Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 1997)
o 'if. . ,< i U w M . ->■ '- •■'■••* • * . V * . - 1 ;} ;• -'I' £ » ; T-w-rZf', .. N it U i V s yf* . f '. V? - - ; • * . * . » •, . * 4, • _ *, , . « jr • • ‘ . . ’ • ! Measure 50 gives out tax bases í! S ! HEPPNER 50 < imes As a result of Ballot Measure 50, Morrow County has, in effect, been granted a new permanent $4 million tax base. According to Morrow County Judge Louis Carlson and Morrow County Assessor Greg Sweek, because of BM50, the county's $4 million one-year serial levy will now be permanent, unless voters amend or repeal Ballot Measure 50 in the future. County voters have defeated increases to the county's $1 million tax base since it was voted in around 1911. Morrow County Clerk Barbara Bloodsworth says that an increased tax base has been put up before the voters about every other year since she began working for the county in 1968. According to information released by the Oregon State Legislative Revenue Office, for 1997-98 the county would have received $4,018, 091 in tax collections under Ballot Measure 5; $3,427,717 under Ballot Measure 47; and will receive $3,518,506 with compression under BM50. Compression is the method by which each taxing district gets a proportionate amount of tax monies under the Ballot Measure 5 taxing cap of $10 per thousand assessed valuation. Morrow County Judge Louis Carlson said, however, that the county has had to trim around $450,000 from their budget and will have a hard time making ends meet because of BM50's three percent limitation on valuation increases. "If the value (of county property) declines," said Sweek. "They could collect less. We've been in slumps before. It's just a matter of time before it happens again.” Taxing entities were previously able to increase their tax bases annually by six percent automatically without a vote of the people. Willow Creek Park District's three-year operating levy for the swimming pool now under construction in Heppner and the Morrow County Unified Recreation District's three-year levy, to fund school athletics and cultural programs county-wide, will also become permanent as a result of BM50. Voters in 1995 passed a levy for $36,000 a year to operate the pool. That amount is expected to be reduced to around $26-28 thousand a year with compression, says Willow Creek Park District Board member Skip Mathews. Morrow County Unified Recreation District passed a levy in 1995 for $450,000 a year. MCURD would have received $470,638 under BM5; $401,488 under BM47; and will receive $412,122 with compression under BM50. The city of Heppner, however, did not fare so well under BM50. The $95,000 levy city voters passed last year to fund an additional policeman and other services will be negated by BM50. The city is the only taxing entity in the county to receive less rather than more under 50, as compared to 47. The city would have received $210,000 in tax monies under Ballot Measure 5; $240,568 under BM47; and will receive $184,037 under 50. The Heppner City Council met with Morrow County Commissioners Wednesday night to see if the county could or would rectify the city's situation. The commissioners stressed that the city's loss in funds was not caused by any action on the part of the county and that the county's gam of over $90 thousand was not money taken from the city. Heppner City Manager Gary Marks countered by saying that although the county's additional funds were not technically taken from the city, the money the city lost was, indeed, gained by the county. Marks earlier testified to the Oregon Senate Revenue Board in Salem in hopes of rectifying the city's situation. He said that he believed the reinstatement of city funds to be only a formality but county commissioners Ray French and John Wenholz showed up to testify against the city's proposal to have the funds returned to the city's coffers and state officials hesitated to make any adjustments if they encountered opposition. County commissioners agreed to unite with the city in hopes of persuading the state revenue committee in finding a state-wide solution to the city's financial problems. -v ■<* ' •• •* • í ¿ • ' \ A -- -* _ »*#» c T T __ T,. -*J “ .T /' ,- . /r >v, '-v •; :*’)■ ~ :* .. • •• .... r - • Tullís, Cannon Grand Marshals of 4th festivities VOL. 116 NO. 26 8 Pages Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 25,1997 Berdine Tullis (left) and Laural Cannon to head up lone 4th festivities Two leaving Kinzua Willow Creek Park District President Skip Matthews prepares to place a time capsule in the floor before concrete is poured in the multi-use swimming pool room at the Willow Creek Park District Aquatics Center. The capsule, which contains memorabilia, will be opened in 2050. The Willow Creek Park District Aquatic Center, under construction now in Heppner, is expected to be completed by July 18. Downtown project update lone Library to every building front so you Project manager for the can see how their entrance Heppner downtown renovation way will fit the new sidewalks. project reported this week that Anyone with questions there is some delay in the should contact the Weaver project. headquarters across from A1 Frye o f Weaver Miller's Mini Mart. The phone Construction said that some number is 676-5766. If Frye is design problems with the not available ask for Hank placement o f the storm sewers Rodman. and sidewalk elevations are All those who are interested causing a slow down in work. or have concerns are also He said these problems invited to attend the weekly would have to be worked out meetings o f the contractors between Weaver Const, and ‘ every Monday at 11 a.m. at Oregon Department o f Yaws Restaurant. Transportation. It was also reported