School board seeks input for tax levy
Ba3a 13 " e t s o l l
u o f J La.-.api;: ; r L i b r a r y
Cusano, 03 97403
VOL-119_____ NO. 9______8 Pages
Wednesday, March 1,2000_____ Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Trail Band to entertain during St. Pat's
The Morrow County
School District Board of
Directors Monday night invited
the community to the table, but
many at the meeting weren't sure
whether they wanted to partake.
For some, the suggestion that
they help the board was tough to
swallow.
The board had scheduled a
workshop to get the community
involved in decisions concerning
a proposed "local option tax."
The tax, if approved by county
voters, could put $500-600
thousand back into the district's
ailing bottom line.
The
district saw a $1 million budget
shortfall for next year and
approved $992,000 in cuts,
mostly in teaching staff, at their
regular meeting at Sam
Boardman Elementary School
Valentine’s
Day,
despite
opposition from a majority of
over 200 people in attendance
Teacher cuts included 4-1/3
full-time teachers at Heppner
Elementary School; 3-1/2 at
Heppner Junior/Senior High
School; 2-1/3 at lone Schools; 2
each
at
A.C.
Houghton
Elementary in Imgon and Sam
Boardman Elementary and
Riverside High School in
Boardman; and one at Columbia
Middle School in Imgon.
Additional cuts included
funding
for
a
half-time
superintendent and a half-time
business manager at the district
office, both of which will be
funded by Morrow-Umatilla
ESD as a way to bring their
spending in Morrow County in
line with ESD services provided
elsewhere in their district; 1-1/4
time office assistant and 1/2 time
custodian.
The board asked those
attending the workshop Feb. 28
to provide input as to what
should be put back if the local
option passes.
However, the view of many
who commented at the meeting
could be summarized as, "You
didn't listen to us when we told
you we didn't want classroom
teachers cut and now you say
you want our help. How do we
know you'll listen to us now?"
and "You can't pass the local
option tax without our support."
After numerous comments,
the group got down to work and
table by table came up with
recommendations for use of the
local option tax monies. Most of
the recommendations included
hiring back classroom teachers as
a first priority, replacing vo-ag
and Spanish programs and
electives at the senior high level
and art, PE and counseling
positions at the elementary level.
Maintaining low student/teacher
ratios
was
also
deemed
important.
One group advocated the use
of satellite and college level
courses as a way to help increase
electives and advanced courses
for high school students.
Tables were divided into
community groups, with area site
councils
and
advisory
committees seated together, thus
resulting in recommendations
that cuts not be made at their
particular schools. However,
commented George Naims,
Heppner, a member of the
Heppner-Lexington
Advisory
Committee, "We are a school
district in different communities.
We are a school district. We are
one."
Cuts were also advised in
administration
and
in
administration's use of district
vehicles.
Morrow County Assessor Greg
Sweek told the audience that he
estimated that if the district
wanted to raise $500 thousand in
taxes they would have to levy $1
million. The resulting tax would
come from the difference
between assessed and market
value. Sweek said that the brunt
of the tax levy would fall on the
shoulders of farm and residential
property owners, since the
assessed and market values for
much industrial property is
equal.
The board said that if the levy
does not pass in May, they will
put the local option tax levy back
before the voters in November.
However if the local option does
not pass in May, the resulting
taxes will not be able to be
included in the 2000-2001
budget.
Passage of the
local option in May will require
a majority of at least 50 percent
of the registered voters. Passage
in November will require only a
majority of those voting.
Another workshop is scheduled
for Tuesday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
at Columbia Middle School in
Imgon.
Time to think about
St. Patfs Parade
St. Patrick's Day is less than
three weeks away and it's time to
start thinking about your entry
for the great Heppner St.
Patrick's Day Parade Saturday,
March 18, beginning at 1 p.m.,
right after the races.
Cash prizes and ribbons will
be awarded for the top entries in
each parade entry category and
there are many to choose from.
"We're looking for Irish floats,
characters, groups, musical
groups, cars, bikes, golf carts,
and more," said parade chairman
Bob Kahl. "The chances look
very good that if it's at all 'Irish',
there's a place in the parade."
For an entry form or
information about the parade,
stop in at Van Marter & Kahl
Insurance or call Kahl at 676-
9113 days, 676-5422 evenings.
Police warn about seat belt use
The Heppner Police
Department's 3 Flags Safety Belt
Campaign showed a 90 percent
seat belt compliance for the city
of Heppner and its citizens.
On February 10, Heppner
Police issued 30 seat belt
warnings, two speeding warnings
and citations for no operator's
license, driving uninsured and
switched license plates. One
vehicle was towed.
A second survey was
conducted Feb. 24. with 96
percent compliance.
The department used 33
overtime hours in the campaign.
