Heppner Gazette-1 imes, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - THREt
Council okays $6 million city water project
The Heppner city council
M onday ap p ro v ed a $6
million water system upgrade
project that will take 30 years
to repay.
The project will be paid
for with $ 1.25 million in grants
and $4.75 in loans. Water
rates will be raised to pay back
the loans. (See table)
The council unanimously
endorsed the project but not
after hearing comments from
the public, city administrators
and members of the council.
About six members o f the
public were present to speak
about the project.
Everyone acknowledged
that the water system was
deteriorating and needed to be
fixed, but some questioned the
size o f the project and others
said the new rate plan, which
will begin charging some
groups that have not been
charged in the past, would be
a hard burden.
Kim Cutsforth sits on the
Willow Creek Park District
b o ard w hich o v e rsee s
operation o f the Heppner
swimming pool, said the pool
has never been charged for
water. “We are not prepared
for a full-blown water bill,” she
said. The pool is alw ays
working on a slim budget and
she said she was not sure what
the additional $260 per month
charge would do to its budget.
The pool uses about one million
gallons per year Cutsforth
'said.
Dave Pranger of the Willow
, Creek Little League echoed
Cutsforth’s concerns, saying if
the little league started being
charged for water to irrigate
their three baseball fields in
Heppner “It is going to be a
tremendous burden.”
“We have been trying to
conserve now,” Pranger said.
“I d o n ’t know w here the
money is going to come from.”
In order to get the low cost
loans the city is required to
charge everyone w ho is
hooked to the city w ater
system. This includes the pool,
little league, churches and the
hospital, which in the past have
not been charged. Under the
rules of the loan the city is also
required to charge a minimum
for water. The charges are
. necessary to repay the $4.75
million in loans.
Breazeale said it could be
possible that the city might
reimburse groups like the little
league for the cost o f water,
but that they had to put on a
meter and bill them initially.
^ would support that and
the city paying for that water
^or the good ot the city,” said
Heppner resident Jerry Healy.
After approving the project
Monday, the council said it
would reserve the right to
“tweak” the water rates.
The only opposition voiced
ab o u t the p ro je c t was
questioning the need for
another one million gallon
reservoir to hold water for the
city.
Randy Lott said that while
he approv ed o f the need for
fixing H eppner’s old and
deteriorating water system, he
did not see the need for the
new storage tank, estimated to
cost $1.1 million.
City officials said the storage
was needed because o f the
configuration o f the current
water tanks, and to make sure
that there would be enough
water to fight a major fire on a
dry summer day. “Our main
reservoir drained in seven
hours,” said city manager
Jerry Breazeale. “If we have a
fire in the summer we will not
have the capacity.” He also
pointed out that if the $1.1
million storage tank were cut
from the project it would not
lower the loan amount local
people would be required to
repay. He said the project
grants would be cut first and
local water users would still
have the same debt to repay.
C ouncil m em ber Judy
Buschke also questioned the
need for the large new storage
tank. Public works director
Craig Canham said it does not
cost much more to build a one
million gallon tank as opposed
to a 500,000-gallon storage
tank.
D ave C am pbell o f
Heppner spoke in favor of the
project. “Our water system
has problems,” he told the
council. “Our water lines are
a mess. We are going to have
to spend some dollars. We
have to support this. This is
your prime responsibility to
take care of the infrastructure.
This is a good deal. We are
not going to find a better deal,”
Campbell added.
After the council approved
the new w a ter p ro je c t,
Breazeale said the engineering
would take about one year,
and then another two years to
complete construction of the
new water system.
In other business the council
reviewed bids to put a new
Kapp?
S t. Patricias Da?!
We wUl be open until 7 p.m.
on Friday, March 14
SUPPORT THE AUCTION
AT THE ELKS CLUB AT 7 P.M. I
We w ill open at 8 a.m.
on Saturday, March 15
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heating and cooling system in
the city manager’s office (the
former police dept, office) but
decided to wait before making
a decision. A master plan for
remodeling o f city hall is
currently in the works and the
council was concerned that the
need an additional $ 1,500 in
repairs before it can be sold
plus other expenses from to a buyer. The city has a
heating system would not
H ousing
and
U rban buyer for the property located
match the remodeled offices.
Development (HUD) may on Gilmore St.
Heard a report that
CITY OF HEPPNER
Dave Fowler had been
PROPOSED
WATER RATES FOR 2003-2004
appointed to the city planning
commission.
Residential, Commercial, and Minimum
Heard that a Heppner for 0 - 2,000 gallons
$8.75
house the city is buying for $ 1
Magazine sales raise money
for HES
number o f subscriptions they
sold. The top seller in each
classroom was: Mrs. Gibbs:
Tori
L an k fo rd ;
M rs.
Haguewood: Willie Gentry;
Mrs. Allen: Joe Pranger; Mrs.
S m ith -G riffith : Tom as
Elguezabal; and Mrs. Dowdy:
Kassey Wilson. The class that
earned the most money also
earned an ice cream feed. Mrs.
D ow dy’s class and Mrs,
H ag u ew o od ’s class both
received ice cream sundaes for
their efforts, as their final
numbers were so close.
HES’s students and
staff certainly appreciate the
support of the community on
this project. “Creative ways
will continue to be used to
keep those valuable programs
which our students enjoy so
much,” said an HES staff
member.
St. Patrick’s Committee donates
fountain
were made to not only use the
McElligott named
to Gonzaga
President’s List
Jacob McElligott, a
senior from lone, was among
the 7 13 students named to the
G o n zag a
U n iv ersity
P re s id e n t’s List for fall
semester. Students must earn
a 3.7 grade point average or
better to be listed.
