Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2004)
Savs English as second language funds misused Bessie ïctzeil U of ü H«*spa oar Library Eumene, OR I VO L. 123 NO. 24 10 Pages 97403 Wednesday, June 16,2004 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon City crews fixing water line leaks Boardman Latino community member to request school district audit years, and Joe. 35. who has Colin and his wife. Joe Colin, a long-time lived in Boardman 23 years, member of the Boardman Lupe, also indicated their also dissatisfaction Latino community, told the concerns about the district’s with expressed the district’s M orrow C ounty School policy concerning Community program , told of soccer Board Monday night that he Education Committees. The importance of soccer to the the believes that English-as-a- Colins told the board that they Latino com m unity and Second-Language monies were unhappy with the complained that the soccer have been misused and said board’s refusal to hear CEC players often were not given that he plans to request an reports during meetings and as high priority as participants audit from the Oregon State dissatisfied with the results of other athletic programs, Department of Education they had received by such as being given the “bad” concerning MCSD’s use of contacting building principals. bus when traveling to games, Renfro said that while CEC those funds. reports were made available not being allowed to attend as Colin said that monies many meets and take as many generated for the district by the to the board, they were not students desired. Renfro number of English language read aloud during the board later said as that is learners have not been used meetings. He reiterated the provided for boys’ funding and girls’ primarily for the education of district’s chain of command varsity soccer teams and a Spanish-speaking students. with the principals the first line boys’ junior varsity team. C olin told the of contact, the superintendent The Colins also told G azette-T im es after the next and then the board. The the Gazette Julie Weikel, meeting that he plans to board also told the Colins that Boardman, that previous board investigate the possibility of any person may come before member trusted by the Latino creating a charter school or the board and be heard. community, resigned out of The Colins, who have perhaps forming some type of frustration with the board. coalition with the lone School two children, later told the Weikel had earlier favored D istrict. He said that Gazette-Times that Latinos appointm ent of a Latina Boardm an schools are often felt left out of the process woman to the board, but the com prised of 85 percent and expressed concern over board instead chose Bill Kuhn Hispanic students and, if those their own children’s education of Heppner to fill an open spot students are able to attend and the education of Latino on the board. Weikel, who another district, they could students in the district. They often butted heads with the bring with them at least an maintain that the ELL monies majority of the board, favored additional $ 1,500 per student have not been used for ELL granting variances to Irrigon in state monies, above and students. “For the last 10-12 students who wished to attend beyond the basic amount the years, they have been using school at Riverside High district receives pier student. our kids’ money for building School and favored the Rhonda Lorenz, schools in Heppner, where selection of Duane Yecca, MCSD deputy clerk, said that there are no Spanish speaking former Riverside High School for the 03-04 school year the kids,” said Joe Colin. “Out of principal, as superintendent. district received $5,160 in $ 100 only $40 goes to these Yecca was initially selected by basic support from the state kids. We’re asking the State the board for the per student, with an additional Board of Education to come superintendent’s position, but half of the basic support, and do an audit for the last 10 in a split vote, and he $2,580, for each ESL student. years.” “If I were to sue the subsequently turned down the Current projections for the district for all that money, 1 bet offer. The board then hired 04-05 school year indicate I would win,” he added. M ark Burrows for the The Colins also noted that the district expects to position. receive approximately $4,874 that several Latinos who Monday night, the in basic support per student attended the meeting Monday board again voted four to two from the state, with an night left early because the against granting additional $2,437 for each district’s efforts at providing students variances to Irrigon attend ESL student. Other factors, English-Spanish translations Riverside High School this fall. such as the number of special were ineffective. Board m em bers Pat Lupe Colin, 34, who education students, the number of econom ically has lived in Boardman 20 McNamee. Irrigon. and Craig disadvantaged students and rural school designation, also increase the state funding. MCSD Board Chair John Renfro said that it was An informational meeting to Corps has determined the full true in the past the district did discuss the recent drought amount of storage is available. not restrict the spending of declaration, temporary water The release of the stored ESL funds to ESL programs, releases from Willow Creek water will cause an earlier than but added that the district has dam for irrigation and their normal drawdown of the taken measures to correct the potential impacts will be held reservoir. Depending on problem, such as designing an next Monday, June 2 1 at the irrigators' needs and weather English Language Learners Heppner Elks Lodge. The conditions, the Corps will program, extensively outlining meeting will start at 7 p.m. release at a rate of up to 20 English Language Learner The U.S. Army Corps of cubic feet second. The educational and