FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 13, 2001
County court focuses on chemical depot issues discusses lone-Boardman Road
By Doris Brosnan
In a brief special session o f the
Morrow County Court on May 31.
most discussion focused on issues
related to the chemical depot and
the commissioners agreed to invite
Wayne Thomas o f the Department
o f Environmental Quality to a future
meeting.
Questions and unresolved topics
to discuss further with Thomas
include compliance o f permits, an
environmental specialist position,
and a contingency plan.
Director
of
Emergency
Management Casey Beard, County
Planning Director Tamra Mabbott,
and the commissioners continued
discussions o f impact aid, noting
activities and recent comments from
other affected states, the change
in senate leadership, the radio
system and the unanswered
questions o f incineration and
storage.
As the discussion turned to the
proposed racetrack siting. Beard
suggested that the county request
an easement from the Navy, across
the bombing range to the proposed
track, noting that Morrow County
has borne "more than its share o f
the nation's defense with storing
13 percent o f the nation's stockpile
and 60,000 acres o f bombing range."
Mabbott and Beard showed on
m aps the proposed route and
alternate routes proposed by the
Technical Advisory Com mittee
She talked about the project's
transportation plan development,
for which the developers are
responsible, and its impact on the
county.
Beard observed the possibility
o f a need for intermodal
transportation options, including
Amtrak service, river transportation,
andpark-and-nde. Mabbott advised
that she and Beard have been
proactive in helping with the project,
representative
o f economic
development and diversification,
and she has been in conversation
witlj the project developers to
explain what could and could not
be included at the raceway. Impacts
on the Road Departm ent and the
Sheriffs Office were considered,
as well as the possible touring o f
other Morrow County sites by
visitors attracted to the racing
events.
At their June 6 m eeting, the
Morrow County Court discussed
a recent development in the "lone-
Boardman Road" issue. PGE is
requesting county maintenance, at
a rank o f 70 on the pav ement index,
o f 8.6 miles o f low er Road, in
accordance with a 1099 agreement.
Dial agreement, however, included
the county's getting an "lone-
Boardman Road.” which did not
happen. Offutt, if the county signs
the new' agreement, would agree
to an easement connecting l ower
Road to Highway 74. w hich is not
the same as the "lone-Boardm an
Road." Members of the court voiced
concern over agreeing to the 1999
language instead o f agreeing to
maintenance at the same standards
as other county roads. Public Works
Director Burke O’Bnen has observed
that Tower Road is currently "way
below" the 70 index.
With Planning Director Tamra
Mabbott, they discussed possible
approaches to resolution o f the issue,
including requesting the state's
and/or Offutt's participation in the
road improvement and possible
wording o f a new agreement.
ITie court held a public hearing
on the county budget for 2001-2002.
Hearing no comments, the hearing
was closed.
Budget Officer Lisanne Currin
and Accounting Supervisor Tawny
Miles reviewed the budget and the
financial summary with the court.
They also reviewed the balance o f
discretionary funds and examined
the "Needs and Issues Inventory"
prioritized projects from last
November.
County Assessor Greg Sweek
and the commissioners discussed
the Act of Congress Land. The court
approved letters to contiguous-
property
owners.
approved
authorizing the landowner to make
the property line adjustment
application without the court's
signature, agreed that in cases of
multiple landowners, all options
o f an agreeable split would be
explored before putting the land
up for public sale. The court
appointed Administrative Assistant
Andrea Denton as the contact
person.
Sweek also discussed with the
court public inquiry-only access
to assessm ent and tax files He
reviewed w hat is presently av ailable
and explained how a converted
system and back-up would work
for his office, the clerk’s office and
other departm ents. He suggested
a dial-up system in which each log
in time could be billed. The court
agreed and Sweek will talk to the
ESD representative.
I.arry Lutcher, o f the OSU
Extension Office, prov ided the court
an update o f the crop programs.
Lutcher explained his job
responsibilities as including help
for produeers and the education o f
children. He demonstrated a
presentation he offers fourth graders
on different soil types and
conserv ation practices and talked
about wheat production and export
and uses for the soft whites, hard
reds, and durums. He also discussed
value-added products and invited
the court to a field tour.
The number-one priority o f his
advisory group, Lutcher said, is
chemical fallow, and he explained
the differences between that and
conventional fallow. He talked about
no-till methods, patents on new
varieties, a variety resistant to
herbicides. The court expressed
appreciation for Lutcher's work and
shared regret over a seeming public
apathy over production o f food.
Director o f Personnel Andrea
Denton explained a problem with
the management pay scale, and the
court agreed to fix the inequity by
increasing two positions that are
out o f alignment, effective with the
com ing fiscal year.
Public W orks Director Burke
O'Bnen reported the following: Hie
crew’ has started chip sealing on
Willow Creek, spreading with the
sealer rather than a sander, to get
a more even spread. Before repaving
Rippee Road, they will install a new
base because the present one is not
adequate.
