TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 3, 2001 Letters to the Editor The O fficial N ew spaper o f the City o f H eppner and the County o f Morrow Editor's note: Letters to the Editor m ust be signed. The G azette■ Times w ill not publish unsigned letters. Please include your address a nd p h o ne num ber on a ll letters for use by the G-T office The G-T reserves the right to e d it The G-T is n o t responsible for accuracy o f statements made in letters. (Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds H eppner GAZETTE-TIMES under 'C a rd o f Thanks' at a cost o f $5.) Recall only way to rebuild unity U S P S 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1874 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon Office at 147 W Willow Street Telephone (541)676-9228 Fax (541 >676-9211 E-mail gt@heppner net or gtiurapidserve net Web site: www heppner net Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836 Subscriptions $22 in Morrow County, $16 senior rate (in Morrow County only, 62 years or older), $29 else- where Publisher David Sykes...................................................................................... ..... Editor April Hilton-Sykes .......................................................................... News deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising advertising deadline is T uesd ay at noon C ost lor a display ad is $4 50 per column inch Cost (or classified ad is 40« per word C ost for Card of T hanks is $5 up to 100 words Cost for a classified display ad is $5 10 per column inch For Public/Legal Notices public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publication must be specified Affidavits must be required at the time of subm ission Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required) On the HEPPNER WEBSITE: www.heppner.net • Start or C hange a Subscription • Place a C lassified Ad • Subm it a N ew s Story • V iew Real Estate for Sale • City Council & Planning Minutes • Local Businesses • County Park • Willow Creek Park Reservations • Free Digital Postcards • Senior Housing • and more! Guest Editorial Support Morrow County School Board members against recall challenge W e are asking the voters for support against the recall challenge to o u r M o rrow C o u n ty S ch o o l B oard po sitio n s. A s elec ted re p resen ta tiv e s, w h o h av e v o lu n te e re d o u r tim e, w e h ave alw ays acted w ith care and thoughtful deliberation. O u r first p rio rity in m aking a decisio n has alw ays been w hat is in the best interest o f all the children in M orrow C ounty Schools. Providing the best ed ucational o p p o rtu n ities is a ch allen g e w ith the lim ited m oney that current state funding provides. The board has been required to m ake m any difficult decisions, but w e have been able to continue to p ro v id e an ex c ellen t ed u c atio n for all stu d e n ts in th e d istrict. W e h av e w o rk e d h ard to m ain tain class sizes in all sch o o ls that are m o d era te to low , co m p a re d w ith state av erag es. M any positive changes are occurring in the district at this time. Each com m unity is preparing for the long needed construction and/or rem odeling o f facilities. D ue to the direct effort o f o u r board, sm all high school funding w as brought to the attention o f our state legislature. A s a re su lt, w e are n o w re ceiv in g state su p p o rt that is a llo w in g u s to m a in ta in q u a lity sm all high sch o o ls in H e p p n e r and lone. T he current superintendent w ill leave in June. T he board is w orking to secu re the services o f a new superintendent, to start serv in g the district July 1, 2002. S tudents are continuing to im prove their state test scores and are m ak in g g o o d p ro g ress to w ard s m e etin g state benchm arks. O ne school in o ur district received a rating o f ’excellent’ from the state this past year. T he district c o n tin u es to m ain tain a h ig h ly talented and ex p erien ced s ta ff that is dedicated to the needs q f c h ild re n and youth. Vftfen q u e stio n s aro se from the public as to th e ap p ro p riate residency o f tw o o f our m em bers, the board was required by O regon law' to explore and act upon the issue. Advice from our legal counsel an d a S en io r C ircuit C ourt Judge w as sought and follow ed. B oth board m embers were given time to state their case and present evidence. A fter deliberation, the ju d g e ’s conclusion w as that the tw o m em bers w ere not residents o f the zone from w hich they w ere elected, and that O regon law required the board to rem ove those tw o m em bers. T h is w as an un p leasan t task, but fo llo w in g his legal ad v ic e w as th e o n ly responsible altern ativ e av a ila b le to the board. T h is w as not a personal attack on any