lone School Board concerned over MCSD suggestion
B e s s i e .Vet z e l l
U o f J Ne*spa ;ar Liarai-y
Euj e ne , OR 9; 4>3
HEPPNER
unes
VOL. 122
NO. 38
8 Pages
Wednesday, September 17,2003
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Luckiest girls in Heppner
Jodessa (left) and Kolleen Chapa show off nine four-leaf clovers the two found last Thursday.
If anyone is luckier
than Jodi and Kolleen C hapa
they would be hard to find. The
tw o Heppner girls found nine
four-leaf clovers while playing
on the lawn last Thursday.
T h e tw o sa y th e y
w e re j u m p i n g on th e
tram poline in the yard when
th ey started w restlin g and
ended up under the trampoline
w here K olleen, 10, said she
had her face close to the grass
and saw the first fo u r-le a f
clover. Later she and her sister
Jodessa, 11, found eight more.
Bank of Eastern Oregon buys
seven Klamath First branches
B a n k o f E a s te r n
O regon is purchasing seven
branches o f K lam ath First
F e d e r a l in n o r th e a s te r n
O regon. The branches being
purchased are located in the
to w n s o f B u rn s, C o n d o n ,
Fossil, H eppner, John Day,
Prairie C ity and M oro. The
sale includes deposit accounts
o f approximately $66 million,
w hich will double the size o f
the Bank o f Eastern O regon’s
six b ra n c h e s, an d its $78
million in total assets. The fixed
assets and branch locations
will also be included in the sale;
how ever, loans will not be
included.
C o m p le tio n o f the
transaction is scheduled for
Dec. 12,2003.
In H e p p n e r a n d
C ondon, the branches will
m erge and in the five other
to w n s, the K la m a th F irst
banks will be rebranded as
Bank o f Eastern ( )regon. With
the purchase o f the Klam ath
F irs t b r a n c h e s , B a n k o f
Eastern O reg o n ’s base will
now operate 11 branches in six
counties.
Current Klamath First
patrons will be able to benefit
from the sam e or comparable
products once the transaction
ta k e s p la c e . P a c k e ts o f
inform ation will be sent to
K lam ath First patrons 30 to
45 days prior to the Dec. 12
transaction.
Current Klamath First
employees will also be offered
e m p lo y m e n t by B an k o f
Eastern Oregon, said George
K o ffle r, B ank o f E a ste rn
O regon President and C h ie f
Executive Officer.
“The Bank o f Eastern
O regon is pleased to offer
custom ers and em ployees o f
these branches the opportunity
to jo in our great team . We
w ere established in 1945 to
meet the financial needs o f rural
c o m m u n itie s in e a s te r n
O reg o n , and these branch
purchases will allow us to
c o n tin u e th a t tra d itio n in
m arkets and w ith custom ers
we are very fam iliar w ith,”
a d d e d K o f f le r . B a n k o f
E astern O re g o n c u rre n tly
intends to partially finance the
proposed branch acquisition
through the issuance o f $2
m illion o f T rust P referred
Securities.
As
p r e v io u s ly
announced, K lam ath First is
party to a m erger agreem ent
pursuant to which Klamath will
m erge into Sterling Financial
C o r p o r a tio n
(N a sd aq :
STSA). Sterling was apprised
o f and concurred in the sale o f
these seven branches.
“ W ith th e r e c e n t
announcem ent o f our
proposed merger with Sterling
Financial Corporation, several
community banks indicated an
interest in m any o f our rural
branch locations. K lam ath
First determ ined that Bank o f
Eastern O regon w as the best
c a n d id a te to a c q u ir e its
b r a n c h e s s in c e B a n k o f
E a s te r n O r e g o n s h a re d
K la m a th F irs t F e d e r a l ’s
commitment to customers and
employees. In addition, a sale
at this tim e would ensure that
Klamath First custom ers and
em ployees at these branches
e x p e r ie n c e
o n ly
one
organizational change rather
than tw o ,” stated K erm it K.
Houser, President and C h ie f
Executive Officer o f Klamath
First Federal.
