Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 14,2007 - THREE
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There are some things worth fighting over - like when government shafts the people it exists to serve.
Since getting elected
to Heppner’s city council.
I’ve tried to pick my fights
carefully. However, there are
some things worth fighting
over - like when government
shafts the people it exists to
serve. Read on.
If my information is
correct, it was back in the
m id -1 9 8 0 's w hen the
M orrow
C ounty
g overnm ent was first
approached hy some barge
company to authorize the
Finley Buttes Landfill as the
repository for metropolitan
P o rtla n d 's solid w aste.
Recognizing that the politics
of turning a piece o f our
county into the garbage
dump for Oregon’s largest
city carried a certain stench
w ith
it, the county
com m issions of that time
diligently slogged their way
through Boardman, Irrigon.
lo n e, L ex in g to n , and
H eppner, holding public
hearings which they used as
a forum to sell the proposal
to the public based on the
notion that a) the landfill site
occupied a remote location,
and b) the money paid to the
county (“tippage fees” ) by
the e n terp rise w ould be
m ade a v ailab le for the
benefit of its citizens. Sounds
like they did their homework
w ell. In July 1987. the
county passed their “Solid
W aste
M anagem ent
Ordinance,” and everybody
sat back and waited for the
new
lan d fill to get
e sta b lish e d and start
generating revenue.
In February 1993,
the county commissioners
dutifully followed up on their
p rom ise and passed a
re so lu tio n
(a
form al
statem ent o f position or
intent by a government body
- something less than a law
or ordinance, but more than
an idle election campaign
p ro m ise) that a ctu a lly
spelled things outs: 50% of
the tip p ag e fees (less
administrative costs) would
be split equally among the
county's five communities,
40% would be split among
those same com m unities
based on population, and the
rem aining 10% would be
retained by the county. So,
maybe the m ega-garbage
dum p w asn ’t such a bad
idea, w e’re all going to get
some additional money for
needed public projects, and
everybody’s happy, right?
Wrong. In July 1994,
the county commissioners
passed a second resolution
that revoked the first one
outright and plopped the
money right back into the
county’s general fund for
their exclusive use. And
that's the way it's been ever
since - instead of going to
the cities as first promised,
90% o f the tip p a g e fee
revenue (which currently, by
the way, adds up to about $ 1
million annually) is now a
w indfall to the c o u n ty ’s
general fund, and the
rem aining 10% is being
carefully doled out by the
commissioners to the five
communities, a few dollars
at a time, in a magnanimous
gesture to demonstrate what
great guys they are.
Last W ednesday,
F ebruary 7, the cu rren t
com m issioners met with
representatives of the towns
to hear th e ir case for
adhering to the original
form ula for splitting the
tippage fee revenue as first
prom ised, and otherw ise
take public testimony. Held
on the commissioner’s home
tu rf
at
the
county
courthouse, the meeting was
a farce. The courthouse was
stacked with what seemed to
be every form er Morrow
County commissioner since
the passage o f O reg o n 's
statehood act, along with
various and sundry farmers,
ranchers, and others with a
vested interest in county
programs and services. Like
a really bad opera, they
popped up one by one
singing the praises of county
gov ern m en t and railin g
against the audacity of the
cities for daring to rock the
boat. O u tn u m b ered and
clearly out of their element,
the city representatives were
m ute for the m ost part,
except for their appointed
spokesman. You've got to
had it to the commissioners
- they may indeed suffer
from se le c tiv e m oral
dwarfism (particularly when
600D LUCK
IONE
CARDINALS!
SIMPLY THE BEST
lone Cardinalv Varsity How (L-R): top row-Coach Jim Swanson.
Kip Krebs, Kevin Flowler. Clay Marter, Montana Marlatt. Coach
Dennis Stefani; bottom mw-Stormy Kendrick. R.J. Ramos. Paul
Hams. Matt Hams. Matt Coleman. Justin Archer, Alan Rictrnann.
Big Sky District Tournament: lone Cardinal
Varsity B o ys play Cascade Locks on Thurs
day, February 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Umatilla
High School in Umatilla.
serious money is involved),
but they’re astute enough at
basic political gamesmanship
to orchestrate a meeting in
such a way that it flows
sm oothly tow ard the
outcome they want. Which
is exactly what happened.
Reinforced by supportive
cro o n in g
from
th e ir
predecessors and others, the
three
in cu m b en t
commissioners unanimously
agreed that a) the cities’ case
had insufficient merit, b) the
money belongs to the county
anyway (notwithstanding the
promise to split most of the
revenue am ong the five
communities), c) the cities’
appeal couldn't come at a
w orse tim e, in view o f
budget woes and what-not,
and d) we all is quite content
w ith
the
p resen t
arrangement, thank you, and
by God, w e're keeping the
dough. B ang. M eeting
adjourned.
