Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - THREE
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Letters to the Editor
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Leann Rea would be a good fit
Leann Rea for MC commissioner
Asking Republicans to vote for Rea
To the editor:
Morrow County is blessed with quality people who
have stepped up to the plate to serve in critical political
positions. No matter how good the previous incumbent
might be, “change” is always good, maybe necessary, to
avoid locked in perceptions on how government decisions
affects the people.
One of those people running for county commis
sioner is Leann Rea. She is running against Commissioner
John Wenholz whose third term will expire in 2009. John
has served admirably for the past 12 years but this writer
believes that new faces, new ideas and new attitudes are
critical for a vibrant governing body. I personally thank
John for his 12 years o f service.
Now comes Leann Rea. Not a new comer into the
political field. She has cut her teeth in many public service
environments, not to say the least of which was the man-
ager/bookkeeper o f the West Extension Irrigation District/
Stanfield Irrigation District and the Westland District. As
you all know, where water is involved, problems need to
be solved. In that roll, Leann learned to respond to public
needs.
One of the skills needed for a county commissioner
is some understanding of Oregon law. Leann hits the mark
on this one as she served as a paralegal for a water rights
attorney.
Another skill needed is the ability to understand
budgets and have some skills in bookkeeping. Leann did
serve as a bookkeeper in their irrigated family farm in the
Boardman area as well as assisted many area residences
in the free preparation and electronic transmission o f their
federal and state income tax returns.
Leann has served on the Morrow County Planning
Commission for 12 years (three as chairman), Morrow
County Budget Committee for nine years. Morrow County
Health District for three years and other county boards to
numerous to mention at this time.
O ther com m unity involvem ents include OSU
advisory committee, Oregon Water Resources Congress,
Umatilla Water Shed Council, 4-H Club leader and scores
o f other community participation.
1 appreciate Leann offering her time and talents to
connect with the needs o f the people o f Morrow County.
She was bom and raised in the lone area, has family in this
community so has a great interest not only in the Board-
man/Irrigon area but in the Ione/Heppner area as well. She
has a great interest in the Port o f Morrow, the economic
driver in this county.
“Change” is a good thing. New faces, new ideas,
new approach to problems and new opportunities are al
ways welcome if given a chance. Thank you John for 12
years of great public service.
Louis Carlson
Morrow County Judge, retired
Heppner
To the editor:
This letter is in support o f Leann Rea for Morrow
County Commissioner. We are friends with both Leann
and John Wenholz, and feel she would make the better
commissioner. Her background makes her the ideal citizen
for this position. She currently volunteers as the coordina
tor for District 14 for the AARP Tax-Aide Program which
involves five counties.
Her past experiences have been the bookkeeper/
manager for West Extension, Stanfield and Westland Irriga
tion Districts; an engineer’s assistant for a large engineer
ing firm; paralegal for a water rights attorney; a licensed tax
preparer; a farmers’ wife/farm bookkeeper and equipment
operator; a parts person for a farm equipment dealership; an
assistant postal clerk in Lexington and with the last two U.
S. Census Processes. Her government experiences include
being a Morrow County planning commissioner for 12
Vi years, the last three as the commission chair; Morrow
County Budget Committee for nine years; Morrow County
Fair Board; served as chair on the Solid Waste Management
Plan Advisory Committee. Other community involvement
includes OSU Extension Advisory Board for 15 years,
currently as board chair; Umatilla/Morrow County Farm
Bureau Board o f Directors for nine years; Oregon Water
Resources Congress for four years; Umatilla Basin Water
Shed Council for six years; served on the lower Umatilla
Basin Ground Water Management Area Task Force; and
served on the Willow Creek Local Advisory Corrimittee.
Please join us in voting for the best candidate.
Ray and Linda Fox
Irrigon
To the editor:
We are writing in support o f Leann Rea for county
commissioner.
Leann has proven her skills in her roles as chair
man of the county planning commission, and as a board
member o f the Umatilla-Morrow Farm Bureau, as well as
various other county wide and local community boards
and committees.
I have had the pleasure o f working with Leann on
the Morrow' County budget committee and the Morrow
County Health District Board o f Directors. Leann has the
ability to listen to everyone and their concerns and then
to work cooperatively to work out the issues that are pre
sented. Leann is a detail person with excellent accounting
and people skills that will make her a valuable asset to
county government.
We would encourage everyone to join us in voting
for Leann Rea for county commissioner.
If you are a Republican your ballot will show
under the heading, Morrow County Commissioner No
Candidate Filed.
We would urge you to write in under this heading
Leann Rea and pencil in the oval to indicate your vote.
We feel your vote on the commissioner’s race is
critical in the effort to provide long term support to the local
communities and county wide economic development.
Again we would urge everyone to vote for Leann
Rea for county commissioner and write her name in if you
are Republican.
Larry and Betty Mills
Heppner
Reelection support for John Wenholz
I would like to voice my support for John Wenholz
for reelection for Morrow County commissioner. Johns
has been a commissioner for a while now and does much
more than simply attend the weekly commission meetings.
John serves on the Oregon Transportation Committee and
personally wrote the grant that brought the funds for the
senior bus and bus bam for Boardman. John's position
as chairman o f the CSEPP governing board gives Mor
row County a strong voice in the decommissioning o f the
Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot.
