Heppner gets FEMA award and reduced flood
insurance premiums
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Öessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University o f Oregon
Eugene. OR 97403
The city of Heppner
was presented Monday with
an award from the Federal
Em ergency M anagem ent
A gency (F E M A ) that
recognizes the city’s efforts
managing its flood plain.
A cco rd in g to a FEM A
re p re se n ta tiv e the good
management will result in a
10 percent savings on flood
insurance in the area.
HEPPNER
imes
VOL. 125
NO. 28
8 Pages
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
4-H Camp held at Cutsforth Park
M ark C arey o f
FEM A was on hand to
p resen t M ayor Tim Van
C leave with a certificate
marking Heppner’s efforts
w ith the flo o d plain
community rating service
(CRS).
Carey praised former
city manager Jerry Breazeale
w ho did the m ajority of
com pliance w ork on the
CRS reports. Carey said his
efforts resulted in an average
yearly savings of $54 off
p ro p e rty o w n ers flood
insurance premiums. Carey
said there was currently $45
million dollars of property
within the flood zone.
Carey also said that
new flood m aps fo r the
Willow Creek Valley should
be coming out before the end
of the year. The maps are
expected to shrink the size
of the flood plain and allow
some property ow ners to
discontinue carrying flood
insurance. The smaller flood
plain will also make new
building and remodeling less
restrictive in the area.
In other action, the
council:
-tabled approving
OLCC liquor licenses for
seven Heppner businesses
until the council heard a
rep o rt from the county
sheriff about any problems at
these businesses.
-heard a report from
Heppner Housing Authority
Chair Judy Buschke, who
said there were problems at
the St. P a tric k 's S en io r
C en ter as the re su lt o f
leaking rain water. She said
th ree
a p artm en ts are
c u rre n tly u n in h a b ita b le
because of water damage.
She said the city is waiting
on an insurance adjuster to
com e and in sp ect the
Mark Carey of FEMA (left), presents Mayor Tim Van
Cleave with flood plain award.
damage and determine how
much the insurance company
w ould
pay.
B uschke
expressed displeasure with
the insurance company over
the long delay in settlement.
Mayor Van Cleave
painted a bleak picture for
the Sr. Center saying it is not
able at this time to pay its
bills. "We are not making
ends m e et,” he told the
council.
A fter
som e
discussion councilmember
George Koffler agreed to
investigate possible grants
that might be able to be used
to reduce the debt for the
center and make the project
financially viable again. "We
need to show that it is a vital
need in the community and
we need to find a way to
keep it h e re ,” added
councilmember Tom Wolff
-h eard from C ity
M an ag er D ave D eM ayo
w ho said he had been
contacted by Del Piper of
L ex in g to n
and
Dom
M onahan
of
Eugene
concerning bottles that had
been discovered by a local
man at the former Heppner
Gazette-Times property that
now belongs to the city. The
men are apparently upset
saying that the bottles belong
Baker takes over Chamber helm
4-H members from Morrow County.
Terry Baker at the Heppner Chamber of Commerce.
J-
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4-H camp leader Baillie Keithley (left) of Heppner and camper Kmma Osmin get comfortable in
their tent.
4-H members from
M orrow . G illiam and
Wheeler held their annual 4-
H cam p June 25-28 at
Cutsforth Park. The theme
this year was Sports in the
F o rest.
The
group
participated in daily sports
type activities, as well as
hiking and campfire time.
They also had a dance on the
last night of camp.
HLL not to meet
H eppner
L ittle
L eague w ill not m eet
throughout the summer. The
next meeting will be on Nov.
16 at 7 p.m., with the place
to be announced.
Articles needed for Fair Edition
Those wishing to put articles regarding the Morrow
County Fair and Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo in the Aug. 9
Fair special edition of the Gazette need to have the articles
in by Monday, July 31 at 5 p.m. Articles may be mailed to
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, OR 97836; faxed to 676-9211; or
emailed to david@heppner.net.
