BMX track meets opposition from neighbors
B e s s ie » e t z a l l
U o f Ü N ew sp ap er L ib r a r y
E u g e n e , OR 9 / 4 0 3
VOL. 121
NO. 37
8 Pages
Wednesday, September 11,2002 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
School board approves change to solve Irrigon
school water problems
The Morrow County
School Board voted Monday
night to approve a change order
for the Irrigon elementary school
construction to cope with water
discovered at the proposed
school site. The change will
necessitate a sizeable expenditure
out o f the sc h o o l bond
construction contingency fund.
Board member John Renfro said
that the change, which will entail
raising the school above ground,
could cost over $400,000. The
district has $1.4 m illion in
contingency. According to Rick
Hayes, project manager with
Heery International who was at
the M onday night m eeting,
geotechnical engineers have
determined that the water at the
site could be flowing at a rate o f
as much as 40,000 gallons a
minute. Hayes was directed to
negotiate a price for the change.
Hayes presented several
options to the board-one was to
raise the building, another was to
install a drainage system under
the concrete slab where the
building is to be constructed and
the third was to relocate the
building. The board feared that a
drainage system would not be
sufficient to cope with the amount
o f water discovered, especially
since the area is considered now
to be in a drought period, and
was concerned that that the
flooring o f die new building would
be adversely affected . The
option o f relocating the building
w as rejected b eca u se o f
subsequent construction delays
and costs involved. Board Chair
Julie Weikel reminded the board
that the district had originally
planned on a different site for the
Irrigon school construction, but
the cost o f road construction
required by city and county
officials at that site proved to be
cost prohibitive.
The
board
a lso
approved a change order o f
around $ 10,000 for development
o f a gravel parking area and
fen cin g c h a n g es at Sam
Boardman Elementary School.
The board decid ed against
asphalting the area at this time
because o f paving costs which
w ere estim ated at around
$30,000.
In other business, the
board:
-learned that the Head
Start relocation project is nearly
completed and opening day is
planned for Sept. 16. The district
funded relocation o f the Head
Start building in Boardman to
m ake room for sc h o o l
construction.
-learned that the roof at
Riverside High School is missing
tiles, but replacement tiles are
available and the roof will be
sufficient over the winter.
-agreed that windows
should be replaced in the kitchen
and library at the lone School to
coincide with remodeling jobs in
those areas.
-a cc e p te d as a first
reading a change in policy with
regard to advisory committees.
The proposal, which would bring
the board’s policy on advisory
committees in compliance with
state law, would also: establish an
advisory com m ittee at each
sch ool, rather than in each
comm unity; and change the
number o f committee members
to three, among other changes.
-learned that the bids for
the new Irrigon school sewer
system are all over bid. The
district had budgeted $70,000
for the project, but bids came in
at $ 9 5 ,0 0 0 , $ 1 2 3 ,6 9 0 and
$140 ,0 0 0 , with the low bid
subsequently withdrawing. Nan
Hall with Heery International said
that the budget estimate was
probably too low.
-learned that there are no
structural problems with the
showers in the Heppner High
School, however there has been
some cosmetic damage. Howard
Sheets, district maintenance
manager, said that the joints in the
cast-iron pipes are leaking and
added that the a rch itect
recom m en d ed fix in g the
plumbing.
-lea rn ed
from
Superintendent Dr. Jack Crippen
that Mike Armato o f Heppner
pointed out an omission in the
requirements for a high school to
be established in Irrigon. The
requirem ents were recently
published, but a section was
o m itted . F o llo w in g is the
corrected version: At its regular
meeting on October 9,2000, the
board approved establishment o f
a high school in Irrigon with the
following stipulations: 1. That the
fu n d in g le v e ls cu rren tly
established are maintained by the
state w ith a c o s t-o f-liv in g
adjustment. 2. That instructional
programs at Riverside High
School would not be eliminated
or reduced as a resu lt o f
establishing a new high school.
This does not preclude a minor
adjustm ent in program to
accom m odate scheduling or
shifting o f resources within
e le c tiv e o ffe r in g s. 3. That
en ro llm en t b etw e e n the
communities o f Boardman and
Irrigon continue to increase at the
five percent average as in the past
five years. 4. That the district
establish a separate fund, during
the transition period, using
revenues from student growth. 5.
That the new high school would
be phased in over a period o f
three years beginning in no later
than the year follow in g the
opening o f the new elementary
school in Irrigon, so space is
available for sixth graders, (i.e.,
Bond passes in Spring 2001;
N e w elem en ta ry sc h o o l
completed in December 2002;
move sixth grade students to new
elementary school in January
2003; eighth graders that are
promoted in 2003 would stay as
the first freshmen in Fall 2003.
The next year, Fall 2004, would
have freshmen and sophomores
at Irrigon High School and the
Fall o f 2005 you would have
your full blown high school. The
freshman class o f 2002 would
graduate from Riverside High
School.)
-received an enrollment
report from Dr. Crippen as
follows: total school enrollment
(number o f children enrolled in
school) as o f the first day o f
school on September 3 this year
is 2333, down from 2366 on
Sept. 4, 2001, the first day o f
school last year; total school
attendance (number o f children
actually in attendance at school)
on Sept. 9 this year is 2209,
down from 2295, the attendance
on June 3,2002, the last day o f
school. On Sept. 3 this year:
Heppner High School had an
enrollment o f 184, down 13
students from 197 on Sept. 4 last
year; Heppner Elementary school
had an enrollment o f 209, down
continued page 2
A BMX bike riding track
being built by the city at Hager
Park in Heppner has been met
with opposition from homeowners
near the park.
A petition with 19 signatures
opposing the track at its present
location was presented to the city
council at its Monday evening
meeting.
