» • - # . I - I ' X ..-;- <V • -1 j ’I ;• *#.- v ; v ' i v h V i • v r j t • . ' . * i >, • * • - .'- t • *. V 4 . '' » -” •,, s ' ; % .» r , r * 1 , Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 6,1998 - NINE tetters to the Editor Editor's note: Letters to the Editor must be signed. The Gazette-Times w ill not publish unsigned letters Please include your address and phone number on all letters for use by the G -T office. The C -T reserves the right to edit. Marshall can meet all demands of job To the Editor: Republican voters in Morrow County have an important deci sion to make this May 19 when they cast their vote for Morrow County Judge. There seems to be so many choices that it can seem very confusing. Some of you, for whatever reason, have already made your choice, but I know many o f you are still thinking about who you should vote for. l et me give you some good rea sons to cast your vote in support o f Rollie Marshall. Rollie has shown his commit ment to this county and its citi zens through many hours of com munity service. From his work with the youth through Heppner Christian Church, Little League and his chairmanship of the Mor row County Home Rule Commit tee, he has always stepped for ward when there was a job that needed to be done. He has the experience in work ing with finances to efficiently run a $14,000,000 county budget in a sound, responsible way. He has shown over the years his involvement with and com mitment to the youth o f our county. We need a judge that under stands youth and can work with them to help produce more re sponsible, caring young adults for our future. If you look at all things we need in a county judge, 1 think you will see that Rollie is the only candidate that can meet all the demands of the job. So, on May 19, please think over your responsibility as a vot ing citizen of Morrow County and cast your vote for a man that will do us all proud as our judge- Rollie Marshall. (s) Steve and Luanne Brownfield Heppner Those who oppose have the least to lose To the Editor: Hats off to Meg Murray-your letter to the editor in last week’s Gazette-Times hit the nail on the head. I have lived in Heppner for 46 years, my husband has been here for 14. My parents, who are re tired, still live here, as do my brother and his family, my two children, and my grandchild. In today’s society, many families are unable to live and work in the same communities. For the last 19 years, I have been employed at Pioneer Memo rial Hospital and, like many, de pend on Heppner’s businesses for FAX Send or Receive Gazette-Times 676-9211 my job. If we don’t do something to bring growth to Heppner, our business district will not survive. We need people who live and work in this community. I believe the Youth Accountability Camp is a good thing for Heppner. It will provide jobs and new fami lies moving to Heppner. We will still have a wonderful town and a good place to raise children. I hope someday to be a part of Heppner’s retirement population, but I have at least 15 more years to work. I would like to do that here and still have a community to retire in. I am not a politically motivated person, nor am I a public speaker, but think about what’s good for Heppner 10 or 15 years down the road and decide your own future. It appears those who oppose the most have the least to lose. (s) Chris Lewis Heppner 'Dr. 'Donald J. Carlson ‘foot Specialist £ * 3 j P will be at the Pioneer Memorial Clinic on May 13 th for the diagnosis and treatment of all foot problems Heppner Hermiston 676-5504 567-8750 KING FOR A JOB? Then you can't miss the 1998 Blue Mountain Community College Regional Jobs Fair! Thursday, May 7, 4 to 7 p.m., HERMISTON COMMUNITY CENTER The Jobs Fair is offered to the public free of charge. Employers from throughout the region will be recruiting for a number of exciting job positions, which may include: e le c tric ia n s c o n s tru c tio n w o rk e rs b a n k te lle rs c o m p u te r o p e ra to rs m a c h in is ts s e c u rity a u a rd s c a sh ie rs c o rre c tio n s o ffic e rs Ir r lir a t c r s e q u ip m e n t o p e ra to rs c le ric a l w o rk e rs a o o o u n tln fl c le rk s m e c h a n ic s tr u c k d r iv e r s a n d m o re ! The Jobs Fair is cosponsored by Umatilla/Morrow Workforce Committee Regional Chambers of Commerce & Hermiston Foods, Inc. For more information call BMCC at: 541 / 278-5933 Come and visit Heppner, but don't stay To the Editor: Cheers and congratulations to Mike Armato for his information on the plans to locate a youth accountability camp in Heppner. Even though a siting committee suggested a 50-bed facility, what assurance does Heppner have of that? Is there any security set in stone that it won't become like the East Oregon Correctional Facility in Pendleton, which opened with about 350 prisoners and now houses about 1,500? Since the state requires 30 acres for such an establishment, why did they ask for two and a half to three acres? Armato was also concerned about the cost to the county of constructing the camp, including site preparation, in letters of support, "...the county and port have committed more than $172,000 to the project." Judge Louis Carlson pledged "$50,000 in tippage fees for purchase of the land and infrastructure." "The county also has pledged money for road construction, pipe and sewer work.” "...port of Morrow has promised to lay the sewer and water pipe at a cost of $33,000." My point is that taxpayers should most certainly be allowed to vote on this whole project. In the April 25 EO, it was stated that no tax revenue would be generated. The whole deal could detract from the desirability of our area. A much more desirable project to promote would be the assisted living facility that has been