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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2007)
More time for comment on lake irrigation proposal By David Sykes i 11111 i 11111 ! 1111111111111111111 Bessie Wet/ell Newspaper Library University o f Oregon Eugene, OR 97403 The Army C orps o f En gineers has extended the deadline until Dec. 15 for com m ent on a proposed long-term w ithdraw al o f ir rigation water from Willow Creek Lake. The Corps is plan ning on making long term agreem ents to release up to 2,500 acre-feet o f water from Willow' Creek Lake each year for use in irriga tion o f farm land dow n stream from the dam. In the past the Corps has released extra water for irrigation, but was authorized to do so only under emergency drought conditions. The cur rent action would make the \ Irrig ato rs are seeking perm enant w ater contracts from Willow C reek Lake additional water available permanently. In a draft environ mental assessment posted on the internet the Corps de scribes how much and when the water would be released, and the possible economic impact to recreation and agriculture o f the release. Anyone wanting to make comment on the proposal now has until Dec. 15 to do so. A link to the environ mental assessment and the public notice and where to Continued page 3 A time to celebrate VOL. 126 NO. 47 8 Pages Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Morrow County School Board gives superintendent vote of confidence with raise, contract extension Bv April Sykes The Morrow County School Board gave Super intendent Mark Burrows a vote of confidence with a raise, a one-year extension on his rolling three-year contract and good-to-excel- lent ratings on all evaluation goals. The board, at the regular meeting at the Mor row Education C enter in lrrigon November 13, ap proved a five-percent raise for B urrow s w hich w ill make his salary in the neigh borhood o f $105,200 an nually. Two-percent o f the raise was as per contract and three percent was tied to his performance. "1 a p p re c ia te the confirmation that I'm doing a good job,” said Burrows. Also at the meeting, the board view ed a pro gram about the lrrigon High School and lrrigon com m unity’s efforts, through donations o f money, time, equipment, and labor, to wards installing lights on the IHS football field. The lights were installed just in time for their homecoming game. The board also heard a program about the Hepp ner High School FFA trip to the national FFA convention in Indianapolis, which was organized by HHS Vo-ag teacher/FFA advisor Beth Dickenson. Dickenson and HHS Principal Daye Stone chaperoned the event. Ir- rigon FFA stu d en ts and advisor also attended the convention. In other business, the board: -approved a “com pensation adjustm ent” for the MCSD business man ager and human resources director/executive secretary. Burrows said that the adjust ments were made to make the salaries more competi tive with similar positions in surrounding districts. The human resource/execu- tive secretary's salary was increased from $48,500 to $53,000 annually. The business manager's annual salary was increased from $55,200 to $62,000. -heard a report on the improving attendance re port for the Morrow Educa tion Center from MEC head teacher Dave Melville. -heard the first read ing of an expanded options program which would allow juniors and seniors to take college courses. -approved an early graduation date for an Irri- gon High School student. -a p p o in te d K im berly Harper to the Board- man Community Education Committee. -approved surplus- ing a 1999 Buick, a 1992 Ford Van and 30 hi-tech lights from the HHS gym and cafeteria. -approved resigna tions for: Kay Horn, retir ing from Sam Boardman Elementary School special ed o n e-o n -o n e a ssistan t position; Sherry Bishop, SBE special ed one-on-one position. -approved employ ment for: Kim Finley, SBE special ed one-on-one as sistant, replacing Sherry Bishop; Lea Nunamaker, lrrigon Elementary School assistant cook, replacing Mavis Edwards; and Joy H earn, Windy R iver E l em entary special ed on- on-one assistant, replacing Lucia Zavala. -approved extra duty contracts for: Raul A lva rado, lrrigon Junior High boys’ basketball coach; Amy Tolar, lrrigon High School assistant girls' basketball coach; and Mike Cates, IHS assistant g irls’ basketball coach. -heard the following announcements: Thanksgiv ing holiday, Thursday and Friday, November 22-23; next board meeting, lrrigon Elementary School, Mon day, December 10, 7 p.m. -held an executive session to discuss real estate, legal issues and the superin tendent’s evaluation. Closed for the holidays The Heppner Gazette- Times w ill be closed on Thursday, Novem ber 22, and Friday, November 23, for the Thanksgiving holiday. All deadlines will remain the same. Six out of seven tags filled Danielle l.ooslie, Mindy W ilson. Dale Wilson, Steve W ilson, and Kyler W ilson show off their spike elk taken at Skinner Creek during second season spike elk. The group had seven tags and filled six of them. ALL NEW S AND ADVERTISEM ENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. Fans and players celebrate after the Mustangs’ win over the Nestucca Bobcats on Saturday, November 17. The win advanced the Mustangs to the semifinal round of state playoffs. The game will be played on Saturday, November 24, at Willamette University in Salem at noon. Photo h\ Scmdv Matthews Two lone students finalists in state-wide scholarship competition By April Sykes The lone S chool Board, at their regular meet ing Monday night, learned that two lone students were finalists in the Oregon Wen dy’s Heisman scholarship competition. Emily Riet- mann won the girls' com petition and Kip Krebs was in the top 10 o f the boys’ competition. Rietmann will go on to compete at the na tional level. Also at the m eet ing, the board discussed the possibility o f putting a bond before the voters in May to pay for m aintenance and capital items. The board has a m eeting scheduled to hear cost estimates for the improvements prior to scheduling a public meeting on the issue. In other business, the board: -adopted continuous improvement goals which address Oregon Department o f Education standards. -learned that the dis trict was to receive School Improvement Funds on No- \ ember 20. -received draft kin dergarten through-12,h grade writing goals. -learned that enroll ment as of Nov ember 19 was 158 students: 66 students for kindergarten through grade five; 40 for grades six through eight; and 52 for grades nine through 12. Two students enrolled since the October board meeting. -learned that the dis trict was granted a v ariance by the Oregon Department o f Education to use motor coach buses for school ac tivity transportation through April 22. M id-C olum bia Bus assisted in the process. -le a rn e d th at the maintenance company has perform ed the q u arterly heating and air conditioning maintenance. -received a bid for $6,800 from Purswell Pump to replace valves and dete riorating pipes in the lone School pool. -Continued on Page two Former exchange student returns 12 years later for visit By A utum n M organ In 1994 Jim and Monica Swanson o f lone decided to host an exchange student in their home for the 1994-1995 school year. Little did they know that 12 years later he would be back to visit them. T h ie rr y D e lb a rt came to the Swanson's home from France and spent his year abroad enrolled at lone School. Like many students in a small town, Thierry became very involved in sports. In fact, Thierry made second team for state in bas ketball and was named MVP in the All Star game in 1994. He also went to state in ten nis. “ I didn't know what to expect w hen coming, I knew it was a small town and took it like it was,” said Thierry. “ 1 had a great time (in lone)." Thierry returned hom e to France and once again, in 1999, decided to become an exchange student, this time in Brazil. Thierry spent the 1999-2000 school year as an ex ch an g e stu d en t at a university in Brazil. It was during that year in Brazil that Thierry met Celeste Fernandez. Af ter that school year. Thi erry returned to France. Ihierry Dclhart was an exchange student in lone during the 1994- Celeste also made the 1995 school vear. move to France. For the next few years the two began talking extensively -Continued on page three W i WILL BE CLOSED NOV. 22 25 HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING! County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For form equipment. visit our **b site at wwm mew art
