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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2003)
USFS announces Blue Mountain Land Exchange proposal Besaie SatzölL U o f J f i 3 * a p a o 3 r Li j ; E u s s n e , *JR >i74Ji5 VOL. 122 NO. 1 8 Pages Wednesday, January 1,2003 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon County Court discusses proposed ATV park A t the M orrow C ounty Court m eeting o f December 18, Public W orks D irector Burke O ’Brien and Office Specialist Karen W olff presented the ATV P ark g ra n t a p p lic a tio n an d reported having received eight letters o f support for the project from surounding counties and M o rro w C ou n ty b u sin e sse s. Wolff explained the grant funding and the appraisal o f the property. O ’B rie n e x p la in e d th a t no county funds will go into the project, though some em ployee tim e will be used. The C ourt approved the all-terrain-vehicle program grant application for the Kinzua reload ATV park. W olff announced a public m eeting conference call with the State Allocation Committee for Friday, D ecem ber 20, for review o f the application. The Court offered Wolffhigh praise for her work on the project and thanked both her and O 'B rie n for w hat “has the potential to be the best thing” the county has done in the recent past. R e p re se n tin g th e O S U Extension Service, Bill Broderick and M ario M agana spoke to the C ourt about the 4H O utreach position in Boardman, funding for which will be reduce to half-time in th e c o m in g fis c a l y e a r. B roderick asked the C ourt to consider funding the other half o f the position. Andrei Rykov, o f the US Forest Service, presented a new Title II p ro je c t fo r M a tlo c k A sp e n restoration in the Ukiah District. The project - using lodge-pole fences to provide protection from browse dam age - would restore historic distribution o f aspen, prom ote recovery o f decaying aspen stands, improve habitat for a variety o f species, stabilize stream banks, and provide shade to w ater courses. T he C ourt a p p ro v e d th e p r o je c t a t a medium priority. Public Works Director O ’Brien offered the com m issioners the report and recom m endations fro m P B S e n v ir o n m e n ta l consultants on the mold issue in the basem ent o f the courthouse. PBS recom mended the hiring o f a contractor w ith experience in m o ld r e m e d ia tio n . The commissioners agreed. O ’Brien reported the opening o f Juniper Canyon Road to traffic on D e c e m b e r 13, th o u g h finishing work will continue. He also reported the dow ning o f trees and road signs, as well as the blocking o f roads by tumble weeds, resulting from the recent high winds. The crew is cleaning up and piling the trees for the time being. C om m issioner Brosnan suggested a tree-planting project at Cuts forth Park because o f the losses there. O ’Brien said that the crew was grading Turner, N ichols, and C arlson Lanes and L ovgren, M iller-C utsforth, Piper, Dale B row n, and L ib e rty S ch o o l Roads. He discussed with the Court a single bid received for a used paver and will review it before the next court meeting. O ther actions o f the Court: - approval o f the diesel, gas, and antifreeze contracts; - approval o f no -sp ray zone permits to Michael Wetherall and to the Burroughs Ranch; - approval o f a perm it - after f u r th e r d is c u s s io n and c la r if ic a tio n - w ith T u rn e r R anches to install a w ater line along Sandhollow Road; - a p p ro v a l o f p u rc h a s in g a replacem ent com puter for the undersheriff and two computers in the 911 center; - approval o f the plat for the Donovan M eadows Subdivision in Boardman; - a p p ro v a l o f e x te n d in g the B a k e r-M o rro w P a rtn e rsh ip / G E O D C contract to June 30, 2003, with additional funding; - approval o f a grant from the D e p a rtm e n t o f A v ia tio n for h a n g a r reco n stru c tio n at the Lexington airport. MCSO sponsors a Heppner this description before co d e City Clean-up enforcem ent action is taken. C ity o f H eppner residence are being offered the opportunity to get rid o f their abandoned vehicles, Jan. 18-19, betw een 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. City