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FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 16, 2003 lone board meetin C continued from page one eligible and welcom e to apply to attend school in the lone School District. The following s te p s a r e n e c e s s a r y f o r a p p lic a tio n : 1) A p p ly fo r a d m is s io n to th e su p erin ten d en t o f the lone School D istrict; 2) M ake a fo rm al w ritte n re q u e st o f re le a s e fro m th e M o rro w C o u n ty S c h o o l D is tr ic t, (Form s are available from the lo n e S c h o o l D is tric t.) 3) S tu d e n ts m u st be in good standing in the prior school year to receive lone School D i s tr i c t a p p ro v a l fo r a d m is s io n . lo n e S c h o o l D istrict reserves the right to accept/reject students based upon the availability o f space, reso u rc es, p e r s o n n e l, appropriate program s and a positive review o f the student’s e d u c a tio n a l r e c o r d s . 4 ) S tu d e n ts w h o are g ran te d adm ission, but have not been released from the M orrow County School District, will be charged tuition in the amount o f $50 p er y e a r w ith full scholarships available to all students from the lone School Foundation. ♦Nonresident S t u d e n ts - a n o n r e s id e n t stu d e n t is d e fin e d as o n e w h o s e p a r e n t o r le g a l guardians do not reside within the boundaries o f the lone S c h o o l D i s tr i c t , u n le s s otherw ise provided for by the L e x i n g to n / P in e C ity A ttendance policy or by law. The lone School District m ay enroll nonresident students as follows: 1) By written consent o f the affected school districts, T h e s tu d e n t b e c o m e s a “ resident p u p il” o f the lone S c h o o l D is tr ic t, th e r e b y a llo w in g th e lo n e S ch o o l District to receive State School Fund m oneys. 2) By u n i l a te r a ll y a d m ittin g a nonresident student with tuition /th e am ount to be determined on a c a s e - b y -c a s e b a s is ) w h ereby neith er district is eligible for State School Fund m o n ey s. T h e lo n e S chool D istrict m ay deny reg u lar s c h o o l a n d a lte r n a tiv e p r o g ra m a d m is s io n to nonresident students w ho are under expulsion from another d is tric t. T h e lo n e S ch o o l D istrict shall deny regular school a d m is s io n to nonresident students who are under expulsion from another school district for a w eapons policy violation. ♦Inter-district Transfer o f Resident Students- T h e lo n e S c h o o l D is tric t B oard m ust approve inter district transfer o f a resident student. All requests m ust be subm itted in w riting to the S u p e r in te n d e n t w ith a com plete explanation o f the reasons for the request. lone School D istrict w ill w ork to facilitate the best educational experience for each child.” -discussed the issue o f division o f M orrow C ounty Unified Recreation funds. The funds had been divided pier capita, which am ounted to 7- 3 /4 p e r c e n t fo r IS D b u t M c E llig o tt s a id th a t h e d is c u s s e d th e iss u e w ith M CURD and it was agreed on June 26 that funds will be d iv id e d a c c o rd in g to th e num ber o f athletic teams each school has. 1SD anticipates 22 percent o f M CU RD funds for the 2003-04 year, - a p p o in te d a committee, consisting o f Lisa R ietm ann, Jerry R ietm ann, G eorge M urdock o f the ESD and Joe M cElligott to follow th r o u g h c o n c e r n in g th e division o f assets betw een M C S D a n d lS D . - r e c e iv e d th e p ro p o se d 2 0 0 3 -0 4 bud g et w ith an estim ated budget o f $ 1 ,5 3 4 ,8 7 5 , in c lu d in g a $ 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 e n d in g fu n d balance. Board m em ber John R ie tm a n n s a id h e w a s extrem ely pleased that the lone School D istrict could o f f e r a p ro g ra m to lo n e students com parable to the one offered by the M orrow County School District - h e a r d fro m lo n e teacher D uane N eiffer, who voiced concern that a special education position w ould be filled, rather than a junior high science position. The special ed p o s itio n , h o w e v e r, is contracted through ESD, while the science teaching position w ould be funded through the lo n e S chool D istrict. ISD Board m em ber A nne M orter replied, “Let’s give us a break here. Let us get our feet on the ground.” (A meeting to discuss the school schedule, which will also im pact the budget, is planned for this w eek at lone U n ite d C h u rc h o f C h ris t building.) -postponed setting a