EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Chamber raffle winners
First phases of internet project completed Cadet graduates
The first three phases of
a plan to establish high speed
internet access to all o f Morrow
County have been completed,
according to Nate Arbogast,
Morrow' County School District
technology coordinator.
Arbogast told the school
board at their regular meeting
Monday night that a network of
aerial
and
underground
fiberoptics cable has been
e s ta b lis h e d
th ro u g h o u t
Boardman, Imgon and Heppner.
The high speed internet access
system links Boardman schools
and learning center, Irrigon
schools and learning center and
Heppner Elementary School and
High School.
The next phases o f the
plan will establish high speed
internet access links for the
"North Morrow County Spur",
which is Boardman and Irrigon;
then the "Heppner South Morrow
County Spur", which would link
Heppner and Lexington; and the
"lone South Morrow County
Spur", which is lone. The final
step in the plan would link north
county with south county,
establishing
a
connection
between lone or Lexington and
Boardman.
Arbogast said that the
first three phases took only three
months to complete, but the next
phases may proceed even more
rapidly because they had to take
the complicated water, gas,
electric and phone line systems
into
consideration
when
establishing the cable system
within the cities.
Arbogast said that a
combination of aerial and
underground
lines
were
established in Boardman and
Imgon, but Heppner’s system
was entirely aerial, through
cooperation with Columbia Basin
Electric.
He said that the system
has one thousand times the
capacity and speed of the current
school district’s T-l lines for
providing internet access and
added that this system would
serve the district for at least 20
years.
In addition to improving
the district’s system to provide
student data, such as grades,
assessments and testing scores,
and greatly enhancing the
district’s ability for video
conferencing
between
the
schools and district office, the
system
could
also
link
government entities, and could
link with other retail providers to
provide low cost, high speed
internet access for the public.
Arbogast
said
that
Heppner TV, which is linked to
the system, could end up
becoming the high speed internet
access provider for Heppner. He
said that it could also be feasible
that Heppner TV could provide
an opportunity to "interface
video networks". For example, a
school board meeting could be
broadcast via Heppner TV.
In other areas Arbogast
said utility companies, such as
Umatilla Electric, have indicated
an interest in providing high
speed access to the public
through the system.
Arbogast said that the
system was made possible
through a partnership among the
school district, his private
company, Arbogast Business
Services, Inc., and Morrow
Development Corporation, a non
profit corporation which includes
the
Port
of
Morrow
Commissioners and two bankers
within the county.
"Our
(Morrow
Development
Corporation)
primary goal is economic
development," said Port of
Morrow CEO Gary Neal. "It
made
sense
for
Morrow
Development to get involved in
order to diversify our ag-based
economy. If we don’t make
fiberoptics a part of the county,
the 21st century will pass us by."
Arbogast
said
his
analysis predicts that the district
will
break
even
with
telecommunication
services
circuit expenses in three to five
years and added that bringing in
additional users would reduce
that timeline by bringing in
additional dollars.
He said that in 1999 he
established his private company
when he was unable to find an
entity to partner with the district
to secure funding to establish the
I
fiberoptics cable system. He
stressed that his company has not
made a profit on the system. The
district is eligible for funding
through a federal program that
provides monies for schools for
internet access.
In other business, the
Morrow County School Board:
-learned that a music
teacher has been hired for
Heppner High School and
Heppner Elementary and that a
science teacher, who is also
qualified to teach language arts,
social studies and math, has been
hired for Columbia Middle
School. All licensed staff
positions have been filled with
these recent hirings. Some
classified staff positions remain
open.
Newly hired teachers
include; Heppner Elementary
School-Brandi
Orem,
second/third grade, Pam Dowdy,
fifth/sixth grade, and Wendy
Appleton, music; Heppner High
School-Lucas Casady, math,
Jason Palmer, science, Kathleen
Spinks, special ed, and Appleton,
music. Two educational assistant
positions are still vacant at HES
and a special ed assistant position
is still unfilled at HHS.
-learned the meeting
schedule for community input for
the bond construction projects.
Meetings are set as follows
Heppner-Lexington
Advisory
Board on Wednesday, September
5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Heppner
High School cafeteria; Ione-
Lexington Advisory Board on
Thursday, September 6, at 7 p.m.
at the lone School cafeteria;
Irrigon, Tuesday, September 11,
at 6:30 p.m. A.C. Houghton
El ement ar y;
Boardman,
Wednesday, September 12, 6:30
p.m.,
Sam
Boardman
Elementary.
