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
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