regular m onthly meeting date until the board members could be polled. -discussed the issue o f h ir in g a s u p e r in te n d e n t. G eorge M urdock suggested that the district put o ff hiring a permanent superintendent until next fall to allow tim e for a search, and in the m eantim e, h ir in g an in te r im s u p e rin te n d e n t. T h e IS D B oard d e c id e d to proceed w ith the search in hopes o f finding a superintendent as soon as possible. Pie Contest to be held City votes to outlaw ‘jake’ brakes Did Irrigon receive empty promises? MC Fair premium books now available M orrow C ounty Fair premium books are now being d i s t r ib u t e d th r o u g h o u t M orrow County. B ooks can be p ic k e d up at H ep p n er, lone, Irrigon and B oardm an P o s t O f f ic e s , th e O S U Extension Offices in Heppner a n d B o a r d m a n , M o rro w C o u n ty G ra in G ro w e rs in L e x in g to n , B o ard m an P h a rm a c y a n d at th e F air Office in Heppner. The M orrow C ounty Fair will be held Aug. 13-17. This y ear’s them e is “M orrow C o u n ty : T ru e to th e R ed, W hite and Blue.” COPY PAPER Ream or Carton Heppner Gazette-Times Marriage Licenses Wedding - S a turd ag, August 2 Jessica Van W in ld e & Joseph M c H a ne q Wedding - Saturday, August 9 K im h e rlq Becher & B re n t G underson Wedding - So fu rd ag, August 23 Editor's note: Letters to the Editor must be signed. The Gazette-Times w ill not publish unsigned letters. Please include your address and phone number on all letters for use by the G -T office. TheG -T reserves the right to edit. Th e G -Tisn o t responsible for accuracy o f statements made in letters. (Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds under "Card o f Thanks 'a t a cost o f $ 7.) T he sound o f a tru c k ’s “ja k e ” b rakes co m in g into tow n early in the m orning, or More letters page 2 any other time for that matter, is going to be a thing of the p a s t, th e H e p p n e r C ity [Editor’s Note: This letter was Council ruled M onday night. read at the M orrow C ounty Because o f their loud noise, School District board meeting, the council voted to outlaw the July 14,2003.] use o f exhaust or jak e brakes To the Editor: in the city lim its o f Heppner. First I w ould like to T he council took the action say welcome to the new Board after hearing a complaint from m em bers. I am one of the H e p p n e r r e s i d e n t V e rd e people that w orked tirelessly Hager at last m onth’s council to get the construction bond meeting. passed for M CSD . T hough A large percentage o f trucks w e w ere deeply concerned use their ja k e brakes w hile about the crow ded conditions coming into Heppner from the at A .C . H oughton, m uch o f south, on the H eppner-Spray o u r m o tiv a tio n w a s th e highway. p ro m ise o f h av in g a H igh T h e la w take-- e f f e c t School returned to Irrigon. im m ediately, how ever, signs A nd that prom ise w as m ade will not be posted for a while. b e f o r e th e e le c ti o n ; n o t The city limits ofHeppner starts o f f i c ia ll y b u t in p r iv a te about w h ere the N o re n e ’s conversations. N ow w e are property is on the H eppner- being told that this Board is not Spray highway. bound to honor promises made In o th e r b u s in e s s a t by form er B oards. I do not Monday’s meeting the council: w ant to think our votes w ere V oted to re le a s e city bought with em pty promises, deputy Jam ie Rietm ann from but the ev id en ce certain ly H eppner patrol duty w hen a points in that direction. This is suitable replacem ent can be not the first broken prom ise found. County deputies sign Irrigon has endured. Forty- a “contract” w hen they begin four years ago Irrigon w as to patrol Heppner saying they promised a new high school in will stay on Heppner patrol for three years if they w ould loan three years. The city contracts their children to Boardman for w ith the county for police that period o f tim e. That w as p ro tectio n so all p o lic e in lie num ber one. H e p p n e r a re s h e r i f f ’s R ecently, ex -b o a rd deputies. m em ber G ary F rederickson R ie tm a n n a s k e d to b e s ta te d th a t h e c o u ld n o t released into the regular county im ag in e future bo ard s not sheriff patrol so he could gain honoring a prom ise m ade by m ore e x p erien ce in police past boards. T he fact is that work. “Heppner is a very quiet fo r 44 years every Board has tow n w ith very little crim e. I done ju st that including the am not gaining the valuable B oard Mr. Frederickson was