O rdinance 472 4- 5-88 defines abandoned vehicles as “ a b a n d o n ed , w reck ed , dismantled, partially dismantled, inoperative or junked vehicles.” This is an opportunity to clean up your property o f vehicles that fit V e h ic le s s h o u ld be brought to the H eppner C ity Yard, located next to Jay Coil Fabrication. You will need to bring the title or bill o f sale for the vehicle. M orrow C ounty Sheriffs will take the vehicle at no cost to the owner. Any questions should be directed to Senior Deputy Randy Rayburn, at the M orrow County Sheriffs Office, Monday through Thursday, at 676-5317. Fiddlers plan beverage can drive The local Shenanigans fiddle group is having a can drive to help earn m oney to fund a music trip to Ireland. They will be covering as much o f the town o f H e p p n e r as p o s s ib le on Friday, Jan. 3 from 1 -3 p.m. to pick up empty beverage cans. The group will start with G ale, Court, C hase and Rock Streets, and the area by the high school. You can leave bags or boxes o f cans out for them to pick-up, or drop them o f f at group m em ber M att H olland's h o u s e a t 2 4 0 S. C a s e S t., H e p p n e r. In lo n e, th e y are collecting cans at K ara C la y ’s hom e at 330 E. Main. If you w ant your cans picked up from any location you m ay call M att H olland at 676- 5067. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Local boy wins Devin Oil’s Christmas Stocking T he F orest S ervice is b e g in n in g to c o n s id e r an exchange o f lands whereby non- tederal in holdings, private lands located w ithin N ational Forest b o u n d a rie s , w o u ld b e c o m e N ational Forest System lands and move the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests tow ard land ow nership patterns idenntified in their Forest Plans. The project, called the Blue M ountain Land Exchange involves lands w ithin Baker, Grant, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler Counties. The proposal will consider the e x c h a n g e o f a p p ro x im a te ly 20,600 acres o f federal lands in the three N ational Forests for approxim ately 37,000 acres o f non-federal lands, according to Linda Vore, Lands Specialist on the W allowa-W hitman National Forest. The exchange w ill be com pleted on the basis o f equal v a lu e s , n o t e q u a l a c re s , as d e te r m in e d b y re a l e s ta te appraisals. The proposed exchange responds to a Forest S ervice objective o f consolidating federal land ow nership patterns in the three N atio n al F orests. T his consolidation w ould enhance land m anagers’ ability to protect habitat for several threatened, e n d a n g e r e d , a n d s e n s itiv e species; and preserve segm ents o f the Im naha, Lostine, Eagle C reek, and N orth Fork John Day W ild and Scenic Rivers. It w o u ld a ls o c o n v e r t th e ow nership o f current private parcels o f land within the Eagle C a p , H e lls C a n y o n , a n d Wenaha-Tucannon Wildernesses and the H ells C anyon N ational R e c re a tio n A re a to fe d e ra l o w n e r s h ip . A d d itio n a lly , consolidation w ould facilitate public access to federal lands, d e c re a s e th e c o m p le x ity o f maintaining property boundaries, reduce the num ber o f access perm its to private in-holdings, and im prove the efficiency o f r e s o u r c e m a n a g e m e n t by focusing the Forests’ funding and staff on consolidated ownerships. The exchange proposal a ls o a d d r e s s e s g o a ls a n d o b j e c t iv e s o f n u m e r o u s landow ners o f the private lands to be considered for acquisition b y th e F o r e s t S e r v ic e . C le a rw a te r L an d E x c h a n g e Oregon, a third party facilitator, has been w orking for several years to draft a proposal that m eets both the Forest Service and private land m anagem ent o b je c t iv e s . A ll p r iv a te landow ners are willing partners in the transaction. All the parcels for the e x c h a n g e a re w ith in th e geographic area o f ceded lands and/or area o f interest o f local tr i b e s . G o v e rn m e n t to gov ern m en t co nsultation has been initiated with each o f these tribal entities and will continue concurrent with the development o f the land exchange project. The Forest Service