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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2006)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 22,2006 Irrigon High School principal suspended, athletic director resigns The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner. Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879 periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon Office at 188 W Willow Street Telephone (541) 676-9228 Fax (541) 676-9211. E- mail: editor^ rapidserve nelordavid(i,heppncr net. Website: www heppner net. Post master send address changes to the Heppner (ia/elte-Times. PO. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $25 in Morrow County; $19 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 62 years or older); $31 elsewhere; $26 student subscriptions. David S y k e s................................................................................................... Publisher KaUe Foster ........................................................................................................ Editor All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $4 90 per column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50c per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to 100 words. Cost for a classified display ad is $5 50 per column inch. For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi cation must be specified. Affidavits must be required at the time of submission. Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required). For Obituanes: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary wntten in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary. For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the nght to edit letters. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks" at a cost of $10. On the HEPPNER WEBSITE: www.heppner.net • Start or C hange a Subscription • Place a C lassified Ad • Subm it a N e w s Story • V iew Real Estate for Sale • City Council & Planning Minutes • Local Businesses • County Park • Willow Creek Park Reservations • Free Digital Postcards • Senior Housing • and more! Economic Development Group works to establish E-Commerce Zone If a businesses The Willow Creek V alley E conom ic D ev elo p m en t G roup (WCVEDG) is working to e sta b lish an E lec tro n ic Commerce Enterprise Zone for the Heppner, lone and Lexington area. Establishment of the Enterprise Zone would help a ttra c t new b u sin ess to South Morrow County. or o rg a n iz atio n w ould be willing to write a letter of support for the econom ic zone please contact David S ykes, W CV ED G board member, at 676-9228, or mail your signed letter to David Sykes at P.O. Box 337, Heppner, OR 97836. Letters must be in by March 29 to be included with the application. CUSTOM BANNERS Ron A nthony, principal at Irrigon Junior/ Senior High School, was su sp en d ed by S u p e rin te n d e n t M ark B u rro w s fo r po licy v io la tio n s. A n th o n y ’s suspension will last until after Spring Break, which ends April 3. Monday night, M arch 20, the M orrow County School Board met in executive session to discuss the issue. No action was taken as of yet. Anthony had earlier been reported to the Oregon T e a ch e rs’ S tandards and Practices committee for a p o licy v io la tio n , said Burrows. An investigation is b ein g c o n d u c te d by the O TSP to determ ine what type o f san c tio n or rep rim an d A nthony w ill receive for the violation. Currently, Anthony’s license is not in je o p a rd y , said Burrows. A n th o n y was re c e n tly nam ed M iddle School Principal of the Year from the O regon M iddle Level Association. Anthony was nominated for the award by Irrig o n co m m u n ity members. L arry F ren ch , Irrig o n H igh S c h o o l’s athletic director, who was in violation o f the d istric t’s In te rn e t use p o licy , has re sig n e d , e ffe c tiv e immediately. French, who is retired from Riverside High School, had been serving on an extra-duty contract as a coach and athletic director and as a substitute teacher. Lexington Fire Fund to meet Any Size Lots of Colors Logos & Graphics T he q u a rte rly meeting o f the Lexington F ire Fund w ill be held Monday, March 27 at Town Hall at 7 p.m. A discussion concerning the needs of the Fire Department and what the Fire Fund can do for it will be held. Citizens of the Town are en co u rag ed to participate. Makes Great Advertising! Heppner Gazette 676-9228 MCGG GREEIM FEED STORE in Heppner JACKSON & PERKINS ROSES ARE NOWIN STOCK! N e w n u r s e r y s to c k a rriv in g w e e k ly ! P lu s a la rg e se le c tio n o f g a r d e n s e e d s M orrow County G rain C Lexington 989-8221 * 