experience I w ill need in m y a part of. career. In order for me to gain In 1999, the people o f th is e x p e r ie n c e a n d b e Irrigon w ere told that if the challenged in m y jo b I need to bond passed the district would be som eplace w here there is b e a b le to b u ild a n e w a heavier call load and m ore elem entary school in Irrigon crime investigations,” he wrote and no longer need to house in a le tte r to th e c o u n c il th e six th g ra d e s a t C M S , requesting to be released from freeing that school to becom e H eppner patrol. T he c o u n c il« a 7-12 facility. O n M ay 15, u n a n im o u s ly a p p r o v e d 2000 , election day, w e w ere Rietm ann’s request. told by the Superintendent and A h o m e m a d e pie contest will be held July 25, as p a rt o f th e C e le b ra te H e p p n e r festiv itie s. Pies should be taken to Sherrell I n s u r a n c e , M a in S t., Heppner, between 8 -10 a.m. A first place w inner w ill re c e iv e a $100 g ift certificate. The second place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate. A pie auction will be held at 6:15 p.m., at Heppner C ity Park. T h e c o n te s t is s p o n s o r e d b y S h e r r e ll Insurance and the H eppner C ham ber o f C om m erce.___ S a r a G re e n u p & Tqq k Cam pbell Letten to the Editor June 30: M ic h a e l K aye, 50, Freehold, N J and K e llie L y n n H ill, 4 8 , M cConnellsburg, PA. some M CSD Board members that the stipulations had been m et and a high school w ould be returned to Irrigon. Lie num ber two. A t th e M a y 2 0 0 3 meeting John Rietmann, Larry N elson and B urke O ’Brien re f u te d e v e ry e x c u se fo r delaying the opening o f Irrigon H igh S chool. Dr. C rip p en offered the information that this move could be made in late fall or early w inter o f 2003. Still four Board m em bers voted no to o u r h ig h school. T h ese Board m em bers did not offer one fact to justify their position. T hey based their decision on a v a r i e ty o f “ w h a t i f questions. W h a t i f w e lo s e programs? Apparently the only person to look into this matter is Bruce Anderson and he said that w e absolutely w ould not. I f H eppner can offer calculus then certainly Boardm an and Irrigon can. W hat i f the d istrict JO H N ’S PLACE DINNER AND A MOVE SPECIAL Purchase any large coupon ind for a movie rental for 5 0 it The Video Store, Heppner (any movie rental, only 50* with couponl) 217 North Mein * Heppner JOHN’S PLACE 67 6-9 1 58 MAIN NTRECT, HEPPNER Serving Heppner Lexington A lone t f c a n n o t a ffo rd th is m o v e ? A gain, B ruce A nderson did the m ath and concluded the cost o f educating the Irrigon a n d B o a r d m a n c h ild r e n involved would be the same as it is now. F o r years M C SD board m em bers sent m oney e a r n e d b y I r r ig o n a n d B o a r d m a n c h il d r e n to H eppner and lone. A lm ost a m illion dollars a year. I find it amazing that at no point did the Board m em bers from Irrigon su g g e st th a t so m e o f th at m oney be used to reinstate our h ig h sch o o l. A t th at tim e, B o ard m em b ers w e re still e x p e c te d to re p re s e n t th e entire zone they w ere elected to serve. It m akes m e w onder ju st how m any years Irrigon has been under-represented. O n A pril 14, 2003, the B oard voted to m ake an exception to the board goal o f e q u ity an d allow H ep p n er E lem entary to exceed their funding level by $ 190,000 for the 2003-04 budget year. This w as done because as Julie W eikel sa id , “O n e o f o u r schools cannot live within their budget.” C annot or w ill not because they know that if they w ant som ething an exception can be m ade for them . A gain n o t o n e b o a rd m em b e r suggested that enough m oney be allotted to start Irrigon high school. I have no objection to t h is m o n e y b e in g m a d e a v a ila b le to b u s H e p p n e r k in d e r g a r t e n c h ild r e n . H ow ever, I do w onder w hy su c h a n e x c e p tio n to th e b o a r d ’s g o a ls c a n n o t be considered for the return o f our ch ild ren . T h a t co st w o u ld certainly be m uch less than $ 190,000.1 think it is tim e to sto p h id in g b e h in d b o g u s stipulations and admit the real reaso n s to deny us a high school. The kids don't want it? The Irrigon kids did not w ant to go to school in B oardm an in 1959 b ut that d id n ’t stop w hat the adults decided. We talk to m any, m any kids that w ant to go to school at hom e. They can see the advantages o f eliminating the 26 mile round trip to school. If you are