Lundquist makes Heppner stop on
Secretary of State election run
Trail Band
The Trail Band, an eight-piece
ensemble with five vocalists,
including Rindy Ross, formerly
of Quarterflash, will play in
Heppner on Saturday, March 18,
from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the
Heppner Elementary gym.
Their concert, which will
feature two sets, "Lewis &
Clark" and "Immigrant Dreams,"
is sponsored by the Morrow
County Unified Recreation
District, the IOOF Lodge and the
Heppner St. Patrick's Committee.
The band has performed for
"hundreds" of public and private
appearances across America and
Japan, in addition to releasing
five albums. "Comet, tenor horn,
tuba, fiddles, hammer dulcimer,
guitars, penny whistle, mandolin,
piano, saxophone, spoons, bones,
drums, bass and recorders
combine with their rich vocal
harmonies to create diverse
tapestry of sound inspired by
music of 19th century America,"
said a release.
The band was formed in 1991
by Marv Ross at the request of
the Oregon Trail Council and
initially
performed
music
exclusively from and about the
era of the Oregon Trail with
costumes,
diary
readings,
traditional folk tunes, marches,
hoedowns and Native American
melodies.
In 1998, the band presented a
new
show
and
album,
"Immigrant Dreams," featuring
music and stones of those who
came west to Amenca from
Ireland, Scotland, Romania,
Mexico, France, Spam, Greece
and other countnes dunng the
turn of the century. Music
includes Romanian dances,
Greek street songs, Mexican
polkas, reels from Ireland,
Scottish ballads, Puerto Rican
holiday songs and four original
songs inspired by the migration
experience.
In November of 1999, The
Trail Band debuted its new show
and accompanying album of
music from the Lewis & Clark
era. Interspersed with music will
be narration including excerpts
from the journals of Lewis and
Clark, Thomas Jefferson's letters,
quotes from tribal leaders and
period newspaper articles. A
number of rare instruments from
the period will also be
demonstrated, including the
serpent, the flageolet, the
dudelsack and the sausage
bassoon.
Children attending the concert
are to be accompanied by adults.
lone boys b-ball team earns
academic award
a plaque in honor of outstanding
scholastic achievement.
Additionally, Dairy Farmers of
Oregon help recognize the
achievement of the top 10 teams
in each classification by
providing each student a "Top
Ten" lapel pin.
The lone Lady Cardinals earned
recognition for placing fourth in
the top 10 this winter with a
grade point average of 3.78.
The Big Sky was well
represented with the Griswold
High School girls' basketball
team placing first with a GPA of
3.89. Heppner Lady Mustangs
also placed eighth in the top 10
with a GPA of 3.69.
The Oregon School Activities
Association, in conjunction with
the Oregon Dairy Farmers,
announced on Wednesday, Feb.
16 that the lone High School
boys' basketball team has been
awarded the Dairy Farmers of
Oregon Academic All-state
Awards.
The lone men earned this
award for having a grade point
average of 3.85.
This is the third year the
Oregon Dairy Farmers have
extended their support to
recognize excellence in the
classroom.
The winning team in each
winter activity will be presented
Lynn Lundquist (left) former Speaker of the House, and now Republican candidate for Secretary of State,
was in Heppner last Wednesday, where he picked up the endorsement of Heppner Mayor Bob Jepsen
(right).
Former Speaker of the
House Lynn Lundquist, now
running for Secretary of State,
was in Heppner this week where
he picked up the endorsement of
Mayor Bob Jepsen and also laid
out his issues for the upcoming
campaign.
Lundquist laid out four areas
he says he will concentrate on if
elected to the Secretary of State's
job.
Lundquist said he would work
harder to ensure a larger voter
turnout. He endorses vote by
mail and feels there needs to be
more education of school
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children on the benefits of
political involvement through
voting. "People should be civic
minded enough to vote and civic
minded enough to serve," he
says.
Secondly Lundquist says voters
are disenfranchised with the
political process and that the trust
needs to be restored to the
system. "We (politicians) have
not followed our campaign
promises and the wishes of the
people." he says. "We need to do
better."
Third, since Secretary of State,
along with the governor and state
treasurer oversees the state lands
board and the division of state
lands . Lundquist feels he will be
good for the job. "I have
expertise in these areas and I will
stand up for Eastern Oregon, " he
says.
On the fourth issue of
importance to the Secretary of
State's job, Lundquist points out
that the 60 legislative districts in
Oregon
are
up
for
reapportionment, and that the
process is always political when
new district boundaries are
established, but feels he can get
the job done non partisan.
"Apportionment must be done in
a fair and equitable manner, so
that everyone in the state feels
they are represented," Lundquist
emphasizes. He says rural
Oregon needs to be as
representated as the urban areas
of the state.
Lundquist says the reason he is
running for Secretary of State is
that is the second most important
office in the state behind the
governor, and he will use the
office to develop and implement
good legislation for the state.
He also feels his experience in
the legislature and as speaker
will help in consensus building
in Salem.
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