- a n d a re in g o o d
T h e lo n e S c h o o l
show s $218,584 in the bank
standing
in the prior school
District, at their regular meeting
at Bank o f Eastern O regon
M onday night at the lone year to receive lone School a n d $ 2 5 9 ,2 8 8 in th e
a p p ro v a l
fo r
School cafeteria, heard from D is tr ic t
government inv estment pool.
Board C hair Joe M cElligott admission.
-approv ed the budget
A c c o r d in g to th e
who voiced concern over the
as presented.
M CSD B oard’s suggestion at policy, ISD reserves the right
-h eard reports o f a
the M C SD ’s last meeting that to accept or reject students w e ll-a tte n d ed b arbecue in
they “revisit” their decision to based upon the availability o f celebration o f the new lone
allow all students w ho had space, resources, personnel, School District, sponsored by
attended school in the lone appropriate program s and “a the Bank o f Eastern Oregon.
attendance area during the positive review o f the student’s
-heard a report from
2 0 0 2 -0 3 s c h o o l y e a r to educational records.” The P rin c ip a l D ick A llen that
c o n tin u e to a tte n d lo n e p o lic y w a s a m e n d e d to school opened successfully
in c lu d e : “ S tu d e n ts w h o
Schools.
despite the form ation o f the
M C S D ’s suggestion attended lone Schools during n e w d is tr ic t a n d n e w
w as
t r ig g e r e d
by
a 2002-03 have been released construction. “Trie staffhas just
recom m endation by Judge through M CSD Board action done a trem endous jo b ,” said
Frank Y raguen that M CSD are autom atically provided Allen.
pay ISD over $100,000 in a adm ission to the lone School
-approved the hiring
settlement over the di v ision into D istrict and shall be offered o f Sarah Carlson as the middle
tw o school districts. Judge transportation to and from the school/high school science
Yraguen was hired to assist in lone Schools." The board also teacher and Becky Wiggers as
resolving the dispute between a d d e d th e p ro v is io n th a t the m iddle school volleyball
M C SD a n d ISD o v e r the students who attended school coach.
division o f assets and liabilities. outside o f the lone School
-approved a revised
M CSD estim ates that they D is tric t in 2 0 0 2 -0 3 m ay s c h o o l c a le n d a r w h ic h
could lose around $100,000 c o n tin u e to atten d school corresponds to the M C SD
a year as a result o f their action outside the ISD boundaries calendar with the exception o f
to allow those students to w ithout board approval, but conference days in November.
other transfer requests will be
attend lone Schools.
-heard a report that
“ While the settlement s u b je c t to re v ie w a n d the proposed plaza will be in
has a very positive impact on approval.
p lace th is fall e x c e p t for
In other business the
lone, we are concerned that it
i n s ta lla tio n
of
th e
could create som e long-term board:
commemorative bricks which
-h eard
fro m
issues regarding the Lexington/
are to be sold as a fundraiser.
P ine C ity s tu d e n ts ,” said S u p e r in te n d e n t G e o rg e It is anticipated that the plaza
M c E llig o tt in a w r itte n M urdock that the district is in could incorporate up to 700
statement. “With that in mind, a good financial position, with bricks. The plaza plans include
last w eek w e asked Judge their balanced budget based a display for an historic school
Y raguen to delay the final on a c o n se rv a tiv e $4.7 8 8 bell.
resolution in hopes that we billion state education budget.
-granted the principal
could visit the issue one final An increase from that amount and superintendent discretion
tim e and discuss a good faith has been approved by the about declaring surplus items
solution that w ould w ork in s ta te , b ut th a t a d d itio n a l and donating the items to the
their best interests. We were amount, along with a possible lone Foundation which could,
advised that M C SD did not state transportation grant, a in turn, use those item s as
w ish to engage in any further school facility grant and a small ftindraisers for the school.
discussion o f the settlement.” schools grant, have not yet
-heard a report on free
McElligott pointed out been in clu d e d in the ISD and reduced lunch sign up.
that stu d en ts living in the budget. The budget can be M urdock told the board that
Lexington/Pine City area have am en d ed to include those families are encouraged to sign
been provided with the option additional funds at a later date, up for the program. The more
o f attending either Heppner or said M urdock.
