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
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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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