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net n O re go n D e p a rtm e n t o f Tra n sp o rta tio n 0D0T BOOSTS BUSINESS FOR OREGON COMPANIES Oregon businesses are finding opportunities for growth with the Oregon Department of Transportation's OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program. The bridge program is repairing or replacing more than 300 bridges on Oregon's highways. It is also designed to stimulate Oregon’s economy. And it's working. Fought & Company Inc., an Oregon- based steel fabricator, has supplied nearly $4 million in structural steel for several bridge program projects. Because of this business, the company has hired 10 new employees and plans to hire more in the near future. Other materials suppliers, design and construction firms, specialty contractors, and local businesses also are benefiting from the increased construction work. To learn more, visit ODOT’s web site at http://egov.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/ OTIA/ brldge_dellvery.shtml. 0D0T IS INVESTING IN OREGON’S FUTURE City defers log truck decision to committee continued from page one have not been bothered by th e ir tru ck . “ No one complained in the summer,” she added. She also said that she b eliev ed that m any p eo p le w ho sig n ed Bergstrom ’s letter did not even read it. B e r g s t r o m co u n tered that everyone who signed the letter had an opportunity to read it. Ball stressed that the tru ck o w n ers not only depend on their trucks for their livelihoods, but also put a considerable amount of m oney back into the H ep p n er econom y, especially for gas and tires. She said h er h u sb an d worked at the sawmill in Heppner for 25 years before it was shut down and they w ant to rem ain in the community, but need to be able to make a living. “I’m really in favor o f the o rd in a n c e ,” said Chuck Holt o f Heppner. “I d o n ’t think H eppner can afford to run out any small businesses. He also said he spoke to several people in the n e ig h b o rh o o d in question who said they also were not bothered by that particular truck. Kathy Maben, who owns a log trucking business w ith her h u sb an d , Jeff, voiced concern that if the truck owners were forced to park their vehicles away from th e ir hom es, they w o u ld risk th eft and vandalism to their trucks, w hich w o u ld , in tu rn , threaten their livelihood. “We’ve got to have them where they would be safe,” said Maben. “Our businesses go down, we go down.” Of special concern are the thefts by meth users who steal parts, even scrap, to sell for drug m oney. The truck owners say that even finding a place to park the trucks is another issue. K evin and C andy Chick, who live near another truck driver, Jim Rollis, said that their whole household is aw akened and household d isru p te d in the early morning hours by a truck starting up and idling for “an hour.” The truck owners, on the other hand, said it is necessary to warm up their vehicles prior to use, but try to reduce the am ount of id lin g tim e as m uch as possible. Gary Ball said that the trucks need around 15 minutes of idling time. The draft ordinance reads as follows: “ An O rd in an ce A m ending H eppner City C ode S ectio n s 6-2-1, to allow parking of trucks off stre e t and d e c la rin g an emergency. Whereas the City of Heppner desires to promote the liv a b ility o f the co m m u n ity for all its citizens; and Whereas truck drivers owning their own trucks need the ability to park and repair their vehicles at th e ir re sid en c e ; and W hereas with appropriate restrictions, this need can be acco m m o d ated w ith o u t infringing upon neighboring landow ner’s right of quiet enjoyment of their property. The city of Heppner ordains as follows; 1. Section 6-2-1 C. is am en d ed by the addition o f the following language: “A truck without a load that is not a sem i tra c to r tru ck (a tru ck designed to haul a trailer) or a semi-tractor truck without a trailer may be driven to the residence of the owner of the truck for the purpose o f parking or for minor repairs. The truck must be parked off-street. Minor repairs are re p a irs that can be accom plished without the use of power equipment. No repair work shall be done betw een 7:30 p.m. and 8 a .m .” 