a child o f low -incom e parents, and m any Irrigon children are, you can afford little connection with R iv e r s id e b e y o n d th e classroom. Could it be that the p e o p le t h a t m a k e th is statem ent talk to the children o f Irrig o n m o re th a n th e people o f Irrigon do? Another w eak excuse for denying Irrigon w hat is rightfully theirs is, there is no interest in Irrigon in reinstating a high school. W ho is the author o f this nonsense? It certainly isn 't the people who gathered 1200 signatures o f people w ho want to see a high school returned to Irrigon. I m ight add th at w e did not c a n v a s a ll o f Irrig o n . We thought 1200 names would be impressive. We have been accused o f having a one-issue mind set. That is such an unfair a n a ly s is o f o u r s itu a tio n . Imagine the impact rem oving your High School would make o n y o u r c o m m u n ity . The negatives are endless. O ur o n e - is s u e m in d set encom passes a m ultitude o f disadvantages. It seem s that the biggest fans o f denying this comm unity a High School are the communities that have one. If not having a High School is such a desirable state perhaps B oardm an w ill v olunteer to m ove Riverside to Irrigon for 44 years. W e h av e a high school willing and waiting. We h av e also been told that only a few old ladies in Irrigon w ant the high school returned. Let m e m ake this perfectly clear. T his old lady represents six adults and three children that I am related to. I also represent m any parents and children that simply do not h a v e tim e to a tte n d ev ery School Board m eeting and so rely on m e to speak for them . So keep this in m ind. Every tim e you see m e stand up and speak to you, I am not alone, I am a crowd. I know that the sam e thing can be said for ev ery old lady that stands before you to demand equality for their com m unity. It m ight also interest you to know that w ithout the old ladies in this county there w ould be no new schools being built. It was the old ladies that got the bond passed. W hen M C S D ’s B o a rd d e n ie s th e Irrig o n taxpayers the sam e privileges the other communities enjoy it is f o r o n ly o n e r e a s o n . Because they can. They have becom e so com fortable with the discrimination that Irrigon parents and children endure they do not recognize how truly shameful their treatment has been for n e a rly h a lf a century. We w ant a definite starting date for our high school to be announced in the near future. If this is not done, we w ill know that using em pty p ro m ises is an a c ce p tab le m ethod o f getting voters to pass a bond. H ow ever, I can guarantee it w ill never w ork again. We will also know that this district has no m ore need for Irrigon than it did for lone. Perhaps the tim e has com e for B oardm an and H eppner to h a v e th e d i s t r i c t a ll to themselves. Until our High School is o p e n e d w e w a n t th e p r a c tic e o f d u m p in g o u r athletes along a major highway in th e m iddle o f th e night stopped. If a coach schedules practice on Friday or Saturday we want activity buses to pick up our athletes and take them to B oardm an. H as anyone ever bothered to find out how m any o f our children are left o u t o f R iv e r s id e ’s sp o rts program because o f this elitist system ? N o child should be left out b ecause they cannot p r o v id e th e ir ow n t r a n s p o r ta tio n . W e w a n t activity buses to be available to o u r children so they can e n jo y all th e b e n e fits and functions Riverside offers. We w ant a program to help low- incom e parents m aintain a reasonable relationship w ith their ch ild ren ’s teachers. We w a n t th e s a m e a c c e s s to R iverside H igh School for every student. It is tim e for M C S D to exhibit the sam e ethics and morals w e are trying to instill in ou r children. In short, M CSD should provide Irrigon's parents and children the sam e o pportunities the p a r e n ts a n d c h il d r e n o f Boardman take for granted. Is the B oard only interested in providing financial equity? In an area that is prim arily low- income, true equity can never be accom plished w hen m uch o f th e student b o d y ’s only connection w ith the school is class time. If true equity is too expensive to insure, then your only course o f action is to separate the high schools as soon as possible. After all this is th e U n ite d S ta te s o f America, and no child should be left behind. (s) M eredith DeHaven Irrigon PCU STO M BANNERS Heppner Gazette- Tim es 676-9228