“This (Hager) is too small a
park for one of these,” resident
Bill Ewing told the city council
before handing over the petition.
He said residents weren’t against
a BMX track. “Kids need good
activities. We just feel it is not
appropriate to put in a small
neighborhood park. We need to
find an appropriate place for this”
The BMX track is for bicycles
and is basically small hills or
mounds of dirt that kids can ride
their bikes up and down.
Residents o f Hager Street, that
runs parallel to the park, were
discouraged by what they feel
was a lack of public input before
the city located the track. “We
were surprised to see dirt piles at
the park. All o f a sudden we had
these dirt piles.” He added that
the problems are dirt blowing
around the neighborhood and the
noise. “The acoustics are such in
the canyon that we hear all the
loud noises.”
Ewing also pointed out that
Hager Park is not currently being
m aintained and passed out
pictures showing parts of the park
that have fallen on disrepair. He
urged the city to maintain what it
already has before adding new
facilities to keep up.
Others from the neighborhood
voiced concerns about locating
the BMX track in Hager Park;
however some said that having
more activities for kids was a
good idea. Barbara Gilbert said
she no longer lives on Hager but
does still own property next to the
track. “I think what the city is
doing for kids is good. Maybe
water on it (the dirt piles) would
settle the dust,” she said. “I think
the city doesn’t have enough for
kids to do.” She said there is
nothing better to her than the
sound of kids playing. “It's better
than them going downtown and
getting into trouble with other
things," she added.
Randy Rayburn, city sheriff
who helped build the track, said
he approves of the track because
it gives kids a place to ride their
bikes off the streets. “1 can deal
with them in a positive manner or
I can deal with them in the
juvenile system. I don’t want them
in the street. We need a place to
send them." He added that the
park would be closed at 9p.m. and
they would urge kids to use
helmets.
Council member Tim Van
Cleave said blowing dirt and dust
was unacceptable but that the
track was a “work in progress".
“We w eren't trying to sneak
around (in making the decision on
the track),” he said. “It's just that
the dirt became available for
free.” He said the track should
be improved to have grass and an
entrance area.
City public works director
Craig Canham said his crew
w ould start dust abatem ent
Tuesday, and then work out “a
temporary fix for dust control”.
In other business at Monday’s
meeting the council heard from
city Administrator Jerry Breazeale
about his work on the city’s flood
maps.
Breazeale said he has been
meeting with Representative Ron
Wyden, the US Army Corps of
E ngineers and the Federal
Emergency Management about
redoing Heppner’s flood maps.
The flood maps determine who
has to pay for flood insurance in
the city and how buildings must
be constructed (or if they can be
constructed at all) in various parts
of the city.
Breazeale said he is working to
get a new study done on water
activity in the event of a flood
from Hinton or Shobe creeks in
Heppner. He said current
estimates "aren't reasonable” and
he feels if the data is redone the
flood area in the city could be
reduced.
“The rules are causing a lot of our
older valued properties to not be
upgraded because it is not
economically feasible (to meet
flood standards),” he said. “The
state and federal agencies are
now showing some interest in us,”
Breazeale said.
In another motion the council
agreed to chip in $500 toward a
Willow Creek Valley Economic
Development Group project for a
feasibility study to determine the
market potential for additional
overnight lodging facilities in
Heppner.
A national chain is expanding
into the western part of the United
States and has been to Heppner
to investigate the possibility of a
new motel in the area.
Business purchase discussed for Heppner
The possible
purchase of a business that could
be m oved to H eppner from
California was discussed last
Wednesday by the Willow Creek
Economic Development Group
(WCVEDG).
Econom ic
Development director Martin
Davis recently retuned from
California where he examined a
business that makes pressure-
reducing valves for the
recreational vehicle industry .
The econom ic
development group, in addition to
trying recruiting new businesses
for the South Morrow Industrial
Park, has also been investigating
purchasing a business to move
here.
The Indio, California,
business is the result of those
effo rts. B usiness brokers
throughout six Western states
Heppner
Elementary to
hold book fair
The Heppner Elementary
School will begin its book fair,
Thursday, Sept. 12, at 8 a.m.
The book fair hours will
be:
Thursday, Sept. 12- 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30
p.m. (during the open house)
Monday, Sept. 16- 7:30
a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17- 7:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 18-
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited to
take advantage o f the “family
times" during the evenings of
Thursday and Monday to check
out the books with your whole
family.
Book fair proceeds are
used to help fund the Heppner
Elementary reading programs.
were contacted by WCVEDG
and the valve producing company
has been the best bet.
WCVEDG is also
discussing m ailing out more
recruiting material to potential
businesses that may w ant to
locate here. The last two mailings
generated 35 responses, but no
businesses w ere actually
recruited.
In addition the group
also talked about a $ 100,000 grant
it has received from the Baker-
M orrow
partnership
for
construction a “spec" building
that could be used to house a
potential new business.
Concerning tourism
WCVEDG discussed a national
motel chain that has looked at
Heppner as a possible location for
a new Americlnn franchise. The
group voted to provide $500 for a
feasibility study to determine the
market potential for additional
overnight lodging facilities in
Heppner.
HHS still a 2A
school
Heppner High School is
still a 2A school as of Sept. 3
enrollment figures. According to
figures released by the Morrow
County School District, HHS had
122 students in grades nine-12.
HHS/Heppner Junior High had
184 students in grades seven-12.
According to Dick Allen,
HHS/HES vice-principal, 2A
schools range from 115-325
students, with 1A schools 115
students and below. Allen said
that a decision to drop down a
level is made by individual school
boards. A school may have fewer
students and still choose to
com pete
at
the
higher
classification. However, when a
school’s population increases
above a certain classification, it
m ust go up to the higher
classification.
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