A little side note here
to deflect a bogus argument
y o u ’ll p ro b ab ly h ear in
com ing days. During the
aforementioned meeting, the
commissioners predictably
dredged up the point that
k eep in g th e ir rev en u e-
sharing promise would cause
irreparable harm by forcing
re d u c tio n s to v alu ab le
county program s an d /o r
elimination of county jobs
(translated: unacceptable
sh rin k ag e o f th eir little
bureaucratic empires). This
is a stale diversionary tactic
based on the premise that
co u n ty p ro g ram s and
services are somehow more
valuable than city programs
and services, and should be
dropped from the debate
immediately. In truth, the
county has needs, the cities
have needs, everybody her
got needs, but none of us
have the resources to fully
meet them. And which is
more important: repairs to a
chuckhole-ridden street, an
additional cop to patrol that
street, a county planner, or
new playground equipment
for a worn-down city park?
All produce a public benefit
and all have value (except,
of course, for the planner).
All levels o f government
w ant m ore m oney to
accomplish their respective
m andates, both real and
imagined. And the people,
quite correctly, resist giving
up their money because a)
they need it for themselves
and their families, and b)
th e y ’re fully aw are that,
although government is very
e ffic ie n t at su ck in g up
everybody’s private income,
it’s inherently wasteful and
horribly inefficient when it
com es to sp en d in g it.
Instead, they force elected
officials to weigh costs and
benefits, and make tough
funding decisions. So let's
drop the w h in in g about
“needs” - it’s irrelevant. The
issue at hand is not needs, it’s
basic morality, or rather, the
lack of it.
O f course, ethically
challenged politicians are as
old as the hills. We even joke
about them - the contortions
in reasoning some of them
go through to rationalize
their behavior is frequently
hilarious. However, when it
happens at the local level and
you’re the victim, it becomes
a bit more personal and stops
being funny. With respect to
the good c itiz e n s o f
Boardman, Irrigon, lone,
Lexington, and Heppner,
you’ve just kissed off, by
duly
elec te d
county
representatives, to the tune
o f som ew here betw een
$ 100,000 - $ 200,0 0 0
(depending on the size of
your town) worth of good
that could have been done
for
each
of
your
communities ... unless of
course you’re willing to band
together and fight back.
As of this writing,
th e re ’s a m ove under
consideration by the mayors
o f the five affected
communities to launch an
initiative measure forcing the
county com m issioners to
perform at least in part on
their original promise. For
anybody th a t’s forgotten
th eir high school civics
lessons, the initiative is a
dandy little constitutional
mechanism that enables the
people to o v errid e th eir
w ayw ard
p o litic a l
rep resen tativ es and pass
enforceable laws by direct
popular vote. Anyway, the
mayors, apparently a very
civilized and kindhearted
bunch, are pushing for only
75% of the money originally
promised to the five towns.
M y self, I ’d reco m m en d
recovering every last penny,
both to get the maximum
benefit for our communities,
and to teach the good o l’
boys at the courthouse the
lesson that they shouldn’t
make promises they don’t
intend to keep. But however
the matter is approached.
I ’m co n v in ced that the
initiative process is now the
only available remedy, and
worthy of your support. And
rem em ber, y o u r m ayors
aren’t going to accomplish
this by themselves. They’ll
need you to call in
expressing that support, tell
your neighbors what’s afoot,
sign a petition to get the
measure on the ballot, and
cast y o u r vote for the
initiative. The entrenched
county commissioners have
taken their stand, and they’re
gambling with the citizenry
w ill be too ap ath etic or
divided to take them on.
Now it’s your turn to show
them they made the wrong
bet.
A fte r g ettin g the
misappropriated funds back
to your communities, there’s
the question of what to do
about the three fun-loving
commissioners who’ve just
thum bed th eir collective
noses at the town dwellers
who helped elect them. File
fo r an im m ed iate recall
election and toss them out on
their ears? O r just dump
them like so much garbage
as they com e up for re-
election and pray that they
behave them selves in the
interim? I suppose you could
also re-elect them, which
strikes me as something akin
to a group of nuns inviting a
few serial rapists over to the
convent for dinner. Good
heavens, it’s no wonder that
so m any p eople accord
politicians the same level of
esteem they usually reserve
for used car salesmen and
con artists.
