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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2003)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Morrow County School Board selects Bill Kuhn continuedfrom page one with community celebrations in H e p p n e r, B o a rd m a n a n d Irrigon; - in i ti a te ra d io broadcasts w ith short blips prior to the new s at noon and at other times; -meet with legislators and w ith other boards about legislative activ ity during the off' season. Academics: -again increase the num ber o f students who meet or exceed the benchm arks by five percent over the 2002-03 school year; - in c r e a s e by fo u r percent the number o f students m ee tin g o r e x c e e d in g the benchm arks in math, science and language arts at each o f the grade levels tested; -increase the use and availability o f the V-tel system; -support formation o f a high school continued reading program , not ju st a rem edial program; -e x a m in e d e le tin g individual class subjects-not necessarily deleting programs- so there is m ore tim e in the curriculum to em phasize that w hich the board deem s m ost important. Other: -open the Irrigon High School in the fall o f 2005 with the adm inistration to begin planning and making decisions to that end. In a separate m atter, Senior Judge Frank J. Yraguen w h o is w ith th e O re g o n Judicial Departm ent and also operates his ow n m ediation/ a rb itra tio n /s e ttle m e n t counseling service, “Yraguen R esolution S erv ices,” w as present at the M onday night m eeting. Judge Y raguen is assisting M CSD and the lone SelfDetermination Committee in com ing to an agreem ent in settling the accounts between M C SD and the lone School D istrict. Judge Y raguen is meeting with numerous groups in order to assist in resolving the issues betw een the tw o entities. In other business, the board: -se le cte d the nam e “ Irrigon Elem entary School” for the new Irrigon elementary b u ild in g , 4 -3 , w ith b oard m em bers Miles, Lindsay and R enfro v o tin g ag a in st the motion. -voted to continue the board meetings as previously scheduled with board meetings on the second M onday o f the m o n th at 7 :3 0 p .m . a n d m e e tin g p lac e s re v o lv in g among schools and the district office. -ap p ro v e d th e appointm ent o f Dean M ason a n d M ik e A rm a to to th e b u d g e t c o m m itte e . T w o budget com m ittee openings still remain. -approved the MCSD c o n tra ct w ith the M orrow County Recreation District for funding o f athletic and other extracurricular program s for th e 2 0 0 3 -0 4 year. M C S D S u p e r in te n d e n t D r. J a c k C rippen said that the district had an unanticipated increase in cash carryover funds for the c o m in g s c h o o l y e a r a n d reduced the district’s financial request from M C U R D from $450,000 to $403,000, while lone Schools were still a part o f the district. Since that time, how ever, lone has seceded from the district. According to D r. C r ip p e n , M CSD s u b s e q u e n tly re d u c e d its request by another $85,000, w h ic h w a s th e M C S D ’s approxim ate cost o f the lone athletic program s while still a p a rt o f M C S D ( w ith an additional $ 15,000 generated by the lone School D istrict through pay to pay, according to M C SD e stim ates). Dr. C rip p e n p o in te d o u t th a t M C U R D increased the lone School D istrict’s M C U R D funds by $ 11,000 m ore than w hat lone Schools received when those schools were still a p a rt o f M C S D . T e rry T allm an, a m em ber o f the M C U R D Board said that the increase o f $11,000 to ISD w as a one-tim e increase to assist with startup costs for the n e w d i s t r ic t. “ I w a s concerned,” said Dr. Crippen, “ because I w as so heavily lo b b ied to g iv e b ack th at m o n e y ( th e $ 4 7 ,0 0 0 ) .” Tallman assured Dr. C rippen and the board that M C U R D wants to work with the district for the benefit o f the students. - d ir e c te d R h o n d a Lorenz, the M C SD deputy clerk, to investigate the cost o f f lo o d a n d e a r th q u a k e insurance coverage. - r e q u e s te d a dem onstration o f a portable so u n d sy ste m at the n ex t board meeting. -ap p ro v e d a cooperative sponsorship o f a g irls’ soccer team betw een H eppner H igh School and Riverside High School with the stipulation that the girls provide their own transportation. -heard a report from N an H a ll of H e e ry I n te r n a tio n a l a r c h ite c ts c o n c e r n in g th e bond construction. Hall said that: the new B oardm an elem entary school is ready for inspections and has been approved for tem p o rary