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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2008)
TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 20,2008 The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Heppner GAZETTE-TIMES U.S.P.S. 240-420 Morrow County's Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper Published weekl) and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3. 1879 Periodical postage paid at Heppner, Oregon Office at 188 Vi Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax (541) 676-9211 I mail editoriurapidserve.net or davidla heppner net. Web site: www heppner net Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O Box 337. Heppner, Oregon 97836 Subscriptions: $26 in Morrow County, $20 senior rate (in Morrow County only; 62 years or older); $32 elsewhere, $26 student subscriptions David Sykes ................................................................................ Publisher Autumn Morgan ................................................................................... Editor All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. For Advertising advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m Cost for a display ad Is $4 90 per column inch Cost for classified ad is 50 1 per word Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to 100 words Cost for a classified display ad is $5 50 per column inch For Public/Legal Notices public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for pub lication must be specified Affidavits must be required at the time of submission Affidavits require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be specified if required) For Obituaries Obituanes are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to meet news guidelines Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space for the obituary For Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author The Heppner GT will not publish unsigned letters All letters MUST include the author s address and phone number for use by the GT office The GT reserves the right to edit letters 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. Vote “no” on the tippage fee referendum ~ 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 provide 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. Tippage in democracy? Letter to the editor: Recently numerous meetings and many written words have barraged people who had no idea what tippage fees were one year ago. By now anyone in Morrow County paying attention knows that shortly a vote will determine how, and more importantly who will control distribution and use o f these ftinds. For the uninitiated few, tippage fees (funds) are the amount paid (by contract) to Morrow County by the operator o f Finley Buttes Landfill for ton nage disposed there. Recently, the cities demanded they be given control o f 75% o f these funds to spend as they see fit. County government, after consideration determined they should retain control over these funds. What to do? In the beginning (according to Judge Carlson, in office during original contract), the county attempted to distribute these funds to the cities, giving up when the cities failed to provide a substantial plan for distribution and use. Subsequently, these funds became county funds and, as state and federal funds ebbed, became a necessary portion o f Morrow County’s budget. The ‘cushion’ these funds provide have given commissioners ‘discretionary’ monies to assist county needs and issues not a normal part o f the budget. Some have attacked the county court for having a budget surplus roughly equivalent to the current amount o f the tippage fees, their argument being that the county should expend every cent every year, without any carry over. When 1 became a commissioner in January o f 2003, that cushion was very comforting at budget time, but it steadily decreased every year despite our best diligence. Please tell me, what prudent businessman, farmer, or even household spends every cent it has without a ‘cushion’ for emergency? A ‘cushion’ is one-time money. Keep it and have it, or blow it and emergency can become catas trophe. As for the deciding who controls the tippage fees, currently 40% of county residents live in the five cities, and 60% live in the county. A vote to give control to the cities gives the elected mayors and councils o f the five cities control o f 75% o f the funds. Although the cities have no finalized overall plan, some are discussing an appointed ‘board’ to determine usage. That means that instead of three commissioners, duly elected at large by 100% of Morrow County voters, controlling the fund, five mayors and five city councils, representing 40% o f the popula tion, will likely appoint a committee(s) (board) who will determine usage. People complain when control o f their funds is taken away from them. Even though the cities have prom ised to distribute some o f these funds outside the city, to my knowledge no legal mechanism exists in Oregon for cities to expend or distribute funds outside their city limits. So, 40% o f the population o f Morrow County will control 75% o f the funds from tippage fees. That is a step not lightly taken. Some have said if the county commissioners don’t agree to do this, they should be replaced. I find that hard to fathom. Certainly anyone who disagrees may run for commissioner, but if elected, that person’s responsibil ity will suddenly be to run the business o f the county to the best of their ability. If that person were honest, such responsibility would likely change their viewpoint o f just who should control the tippage fee funds. Ray Grace Heppner To the Editor, In a few weeks you will be ask to vote on whether to allow the County Court to continue to decide one how to distribute more that $1,000,000 o f annual tippage fee income Morrow County receives each year from Finley Buttes landfill or to give 75% of it, after phase in, to the cities and allow them to spend the funds. The County Court has been receiving tippage fees for almost two decades and has been distributing some of it to the cities by the needs and issues system. The County Court has been paying for many needed social services throughout Morrow County with part of the funds. The remainder has been used for County services such as the Road Department and other budget areas. The Court has also been saving a significant portion o f the funds and have amassed almost $1,000,000 in a reserve fund for unspecified purposes. While we can argue about the County Court’s han dling o f the funds, much o f the money has been going to needed services, capital projects in all parts o f the county and budget categories