Everything seems
to be Y2AOK
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Health district stops seeing
red-at least for November
Everything seems to be Y2AOK
for Heppner area businesses and
government agencies with no
computer problems reported in
the rollover to the year 2000.
"We'd been testing and had
done enough preparatory work
that of our systems went fine,"
said George Koffler, President of
the Bank of Eastern Oregon. "We
had no down time. Everything
went very smoothly."
Andrea Mortimore of Klamath
First Federal in Heppner
concurred, saying, "We had no
problems. All of our systems are
up and running and the ATM's
are fine.
Gerry Breazeale. Heppner city
manager, reported no problems
with the city's computers as did
personnel at the Morrow County
Courthouse.
The Morrow County Health
District was finally in the pink-
not the red-for the first time in
many months. The district
showed a real profit of around
$18,407 for the month of
November.
"It was a good month, said
Nicole
Mahoney,
MCHD
accounting supervisor, at the
district's regular meeting January
3 in Irrigon.
The district actually showed a
gain of around $169,000 for the
month of November, however
Mahoney said that over $ 150,600
of that was due to other revenue,
but the $18,407 was actual profit.
Up until November, the district
was losing an average of over
$50,000 a month. November's
rosy financial picture slashed the
losses to around $2,000 a month.
Mahoney and administrator
Victor Vander Does said that
while December was not as good
as November, January was
already picking up.
In addition to an increase in
patients, the district's improved
financial situation may also be
attributed to cost cutting and an
increased emphasis on collection
of past due accounts receivable
since Vander Does came on
board.
Also at the meeting, a
contingency of Irrigon residents,
patients of Sheridan Tamasky,
physician's assistant at the
district's
Irrigon
Clinic,
protested
Tarnasky's
reassignment
to
Pioneer
Memorial Clinic in Heppner.
Several of the patients attributed
their health and even their lives
to Tamasky's care and said they
would not remain as patients at
the Irrigon clinic if she left.
Several expressed concerned that
many Hispanic women did not
feel comfortable seeing a male
physician and may not return to
the clinic unless there was a
female health care provider.
The board agreed to consider
having Tamasky work at the
Irrigon Clinic more than was
initially planned, perhaps twice a
month or once a week.
Tamasky was transferred
following
the
announced
resignation of Wendy Haack,
nurse practitioner at Pioneer
Memorial Clinic and Pioneer
Memorial Hospital the end of
February. Haack intends to enroll
in medical school and says she
hopes to return to Heppner to
practice as a physician. The
district is in the process of
locating a physician's assistant or
nurse practitioner for the Irrigon
Clinic.
Tamasky lives in Heppner and
was formerly a nurse at the
Heppner clinic and hospital.
In a separate issue, the board
voted unanimously to make
public the district's contract with
Dr. Robert Boss to provide
medical services for patients in
the Boardman area. Dr. Boss,
currently practices independently
in Boardman.
Board member Sharron Meyers
earlier opposed the action, while
board Chairman Larry Mills said
he favored making the contract
public.
The issue arose when Laura
McElligott, R.N., director of the
Morrow
County
Health
Department, asked for a copy of
the contract. She received a draft
copy of the contract earlier, but
met some opposition to her
request for the final document.
McElligott, at the
January
board
meeting,
maintained that since the district
is a tax supported entity, its
finances, including Dr. Boss'
contract, should be discussed
openly. She also expressed
concern that a segment of the
population which is not able to
pay for health care may not be
adequately served by Dr. Boss’
private practice. "We want to
know what would be expected of
Dr. Boss in terms of the
community," said McElligott
Senior water
rates under
review
Back to School - Heppner elementary students were back in school Monday following Christmas
break and the beginning of a new millennium.
photo by sandi Day
Town and Country tickets going fast
Everyone planning to attend the
annual Town & Country
Chamber Awards Banquet,
Thursday, January 13, 2000, at
the Heppner Elks Club, is
encouraged to purchase tickets
ahead of time as there is no
guarantee they will be available
at the door.
Attendees will experience
"Then and Now ...A Night To
Remember" as technology takes
them from the 1890's to 2000,
accompanied with music and
narration from Ed Dailey, KORD
radio announcer.