that the Frye stressed that anyone contractor will begin work on who anticipates a problem the shamrock symbol that will near their business related to be placed on Main street at the the project should contact him intersection o f Main and right away before work goes Willow streets. Traffic will be any further. He urged store diverted around that owners to go out and talk to intersection in the near future. the workers that may be Other intersections and side examining their sidewalk. The streets will periodically be contractor will mark the closed as actual construction is elevation o f each sidewalk on being done in that area. I hold reading program The lone Public Library will hold its summer reading program again this year. This year’s theme is “Books and Beyond-Hobbies and Interests for Life.” This year’s scheduled activities in clude collection development and display, game making, lifesports, arts and crafts, and more. The program will be held at the library from 9-11 a.m. each Tues day, from Tuesday, July 8 to Tuesday, August 12. All inter ested children ages three to 11 are welcome to attend this free pro gram. The program is also looking for youth/adult volunteers (ages 12 and up) to help with projects and reading activities. For more information about the program or volunteering, contact Michelle Raible (after June 22) at 422-7037. H eavy D uty RUBBER BED MATS For M ost Pickup Trucks — available a t *W < J! MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWER! Lexington 989-8221 1 -800-452-7396 Berdine Tullis and Laural Cannon have been chosen grand marshals o f this year's lone Fourth of July Celebration. Tullis, a longtime resident o f lone, worked for the Morrow County Extension for 20 years is a member o f the lone Topic and Garden clubs. She is a master gardener. Berdine and her husband Garry has two sons, Mark and Tim and three grandchildren. Cyd, Til and Ryon. Laural is a lifelong resident o f lone, worked at the post office for 21 years and is active in the church auction, and the lone Booster Club. Her husband’s name is Pete and they have two girls, Cathy Halvorsen and Arlene Cannon, and one boy Terry, they also have two grand children Allison and Ryan Halvorsen. The lone Fourth o f July celebration is bigger and better than ever this year with the addition o f the first annual Red, White and Blues Festival. The festival will feature the famous Paul de Lay band, Jimmy Lloyd Rea and the Switchmasters, and Li'l Lynne and the Smokin' Soles. There will also be a parade, games, arts and crafts fair, with BBQ and microbrews. Families sought Pat Hyatt (left) and Donna Moeller leaving Kinzua Kinzua. Pat and Wayland have three children a daughter Theresa Moms, two sons Travis and Troy and four granchildren. Also leaving Kinzua but not retiring is Donna Moeller. Moeller started with Kinzua in 1986 as a log and payroll clerk. Over the years she has done accounts payable and been a stats person also. She and her husband Chuck have purchased a home in Hermiston and are moving there. Chuck works for US West and since the buyout by PTI he has worked out of the Hermiston office. Their daughter Lome graduated from Heppner High this year, and they also have one son Mark who works for the forest service. Chuck and Donna moved to the Heppner from Baker in 1976. Moeller says she plans to look for work in the Hermiston area. When Pat Hyatt leaves her desk for the last time June 30 , it will be more than just the end of a job ■ for the long-time Kinzua employee. It will also be the end of a way of life. Hyatt is one of the dwindling number of Kinzua employees who grew up in the shadow of the Kinzua mill. Her father worked for Kinzua, she lived, grew up and met her husband in the town of Kinzua, and she has worked for the company for the past forty years. "I started with the company in 1957," says Hyatt. "I was hired as a log and payroll clerk." She moved to Heppner when the Kinzua offices relocated here in 1975 and she has been the office manager and accountant for the past 30 years. She and her husband Wayland, who retired earlier after 43 years with Kinzua, are moving to Sheridan where "we have a home on the hill and we're just going to watch the deer and the Elk, and Park D istrict relax." she says. But not until after she and her husband return meeting changed from an all expense paid trip to The July meeting of the Wil London, courtesy of Pioneer low Creek Park District has been Resources, a retirement gift from changed to Wednesday, July 9 at the company that now owns 7 p.m at lone City Hall. for exchange / : • - - >«. -V * -v » . Cathy H alvorsen, lone, is “bringing the world” to the Mor row, Umatilla and Gilliam county area one international student at a time. Halvorsen is a volunteer area representative for ASSE Interna tional Student Exchange, a non profit, public benefit organiza tion. The “primary goal of ASSE is to contribute to international understanding by enabling for eign students to learn about the United States through active par ticipation in family, school and community life” said a ASSE press release. Halvorsen will interview fami lies in the area to host high school students from Australia, New Zealand, former Soviet Union re publics and many European, Asian, and South American coun tries. The students stay with vol unteer host families for an aca demic year and arrive with com prehensive insurance and their own spending money. Call Halvorsen at 422-7107 for more information on becoming an ASSE host family, or call 1-800- 733-2773. *•> »••• J " V*. , ' •»■ • ? x •* ■ ■ v J J > ;• i I '< E S*’ * *vl . '* -'* ■ * -, .•> * - 'V o ' . ■ ' .. . ' . ■ ' - • ^ ’ V sc- - . 'H .t *.; i • * * - , . 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