Premium Books are available
Due to everybody getting their information in early,
the Premium Books were out by the first part of July. The
fair secretary appreciates everybody involved in the
publication of the book.
Please remember to read the rules and instructions
in the Premium Book, sometimes the instructions change
or get more defined. Also remember to pre-register all Open
Class animals by next Friday. July 21.
T aking o v er the
executive director position
at the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce is Terry Baker of
Heppner.
Baker, who moved
to H ep p n er w ith her
h u sb an d , H ep p n er city
c o u n cil m em ber G lenn
Baker, in O cto b er 2003,
used to w ork as a legal
secretary and planned many
events and seminars for her
employers. She also served
as the senior center director
in Cle Elum, WA. working
with 60 volunteers.
B aker said she
applied for the job because
it sounded like fun and
would be like "stepping from
one job to another.” She also
said, "that after three years
of being a housewife she
needed to go back to work
to get some rest.”
The B akers have
been married for 10 years
and moved numerous times
due to Glenn's job with the
Parks Service and have come
to Heppner to stay. "We are
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never going to move,” said
Terry.
B aker is looking
forw ard to the many
upcoming events including
C eleb rate H eppner and
Cycle Oregon. She will not
be here during the Morrow
C ounty Fair and O regon
Trail Pro Rodeo as she had
alread y co m m itted to
helping with her nephew's
wedding, but is entrusting
the ev en t back into the
capable hands o f Hughes.
B aker said she is also
looking forward to the St.
Patrick's Celebration as she
is part Irish.
B aker is ex cited
about the new job and diving
in head first. She is already
working on gathering more
events and ideas for this
year's Celebrate Heppner. If
you have any ideas, give her
a call at the Chamber office
at 676-5536.
Baker is replacing
Claudia Hughes, who served
as director for 20 years.
to the S tate o f O regon
because they are artifacts.
-d isc u sse d
a
D ep artm en t
of
T ransportation project to
widen and add sidewalks to
Court Street, which turns
into H eppner H ighw ay.
O D O T plans to m ake
u p g rad es
from
the
co u rth o u se
to
the
fairgrounds.
-d iscu ssed
a
disagreement with Moore
C o n tra ctin g o v er the
co m p leted city w ater
p ro ject. The city is
w ith h o ld in g $ 5 0 ,0 0 0 in
c o n tin g en cy
paym ents
co n ten d in g that M oore
damaged some of the city's
sew er
lin es
during
construction. The claim is for
$17,000 in dam ages and
$1,000 in attorney fees.
Moore has countered that
the city did not adequately
locate certain lines during
construction.
-d iscu ssed
the
quality o f the city water.
C o u n cilm em b er G lenn
Baker said a recent water
quality report sent out to all
residents by the city had too
much of a "positive spin" and
that the city should "tell the
people the way it is, that we
do not have top q uality
water. Relatively few people
drink water out of the tap,”
Baker added. "They drink
water from Heppner Family
Foods (the local m arket
w here
B aker
is
an
employee).”
Public
w orks
d ire c to r Bruce N elson
resp o n d ed to B aker by
explaining that the report is
accurate because it describes
the condition of the water as
required by governm ent
ag en cies. “T hat was a
consumer confidence report
and that is the way it is
suppose to be.” Nelson said.
The rep o rt show ed no
violations in testing for eight
different substances in the
city water including: copper,
lead, radium , uran iu m ,
nitrate and coli form. Last
year the city was required to
start chlorinating its water
fo llo w in g testin g that
showed high levels o f coli
form. Nelson said that it is
likely the city will continue
c h lo rin a tin g its w ater
indefinitely. He said most
c itie s are req u ired to
c h lo rin ate and that it is
unusual to find one that is
not required. He admitted
that the chlorination does
change the taste.
Baker also said the
city water turns white and
fizzy sometimes. Nelson said
he did not know why the
water was in this condition,
but it happens a "couple of
times a year and is probably
from air in the water.
County Grain d
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