person involved. The law must be followed o r it h o ld s no validity. John R ietm ann has served 10 years, G ary Fredrickson has served seven and Pat M cN am ee has serv ed tw o years. W e h av e alw ay s co n sid ered the needs o f M orrow C o u n ty school children first. W e have always considered input from the public and staff, before casting o u r votes on an issue. W e have alw ays follow ed district policy and u p h e ld th e law s o f th e S tate o f O regon. T h ere is no re aso n that w e sh o u ld not co n tin u e to serv e in o u r po sitio n s. (s)Pat M cN am ee, G ary Fredrickson, John R ietm ann October 4th ~ Thursday LADIES NIGHT: Susan Thompson and crew will be serving Italian Chicken w ith P asta and more! Dinner sta rts at 6 p.m. HEPPNER ELKS 358 676-9181 "Where Friends Meet" 142 North Main SAVE 25% on All Silver Replating During October Only! We’ll Make Your Old Silver Beautiful Again! Take arivanuge of these sale prices and have your old. damaged silverware, antiques and family heirlooms restored. Bring your silver in for a FREE estimate. Full 25-Year Warranty On All Silver Replating FREE Dent Removal and Straightening on most items we silverplate. And only $34.95 for all soldering repairs on any piece we silverplate; including soldering broken handles, legs. SALE ENDS OCTOBER 31! Peterson's Hepprmr Jewelers / 676-9200 mm I r t ñ f Ymr Silver In TODAYf To the Editor; 1 have been asked several times during the last two weeks if I or supporters o f the school board recall want the lone schools closed. I have asked other Heppner area citizens this question and their answers are the same as mine. C om m unity schools are critical to a rural community's social and economic development. Morrow County voted a bond measure to build new schools in both lone and Irrigon. These schools are needed and it is my fervent hope and desire that both are built as quickly as possible. lone should insist the school district build a school that meets their needs for the twenty-first century. Im gon should insist that as soon as the new building is built in Imgon, it is staffed and used as the high school for which the com m unity voted. I had to wonder why rumors were circulating that some or all Heppner residents want to close lone schools. The rumors are clearly an effort by the school district to change the focus o f the upcoming recall election from the issues to emotions to alienate the Morrow County communities from each other. I am extrem ely concerned that over the last two years, the school board has drastically cut teachers, program s and curriculum s and appears to be ready to continue to do so. The board turns deaf ears to the voice o f the public, as it did at the February 2000 board meeting in Boardm an. Adm inistrative spending is prioritized over teaching staff. The board and district have no vision for curriculum im provem ent or m eeting the educational challenges our children will face in the new century. It is easy to balance a school district budget by cutting teachers and programs. It takes vision, ingenuity, and work to keep and improve programs when budgets are tight. O f larger concern to me is the board's and administration's failure to provide leadership in bringing the Morrow County communities together. The Morrow County school district is geographically one o f the largest in the state. O ur size is a blessing if we work together. It is a curse if we are divisive. Joint use o f teaching resources via telecomm unications can be a very successful way o f preserving scant resources and expanding program opportunities. As a district, we should have the vision o f sharing am ong our various com m unities resources and teachers, with students district wide. However, implementing such program s takes vision and commitment on the part o f the district and cooperation and understanding among the district's communities. We can not implement any vision if the district encourages disunity. I am happy my daughter is taught advanced m a th v ia telecommunications by an excellent lone teacher. I don't believe even one distance education class would have been implemented without the Heppner High School Site Council's repeated requests to district. We need to strengthen and preserve communities' school systems through the sharing o f resources, not combining schools. I don't believe our school district currently has the resolve or vision to implement the educational program our children need. I support the recall because it is the only way to rebuild the unity necessary to educate our children. (s) W illiam J. Kuhn Heppner Pesticide law affects locals To the Editor and People o f Morrow County: After attending the hearing on Administrative Rule OAR 603-057- 0405 through 603-057-0425 dealing with the Implementation o f Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting Law, I decided you need to understand what you can do to help. As residents o f Oregon communities, this law will affect you. As o f January 1,2002, you will have to report all pesticide applications if you are a person who uses or applies a pesticide in the course o f business or any other for- profit enterprise or if you are applying a pesticide on public property. This applies to both restricted and general use products. While we support the collection o f this information, we are against the release o f that inform ation to the general public. This will include farmers, commercial applicators, businesses who sell pesticides, schools, motels, restaurants or any business who deals with the public in any way. Hearings are being held throughout the state to receive testimony. If you have not given testimony and will be affected by this legislation, do take the time to voice your thoughts. We are aware that the people in the W illam ette Valley will outnumber us. We need the hearings officer to hear more people supporting our views than our opponents will have supporting their opposing views. Anti-chemical activists have been flooding the Governor’s office and state legislators and Dept, o f Agriculture asking for more stringent rules. Now is the tim e for you to voice your opinion. Key points to be covered are; Electronic reporting-at the present time, only electronic reporting is being mandated. This is not workable for many people. If you do not have a computer, be sure to tell them what a hardship this will be. Since we know the government cannot keep this inform ation confidential, do request paper reporting. Do stress that we need to m ake the penalty for releasing this inform ation excessive. Required frequency o f reporting- We do need annual reporting. If som eone wants to report more frequently, that's fine. How would you like to have to make out a report in the middle o f harvest or your busy season? D etails-D o include such information as: Approximately how many applications you make per year How many sections your applications will be encompassing. Approximate cost o f reporting-burden on m anpower, etc. Location o f use- Zip Code is the only logical way to report this. T ow nship, range and section is difficult to obtain for those o f us who are applying for owners or lease operators. This report is to be confidential, so how difficult would it be for activists to look at the information given and pinpoint where the application was m ade? Do support-W e support the aggregation o f the information by date and location. If a product was used for several days at a single location but not m ore than seven days, the last date o f use should be used. Spot spraying is a common practice especially in agriculture and forestry. We are instructed to use integrated pest m anagement since this only sprays the targeted pest, and cuts down on the total amount o f pesticide used. The total product used over a m ulti-day or monthly use should report these applications. It is very important that you not expect som eone else to do your homework. You need to write a letter and have your voice heard. It is only fair that if you will be impacted by this legislation, that you also have your voice heard. Voice your concern and don't hesitate to suggest an alternative action. Homeowners: At the present time, they are only doing a survey of some households, but it is probably just a matter o f time before they ask you to start reporting your usage, too. Letters m ust be into the Department o f Agriculture by Oct. 12. Send your letter to: Phil Ward, Dept, o f A griculture Pesticide Division, 635 Capitol St. NE, Salem. OR 97301-2532. (s) Jean Jepsen Jepsen Pest Control, Inc. Dba: Dobyns Pest Control lone Marriage Licenses The Morrow County Clerk's office at the courthouse m Heppner reports issuing the follow ing m am age licenses: Sept. 21: Lester Keith W ashington, 29, Boardm an; and Susan Kay Orrala, 40, Boardman. Sept. 21: Kenneth John Kabnbach, 27, Salem ; and Destiny Shalom e Garrison, 25. Sept. 24: Stephen Preston Banta, 41, Boardm an; and Marcella Martinez, 42, Boardman. It's time for a change-support the recall effort To the Editor: The three Morrow County School Board m em bers currently up for a recall election should not be surprised at the level o f dissatisfaction felt by the public concerning their jo b performance. In failing to control a superintendent who is known to have caused similar levels o f community division and problems in such towns as Pnneville, Tillamook, Adrian and Nyssa, they stand ultim ately responsible for their actions as a board and the public deserves to know the truth about their behavior. They say the superintendent will leave in June. However there is no signed resignation on record, only a