recently talked about. A home for the elderly who cannot maintain a home of their own but who are not in need of hospital care for the elderly. Let's promote a peaceful home in Heppner for people who are retiring from work and wish to get away from the hubbub, crime and violence of the city. We are at a dead end, with no train or bus in or out, but we have peace, quiet, and safety to offer. Very little crime and violence. The lake for fishing and water sports, the mountains nearby. We have rodeo in the fall and the big St. Patrick’s Celebration in the spring for all ages to enjoy. It was mentioned that the youths could do free work for the community. To take work from our local young people does not make sense to me. Our kids need the summer jobs and need to leam to work and to leam how to earn money. Both of my kids worked and helped to get themselves through college. I'm wondering how many of you people read in the EO April 6 of three juveniles who had fled from the Idaho youth detention facility. They stole a 1987 Ford FI 50 pickup truck that had been stolen during an armed robbery in Baker County. Just before 6 p.m., an Oregon State Police Trooper spotted the wanted vehicle about 20 miles east of Bums. The owner of Ranch Meats assisted the police by detaining the juveniles at gun point. The three juveniles, ages 17, 16 and 14, were identified as escapees from a youth correctional ranch in Rupert, Idaho. In 1920,1 was 11 years old, and it was customary to have girl slumber parties in the back yards. I had many at my home on Main Street. We didn't have a worry or a care about fear of anything. In the wee hours o f the morning, when the notion struck us, we would ride up Main Street and around town on our bicycles in pajamas. If we wanted to go swimming in the night, we headed for the first old swimming tank at the upper end of town, where Willow Creek comes in, climbed the high board fence and had a swim party. I feel as safe to travel alone any time of day or night now as I did then. Please, let's keep it that way. (s) Lois Winchester Heppner P.S.: We should tip our hats in honor of the wise old far-seeing Governor Tom McCall when he said, "Come to visit and enjoy our great state, but don't stay." We should promote tourism, too. Public officials not upfront about camp To the Editor: Whether you are in favor or oppose the youth accountability "boot camp" in Heppner - one thing is certain - our county and city elected public officials failed to be honest, up front and communicate openly with the citizens they represent. For instance - the city of Heppner's application to the state corrections department was submitted in December with an amendment in January, however a public hearing was not held until Feb. 12. Consequently a video promo tape was already completed by the city. Both the application and tape were presented to the state without knowledge or general approval of local citizens. When asked why the public was not informed, the elected officials said there was no time. I can assure you the town of lone knew about the possible camp idea in August of last year. A public meeting was held similar to the one the town of Lexington held a year earlier on a similar prison site. Both lone and Lexington leaders felt an obligation to their community to inform them about such an important proposal right from the beginning. Public support was important and vital in making their decision whether or not to pursue the application process. After attending the public meetings in February and March and reading the actual application and viewing the promo video, I have come to these conclusions. - Public input was not welcome or wanted. - Elected officials would not tell the public what was in the actual application. - Public questions were not answered correctly either on purpose or by mistake. - The proposed application promises an open check book from city and county taxpaying funds. These public officials have an obligation to keep their citizens informed and to be truthful and accountable for their decisions. We deserve better than what we received in Heppner's handling for the "proposed boot camp" because we are the taxpaying community these elected officials represent. Isn't a wonder, why we lose respect and trust from our leaders. (s) Marcia Kemp Lexington Speak up about youth camp To the Editor: Many Letters to the editor have been written, pro and con, concerning the possibility of the proposed Youth Accountability Camp being located in Heppner, but several of the more recent G U Y V A N A R S D A LE Morrow County Judge “Committed to Quality Government Services fo r All o f Morrow County ” • Morrow County Resident and Businessman for 31 years • • Morrow County Public Works Director for 3 years • • Familiar with the Morrow County Budget • J V’ VO TER! Through an error, G uy's inform ation tran o m itted fr o m the Voter»' Pam phlet. P leate consider this in form ation a n d vote fo r G U Y VANARSDALE. Pout for by ih* Commutet to Elect Guy VanAndaLf Morrow County Judgr, Lexington, 97839 ________ ones spelled out in detail why the public truly needs to express their negative concerns before any final decision is made. It is up to each of us to become as fully informed as possible about the long-term effects this will have on the community. Once the camp becomes a reality there is no turning back; it will be here for a long time to come. Now is the time to speak up. I fully recognize the need for such facilities, but there are also other needs in our community that should be addressed first. Where are all the offers of help for the assisted living facility that is so badly needed in this area? Chanty begins at home. (s) Virginia Wilkinson Heppner W e P r in t