Glenn Baker,
Councilman
Heppner City
Council
Position 3 - four-
year term
P osition 4 - tw o-
year term
Position 5 - four-
year term
Position 6 - four-
year term;
Irrigon Community
Education Committee
Position 2 - four-
year term
Position 3 - four-
year term
Position 4 - four-
year term
P osition 6 - tw o-
year term;
B o a r d m a n
C om m u n ity E d u catio n
Committee
Position 2 - four-
year term
P osition 3 - two-
year term
P osition 4 - two-
year term
P osition 5 - two-
year term;
M orrow C ounty
Health District
Position 5 - four-
year term
Position 4 - four-
year term;
H eppner
W ater
Control District
three p o sitio n s at
large - four-year terms;
All candidates for
these positions are required
to file a Filing of Candidacy
for
S p ecial
D istric t
Nomination form, with the
Morrow County Clerk by
March 15, 2007. Petitions
may be picked up at the
M orrow C ounty C le rk ’s
Office or go to the Secretary
o f S ta te ’s w eb site at
www.sos.state.or.us/
E lectio n
D iv isio n /
Publications and Form s/
District Election Manual.
Use fillable pdf forms SEL
190 and SEL 191. Include
SEL 220 if you are filing a
Statement of Organization.
A $ 10.00 filing fee or
25 signatures o f eligible
Morrow County voters are
req u ired . File wi t h the
Morrow County C lerk at
100 S. Court Street, P.O.
Box 338, H eppner, OR
9
7
8
3
6 .
www.nxTnowcountyoregon.com
CLERK
For
m ore
information, call (541) 676-
5601.
THESE INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES CONGRATULATE
THE IONE CARDINALS’ ROTS BASKETBALL TEAR
AND WISH THEM GOOD LUCK AT DISTRICT!
Adena, Mason. Locus & Mariah
Allen 8 Nancy Anderson
Allstott Construction
Anda Kay B.E.0. Financial Services
Arietta, Abby & Katy Arnspiger
Ashley, Cathy, Adam 8 Meghan McCabe
Bailey Heavy Equipment
Bank of Eastern Oregon Member F.D.I.C,
Barney Rea
Becky Tullls
Beryl A Susie Stillman & Children
Betty Gray
Betty Rietmann
Betty & William Bergstrom
Bill & Nancy Jepsen Family
Bill Rietmann
Bink, Lynn Dee, R.J. & MaKenna Ramos
Boardman Foods
Bob Baker
Bob Hubbard
Bob Perry
B P O E No 358
Bnan & Lori Sullivan & Family
Bnan & Peggy Doherty Family
Bnan, Sharon, Andrew, Allysa, Alan, Alex
8 Anthony Rietmann
Bruno Construction
Butch & Helen Heideman
Buzz. Jeanette Logan
Chad, Kan. Sierra. Jordyn 8 Kendell Robie
Chuck 8 Tobie Williams
Clint. Sarah, Alex 8 Julianne Carlson
Clint. Sharon 8 Tiana Camanllo
Collier's Market
Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative
Craig. Paul 8 Matt Hams
Craig. Janet, Steven. Emily 8 Rachel Holland
Daily Bread Farms: Joel. Lea. Gus. Oskar
8 Babali
Dale. Karen, Barbara. Stephanie
8 Thomas Holland
Dana 8 Tonya Heideman
Darrell 8 Paula Emmel Family
Damn 8 Henry Padberg
Dave Barnett
Dave 8 Beth Heagy Family
Dave. Debbie 8 Mike Radie
Dave 8 Patty McNary
David Stevens 8 Cynda
Dean 8 Florene Robinson
Deacon, Ehn 8 Jacob Heideman
Dean's Pendleton Athletic
Del 8 Linda LaRue
Dennis Stefani 8 Misti 8 Sydney
Dennis. Janet. Jennifer, Curtis, Jason
8 Brendan Thompson
Devin Oil Co.