that have benefited a great many county citizens and taxpayers. Some people are wonder ing w hy such a large reserve fund needs to be kept when there are so many needs in the county. During recent meetings with city officials, the court didn't show' a great deal o f statesmanship in dealing with the cities and probably forced the city officials to bring to a vote the tippage fee controversy. This comes after probably 18 months o f city officials from throughout the county meeting with little or no citizen input into their planning. However the bottom line for me is the following: Should we trust the County Court to manage the tippage fee revenue or trust the cities with the majority o f it? We know what the County Court will do with the money. After watching the process for many years, they have a track record you can rely on. While there certainly can be modifications to their process, like allowing indi vidual cities to decide on needs and issues awards, by and large the County Court have been good and very conserva tive stewards of the money. The cities are talking about how they would divide the money and at least one city has devised a plan. Despite that, the money today is being spent on much needed county and other social services that would have no promise o f funding if the election went in the cities favor. Based on all o f these issues, I urge a NO vote on the tippage fee referendum later this month. Thursday, Feb. 21 - (s) George Koffler p.m. (closed 12-1) Heppner Monday, Feb. 25 - p.m. (closed 12:30-1) Tuesday, Feb. 26 - p.m. (closed 12:30-1) m. y y - Thursday, Feb. 28 - uff' 6 7 6 - 9 1 8 1 "W here Friends Meet” 1 4 2 N orth M a in p.m. (closed 12-1) Morrow County Health Department calendar HEPPNER ELKS 358 T h e 111th E lk s A n n u a l 1 Saturday. February 13rd Hawaiian Luaut L adies Tea and Social at 2:30 p.m. EfJi Lodge at 3:00 p.m. Dinner at 6:30 p.m. (Roasted pork loin S10) Music and Dancing to follow 4* Be sure to wear Hawaiian attire! Boardman Clinic 9 a.m.-4:30 Boardman Clinic 9 a.m.-4:30 Heppner Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 Valby Lutheran Church will be changing the time o f Sunday morning worship to 10 a.m. for the months of March, April, and May. From 9 to 10 am, there will be opportunities for Bible study, music rehearsal, and fellowship. The time o f worship will return to 9 a.m. for the summer months. During the season o f Lent, everyone is invited on Monday nights for soup at 6 p.m. and worship at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call Katy Anderson, Intern Pastor, at 989-8174. $ 1405.00 Morrow County Grain Growers *1 Heppner Clinic 8:30 a.m.-4:30 Valby Lutheran Church announces time changes for worship Guidance LEDs • 4 . 3 ” Color Display Duilt-ln G P S Receiver • Freeform Guidance Pattern Easy to Operate Right Out o f the dox! Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 Wind Farm project manager speaker at WCVEDG meeting r*r fu n «qiipiiiMt. M t * v w«b du at www.aea.Mt Pat Pilz of the Shepherds Flat Windfarm project was the featured speaker at the Willow Creek Valley Eco nomic Development Group annual meeting last week. Pilz told o f the economic benefit the wind generation project would bring to the area. She said about 250 construction workers would be on the project once it got going. The windfarm is located on the Krebs prop erty on the Gilliam-Morrow County line. Coordinated efforts apprehend theft suspect On February 13 at approxim ately 3:35 p.m., the Morrow County Sher iff’s Office received a report that a welding trailer with a large amount o f welding equipm ent had ju st been stolen from Western Empire Farm s on Paterson Ferry Road. A farm representa tive followed the white Ford pick-up that had taken the trailer while he called 911 from his cellu lar phone. Multiple units from Morrow County, Boardman PD, Um atilla PD and Oregon State Police began to converge on the area. The suspect was able to evade the farm rep resentative who lost site of the pick-up and trailer near Interstate 84. D eputy B ill W il liamson with the Morrow C o u n ty S h e riff’s O ffice drove down Gun Club Lane and located the suspect ve hicle p arked in front o f 75772 Gun Club Lane. He observed a Hispanic male w alking near the vehicle. W hen he challenged the man, he im m ediately ran aw ay th ro u g h som e v e hicles and around a house. Deputy Williamson called for back-up and stayed with the vehicle. Morrow County S h e riff’s O ffice, Oregon State Police and Umatilla Chem ical Depot Security personnel converged on the area. A passing motorist called 911 and stated that just prior to the patrol cars arriving, a man ran out onto Chamber Luncheon meetings announced The weekly Heppner Chamber Luncheon will be held Thursday, February 21, at John’s Other Place. Nathan and Kristen Van Cleave will be sharing information on their recent trip to Rwanda. Next week’s meeting will be held on Thursday, February 28. Tom Mafera from the Heppner Ranger District will be sharing a video o f Umatilla Fire and Fuel Career Camp. This luncheon will also be held at John’s Other Place. COFFEE HOUR for LAR R Y SAM PLE Candidate for Morrow County Sheriff Thursday, February 21 st John's Place, Heppner starting at 6 p.m. Hosted by Louis and Betty Carlson t the freew ay and flagged down a passing van. The subject got into the van and the vehicle continued east on 1-84. The same motorist stayed on the line and fol lowed the vehicle while he directed officers to the van. Sr. Trooper Noel Salinas with the Oregon State Police stopped the van on 1-82 at 4:21 p.m. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. The people in the van were not involved in the incident and were simply giving the subject a ride. They were released from the scene o f the traffic stop. R a m o n J a im e s - Galvez, 26, o f Irrigon was lodged at Umatilla County Jail on charges o f Theft- 1, C rim in al T resp a ss-II, and Attem pt to Elude on foot. The stolen trailer and equipm ent were returned to Western Empire Farms and the towed vehicle was impounded. “The key factor in the rapid apprehension o f th is su sp ect and the re turn o f the property to the victim lies in the fact that we had a Good Samaritan that was willing to get in volved,” said Undersheriff Steve Myren. “His phone call was the key to locating the suspect. In addition, the continued cooperation that we enjoy between agencies in our area is unparalleled. As I have said before, law enforcement is very much a team effort.” Senior Center Menu H eppner C hristian Church m em bers will be serving lunch on Wednes day, February 27. The menu will roast, tilapia, rice pilaf, peas and carrots, fruit juice and hot rolls.