Peterson's Jewelers will again
donate a gem for a drawing.
Morrow County's Oregon Trail
Pro-Rodeo Queen and Court will
be crowned and the annual Man,
Woman, Educator, Business and
Youth of the Year awards will be
presented.
Tickets for the prime rib
banquet are available at Klamath
First Federal, Bank of Eastern
Oregon, the Chamber of
Commerce, Morrow County
Grain Growers and Murray
Drugs. Social hour, hosted by
Morrow County Grain Growers,
is at 6 p.m.
Everyone is invited to attend the
afternoon panels provided by
Morrow County Soil and Water
Conservation District and the
Morrow County Livestock
Growers. At 1:30 p.m., the panel
will be on the Tillamook Dairy
Industry in Morrow County and
at 3 a panel will be held on the
subject open range. Both entities
will hold their annual meetings.
SWD, Livestock Growers plan annual meeting
The Morrow County Soil and
Water District and the Morrow
County Livestock Growers will
combine their annual meeting
and programs on Thursday,
January 13, at the Heppner Elks
as part of Town & Country Day.
Morrow County SWCD will
have their annual meeting at 1
p.m. and at 1:30 p.m. a panel will
follow on the emerging dairy
industry in Morrow County.
The panelists will be: Gary
Neal, Port of Morrow; Kim
Puzey, Port of Umatilla; Mike
Gamroth, OSU dairy specialist
Eric Moeggenberg, ODA-CAFO
Harold
Schild,
president
Tillamook Creamery; and Tamra
Mabbott,
Morrow
County
planner.
The Morrow County Livestock
Growers will follow with a
discussion on "Open Range" and
"Livestock Districts." Tentative
speakers will be Larry Rew
Pendleton attorney; John Hays,
OCA president; and Glen
Stonebnnk, OCA executive vice
president, membership and
administration.
Hays and Stonebnnk will be on
hand to discuss OCA issues as
we move into the next
millenium.
The MCLG’S annual meeting
will follow the afternoon
program.
"Both programs
promise to give you immediate
information
on
important
Morrow County topics," said
Claudia
Hughes,
Chamber
executive director. "We look
forward to seeing all of you
there."
Basic Word class offered
A Basic Word computer class is
being offered this winter term by
Blue Mountain Community
College beginning Thursday
evening, January 20. (This is a
(late change from the winter term
flyer.)
The class will run from 6:30-
8:30 p.m. for four consecutive
Thursdays
at
Heppner
Elementary School.
The class is designed for the
computer student who has some
experience
working
with
computers and the Microsoft.
Word program but who would
like to know more.
Those
attending the class will leam how
to make tables, columns, cut and
paste and more.
Students planning to enroll
should be familiar with basic
computer operations, including
the keyboard and use of the
mouse.
Cost of the class is $25 or $11
for those 60 and over. Pre
registration is required and space
is limited.
For more information or to pre
register, contact Anne Morter,
BMCC coordinator for South
Morrow County, 422-7040.
The Heppner City Council will
hear testimony on January 10 on
a proposed increase in water and
sewer rates for low income
seniors.
Currently seniors over age 65
who have incomes below the
federal low income level may
take advantage of a special low
rate for water and sewer service
from the city. Qualified seniors
receive water service for $3.75
per month for the first 1,000
gallons and five cents per 1,000
gallons for the next 2,000
gallons. Additional water usage
is charged at 15 cents for the next
2.000 gallons with usage above
5.000 gallons charged at 10 cents
per 1,000 gallons.
Sewer service is billed at $2.50
per month. The rate was
established in 1976 and has not
been adjusted since.
The Utility Commission
examined
the
policy
of
neighboring cities for discounted
rates for seniors for water and
sewer service for comparison to
what Heppner offers. Discounted
rates varied from none in
Pendleton to 50 percent off
normal rates for Hermiston. In
Hermiston, the discount extends
only to the first 3,000 gallons
used and usage above that is
billed at the normal rate.