Business Cards Gazette-Times 676-9228 . * . . • ,1 - ' .. * . T".. • Be glad for opportunity To the Editor: I'm not a speaker or a letter writer, but I feel what I have to say needs to be heard, We, as a community, need to look at the big picture. The Youth Accountability Camp, not a prison, is a great opportunity for all of us as human-beings . The youth of today needs everyone's support and nurturing. Some are not receiving it . All children need to be nurtured. If they don't get it they are lost. My husband and I have lived and worked in Heppner for nearly 20 years . We plan to retire here. We have raised three wonderful young men, whom we are very proud of. Unfortunately not all children are raised with values and great expectations to work for and strive for a great life . These children are the ones who fall by the wayside and are lost to all of us through crime . The youth camp will give some a chance to turn their lives around, to become the good and accountable citizens w'e all should be. Let’s not put our heads in the sand because we feel they are not our responsibility. They are. We all are or should be responsible nurturing adults. Life doesn't stop when we've raised our family. It's a continuation of life. Let's open our hearts, help the youth, all youth of today grow into our hopes of tomorrow. The economic potential is there, also. Our businesses are not all that secure. Some are struggling just to make ends meet. Some businesses are downsizing or cutting back on hours just to stay running. Maybe they won’t be buying locally, maybe they will. There are no guarantees. It could be jobs for some locally. They could bring in all of their own people. But, with these people come their spouses and their children. We need to grow. We may never know unless it comes to be Few of us know if our jobs will be there for us tomorrow, much less five or 10 years down the road. Let's not let this window of opportunity pass us by. Another chance may never come around again. We don’t want Heppner to dry up and blow away. We do have and will have a community we can be proud of. We can't live on what lfs and maybes, or I wish we would have. Instead let's be glad of this opportunity . A Community Member Like Everyone Else, (s) Cheme K. Clark Heppner ,x :V - S . .**. ' ' . .. v i.'/? / . . . . « - ■ ’.“'.èî, ••-»Z. *3 • f-.r' v / V r 'y~ - V . ' ' * ‘.h >• ■ • t • ■# : ■ ' \ •.» v .-I • , • . . . - r . v ♦ ■*•*•.* ’ V* ’ ■ **' • • • 7 *• ' '• - ^ •• »‘‘1 V t- . K. -. Lundquist taking lessons from Clinton To the Editor: "If you don't like the message, kill the messenger." Bill Clinton and his damage control squad has this down to a science. Every individual who has criticized President Clinton has been the target of Herculean efforts to discredit him/her. Lynn Lundquist has been taking lessons from Clinton and his "spear-catchers". Tan Hermens, a challenger for the House District 59 seat presently held by Rep. Lundquist has had the audacity to question his truthfulness and the protection squad has descended on her like a cloud of locusts. Letters to editors and speeches at candidate forums by some of the prominent Republican spokesmen from Baker City in defense of Lynn or attacking Tan, or both, are coming thick and fast. The Oregonian pretty much started it all with an article suggesting Lynn may have a "forked tongue". I seem to remember that a congressman was accused by the Oregonian of lying about events 45 or 50 years ago, and I don’t remember any of the current crop of "Republican Leaders" coming to his defense. Is there, perhaps, a bit of hypocrisy here? (s) Jim Pellissier Baker City -wV - ' * ' - ; '» more, I believe that these funds should positively touch every strata of our county, from youth programs to senior centers and social events. I support the youth o f the county and believe we should be looking at projects which are more focused on deterring our juvenile problems. 4-H projects, swimming complexes, summer sports programs for our youth and mentors for our at-nsk youth and families would be my primary method of choice for curbing ju venile crime. (s) Keith Lewis Heppner . — Can-t support youth camp To the Editor: As a candidate for Morrow County Judge, I am unable to sup port the proposed Youth Ac countability Camp in its present form. I support positive economic development for Heppner and all of the communities of Morrow County. H ow ever, even the state’s own siting committee has stated that “this project is not eco nomic development.” As a matter of principle, I am not in favor of committing large sums of county money without a consensus of the people. Further V ' . t . .'■* . x. „ ■ v r- 1 "ir - ' > / * *• * * -.V _ v — . r' s- 1 . ï -, - • j-, . , *5 ' • • ^ ‘ r - ' ' -, > . '>.* ,v . •' \ >' j ' „V*- - , • ri . - ordinated and rescued a difficult session. We could not find a better per son with the conviction and people skills that Lynn has. East ern Oregon and the entire state need him in Salem. He deserves your vote. (s) Ken Turner Heppner ■v.,?.; v - y -■ Re-Elect Charlotte S. Gray Sr ’ •* \ ii v /.v; •. >••• - Justice of the Peace *' 0 22 years judicial experience and knowledge 0 Most efficient use of tax dollars 0 Proven honesty and integrity 0 Fair and impartial justice Ï '.¿V. - r *■" „ Paid by Charlotte S Gray. PO Box 1022. Heppner. OR 97836 iff * ' mumm - ' ■ ‘v. , ..- L i I . ~ - - • l’ .• •ns *■ J J 3 ' - .W ■ Lundquist exactly what we need To the Editor: Lynn Lundquist is exactly what we need at the legislature. Elected speaker of the house by his peers, he got things done in a tough partisan world. He played a critical role in forging an education package, other key legislation and along with a balanced budget, Lynn co . - 7At, .1 '. v- 1