Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 6,2008 - THREE
~
Red Hat Rowdies to meet
Letters to the Editor ~
The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the
name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you prov ide your address and a phone number where you can be reached.
The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves
the right to edit. 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.
Sick of Politics
Guest Editorial
By Louis Carlson, former County Judge
When Ed Glenn, spokesman for the five cities of
Morrow County, spoke at the Chamber o f Commerce in
Heppner, he was asked if 75% o f the total Tippage Fee that
the cities are asking for would continue to fund county ser
vices such as 4-H Clubs, Extension Service, Neighborhood
Centers and the like. After a bit o f stammering (unlike Ed)
he declared that he could not assure city funding for such
projects as Extension, water master and predator control
etc. even though such program were rural and community
by nature.
Mayor Glenn gives best shot
To his credit, Ed spoke the truth. To think that a
coalition o f the five cities o f Morrow County agreeing
upon any thing other than sunrise and sunset would be a
stretch o f the imagination in anyone’s language. In truth,
Ed did bring out a lot o f fiscal issues that do make sense.
The one set o f figures that struck me was the accumula
tion o f carryover in the Tippage Fee Fund o f upwards o f
$
1 , 000 , 000 .
I ask the question, what in the world would justify
this exhorbitant accumulation o f carryover in the Tippage
Fund especially after the county had taken its fair share
out o f tax offset? These remaining dollars should have
been designated in some manner to each of the communi
ties to offset the imposition o f Willamette Valley garbage
injected into our pristine Morrow County soils. If these
figures are correct, there may be some extra funding from
the Tippage Fund carryover that could be used for other
purposes, namely for each community’s discretion.
Time Passes
Years ago, the court in its wisdom, declared that
part o f the Tippage Fund should be used for a tax offset
to preserve countywide programs. This was a result o f the
sluggish increase in the county’s valuation and because of
increased cost to operate the county, i.e. fuel cost, paving
oil, labor contracts and the like.
This thought process seemed reasonable to the
taxpayers and acceptable until some o f the cities spent
themselves in to a tax capped situation as the result o f
Oregon's Measure 58. After reaching the cap, those cities
could not raise a dime o f new taxes for services other than
through a bond issue. This presented a financial problem
and thus the cities took a new look at tapping into the Tip-
page Fees for their increasing needs.
Hold on says the County Court. We are already
providing additional cash to the individual communities
by providing tax offset to individual and a process for the
cities to tap into the Tippage Fee.
Foul, cried Mayor Paustian o f Heppner. If the
county can confiscate Tippage dollars, why can’t the cit
ies? The good mayor says that the cities have absolutely no
hope o f financial growth because state laws have capped
out increased taxation based upon a certain percentage o f
their valuation. “We have no place to turn to except the
Tippage Fee for financial help.”
Nonsense says Judge Tallman
“You have had ample opportunity to have a share
o f the Tippage Fee through the ‘Needs and Issues Pro
gram’ that was specially designed to accommodate cities
and their respective communities. In fact, last year your
communities received in excess of $235,000 for the above
mentioned services plus another $245,000 offered under
the ‘Needs and Issues Program’ o f which all cities were
encouraged to participate in.”
The fact is, both parties are so isolated from each
other and are playing games at the expense o f the citizens
o f Morrow County. The people o f Morrow County are
sick o f politics, nationally as well as locally. Well mean
ing citizens intend for the spoils o f the landfill need to be
shared among all citizens o f the county. However, these
same citizens believe that it is the duty o f our elected of
ficials to come to a conclusion and very soon.
The question is not if, but how much and by what
process? I am convinced that there is a fair and equitable
process by which this can be accomplished. The Greater
Eastern Oregon Development Corporation is now contract
ed to work with the County Court to receive applications
from each o f the cities, organizations and communities
for worthwhile projects to be funded by the Tippage Fee.
GEODC has proven to be non-political, fair and balanced
through receiving applications, evaluating the applications
and determining which applications should be funded.
The County Court has not had any influence on how this
process unfolds each and every year.
The only unanswered question then becomes one of
appropriate funding for the “Needs and Issues Program.”
This will require a negotiated debate between a representa
tive from the County Court and a representative from the
cities. Compromise, a little statesmanship and some good
will at this juncture will prove to be a healing process that
this county could certainly use. The alternative may see
some new faces entering the political field.
The Red Hat Rowdies will meet at noon on
Thursday, February 21, for a no-host luncheon at Sweet
Productions.
All interested ladies are invited to attend. Atten
dance is not mandatory but Red Hats are encouraged to
come.
Rietmann elected president of South
Morrow County Scholarship Trust
Bill Rietmann o f lone was recently elected presi
dent o f the South Morrow County Scholarship Trust for
the 2008 year at the SMCST’s annual meeting in Heppner
on January 28. Barb Hayes was elected vice-president, Del
LaRue was elected Treasurer, and Sharon Harrison was
elected secretary. Board members are Missy Cutsforth,
Martha Munkers, and Carrie Grieb.
The South Morrow County Scholarship Trust was
established several years ago to provide funds to grant
scholarships to graduating seniors from Heppner and lone
Concerns about Tippage Fee distribution
High Schools.
Letter to the Editor:
Applications for this year’s scholarships are avail
Morrow County voters will face an important issue
able
in
the
form o f a computer disk at both high schools,
in the March election.
The five cities in Morrow County have decided starting in March. Deadline to turn them in will be April
that they are entitled to 75% o f the money generated by 15.
licensing fees from the Finley Buttes landfill.