Other actions o f the court
included the following:
- approval o f a quitclaim deed
for a right o f way at the intersection
o f Highway 207 and Turner Lane;
- approval o f a permit for a
Umatilla Electric overhead at the
Riverfront Subdivision in Imgon;
- approval o f allowing the Town
o f Lexington to use the county
copier for a one-time project, if they
provide paper;
- approval o f changes in the
enterprise zone extended abatement
w ith Morrow Generating Company
(PCi&E) to include a provision that
they pay not less than 150 percent
o f the average annual salary in
Morrow County and include a
contractor to operate the property;
- approval o f the annual Maternal
and Child Health Plan to the State
o f Oregon;
- approval o f the Special
Transportation Fund Guidelines
developed by STF Committee;
- acknowledgement o f the need
to replace Tom Sly, who has
resigned his position on the Morrow-
Baker Partnership Board;
- approval o f the order initiating
the annexation o f territory into the
Heppner Rural Fire Protection
District;
- approval o f an map-maintenance
agreement with the Department o f
Revenue;
- approval o f the purchase o f a
chair, a storage cabinet and a
shredder by the Assessm ent and
Taxation Office;
- approval o f the purchase o f a
chair by the Behavioral Health
Department.
HHS softball season ends with 17 wins
By Debbie Harper
Heppner Mustangs' softball team
ended the season with a 17-4 record.
They were first in the league with
a record o f 11 -1.
The team was made up o f
freshman Blake Allstott, sophomores
Aleshia Geer, Jesse Kempas, Marcy
Miller and Nikki Sisk, juniors Jesse
Gutierrez and Shelley Rietmann,
and seniors San Juanita Elguezabal,
Chanssa Gates, M anssa McCabe
and Jenni Patton.
O utfielder Blake Allstott was
voted m ost inspirational player.
Team season statistics were:
centerfield San Juanita Elguezabal,
20 RBIs, 0.489 batting average; first
base Chanssa Gates, 21 RBIs, 0.368
BA; left field Aleshia Geer, two
RBIs, 0.167 BA; catcher Jesse
Gutierrez, 12 RBIs, 0.340 BA; utility
Jesse Kempas, 16 RBIs, 0.340 BA;
short stop M anssa M cCabe, 24
RBIs, 0.521 BA; second base Marcy
Miller, eight RBIs, 0.219 BA; third
base Jenni Patton, 14 RBIs. 0.220
BA; pitcher Shelley Rietmann, 17
RBIs, 0.479 BA; and right field
Nikki Sisk, 10 RBIs, 0.405 BA.
Coach Lindsey Harle said she
was proud o f the team. "It was a
tun season. A good learning season
for the girls. They learned to really
enjoy playing."
Seven o f the team were named
to the Eastern Oregon All League
team. Shelley Rietmann was named
first team pitcher, San Juanita
Elguezabal, first team outfielder,
and M anssa M cCabe, first team
infielder. Named to the honorable
mention team were Jesse Gutierrez,
catcher, Chanssa Gates and Jenni
Patton, infielders, and Jesse Kempas,
utility.
Elks Lodge
receives awards
The Heppner Elk's Lodge #358
was presented with two lodge
awards at the summer convention
in Seaside in April.
The "All American Lodge Award
first place plaque was presented
to Heppner for Division III with
501-700 members. There are
pproxim ately 61 lodges from
Oregon, W ashington, Idaho and
California. Com petition is based
on district, state and Grand Lodge
levels. Points are earned by
com peting lodges, based upon
degree o f their participation in 42
categories o f endeavors, ranging
from youth scholarships, hoop shoot.
Elks National Foundation, Mother's
Day and Flag Day ceremonies, ritual
competition, eye poster contest and
veteran’s programs.
For the second award, Heppner
Lodge placed first in the NorthEast
District Hides Competition, for the
collection o f 535 deer hides and
141 elk hides which totaled $ 1,972
in sales for the veterans. There was
also an additional 157 man hours
and 812 miles driven (all donated
by lodge officers) for a grand total
o f $4,622.22.
This is the third year in a row
Heppner Lodge has won this award.
A
NICELY
CARED
FOR
HOME
Rebuilt in 1980, this 1169 sq. ft., nicely cared for home, on
one floor, has three bedroom s, one bath, baseboard heat and
a 14’x l 1’ patio in back. It is located across from the city park.
$65,000
Contact David Sykes, Agent
£ 1B
l
H e r ita g e L a n d Co.
www.heppner.net 1-800-326-2152 toll free
(541) 676-9228 days, (541) 676-9939 evenings
How m uch is your allowance?
Brought to you by the Morrow County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition.
For further information, contact the Morrow County Health Department at 541-676-5421
or contact the Morrow County Commission on Children and Families at 541-676-9675.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________O 2001 Campaign For Our Children, Inc.