Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1996)
... ... Reorganization of the Natural Resource~ Conse~ation Servic~ · · I The tighks:.J,g al Federal twig,t .._md the med for a dowsaizia.g al the gowm- ha seaalll:'1 IOllle sig- llll1Call~ reorganwttiOn efforts. National Performance Re- was completed in 1993for all Deputmen!5 ~d ~ , and reorgaruzation VleW objectives were established. Thne objectives are cutting red tape, putting customers first, empowering employees, and cutting back to basics. With these objectives, the U.S . De- partment of Agriculture (USDA) ltarted its reorganiza- tion, which is said to be the ''11109t .weeping change in the .. 130 ye• old Departmmt in many decades." One the USDA agencies that has had significant changes is the Natural Resource Conser- vatiol1 Service (NRCS). NRCS Chief, Paul johnaon, explained how the reorganization would impact the agency. He said, "llle USDA Reorganization of 1994 brings a new name and added responsibilitie to the former Soil Conservation Ser- vice. The vision remains the same: 'A productive nation in harmony with a quality envir- on.m ent.' In creating the new Natural Resoun:es Conserva- lion Service, we will build on the strength:, of our past 60 year history of strong partner- ships with Federal, State and local people delivering conser- vation assistance. We will ex- pand our horizons, building new partnerships and looking at our work more holistically and on an ecosystem basis. We will also be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and we will create an NRCS that not only works better, but costs less. This is the essence of what our reorganization/reinvention plan is all about. " Specific reorganimion goals are targeted at each ~vel thoughout the NRCS. The overall goal is to have 80 per- cent of the NRCS workforce at the field'level working directly with customers. This has ini- tiated an array of changes through elimination and reduc- lion of positions. In Washing- ton D.C., the four Assistant Chief positions have been eli- minated and Oivison Directors are reduced from four to three. Regionally, the reorganiza- lion has eliminated four Tech- nical Centers, which had staffs of over 300. At the state level, Mon - Fri 8:30am - 5:30pm 120 NE 3rd St. • Hermiston • 567-2008 each state office is to reduce their staff by 20 percent. These reductions have spurred the delegation of authority to be closer to the field levels. However, some of the re- sponsibilities at the national and regional levels remain necessary. Instead of eliminat- ing the positions, they were reorganized for efficiency. Five new National Resource In- stitutes were created to ensure that the NRCS keeps up with technology. These institutes are a National Soil Survey Institute (located in Portland), a Carto- graphic Institute, a Snow Sur- vey Institute, a N.ttional Em- ployee Development Institute a National Plant Materials In: stitute and a Soil Mechanics lab. Administratively, six new re- gional offices were created throughout the nation. These regional offices assist the in- dividual state offices with ad- ministrative responsibilities. Although these new institutes ~nd offices involve new posi- tions replacing some of the eliminated positions, the streamlining and delegation of responsibilities and authority is having an impact. The esti- mates are that the number of NRCS employees above the field level will be reduced by at least 50 percent. The Oregon State NRCS has been a national leader in its re- organization efforts within the state. Overall, the reduction of personnel will be from almost 200 employees in 1990 to 175 in 1996. The distribution of the workforce is also becoming closer to the field. ln 1990, there were almost 60 employees at the State Office in Portland which represented over 25 per: • Shade Trees • Pansies •Annual, • Bulbs 567-0166 • Evergreen Trees • Floweri111 Shrubs CCM1121 "Tbe Trailer Place" 8:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. Closed Sunday DON JOHNSON SALES Horse - Stock - Cargo 900 s. 9th WaJla Walla, Wa. 99362 (509) 525-1111 •Permnim •Roaes • Berries Commercial - Industrial - Agricultural Custom Fabrication Work Pipe Welding Structural Steel Fabrication Any Type of Metal Certified In All Types Of Welding Bonding - Insured Satisfaction Guaranteed 24 Hour Service - 7 Days A Week Johnson Rd. • Hermiston Spring is Here! • Fruit Trees cent of the workforce. In 1996, "Basin Team" . Within the there will only be 36 employ- basin team, each employee has ees, which will be down to the responsibilities throughout the 20 percent goal of the employ- whole basin, instead o£just the one county where their Field ees within Oregon . Oregon NRCS has also eli- Office is located. Then all the minated a middle management employees thoughout the state level by eliminating its three of Oregon are considered as Area Offices and dispersed the part of "Team Oregon", with staff from these to field offices some of the basin employees to aid in their responsibilities. having multi-basin or Oregon- Another management level wide responsibilities. Along was eliminated when Oregon with these wider responsibili- NRCS eliminated the 32 District ties, Oregon NRCS is delegat- Conservationist positions . ing expanded authority, so Then Oregon divided the state employees closer to the field into eight Watershed Basins. and customers are able to make Morrow County is in the John more timely and specific de- Day/Umatilla Basin, along with cisions. Reorganization has motivat- Umatilla, Grant, Gilliam and Wheeler counties. Basin Team