verbal "intent to retire". In the meantime $22 million will be spent under his authority. The board has always rubber-stamped his proposals and after elim inating the two dissenting members in June (Lindsay and Lewis), they have had free rein on decisions, as the voters are left without tw o o f their duly elected representatives. The whole issue o f overturning and removing elected officials has been m uch discussed since May, but it is im portant that the public realize how they did it and how they are trying to justify it. In their statem ent to the East O regonian dated Septem ber 30, concerning the residency issue o f the two board m em bers they said, "advice from a Senior Circuit Court Judge was sought and followed". This statement implies that a binding decision came from a Circuit Court Judge. It absolutely has not. In fact, on July 18 it w as reported that a sitting Circuit Court Judge issued a stay preventing the B oard from further proceedings in replacing the positions. The date o f a hearing in Circuit C ourt is currently set for October 17. What was rendered was an opinion by a hearings officer (a retired judge) not a current Circuit Court judge, but rather one that was retamed and paid for by the district. This was a total waste o f money for our school district as all the parties involved knew it was not a legally binding decision and would likely have to go to circuit court anyway, but m eanw hile this forced the two m embers to begin their defense at their own personal expense. The School Board claimed that Oregon law required them to remove those two board members. If so, then why did the C ircuit C ourt judge grant a stay and prevent further action by the board? Their letter also stated "we have always followed district policy and upheld the laws o f the State o f Oregon". It is im portant that the public know this has not been the case. In September, 2000 the three board members currently under recall were issued a citation by the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission for violation o f Oregon Public Meetings law. They did not contest this charge. Lindsay and Lewis left the April, 2001 meeting after they perceived another possible violation o f this law. One m onth later an "anonymous letter" surfaced com plaining o f residency issues. The board proceeded to break their ow n district policy o f accepting unsigned letters. The night where the anonymous letter was presented ( the chairman later admitted he had seen the letter the previous month) they attempted to make them resign. They further suggested that Lindsay and Lewis shouldn't vote and treated them with disrespect. Board member M cNam ee proceeded to tell the audience to "Shut-Up"! They had no intent to give "due process o f law". It was only later that they were forced to delay their decision. Under oath at the hearing with the hired hearing officer. Chairm an Fredenckson admitted to travelling together as a quorum and discussing boardbusiness without all members present. He also adm itted never seeing the postmarked envelope o f the "anonym ous com plaint". He knew only that it came in an envelope from the office o f Supt. Anderson. Those o f us who have children in our schools and have attended the School Board meetings know what has been going on and know what is at stake. W e need School Board m em bers who act legally, professionally and think independently of a hired superintendent. Support the recall effort. It's time for a change. (s) Ann M urray H eppner Board member should rethink proper role To the Editor: I just finished reading your news article on the Morrow County Health D istrict and cam e aw ay quite confused. Who is Ed Glenn representing? The district patrons? The patrons from the area he was elected? It seems from his comments and quotes that he has chosen to represent Dr. Boss at the m eetings. It doesn't seem proper for a board m em ber o f any public body to be negotiating with the board and adm inistration on b eh alf o f any employee, contracted or otherwise. Those discussions should take place between the administration and the em ployee o f the district. A board m em ber who chooses to run interference for an employee is way out o f line and should rethink his proper role as a board member. (s) George Koffler Heppner We want to thank all who donated to Morrow County Home Health in Memory o f Orval. We live in a caring community. Pauline, Dave & Family Sally & Family and Sandy & Family Hey, Mom and Dad! Immunize me, I’m yours! Getting me immunized is an important way you can protect me against childhood infectious diseases. Thanks c p :e rVUp t o r n m v /m s iu e M dren For more information, call your health care provider, 1 800 SAFENET or visit the National Network for Immunization Information’s website: www.immunizationinfo.ora.