-approved a $395,000
contract with Heery International
for project management services
for the bond project.
-approved a $1,116,492
contract with Barber Barrett
Turner Architects Inc. for
architectural services for the
bond project.
-approved a contract with
Morrow
County
Unified
Recreation District for "cultural
and recreation activities" for
2001-2002. MCURD will pay the
school district "a sum not
exceeding $432,300" to fund
extracurricular activities. The
amount is up from around
$410,000 for the 2000-2001
school year, said superintendent
Bruce Anderson.
-adopted arts standards
for Morrow County schools.
-decided by consensus
against audio-taping school
board meetings, although agreed
that individual board members
could tape the meetings if they so
desire.
-tabled board policy
development until a later date.
- discussed plans to
interview two groups to conduct
the search for a new district
superintendent.
-heard a report from
board chair Julie Weikel on
board roles and responsibilities
and a report from Weikel and
board member John Renfro on
the Oregon School Boards
Association summer workshop.
-accepted resignations
from
Marchelle
Downey,
Riverside High School ed
assistant and assistant volleyball
coach; Natalie Kerfoot, A.C.
Houghton Elementary fourth
grade teacher; Matt Neff, RHS
social studies teacher; Jane
Akers,
Sam
Boardman
Elementary School assistant
cook; Lana Orr, Heppner Junior
High School head volleyball
coach;
Webster Castaneda,
Columbia Middle School social
studies/Spanish teacher; Tiffanie
Greenup. Heppner High School
one-on-one special ed assistant;
Angie
Hanson.
Heppner
Elementary School ed assistant;
and Pam Piper, HES ed assistant.
-approved employment
for Jack Walty, RHS assistant
custodian, replacing Allen Peck;
John Baldwin, RHS half-time
temporary
science
teacher,
replacing George Riedel; Erin
Andreason,
RHS
half-time
temporary PE/health teacher,
replacing George Riedel; Diana
Hammermeister, ACH second-
grade
teacher,
replacing
Gabnelle Meyers; Dawn Sharp,
ACH
fourth-grade
teacher,
replacing
Natalie
Kerfoot;
i
t
William Pullen, RHS language
arts teacher, replacing Keegan
McCaslin; Wendy Appleton,
HES and HHS music teacher,
replacing Ralph Werner; Jorja
Gunderson,
CMS
social
studies/S panish
teacher,
replacing Webster Castaneda;
Tom Grimes, RHS social studies
teacher, replacing Matt Neff;
Pam Hancock, RHS ed assistant,
replacing Marchelle Downey;
Carol Smith SBE assistant cook,
replacing Jane Akers.
-approved
transfers/
promotions for: Richard Smith
from CMS assistant custodian to
ACH head custodian, replacing
Bart Prouty; Dana Reid, from
HHS assistant volleyball coach to
HJH head volleyball coach.
-heard a report on the
Umatilla-Morrow ESD Migrant
Education Program and the
Morrow County 2001 Summer
Program. A total o f 545 students
enrolled in the migrant program
and 124 enrolled in the summer
program, including 15 from
Heppner, 42 from Boardman and
67 from Irrigon.
-established a new form
for citizen input at school board
meetings. In the future, citizens
are requested to fill out a form,
stating the pertinent issue and
their concerns, and then present
the form to the superintendent.
-approved extra duty
contracts for Brandon Kauffman,
HHS assistant football coach;
Bill DeBoard, student accounting
coordinator/school master.
-approved
attendance
variances for two students to
attend the Pilot Rock School
District and two students to
attend Hermiston schools.
-heard the following
announcements:
beginning
inservice, Tuesday, August 28,
district schools, 8 a.m.; district
wide inservice, Wednesday,
August 29, Riverside High
School, 8:30 a.m.; Labor Day
holiday, Monday, September 3;
first day of school for students,
Tuesday, September 4; next
school board meeting, Monday,
September 10, Heppner High
School, 7:30 p.m.
Coles Bridge
detour completed
Oregon Dept, of Transportation
crews have completed a new single
lane detour next to the Coles Bndge
on Highway 26, near John Day. The
detour is now open to traffic.
"The detour will accommodate
loads up to 105,500 pounds as well
as annual permit heavy haul and
some single trip permit loads," said
Tom Busche. ODOT District 14
operations coordinator.