families that qualify would bring
P relim inary budget
lo n e sc h o o ls and that the
additional m onies into the
“ h isto ric a g re e m e n t” w as data is as follows: $ 1,542,334 district.
upheld by M CSD w hen they in th e g e n e ra l fu n d w ith
-h e a rd th a t th re e
voted to allow those students $436,727 in revenue received requests for boundary changes
to continue attending lone to d a te a n d $ 2 8 ,7 0 2 in have been received-one from
Schools. In return, he said, expenditures; $25,470 in the a family living in Lexington and
lone w ould honor the wishes textbook fund, with $24,313 two from families in the Liberty
o f students choosing to attend received; $49,571 in the food School area.
se rv ice fund, w ith $6,678
Heppner Schools.
-heard from Murdock
“ I am troubled by the received; $40,422 in the pool that future board meetings will
p ro sp e c t th at the M orrow fund w ith $17,565 received include a w ork session from
C ounty School Board m ay a n d $ 8 ,0 7 2 e x p e n d e d ; 6-7 p.m ., w ith the regular
re v is it th is lo n g -sta n d in g $ 106,316 in the extracurricular board meeting beginning at 7
a g re e m e n t in re sp o n se to fund w ith $9,425 received; p.m.
Ju d g e
Y r a g u e n ’s $70,000 in the student body
-le a rn e d the house
recommendations," continued fund; $6,081 in the vehicle/ ow ned by the district, which
M cElligott. “The purpose o f technology fund with $60,081 fo rm erly housed the lone
the final settlem ent was to received; $7,716 in the capital Schools principal, has not
permit all o f us living in this end project fund, with $5,009 in been rented, but is available
o f th e c o u n ty to p u t o u r expenditures; $ 17,600 in the for rent.
d iffe re n c e s a sid e a n d , as housing fund with $14,201
-heard the following
Judge Yraguen noted, to focus r e c e iv e d a n d $ 1 0 9 in announcem ents: O SB A fall
our energies on our prim ary expenditures; and $618 in the regional m eeting, O ct. 21,
mission, that o f educating our Star PSI fund with $617.84 E S D
O f f ic e ;
OSBA
children. Whatever differences r e c e iv e d ; fo r a to ta l o f c o n v e n tio n , N ov. 14-16,
and disagreem ents w e may $1,866,128 w ith $515,600 Portland; next board meeting,
have as adults, we should not r e c e iv e d an d $ 4 1 ,8 9 3 in M onday, Oct. 20.
hold any students hostage nor expenditures. The report also
s h o u ld w e d is r u p t th e ir
educational process as we
seek final resolution.”
A lso at the M onday
night meeting, the ISD Board
adopted a revised policy on
It is that time o f year again, when football games are in
the inter-district transfer o f
full
sw
ing
and schools come out to celebrate Homecoming.
resident students.
Friday,
Sept. 26 m arks H eppner High S chool's
A c c o r d in g to th e
Homecoming
events.
The varsity football team will be playing
policy, all children who reside
in the old Lexington/Pine City against Pilot Rock, w ith the gam e beginning at 7 p.m ., in
attendance areas are “eligible Heppner.
F rid a y , O c t. 17 m a rk s lo n e H ig h S c h o o l ’s
and w e lc o m e to a p p ly to
Homecoming
events. The varsity football team w ill be playing
a tte n d sch o o l in the lone
against Echo, w ith the game starting at 7 p.m., in lone.
district if they:
Homecoming nearing for
Heppner and lone schools
- m a k e a fo rm a l
written request o f release from
the M orrow C ounty School
District; apply for admission to
th e lo n e S c h o o l D is tric t
superintendent;
HES to hold Open House
Heppner Elementary School will be hosting an Open
H ouse for the com m unity on Tuesday, Sept 23. The O pen
House will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
20% O F F
In Stock 8 Orders
Welcomel
Danner Boots
L ast C hance! Sale Ends Saturday!
M orrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
tor
farm equipment. visit our w tb sit* at www.mcgg.iMt