ed many changes throughout Leader positions were created USDA, and specifically within to fill the necessary manage- Oregon NRCS. Changes have ment responsibilities left from included reduced budgets, the Area and District Conserva- reduced personnel and new · ways of conducting business. tionist positions. Oregon NRCS is also chang- By applying the objectives of ing the way they conduct cutting red tape, putting cus- business. Instead of a strict line- tomers first, empowering em- and-staff delegation of authori- ployees and cutting back to ty, the staff is being reorganiz- basics, NRCS_is becoming more ed into the "Team Concept" . efficient while maintaining a high level of quality service. Each basin is designated as a Colonel Jordan Rd . He.rmiston FEATHERLITE ALUMINUM 567-7235 1-800-167-7235 #5015 800-831-0875 FEAntERUfE STEEL SUNDOWNER ALUMINUM • AMERICAN HORSEMAN SOONER ALUMINUM TRAVALONG WELL CARGO CIRCLE J NORntWESTS LARGEST DEALER-SINCE 1977 MSWCD Supplemental to the Heppner Gazette-Times, April 24, 1996-Page 7 Don't, top trees • The sight of topped trees is all too common in the com- munities and along the road- ways of America-trunks with stubby limbs standing naked in the landscape, trees stripped of all dignity and grace. Topping is more than an assault on beauty; it causes unnecessary stress and increased risk to the tree's health. It is also a self- defeating exercise usually not worth the expense, and the re- sults pose a danger from rot and weakly attached regrowth. Greenup new District Whnn • dnr.lt1lo11 111 ,11ad., to ,,_111c:., lh., 111r . ., of an old"r frnt,, II can 1,., h•ps-d , or II c: an 1,., prun"d pro1,.,rly. /\IHuou,ch 1t,., "l"'"d and 11ah1r., of rfl,Crowlh wlll d"t"'nd on "l"":l.,11 and loc~al lac:lor11, any c:01n1••rl11on or lrn,9po1111lhl., ... ,,.,111,c 1111. r.ompc,lc,nl prunln,C wlll t,., :-ton1nli11u•t1 l"H'utlo ,,,.,. ,, "P'"'l'1fl lu,., •••tf••r--.•nt lr1111• lur 1hr •u•ltH•c~IH n of ......... . 1( tlr'"f• 18 a n111111•·• 111nllr,y of Myuouyuu1 • Swhhu•,c • 11,.,,-,., 11111111 • llr•1llnl( • • drama lie. 11,•11111111( '"'' k • Stuhhinl( olT · Topping r) I "1'1""111 ufl • , ....... , .... ,111 • •~•1'1'"'111 Pruning Year 1 manager On May 1, 1994, Janet Green- up became the new Morrow Soil & Water Conservation Dis- trict manager. She replaced former manager, Jerry Ander- son, who moved to Colorado. Greenup is no stranger to the duties and responsibilities of the job. She came to the Mor- row ~WCD in 1980, working half-time as district clerk. In 1989, she became office manag- er and went to full-time. As district manager, Janet will work with other federal and s~ate agencies in planning and implementing resource conservation programs for agri- cultural, recreational, commer- cial, residential and communi- ty purposes. She also searches out and located additional fun- ding sources to help cover the cost of local conservation pro- jects. She keeps the SWCD Board apprised of these pro- jects and keeps all pertinent records. Beginning in 1995, she began W<.'rking closely with the Natural Resources Conserva- tion Service (formally SCS) in determining eligibility calcula- tions for CRP. Greenup is right at home in Morrow County. The daughter of Bill and Pat Gentry, she gr~w up in Heppner and grad- uated from Heppner High During the fall of 1994, the School. Janet and her husband Oregon Department of Fish Greg have four daughters: and Wildlife initiated a new ac- Amy, 22, Sara, 19, Kathleen, 14 cess program that allows public and Kelsey, 11. access to private lands for the purpose of hunting upland gamebirds. Under the guidelines of the HUNTING SIGNS cooperative access program (CAP), the landowners sign a agreement with ODFW, their property is posted prior to the Gazette-Times season, the property is patroll- 676-9228 ed during the season and at the 11,e topped tree is an Uf!ly s•ut, and a rcnuuon• or a onr.t- lovely tree If .,.·un.-,1 properly, Biz.e i8 reduced l,ut fonn and beauty are retained Year 3 Vlgoroue eprouta hawe aprung out or the topped tree In larp numbere and are growll\8 with abnonnal npkllty. TIMI pruned tree adde pwth more elowly and mon, nonnaUy dlatributed. Year6 In • relatively at-1 tl111e, llwi tQflllfld tree ie H tall - and far buehier and mo.-.: d•nf'emue - than it wH to begin w11h. The pro,~rly IJf'Unefi ,,_ ie 11arer. m<•nt hc,n11til11l, an,1 It•.;,..., 1 ... ttr.r ,:c,111 n,11.,cl ODFW-Cooperative Access Program Get Your HERE ,. conclusion of the hunting season, the landowners receive a payment of .50/acre for lands that provide upland gamebird hunting. The .SO/acre payment can be used to improve upland gamebird habitat or may be taken as a direct cash payment. Last year, six landowners were involved in the program and approximately 19,000 acres of private land were opened for public hunting. The CAP was expanded this past fall and now involves 13 and/or phone numbers are not landowners and approximate- given to the public. The hunt- ly 43,000 acres in Morrow and ers are expected to locate the Gilliam counties. Landowners . areas and then 9eelc permission have opted to use either a or use the Welcome to Hunt " Hunting by Permission,., or a areas. Landowners that allow " Welcome to Hunt" program public access do receive liabili- to accommodate public access ty protection under ORS for the hunting of upland 105.655. gamebirds. If you are interested in the Due to the concerns of over- program, contact Bob Krein o.- use and overcrowding, maps of Russ Morgan in Heppner at the various areas are not distri- 676-5230. buted and landowners' names -