The detour should safely
accommodate a tractor and single
trailer combination up to 85 feet
overall length, and up to 12 feet
wide. The detour also has sharp
vertical grades of seven percent into
and out of the detour. That means
that some long loads will not be
able to use the detour. Loads
requiring a single trip permit will
be allowed on a case-by-case basis.
"Traffic will be controlled by
flaggers 24-hours a day, seven days
a week, until completion of the
repairs on Coles Bridge," Busche
said.
According to a news release,
ODOT crews and local contractors
took extensive measures to protect
fish and fish habitat while building
the bypass. Before work began,
block nets were positioned on both
sides of the work area to keep fish
from being harmed. Fish that were
between the two nets were stunned
with an electric shock and then
moved out of the work area. Crews
then spread a tough fabric, used to
hold rock in place, in the stream bed,
and along the river bank.
"We then set culverts in place,
with the fabric underneath,” said
Chuck Howe, ODOT Region 5
environmental coordinator. Two
84-foot long culverts and one 80-
foot long culvert were used. These
were then covered by clean river
rock. "Once we got enough rock
above the culverts, we wrapped the
fabric around it to keep it from
spilling out," Howe said. The block
nets were then removed to allow
fish passage through the culverts.
ODOT crews added coarse gravel
and asphalt grindings to create a
road surface.
The new detour eliminates the
113 mile truck detour that has been
in place since last month.
from ROTC camp
Eric Schonbachler has graduated
from the Army Reserve Officer
Training Corps (ROTC) Advanced
Camp at Fort Lewis in Tacoma,
Washington.
At the camp, cadets complete
a five-week course of intensive
military leadership training and
evaluation
exercises
in
communications, management, and
survival training.
After successfully completing
advanced camp and graduating from
college, Schonbachler will be
commissioned as a second lieutenant
to serve in the U.S. Army, National
Guard or Reserve.
Schonbachler is currently a
student at the University of
Wyoming, Laramie.
Schonbachler is the son of Gary
and Donna Schonbachler of
Heppner. He is a 1997 graduate of
Heppner High School.
Chamber Chatter
By Claudia Hughes
Chamber Executive Director
Did you often feel like you were
seeing twins or triplets this week?
Take Wilbur Jackson, for instance.
Everywhere you went, there he, was
pulling his trailer, working on
flowers, assisting with fair booths,
and moving stoves. Saturday, one
minute he was helping with the
Masonic breakfast, the next he was
carrying the flag in the parade, and
later assisting with parking at the
rodeo. That pretty much says it all
for our small town when events
happen. People meet themselves
coming and going.
Congratulations to the Oregon
Trail Pro-Rodeo Committee, Fair
Committee, and Fair Board and
Rodeo Board for pulling off a
successful week. Those who didn't
have a taste of the entertainment,
exhibits and rodeos missed a good
time. Volunteers all.
The Chamber phone is quieter
today after a week o f ringing off
the hook with parade entry requests
and fair and rodeo information.
Craig Stroebel, Bert Houweling,
Darrel Raver and crew put on a great
parade with close to 70 entries. It's
no easy task, especially when it's
all new. There were some really
unique entries. We understand "The
Rock Saloon” is in demand around
the state, thanks to the creative work
of Lois Winchester. The variety of
horses, wagons, floats and "political
dignitaries" made for an interesting
parade. Again, it's about volunteers.
Next on the agenda, the Chamber
will be working with CAPECO and
Willow
Creek
Economic
Development to put together a job
fair. There are jobs available in the
area and the businesses will be
getting together at the fair to talk
with prospective employees about
requirements and needs o f the
different businesses. There will be
opportunities to fill out a job
application on the spot. Stay tuned.
Next week the Chamber program
will be Mary Nixon with RDI, Rural
Development Initiatives, discussing
leadership training, new tourism
ideas, and explaining RDI to the
Chamber membership. The meeting
will be noon, Tuesday at GD's.
Thought for the week: "When
the well is dry, we know the worth
o f water." -- Benjamin Franklin.
Gene Doherty, winner of the Chamber recliner raffle, with Claudia
Hughes, Chamber manager
Susana Stillman, winner of the Chamber of Commerce bike raffle,
with Claudia Hughes, Chamber manager
Gene Doherty was the
winner of the recliner raffled oft
by the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce. Susana Stillman won
the men's bicycle and Cara
Osmin won the women's.
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www.heppner.net 1-800-326-2152 toll free
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We offer home delivery
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