Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1996)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oreflon Wednesday, October 30, 1996 Candidates Forum an intelligent choice for the best interests of all. What is your position on • maintaining Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner? Is there : a future for the hospital? Because of the geographical location, there is no question that a hospital is needed in Heppner. What is your position concer ning the current plans to build a medical clinic in Irrigon? The medical board has al ready made the decision to do this. My personal opinion has been that we needed more trained EMTs and emergency transportation available and that we needed to provide some sort of senior transporta tion so that Ihey could continue to see the same doctors they've seen for years. However, the decision has been made and I will support it and give it every chance to work. What would you like to see changed in road maintenance or the road department? I hate to see change just for change's sake. I think we all feel that the roads everywhere should be better than they are. That is human nature. How ever, the question becomes one of paying for what we want versus what we can afford. There are just too many factors involved to have a simple answer to this question. Where there are problems, we must look at them and solve each one individually. How would you encourage the separate county depart ments to be more accountable to the public? I think the departments as a whole are trying to be accoun table. In a case where one de partment isn't, we can influ ence some positive changes with strong leadership on our part and through some budget decisions if necessary. Do you feel north Morrow County is well served in the arw* of county services? If not, how can this be rectified? I don't like this type of north- south question. It only adds fuel to a situation that doesn't need to be. For starters, Mea sure 5 put a limit on revenues and the money just isn't going to be there to meet the "wants" of everyone in the county. The commissioners will have to work hard and study each situation to be as fair as possi ble in meeting everyone's needs and not just the needs of a special group, individual or squeaky wheel, and that doesn't matter where in the county it is. How can you assist in heal ing the anger and resentment that exist between north and south county residents? I think that there is some anger between some factions in the county, but I also think that most residents of Morrow County can, do, and will con tinue to work together for a bet ter county. Representation from a wider geographical area in the county will come about as a result of this election and this should help broaden the informational base from which the commissioners make their decisions. This broader base of information for decisions is im portant for a healthy county. Should county com m is sioners be elected from districts or at-large? Why? This is a question with no easy answer. I feel that it is best for a county-wide election so that the commissioners are responsible to the county as a whole. However, with popula tion growth, there is a danger that some areas of the county may end up with no local representation. That isn't good either because we need a broad base of information in order to make sound decisions. I don't have the magic ball to give me the solution to this problem at this time. What are the other major issues facing you as a county commissioner? I see two major issues right now. One issue is the discus sion over building our own county jail or continuing to try to rent space from other jails. Renting hasn't worked well in the past because, accor ding to our sheriff's depart ment, 75 percent of the time those that should be jailed are turned loose because there is no bed space for us to rent. It isn't going to be free, but I feel that it is the obligation of the commissioners to do as much as possible to protect the good citizens of our county. A second issue is that some the the measures coming up for a vote in our general election could cause some serious fun ding and local control problems for our cities and the county and we will need someone with the time and energy to deal with these issues and Salem. I would be committed to helping our whole county in this effort. Why should the voters elect you over your opponents? There are several reasons why I, John Wenholz, should be elected. First, I am not obligated to any person or group. I will make my decisions based on the best information I can get and on what I feel is best for the needs of the coun ty as a whole. Another main reason is that I have resided in, owned a business in, and have worked in and for Morrow County for the last 23 years. As a long-time, permanent resi dent, I have a real vested in terest in us having a positive, successful county government for now and the future. I will spend w hatever time and energy it takes to ensure that we have one. BUI "Whisker BUI" Marren, 42, Boardman, has lived in the •county since 1981. Marren, who is single and has one grown child, is the former owner of "W hisker B ill's" restaurant and bar. He is now employed with the TACX hay cubing operation. M arren graduated from Caldwell Senior High School at Caldwell, Idaho. He has been involved with O peration Graduation, which is a golf tournament which raises funds for the Riverside High School's drug and alcohol-free gradua tion party. He has also work ed with Boardman Police Chief Greg Sayles on a community watch program for Boardman. What do you feel is your role as Morrow County Commis sioner? I'm not going to pretend that 1 know everything about Mor row County. Basically, I want to make decisions to decide what is best for Morrow County. As a board member, do you feel you represent the county as a whole or the area from which you were elected? Definitely as the whole coun ty. The county has to operate as an entire unit, rather than as bits and pieces of a whole How can you help accom modate the growth and in dustry, and accompanying pro blems, in the north end of the county, while maintaining quality of life in an insecure economic situation in the south end of the county? By promoting business in the north end of the county and promoting industry in the south county. The more in dustry we bring into the coun ty as a whole will increase the tax base, which will help the county operate. What do you feel is the com missioner's role in the ongoing problems concerning the Mor row County Health