2. In asm u ch as e n fo rc em en t of this ordinance is necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the city of Heppner, and em ergency is declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect immediately upon passage by the Council and approval of the Mayor.” C ity attorney Bill Kuhn said that the city had declared an emergency with reg ard to this ord in an ce because if they hadn't they would have had to wait 30 days for the ordinance to go into effect, if it had been passed. In other business, the council: -a d o p te d an o rd in a n c e g ra n tin g a franchise to David Green, doing business as Heppner Garbage Disposal Service. -a d o p te d an o rd in a n c e g ra n tin g a fra n c h ise to c o n stru c t, o p e ra te and m ain tain a telecommunications network within the city of Heppner to CenturyTel of Eastern Oregon. -ra tifie d the appointment of Paul Jones and Angie Hanson to fill positions on the planning commission vacated by Dan Dunnett and Rod Wilson. -discussed watering o f the dow ntow n flow er baskets. It was suggested that the task be undertaken by a volunteer group, such as high school cheerleaders, Boy Scouts. -approved granting use of the Heppner City Park to the class of 1956 for their 50-year reunion on July 15. -a c ce p te d Ju d ith Laughlin’s resignation from the city budget committee. -h e a rd city manager’s, public works and law enforcement reports. -adopted 2006 city goals. -discussed but took no action on a resolution establishing pay ranges and p o licy fo r em p lo y ee compensation for 2006-07. The city manager’s monthly salary w ould range from $3885 to $5050 with a base salary o f $4140 and a m axim um o f $4306, including incentives and m erit potential. The city treasurer’s monthly salary would range from $2501 to $3146 with a base salary of $3146 and a maximum of $3272, including incentives and merit pay. The treasurer tra in e e ’s m onthly salary would range from $2501 to $3146 with a base salary of $2730 and no incentive or merit pay. The general clerk w ould receive $9.69 per hour with a maximum of $10.08 per hour. The public works d irecto r’s monthly PUBLIC NOTICE Heppner Public Works Department Training March 24,2006 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Heppner PW Department will be receiving CPR training on Friday, March 24,2006 from 8 a.m. until noon. Public Works personnel will be unavailable during this time unless there is an emergency. salary w ould range from $3171 to $4132 with a base salary o f $3681 w ith a m axim um o f $3829, including incentives and merit potential. The assistant p u b lic w orks d ire c to r’s salary w ould range from $2763 to $3597 with a base salary o f $3597 and a m axim um o f $3790, including incentives and m erit p o te n tia l. U tility w orker I ’s salary w ould range from $1826 to $3216 with a base of $2444 and a maximum of $2692; Utility w orker II’s salary would range from $1826 to $3216 with a base of $2489 and a maximum of $2614; Utility worker I ll’s salary would range from $1826 to $3216 with a base of $1882 and a m axim um o f $2032. The ch am b er o f com m erce m an ag er w ould receiv e $1050 and is exempt from incentive and m erit pay. C h am b er part-tim e staff w ould receive $8.44 per hour with no incentive or merit pay. The mayor would receive a base salary of $335 with no incentive or merit pay. Under the merit pay program, non-supervisory positions, depending on a sco rin g sy stem , w ould receive either: a two-percent merit increase with two extra v acatio n d ay s, a th ree- percent merit increase with three extra vacation days or a four-percent merit increase w ith four extra vacation days. Supervisory positions, also depending on a scoring system, would receive either: a two-percent merit increase w ith tw o ex tra vacation days; a three-percent merit increase with three extra vacation days; or a four- percent merit increase with four extra vacation days. -approved the city council goals for 2006. -a p p ro v e d a p ro p o sal to jo in the Northeast Regional Housing Fund. Obituaries Kenneth Deane Graves K en n eth D eane G rav es, 39, o f C o eu r d’Alene, Idaho, died Friday, M arch 17, 2006 in a h e lic o p te r crash near D a y v ille , O regon. A mem orial service will be announced at a later date. Survivors include his mother, Bonnie Paullus of Sumpter; his father, John Deane Graves of Umatilla; three daughters, Kayla and S am an th a Lee o f C oeur d ’Alene, Idaho and Carolyn Whitney of Klamath Falls; his fiancé, Renee’ Kuehner; and a siste r, C andy o f J u lie tta , ID; by tw o grandmothers; by uncle and aunts, Kenny and Candy Gates of Lexington and Rita Woolsey of Heppner; and by cousins, Melissa and Mike T ow ers o f B urns and Melanie and Kevin Troxell of Boardman. M e m o r i a l Contributions may be made to F allen F ire fig h te rs through Driskill Memorial C h ap el, 241 S. C anyon Blvd., John Day, Oregon, 97845. Marriage Licenses March 7: Steven Theodore Evans, 29, Echo and K im b erly K aye Johansen, 29, Echo. March 13: Mitchell Jess Tipton. 57, Irrigon and Glenda Myree Cadek, 52, Irrigon.