occupancy, but landscaping continues to be a p r o b le m ; th e Irr ig o n E le m e n ta r y S c h o o l is substantially com plete w ith com pletion expected Sept. 5, how ever the building is not e x p e c te d to be re a d y for occupancy until around the fifth w eek o f sc h o o l; the handicap access ram p at the Heppner Elementary building still needs to be completed; the lone building is ready for occupancy and the old building is in the p ro cess o f being demolished. -heard a report from H o w a rd S h e e ts o n o th e r district projects. Sheets said th a t th e lo c k e r ro o m renovation at H eppner High School should be com pleted by S e p t. 1, s in c e th e y discovered nothing structurally w ro n g ; f e n c in g a t A .C . H oughton E lem entary is in process o f being installed; installation o f floor tile at HES is expected to start the third w e e k in A u g u st; an d the asbestos floor tile at HHS is in the process o f being replaced. -heard a report from district principals as follows: A.C. H oughton Elem entary P rin c ip a l Jo h n S e b a s tia n reports that all teachers have been hired at A C H w ith a counselor still needed; the new Irrigon ele m en ta ry school w o n ’t be ready by the start o f school, so C olum bia M iddle School and Irrigon Elementary School Principal Ron Anthony reports that he is developing a plan to incorporate fifth and sixth graders at CM S until the new sch o o l is c o m p leted ; H E S /H H S p rincipal W ade S m ith a n n o u n c e d th e resignation o f counselor Mona Hardman; RHS Principal Dirk D irksen says that all sta ff positions at RHS have been filled w ith the exception o f a s o c c e r c o a c h a n d so m e c la s s ifie d p o s itio n s; Sam B oardm an E lem entary and W indy R iv er E le m e n ta ry schools Principal B.J. Wilson say s th a t sox^e c la s s ifie d positions reitiaiijijri be filled. - a p p r o v e d employment for: Greg Lyons, C M S technology education teacher; Jeanne C ollins, h alf tim e H H S la n g u a g e a rts te a c h e r , r e p la c in g Val Cam pbell; Petra Elguezabal, half-tim e Spanish teacher at H H S, replacing C am pbell; Brian Wilson, RHS language a r ts te a c h e r (W ils o n subsequently resigned); Teresa P a r r e t, h a lf - tim e H E S assistant custodian, replacing R a n d y V o sb e rg ; D e n is e R iddle, program d ire c to r’s secretary. -approved extra duty co n tract for Brian W ilson, RH S head so c ce r coach (subsequently resigned). -approved transfers for G Ann Thomas, from RHS language arts teacher to RHS counselor, replacing Sharon B arrick; K arli C o o k from RHS educational assistant to Irrigon E lem entary School departm ent secretary; Jody M a rs to n fro m CM S department secretary to Windy River Elementary department secretary. - a c c e p t e d resignations/retirements from: F r a n c e s G le n n , r e tir in g effective Jan. 1, 2004, and continuing to teacher through the end o f the 2003-04 school year; Kelly Griffith from her R H S a s s is ta n t c u s to d ia n position; Brian Wilson from his RHS language arts teaching p o sitio n and R H S so c c e r coach position. -scheduled a meeting with the Community Education C om m ittees for T hursday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. at the district office in Lexington. -heard the following a n n o u n c e m e n ts : M C S D m eeting w ith the M orrow C ounty U nified Recreation District, M onday, Aug. 25, at noon at the Port o f M orrow in B o a rd m a n ; d is tr ic t- w id e inservice at RHS M onday, Aug. 25; inservice work days Tuesday, A ug. 26, through Thursday, Aug. 28; Labor Day holiday, Monday, Sept. 1; first day o f school for students, Tuesday, Sept. 2; next board m eeting, M onday, Sept. 8, A.C. H oughton E lem entary School, Irrigon, 7:30 p.m. L adies’ Playday results W C C C Under overcast skies, 13 w om en gathered Aug. 5, for W illow C reek C ountry C lub’s Ladies’ Playday. Pat Edm undson had low gross o f the field. Liz O rw ick had low net o f the field. Least putts o f the field went to Luvilla Sonstegard. In flig h t A, C o ro l Mitchell received low gross. In flight B, Lynnea Sargent received low gross; Loa Henderson, low net; and Betty Rietmann, least putts. In flight C, Lorrene M ontgom ery received low gross; Betty Carlson, low net; and Joyce Dinkins, least putts. Edmundson received s e c o n d s h o t on h o le 11. Mitchell had third shot on hole 15. M ontgom ery, S argent, S o n s te g a r d , O r w ic k , R ie tm a n n , D in k in s a n d M itchell all w ere “ on the green” on hole 13. Edmundson received a b ird ie on h o le 10 an d M itchell had a birdie on hole 13. CUSTOM