this so-called solve all the problems of Clat "information" because of my sop County. Home rule in role as advisor to the charter Incredible tripe -C 3 “ — o O “ * ■(-§ '<* Make positive change with home rule Market Report « 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. 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