District? Should the health district re main as a county-wide entity or should the district be divided? I don't think all the channels have been exhausted to find a means to come up with a solu tion that will satisfy the needs of all concerned. I believe in Morrow County and want to work with the other commis sioners to find ways to main tain the quality of life here and explore all possibilities. What is your position on maintaining Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Heppner? Is there a future for the hospital? There's got to be a future for the hospital. That end of the county needs major medical care. What is your position concer ning the current plans to build a medical clinic in Irrigon? From talking to a lot of peo ple in Irrigon, they don't seem to feel a need for it. I guess I'll have to go along with the citizens of Irrigon. What would you like to see changed in road maintenance or the road department? We need more road mainten ance service to the north end of the county. How would you encourage the separate county depart ments to be more accountable SEVEN Candidates Forum to the public? Consolidate some of these different entities into one office area, if possible, and get them together so they have to work together. As far as accountabili ty to the public, the elected or appointed officials have to make themselves accessible, and people have to get involv ed in voting their opinions. Do you feel north Morrow County is well served in the area of county services? If not, how can this be rectified? With many county services we're very well covered in the north end of the county, but in many we're not. This can be rectified by letting the entire county know the problems that each community has, by open ing up lines of communication so that everyone is aware of what's going on everywhere. The past is the past. Looking toward the future of Morrow County, rather than dwelling on the past, we can open those lines and get on with keeping Morrow County a wonderful place to live. Should county com m is sioners be elected from dis tricts or at-large? Why? I believe at large. It would make it easier to represent the entire county rather than in dividual areas. What are the other major issues facing you as a county It's trick-or-treat time commissioner? Issues are out there today, most likely won't be there come January when I take office if elected. It's a matter of getting everyone together, making them look at the county as a whole, rather than looking at it as an individual person or communities. Why should the voters elect you over your opponents? I have a willingness to listen to what people want and fin ding innovative ways to make things work. 1 care about Mor row County. I choose to live here. 1 could have lived any where I wanted to. I hope Mor row County chooses me. Births Carson Matthew Morter-a son Carson Matthew was born to Roger and Carla Morter, Heppner, on Wednesday, Oc tober 16, 1996, at Kadlec Medi cal Center in Richland, Wash ington. The baby weighed 6 lbs. 4 oz. and measured I 8 V 2 " long. He joins brothers and sisters, Julie, 10, Brian, 9, Chelsie, 6 , Kailey, 4 and Preston, 2. Grandparents are Dexter and Corinne Miles, Heppner, and Perry and Kathy Morter, lone. Great-grandmother is Ethel Dunbar, Lexington, and great grandfather is Melvin Siggel- kow, Scobey, Montana. Judie Laughlin presents Heppner Elementary School children with trick-or-treat bags on behalf of Sorop- timist International of Heppner. The students are members of Karen Clough's kindergarten class. Hans Isaeh Jordan Rockwell- a son Hans Isaeh Jordan was born to Natasha and Richard Rockwell of Boardman on Oc tober 7, 19% at Good Shepherd Community Hospital in Her- miston. The baby weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. lone Youth Group help homeless Senior Luke Swanson who made his first service trip as a seventh grader, helps Lorie Sullivan hand out spoons at the door Eric Walters and Suzie Heideman sweep the floor after serving the meal at Blanchet House ed. The line waiting to get in for Seventeen lone Youth Group the free meal is usually several members and six adult leaders blocks long. The crew at Blan traveled to Portland recently for chet serves breakfast and lunch to the needy 365 days a year. a Burnside service trip. The day started early at Blan All of the food served comes chet House, where the group from store donations or is paid made preparations to serve for by private donations. Blan lunch. Because so many people chet does not depend on state are fed each day, everyone has or federal funds. "W e served a good meal of a specific task to do. The jobs included helping in the kit stew, tossed salad, bread and chen, handing out spoons at ice cre a m ," Youth Group the door, keeping the coffee leader Jeri McElligott noted. and water pitchers filled, serv "T h e people can eat as much ing the salad and stew, han as they want and a few even ding out bread and dessert and brought containers so they cleaning up and resetting the could take food with them. 1 was really proud of our kids. tables. Feeding so many people so fast "W e had a counter to keep track of how many bowls of isn't easy. They really had to stay focused and do their jobs stew we filled in the kitchen well to keep up. Everyone was and we counted 587," Youth really tired by the time we Group members Marc Orem finished." and Jake McElligott reported. The lone group stayed and Don Liebendorfer, Blanchet ate lunch with the crew, and House manager, said there then walked to O utreach aren't many places for the Ministry. Sister Maria Frances, homeless to eat on Saturdays director of Outreach, showed a because most agencies are clos- Mark McElligott and Kelly Morgan clean tables at Blanchet House video of the ministry work they ing the trip were Luke Swan do and then talked to the group son, Kelly Morgan, Steve about her commitment to help Allen, Suzy Heideman, Eric the poor. She asked the stu Walters, Patrick Eberhard, Jake dents to help the poor when McElligott, Jenny Sullivan, they become adults. "You may Marc Orem, Niki Sullivan, Tori be able to come down here and Odinet, Nikki McElligott, Am help out, or you may only be ber Miles, Mark McElligott, albe to send money. Perhaps all Miranda McElligott, Adrienne you will be able to do is to of Swanson and Korey Morgan. fer a poor person a smile or a Adult leaders participating kind word. You must do what were Virgil and Debbie Mor gan, Jim and Monica Swanson, you can d o ," she said. Youth Group members mak- Lorie Sullivan and Jeri McElli gott.