Historically, this money, which in round numbers
is about $1,000,000 per year, has been controlled by the
County and used, in part, to help fund the road department,
the county fair, extension service, neighborhood centers,
According to preliminary data received by NOAA’s
wildlife services, and others, with some back-filling o f National Weather Service in Pendleton, temperatures at
items in the County’s general fund.
Heppner averaged colder than normal during the month
The County also has a process called the Needs and o f January.
Issues Inventory, which is used to grant money directly to
The average temperature was 31.3 degrees which
cities and groups to help with specific projects. In 2007, was 3.0 degrees below normal. High temperatures aver
$235,000 was granted in this process, also from the Finley aged 40.2 degrees, which was 2.1 degrees below normal.
The highest was 55 degrees on the 4th. Low temperatures
Buttess licensing fees.
The cities, however have decided that they should averaged 22.4 degrees, which was 3.9 degrees below nor
receive this money directly and disburse it themselves, mal. The lowest was 3 degrees, on the 21st.
beginning with 25% o f the total, increasing to 50% the
There were 27 days with the low temperature below
second year, and going to 75% the third year.
32 degrees. There were 6 days when the high temperature
I have several concerns with that approach. I feel stayed below 32 degrees.
Precipitation totaled 1.68 inches during January,
that the current Needs and Issues process is working fine.
Secondly, two legal issues need to be addressed. The first which was 0.22 inches above normal. Measurable precipi
is the question o f whether this election will even be bind tation -at least .01 inch- was received on 13 days with the
ing on the County Court, since the contract is between the heaviest, 0.78 inches reported on the 28th.
Snowfall totaled 8.6 inches with at least 1 inch of
County and Finley Buttes Landfill Company, not between
the cities and Finley Buttes. The second legal issue is snow reported on 2 days. The heaviest snowfall was 7.0
whether the cities have legal authority to disburse money inches reported on the 28th. The greatest depth o f snow'
outside their boundaries, as they have promised to do to on the ground was 7 inches on the 28th.
The outlook for February from NOAA’s Climate
address rural needs and projects.
Each city has proposed setting up some process Prediction Center calls for below normal temperatures and
for disbursing its portion to needed projects. In Hepp above normal precipitation. Normal highs for Heppner
ner’s case, they are proposing a committee comprised of during February are 47.1 degrees and normal lows are 29.4
three people from within the city limits and two from the degrees. The 30 year normal precipitation is 1.23 inches.
The National Weather Service is an office of the
surrounding rural area. As one o f the residents from that
rural area, I am concerned with the three-to-two majority National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an
o f urban residents. In fact, since the population in Mor agency o f the U.S. Commerce Department.
row County is split 60 - 40, with 60% being rural and the
minority o f 40% being urban, I am opposed to the minority Boardman DHS to hold foster and
urban imposing their w ill on the majority, the rural citizens.
I must wonder, also, how much o f the money would make adoptive parent classes
Foster and Adoptive Parent Foundations classes
it to rural areas.
I believe that this money needs to stay with the will be held at the Boardman DHS office on March 21
County Court and the present system continued. I would far and 22 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for anyone interested in help
rather trust three county commissioners elected by all the ing children in -need. This is a free class. To register call
citizens o f the county to be fair than five city governments, 541-481-9482, ext. 224.
none o f which represent me or any other rural residents.
I think the cities’ proposal is a bad idea and is mo Divorces
The Morrow County Circuit Court at the M.C.
tivated not by fairness, as they claim, but by the prospect
Courthouse in Heppner has released the following re
o f more money to bail them out o f present difficulties.
It comes down to whether you trust the County port:
-January 23: Ronald LeRoy Jeffreys and Helen
Court to continue to do the right thing, or whether you trust
Mary
Jeffreys.
five cities with five different agendas to represent you.
-January 23: Steven Dean Woods and Jeanine Kay
Please, join me in voting “no” in March.
Michael.
Dan Brosnan
Heppner
NOAA issues monthly climate
summary for Heppner
)
Come join us to cef ebrate w ith
\
JEAN ANN & K E N N Y TURNER
5 0 th ANNIVERSARY
( Saturday, February 9th • 7 -1 0 p.m. )
)
Heppner Elks Club
j
)
Hors d'oeuvres provided
i
a
E< .spresso opeciai:
Special:
ocolafe Covered C lie r r ij
Seattle C h oco late (new lastij flavor!)
Ì
Advertise with the Heppner Gazette-Times
Ca\\ 676-9225
HEPPNER ELKS 358
676-9181
"Where Friends Meet”
142 North Main
Thursday, February 7th
Elks
Ladies Night
Mexican Night
from 6 - 3 p.m.
We have
Valentine Carde,
Candy, Jewelry
and S tuffed
Animale
Parts, Repairs for Everything
750 Hermiston Ave., Suite 1 (next to Goodwill)
2 E 541-567-8138 • 866-567-8138 (toll free)
^5 M im j ' j D aiuj
217 North Main • Heppner
Phone 676-9158 • Floral 676-9426
Serving the Willow Creek Valley Heppner. Lexington. A lone
We save 17 trees for each ton
of recycled newspaper.
If only / 00,000 people stopped
their junk mail, we could save up to
150,000 trees annually. If a million
people did this, we could save up
to a million and a half trees.
Morrow County Transfer Station
Hours of Operation:
Saturday and Sunday 9:00 to 4:00.
Always set an exam ple by not littering, no m atter
where you are. Keep Morrow County Green.