After consideration of the
needs of low income seniors, the
rates of neighboring cities, and
the effects on the water system
and billing procedures the
Utilities
Commission
has
presented a new rate proposal for
city council consideration.
As proposed to city council, the
low income senior water and
sewer rate would increase
significantly. The proposed rate
is a 50 percent discount off the
current rate for the first 5,000
gallons of water used.
Additional water used above
the 5.000 gallon limit would be
billed at the normal rate,
currently set at 80 cents per
1.000 gallons.
Sewer service would be billed
at 50 percent of the normal rate
for both sewer service and the
sewer bond. Additionally, the
Utilities
Commission
is
proposing that the rate be
allowed also for persons on
medical disability who fall below
the
federal
low
income
guidelines regardless of age.
Annual applications for the
special reduced rate would be
required along with proof of
household income.
The review and proposed
adjustment of the senior low
income rate is part of a
comprehensive rate review of the
water and sewer systems. When
any rate is set below the cost of
providing service, according to
City Manager Jerry Breazeale,
the balance of the rate payers
must pay for the subsidy. In the
case of low income disabled
persons and low income seniors,
the Utilities Commission felt that
the subsidy was appropriate and
proper, Breazeale said.
Boss countered that his practice
was "private enterprise", and
added, "I think we have
socialism here." "I think you
need to look at the motives about
why people are asking (to see the
contract),” said Dr. Boss. "There
are other agendas going on here.
You (the board) weren't entirely
in favor of this contract. I wasn't
entirely in favor of this contract.
You need to look at why she's
(McElligott) pressing this issue."
However, Boss said he would
publish the terms of his contract
with the district.
Two attorneys had differing
opinions as to whether Dr. Boss'
contract with the district should
be disclosed and Morrow County
District Attorney David C. Allen
declined to offer an opinion on
the matter until after the board
had made its decision, according
to Mills.
The board previously had a
contract with Dr. Boss, but the
district and Boss could not agree
on the terms of a new contract.
In other business, the board:
-received clinic reports for the
month of December with 241
patients visiting the Irrigon
Clinic, with 22 of those new
patients; and 566 patients visiting
Pioneer Memorial Clinic m
Heppner. Vander Does said that
the Heppner Clinic is "breaking
even", but the Irrigon Clinic was
currently losing money.
The monthly ambulance report
indicated that Heppner and
Boardman had 15 each runs in
December and Irrigon had 13.
Yearly ambulance records show
Heppner with 222 total runs in
1999; Boardman, 173; and
Irrigon, 169.
-heard a request from Tom
Meyers, mayor of Boardman.
concerning the lease or purchase
of the district's now-vacant clinic
building in Boardman. The board
authorized Vander Does to
negotiate with the city of
Boardman.
-discussed a proposed contract
with Murray Drugs to provide
consulting services for an m-
house pharmacy at Pioneer
Memorial Hospital, Vander Does
said that the district should see a
40 percent or more reduction in
pharmacy costs compared to its
current arrangement.
-learned of an anonymous
donation of $25,000 with an
additional $25,000 to be received
by the district when hospital
remodeling
begins.
Mills
reported that another $50.000
gift, left to the district in a will,
will also be used for remodeling.
"It makes me feel good." said
Mills, "because it shows support
for what we're trying to do.”
-learned that Dr. Kenneth
Wenberg has resolved some
issues with the IRS and has had
"two busy holiday weekends"
working in the PMH emergency
room.
-heard a recommendation from
Vander Does that the district pay
off one large loan and extend
another until June, "hoping to
live off cash flow with money we
have." "I have a feeling we can
do it," he said.
Livestock Growers
offer reward
The Morrow County Livestock
Growers are offering a $500
reward for any information
leading to the arrest and
conviction of persons involved in
the assault of Ross Westburg,
cattle manager for the Wilkinson
Ranch, on October 29.
Anyone with any information
should call Bill Broderick,
MCLG secretary, at 676-9642
Sunday school
Youth Sunday school classes
for Hope Lutheran Church and
All Saints' Episcopal Church will
be held at All Saints' beginning
Sunday, February 6.
Classes begin at 10 a.m.
All youth are invited to attend.
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