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
\