BANNERS Logos & Graphics Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - THREE City Council continued from page one backed not by water revenue but by the entire assets o f the city. He also disputed the assum ption that the city will grow to population o f 2000 in the next 20 years. “ They say we have 1,500 now , but I d o n ’t think there are 1200 people here,” he said. With the smaller size project W olff added that maybe some o f the local contractors could bid and “keep som e o f the money at home.” C ity M a n a g e r J e rr y Breazeale argued in favor o f the larger water project saying th e city n e e d ed th e e x tra storage for fire fighting and for increased growth in the city. “If you d o n 't w ant to grow and you d o n ’t w ant to invest in your community then you will plan to fade aw ay,” he said. He also pointed out that the city co u n cil, or a c o u n cil comm ittee, had over the past several years review ed and approved every step o f the project, from the w ater master plan to the financing package. T he fin an cin g p ack ag e already approved for the $6 m illion project called for the city to receive approxim ately $2.25 million in grants and the re s t a lo a n p a y a b le at 1 percent interest over 30 years. B reazeale said he did not know if the loan o r grants could be used for the sm aller $ 1.7 - $2 million size project, or if he w ould have to go out and find new funding, but he w ould check it out. He also said the city might face some expenses in getting out o f the engineering contracts already signed for the larger project. Several m em bers o f the p u b lic a ls o s p o k e at th e m eeting, and all but one was in favor o f the sm aller size project. Some said water rates are already too high, and some said the Little League could not afford to pay for all the water necessary to keep the fields green. O thers said higher w a te r r a te s w o u ld d riv e people aw ay from H eppner and we w ould end up w ith a smaller population still paying fo r th e e x p e n s iv e w a te r system . All agreed that the system needed to be repaired, but that the city could not afford the m ore expensive project. In the end, how ever, the council voted six to one to rescind its prior approval o f the project and m ove ahead with the smaller water project. All council members voted in favor o f the motion and Mayor Bob Jepsen voted against. “ I am a g a in s t th is m o tio n ,” Jepsen said. “O ur other plan is 80 percent com pleted. We are going out to bids in two to three m onths," he said. In other business at the meeting the council: H eard from city m anager Breazeale who said he has been w orking w ith federal a g e n c ie s to try a n d g e t H e p p n e r ’s flo o d z o n e s reduced and it looked like there m ay be som e success from his efforts. “It looks like w e w ill h a v e s ig n ific a n t reduction in our flood plain,” he to ld the co u n cil. T he reduced size o f the flood plain will m ean few er people will h a v e to p a y fo r flo o d insurance, and less stringent b u ild in g c o d e s w ill be n e c e s s a ry w ith n ew an d remodeled construction in the city. Heard from the city manager that the city had received s e v e ra l g ra n ts in c lu d in g $24,000 for work at Heritage P laza and $4,000 tow ards leadership training. Accepted the resignation o f public w orks director Craig Canham. Canham said he had m a r r ie d a w o m a n in W ashington and w ould be m oving there to be with her. His last day on the jo b would be Sept. 2. A ppointed Duane Jones to the city planning commission. Weddinq Tables K im b e rlq B e c k e r & B re n t G u n d e rs o n Wedding - Saturdag, August 3 3 h ic k i and Tong d e m e n t Wedding Reception - Satupdag, August 3 3 S te p h anie H ag ue w o od & S h a u n h i , I er Shower - Sundag, August 3 4 Wedding - Saturdag, September 3 0 ^ Munuuj'j thug , Country Rose 217 North Main • Heppner Heppner Gazette 676-9228 TAû ’ i 676-9158 233 N. Mam • Heppner Serving Heppner. Lexington & lone 676-9426 % W illo w c re e k T e rra c e Assisted liv in g ACTIVITIES AT WILLOW (WEEK TERRACE Bingo on Mondays ~ Personal Gardening Pinochle on Tuesdays ~ Weekly Patio Barbecues Puzzle Always in Progress! ~ Entertainment from the Community SCHEDULED TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO Church ~ Community Events ~ Pinochle ~ Bingo ~ Movies Shopping ~ Senior Center Mealsite ~ Medical Appointments 2 4 H o u r S ta ff ~ A b s o lu te ly G r e a t F o o d ! - E q u a l O p p o r tu n ity F a c ilit y A p p lic a tio n A s s is t a n c e P r o v id e d F o r M EDIC AID call ( 541 ) 676-0004 in heppner , O regon J