will be preparing an environm ental im pact statem ent on the land exchange proposal to disclose effects on natural, cultural, and s o c ia l r e s o u r c e s . A le g a l description o f the lands to be considered has been published in Eastern Oregon newspapers and can be accessed at this tim e at h ttp ://w w w .fs.fe d .u s/r6 /w -w / planning.htm or by calling John D enne at (541) 523-1246. Jaden Orr, 6, with father Jeff Orr, is a happy guy as he receives Devin Oil’s Christmas Stocking holding approximately $100 worth of toys. Jaden won the stocking in a drawing at Devin's. Former Heppner grad joins LaGrande accounting firm B re n t G u n d e r s o n , a 1997 Heppner High graduate, is c u r r e n tly w o r k in g w ith a L aG rande accounting firm to expand services into H eppner and the surrounding area. G u n d erso n graduated from Eastern Oregon University, L a G ra n d e , in 2001 w ith a b ach elo r’s o f science degree in accounting. He has been working with Snyder, Seydel, Lewis, Poe and M oeller, L L C , C ertified Public Accountants, for one and a h a lf y e a rs . G u n d e rs o n is currently waiting for test results, so that he can receive his CPA license. A side from w ork and t e s ts , G u n d e r s o n is a ls o preparing for an August wedding to his fiancée, Kimmie Baker. A c c o r d in g to Gunderson, the firm would like to expand its service region and b e g in o f f e r in g s e r v ic e s to H ep p n er on an a p p o in tm e n t basis. Tax preparation, estate p la n n in g , a n d c o m p u te r accounting softw are setup, are only a few o fth e m any services the com pany offers. Currently, the firm has a s t a f f o f 12 in d iv id u a ls and has been in b u s in e s s for o v e r 50 years. For t h o s e interested in the services o f f e r e d by the firm you can c o n ta c t Brent Gunderson th e m in L aG ran d e, M onday th ro u g h Friday, from 8 a.m .-5 p.m ., by phone at (541) 963-4191, by email at sslplcpa@ eoni.com , or v is it th e m on th e w e b at w w w .a c c o u n ta n t-c ity .c o m / sslpm. OWGL to hold workshop T he O re g o n W h eat G row ers League will sponsor a w orkshop entitled “ E ffective Lobbying for the Grassroots”, to be held on Jan. 7, at the Port o f M orrow Building in Boardm an from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Speakers and topics will include: “ R ealities o fth e 2003 L egislative Session", O regon R e p re se n ta tiv e G reg S m ith; “Strategies and Tactics— W ho C ourts and W ho C ares”, M ike Dewey, Legislative Advocates; “ T e s tim o n y — F o rm in g an d D elivering the M essage” , Don Schellenburg, Associate Director o f Governmental Affairs, Oregon Farm Bureau; “ The Importance o f th e G r a s s r o o ts V o ic e ” , Paulette Pyle, O regonians for Food and Shelter; “ How D oes Agriculture Gamer Support from th e U rb a n L e g i s l a to r ? ” , R e p r e s e n ta tiv e J e f f K r o p f (invited); and “ Identifying Issues the Agricultural Community Can Carry to Salem as One Voice.” T h e re is a $ 1 0 p e r person fee, with lunch provided. P lease R SV P to the O regon Wheat Growers league office on or before Jan. 4 to assure a seat, at 541-276-7330, or fax: 541- 27617. Holly Rebekah Lodge announces card/ bingo party dates The first Saturday night F o llo w in g a h o lid a y dinner for m em bers and guest, Holly R ebekah Lodge held a short business meeting. Year-end p ro je c ts w ere d iscu ssed and plans made for the com ing year. A short session was held with the members o flO O F to plan for the u p co m in g lodge hall w iring update. N om inations for 2003 officers were made, followed by a gift exchange. card party o f the new year will be held on Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hall. Bingo will be held on S u n d a y , Ja n . 12 at 3 p .m . Proceeds from both events will go tow ard the w iring update project. An interest has been shown in having the Bingo parties tw ice a m onth, and this is to be discussed at the party on Jan. 12. Both events are open to the public. HAPPY NEW YEAR from a ll o f us a tM C G G We w ill be closed New Year’s Day - Jan. 1st Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 equipment, visit our web site i t www mcgg net v