financial goals, Engineers and Oregon Water drawdown will potentially hiring an ELL director, Joel Resource Department will reduce the size of the reservoir Chavez, who designed the have representatives present to from about 157 acres to about 97 acres by Sept. 30, or down program, and providing a discuss these topics. to elevation 2,()47 feet. Downstream irrigator's translator at board meetings. The boat ramp provides Lorenz said that the district requeste4d emergency water now spends approximately 93 releases following a declaration access to the lake at elevation percent of the ESL funds of drought emergency for 2,032; a handicapped- directly for ESL programs and Morrow County signed by accessible dock provides currently no ESL funds are O regon G overnor Ted access to elevation 2.063. and Klulongoski on March 31. a floating dock provides used for transportation. Renfro said that The reservoir will be drawn access and boat tie-ups previous superintendents had down below its norm al alongside the ramp to elevation assured the board that while summer pool level at a rate 2,047. the district’s spending of ESL exceeding the usual three cubic- The Corps completed an funds was not limited to ESL feet per second, resulting in a Environmental Assessment in programs, the spending was probable pool level of 2,047 2003, when similar conditions allowed and legal. Renfro said feet elevation by Sept. 30. existed, and determined the that the district would welcome These temporary contracts proposed action would not a state audit. “We have nothing for irrigation water call for significantly affect the quality to hide, and if we’re doing releases of up to 3,276 acre- of the human environment and something wrong, we need to feet of stored water for use that an Environmental Impact know about it.” He added that during the summer growing Statement was not required. the district's ESL income and season. Since Willow Creek This EA is still in effect. expenditures are listed “line Lake has tilled to its normal full A copy of the EA is avai lable item by line item.” “I believe pool elevation of 2.076 feet on Corps website at http:// we have developed an and the project was authorized wwAv.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/ outstanding ELL program.” for 3.500 acre-feet of storage e/reports/environmental/ea/ for future irrigation use, the WillowC reekEA.pdf. said Renfro. Corps plans meeting on lake draw down Heppner city crews have begun fixing leaks in the water lines. This leak was dis covered below well number one on Dick Wilkenson property by City Manager Jerry Breazeale. Of the six leaks found so far this was the largest losing 100 gpm through a broken valve. The city of Heppner has been city is considering buying from deterioration and are starting working hard the past week to the Bank of Eastern Oregon, to collapse. He recommended find and fix leaks in the water The inspector said the overall rem oval of the wooden system the city manager told the structure of the building material and replacement with council at its monthly meeting appears to be sound and that concrete or metal supports. Monday night. the brick siding appears to be The inspector recommended A recent call to conserve in good condition with very that an inspection by a licensed water because of dangerously few cracks in the brick work, engineer be done to determine low levels in the storage tank Ralph Eckis of Pillar to Post the types of repairs that are prompted the public works inspections also found some necessary. He also department and the city manger problems with the property, recommended an inspection of to start looking for leaks. Eckis said the roof showed parts of the foundation wall by The largest leak was found some signs of “alligatoring” and a licensed structural engineer. below well one and was loosing other areas where the roof The inspector also 100 gallons per minute from a fabric has come loose from the recommended that licensed broken valve. “It looked like a roof surface. He also said electrical and heating and river running down there,” said another area was in average cixiling inspectors check over City Manager Jerry Breazeale. condition and is show ing some the building as he was not Five other smaller leaks were wear in the form of loose areas qualified to do these also found and repaired, and nails working through the inspections. Breazeale said the city 's surface. At the city council “The upper floor of the bank number one priority is to meeting Monday Breazeale building has not been used in provide a constant and safe said it would cost years and as a result deferred water supply. approximately $ 12.500 to fix maintenance is the result. The In other water news the city the roof, balance (lower level) of the has been required by the state Also mentioned in the report building appears to have had health department to install a were hot water pipes that had routine maintenance and chlorinator on reservoir one. been disconnected because of appears to be in good The w ater has been damage so there was only cold condition," the inspector contaminated and must now be water available in the building, reported. treated. Eckis also mentioned that on In light of the inspection the In other business the east side of the basement area council asked the city manager council reviewed a building is an access tunnel that to re-negotiate with the Bank inspection report on the former extends under the front of the of Eastern Oregon concerning Klamath First Bank building the bank lobby area. The wooden supports for this tunnel show continued on page tw o ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: M O N D A Y S AT 5:00 P.M . C heck O ut O u r S e le c tio n O f Luurn M o w ers! Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 * 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment. *M t our web site at www megg net \