Dick 8 Jannie Allen
Donna Bergstrom
Donna, Susan, Andra, Stormy. Skyler
8 Shadow
Dick 8 Nancy Snider
Dick 8 Rosie Graham
Dobyns Pest Control
Don 8 Eunice McElligott
Dorothy Stefani
Dot Halvorsen
Duane, Linda, Jacob, Adam 8 Paul Neiffer
Dustin, Karen, Ashley 8 Hannah
8 Hunter Padberg
Earl. Rhonda 8 Kate Garrett
Eastern Oregon Orthopaedic Surgery
8 Sports Medicine LLP
Eric. Brandi. Morgan. Matthew. Madison
8 Mason Orem
Frank 8 Cathy Halvorsen
Fred 8 Faye Walton, John 8 Nik
Gar Aviation
Gene. Kathy 8 Tony Bolin
Gene 8 Knsty Crowell
Gerald 8 Linda Wilson
Glenn, Kelly. Tracy 8 Jennifer Griffith
Gregg. Shelly, Tanner. Evan 8 Ola Rietmann
Hank 8 Kathi Pointer
Helen Crawford
Helen Pettyjohn
Henry 8 Robin Krebs 8 Missy
Heppner Family Foods
Heppner Gazette-Times
Heppner Heating
Howard 8 Dianne Mullins
lone Community Band
IfiT LLC
Jarrod, Alison 8 G race Ogden
Jason. Tara 8 Cameron Proudtoot
Jerry, Lisa. Ann 8 Emma Rietmann
Jim 8 Gayle Eynetich
Jim 8 Gma Jepsen
Jim, Eileen, Miranda, Colin 8 Taylor McElligott
Jim, Monica, Adrienne, Luke 8 Tyan Swanson
J. Keithley Construction
Joe 8 Darla Vandever 8 Teonna
Joe 8 Jeri McElligott 8 Family
Joe. Anita, Caitlin 8 Zac Orem
Joe. Donna, Emily 8 Mary Rietmann 8 Terry
Joe, Linda 8 Stacee Halvorsen
Josh 8 Bryn Browning Family
John 8 Jean Jepsen
John 8 Linda Bnstow
John, Barbara. Johnny 8 Adam Collin
John, Helen 8 Arthur Ekstrom
John, Janna, Jonathan, Beth, Joel, Chnstan.
Jamie 8 Julianna VandenBnnk
John, Kerry 8 Brenna Rietmann
Juanita Schultz
June Crowell
Justin, Stacie 8 Payton Miller
Katherine Lmdstrom
Keith 8 Judy Rea
Keith, Yvonne. Austin. Malmda. Bnttnee
8 Rebeka
Kelly. Debbie. Richard, Derek 8 Dalton. Nicola
8 Cameron Cambell
Ken, Christopher 8 Kelley Klinger
Ken 8 JeanAnn Turner
Kerry 8 Ina Peterson
Laurel Cannon
Lee 8 MaryAnn Palmer
Lee, Wendy, Justin 8 Stefanie Archer
Les Schwab Tire Center
Las, Kim, Olivia. Kelly. Lacey. Seth
8 Katelyn Thompson
Lexington Auto Body 8 Towing
Lloyd 8 Shirley McNary
Loa 8 Mark Henderson
Loa McElligott
Loren 8 Della Heideman
Lorrene Montgomery
Lott's Electric
Louis 8 Betty Carlson
Loyal 8 Betty Bum s
Marc. Lindsay, Grace, Satire 8 Hattie Orem
Marvin 8 Tanna Padberg
Mike's Mobile Slaughte'
Mike, Tobey, Lauren. Kaitlm 8 Alexus Garrett
Morrow County Gram Growers
Monty 8 Susan Crum
Murray Drugs 8 Country Rose
Nancy, Kristen 8 Kara Miller
Office Pub 8 Grill
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Pea Ridge Embroidery
Peg Leg Farms
Perry 8 Kathy Morter
Peterson's Jewelers
Pettyjohn's Farm 8 Builders Supply
Ralph, Ann, Clay 8 Beth Morter
Ram os Brothers Ranch
Rick 8 Anita Peterson 8 Family
Robin 8 Melissa LaRue 8 Family
Rod, Glenda, Jenna 8 Paul Taylor
Ron 8 Karen Haguewood
Rudy 8 Jackie Bergstrom
Ryan 8 Allison Rudolf. Jill 8 Thomas
Scott, Cindy, Brenda. Camie. Brad.
Kemmery. Logan, Larysa
and Lucas Bumght
Sherrell Chevrolet
Seitz Aviation
Skip 8 Barbara Pettyjohn
Skye. Penny. Cayle 8 Kip Krebs
Slater, Darcee, Cason. Mariee
8 Landon Mitchell
Stacey, Theresa. Paul. Kevin Matt
8 Gunner
Steve 8 Vicki Wagenblast
Steve Camille 8 Sara Peck
Steve, Rose, Grace 8 Cameron Crum
Steve 8 Tern Schaber 8 Kyte 8 Kaytee
Sunflower Junction
Sweeney Mortuary
Taylor's Restaurant
The Dumler Family
Tom 8 Anne Bedoriha
Tom Artynda. Bill. Chanssa 8 Sierra Gates
Tom Shear
Treve 8 Elizabeth Peterson Family
Tn County Propane
Vandever Brothers, Inc
Vince 8 Donna Alleman
Virgil Debbie 8 Kan Morgan
Wayne. Dianna 8 Shawn Hama
Wheatland Insurance
W oodsid* Enterprises
Wnght Chevrolet
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