G onzaga is an
3,750 - 5,625 gallons
$26.25
5,625 to 7,500 gallons
$35.10 plus $.90/1000 gallons
over 7,500 gallons
Arts and Crafts Sale to be held
during St. Pat’s celebration
Mrs. Haguewood's fourth grade class
All Irish families are
invited to attend the dedication
o f the drinking fountain in
memory o f the early Irish
settlers at the comer ofWillow
and Main on Friday, March
14, at 4 p.m.
The committee has
been saving for the fountain for
a number o f years. Donations
have been given over the years
toward the annual event from
individuals. In the beginning,
the entire celebration was
funded because Jim Farley had
a gift o f blarney. Many, like
Ebb H ughes, w ould say,
“here, give this to Farley; he’ll
be looking for me anyway.”
Then, w ith the passing
o f Ilene Kilkenny Laughlin,
H erb M cL aughlin, John
Barrick and Bill Healy, came
memorial donations. Plans
$17.50
• Multiple dwelling units shall be charged $35.10 plus
$8.75 for each additional dwelling unit over one, plus $.90/
1000 gallons over 7,500 gallons plus 2,000 for each
separate dwelling unit.
• Commercial shall be charged $35.10 plus $8.75 for
each business under a separate name using the same
meter, plus $.90/1000 gallons over 7,500 gallons plus 2,000
gallons for each additional separate business.
• Residential, Business, and Industrial Services
outside city limits Will be charged a Right of Service Fee
of $20.00 per service in addition to the charges listed
above. This “Right of Service Fee” is not part of the water
rates which are evenly applied to all customers.
Mrs. Dowdy’s fifth and sixth grade class
From Feb. 18 through
March 4, students in grades
four, five and six at Heppner
Elementary School worked to
raise m oney for special
programs at their school. The
magazine sale began in 2000,
and has grown each year with
support o f the parents and
community.
The grand total for
2003 w as $ 1 2 ,2 0 6 :4 0 .
Chairperson Patti Rill reports,
“We get to keep 40 percent
of the money here at HES, so
th is is a very im portant
fundraiser for our kids.” The
money raised will be used for
outdoor school, class field
trips, assemblies, Artist and
Education, and other special
classroom activities.
S tu d en ts
w ere
rewarded with prizes for the
2,000 - 3,750 gallons
donations to keep the event
on going, but to save for a
memorial in memory o f the
Irish. The fo u n tain was
purchased and donated to the
City o f Heppner. The City
crew has worked diligently to
have it in place for the St.
Patrick’s weekend. The St.
Patrick’s committee invites
one and all to join in the
dedication and have a drink
from what may just become
know as “the blarney
fountain.”
An Arts and Crafts
Sale will be held during the St.
Pat’s Celebration, Friday,
March 14, from 12^1 p.m. and
Saturday, March 15, from 10
a.m. - 3 p.m., at Les Schwab
Tire Center in Heppner. Local
artist and craftsmen will be
featured with their w orks.
One such person is
professional artist Sandra
Gaynes. She will be available
with her scratchboard western
art and animals, along with
pencil and oil paintings.
Gaynes has recently come
back from the Western Art
Show in Spokane, WA, and
will soon be opening a framing
business.
Lynne Uitto has her
beautiful cross stitch all framed
and ready to hang in your
home. While husband Irv will
I*1'1
d isp lay in g
his
e
woodworidng, including small
folding tables and jew elry and
other boxes.
Mary Ella Johnson
has a special accent for your
home with her crocheted
cotton and wool rugs o f
various sizes.
Two talented people
in household crafts can be
found in Betty Christman and
Lorene Montgomery. Their
work done in decorative wood
and various materials will
decorate your home with a
country craft flair.
Molly Day has framed
her painted feathers and has
them ready to hang in your
home. She will also have other
artwork done in acrylics and
pencil.
The Mural Society
will also be at the sale with
prints of the Mural of Railroad
and Sheep in Morrow County.
See Louie and Betty Carlson,
Doris Bronson, or Bob and
Sharon Harrison for more
information.
Stop by Friday and
Saturday and see these local
a rtist and craftsm en o f
Morrow County.
Filing deadline for elected school
board positions nearing
The deadline for filing for elected positions for the
Morrow County School Board is March 20.
Five school board positions are up forelection: Position
One currently held by Gary Frederickson, Boardman; Position
Three, held by John Rietmann, lone; Position Four held by
Larry Mills, Heppner, who was appointed; Position Five, held
by Pat McNamee, Irrigon; and Position Six, held by Burke
O ’Brien, Heppner, who was also appointed.
According to the Morrow County Clerk’s Office as
ofTuesday, March 11, John Kilkenny of Heppner has filed for
Position Three and Barney Lindsay, a former board member
from the Lexington area, has filed for Position Six. School
board members are no longer elected by zone, but by at-large
positions.
ft
Judy a Therapeutic 'Ma<waye
fiaa moved to 280 S. Mam
(at -Hail Expn’AAiatiA, ■
‘ M’eppner)
§
Call fa r Appointment:
Temp. WitAtneM pfwne: 676-5271
‘Home pfwne: 676-9962
J u d y ‘D tukee-'N hniA , £ ‘M T CLS2f f %
HAPPY
ST. PATRICK’S DAYJ
Celebrate St. Patrick's Weekend
at John's Other Place with
Barbecue Ribs, Brisket, and Chicken
A L L DAT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
JOHN’S
OTHER PLACE
Main Street, Heppner
233 N Main • Heppner
676-9426
I