While John Wenholz has been a county commis
sioner, Morrow County’s central government operations
have run smoothly. John deserves to be reelected bases
solely on the merits o f his past performance. 1 could go
on about how John is a decorated veteran, or talk about
any one o f his other personal accomplishments. The one
area that John excels at is his willingness to listen. 1 have
stopped in at his business in Irrigon on several occasions,
to find him on the phone explaining his position or county
policy to someone. It is important to have access to elected
officials.
Please join me in supporting John Wenholz for
reelection.
Don Russell
Boardman
Time is right for a change
Writing in support of Rea
Letter to the Editor:
Morrow County government is ready for a change
and Leann Rea is the right person for Morrow County com
missioner. We need Leann’s upbeat can do attitude to help
move Morrow County into a more progressive direction.
Under the current Morrow County Commissioner
John Wenholz, the county has been moving at a snails pace.
Commissioner Wenholz has developed a conservative, not
willing to change or even listen attitude. At times, it has
had a negative effect and has caused harsh feelings in the
communities and lost o f economic opportunities.
Leann is willing to work together in a coopera
tive manner with the communities in Morrow County to
achieve mutual outcomes. She will make Morrow County
a more livable, strive to attract more family wage busi
nesses, encourage the growth and development o f our
current industries and businesses.
She brings a depth o f experience in county gov
ernment as she has served on the county planning com
mission and budget committee, along with experience on
the Morrow County Health Board, Morrow County Fair
Board and has served on numerous subcommittees. Her
experiences also has stretched beyond the county as she
has served on the Oregon Water Resources Congress and
Umatilla Basin Water Shed Council and Lower Umatilla
Basin Ground Water Management Area task force and
others committees to broaden her knowledge.
The time is right for a change; please vote Leann
Rea for Morrow County Commissioner.
Marcia Kemp
Lexington
To the editor:
I am writing this letter in support o f Leann Rea
for Morrow County commissioner. I ask each o f you to
join me in voting for Leann either by marking her name
on the ballot or writing her name in if you are a registered
republican.
Leann is familiar with the Morrow County budget
ing process as she has served on the budget committee.
She continues to stay abreast of proposed changes and state
planning law as she sits on the Morrow County Planning
Commission. Leann is on the Morrow County Health
District Board and is committed to making outstanding
health care available to all. In all cases Leann comes to
the table prepared to make decisions based on research
and knowledge o f the facts.
Leann Rea is a Morrow County resident and looks
at the county as a unit while understanding that each com
munity has its own needs. I feel confident Leann Rea will
listen to the citizen’s concerns and ideas research the issues
and come back with the best option for all while continuing
to maintain a strong structure for Morrow County.
Linda K. LaRue
lone
Eating humble pie
To the editor:
So... the L egends
ate Humble Pie with a bit of
added salt after the evening
o f Mr. Bill’s Traveling Triv
ia. We placed sixth again.
Maybe next time.
And maybe next time, the
one hundred players that
joined the fun on Saturday
will be joined by another
sixty or so for an even bigger
and closer competition.
The evening truly
was enjoyable, and Mr. Bill
knew the right thing to say
at the end. He noted that he
S ta n le y ’s S te a k h o u se
A tatâex’ô iDatf S p ed a la
Dinner Specials
May loth & nth, 20 0 8
Soup of Salad,
Freshly (Mini Htrail 8c ( rramrry Butter,
Seafood Fettuccine (prawn«, halibut 8c clams),
Choice o f Alfredo sauce or Marmara sauce
$34.99 per person
Mother’s Day Brunch
May 1 1 , 2008 - l O a m to 2 p m
Choice of:
With Choice of:
I radinonal Cggs Benedict
Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
Muahroom, Spinach, Mam, and Cheese Om det
Grilled King Salmon
Freeh Vegetable Omelet
Honey Baked Ham
I W Fggs, any style
Seating is Limited.
Reservations Recommended.
Condon Airport Shuttle
Service Available.
With
Cheese Mint? with Raspberry Compote
And Garlic Roasted Potatoes
w ww.M otclCondon.com
Visit o u r w e b s i t e for mon*
S pecials & U p c o m in g E vents
ë
Eastern Oregon athletes to com
pete in Special Olympics Games
As well as:
Assorted Pastries, Desserts and
Fresh Fruit Coffee, Tea, Sparkling
Cider or Soft Drink included.
liste rie hotel
had just taken some New
port teams through the same
trivia questions, and the
Heppner teams collectively
scored higher. O f course.
And that brings me
to the salt on our Humble
Pie: the Brainiacs did make
a comeback, scoring high
er than the other fifteen
teams. Congrats....
(I will not even men
tion the fact that the Leg
ends had to play with just
five members for almost half
the competition - because of
unavoidable circumstances -
though this surely impacted
the outcome.)
We had a great time
and hope the evening’s pro
ceeds positively impacted
the Heppner Day Care.
Doris Brosnan
Heppner
Thomas Hamilton and Jillian Smalley -Contributed Photo
Jillian Smalley, daughter o f Mark and Kristi
Smalley of Hermiston, and granddaughter o f John and
Pat Edmundson o f Heppner, joins Thomas Hamilton,
son of Richard and Tammy Fryer of Milton-Freewater,
as a member o f Team USA. Smalley qualified for
Team USA by earning a gold medal in the 500M
cross-country skiing race and Hamilton in the 4 x l K
cross-country relay race.
All gold medal winners from the state Winter
Games at Mt. Bachelor were put in a weighted draw
for selection to Team USA. Only 12 athletes from
Oregon were chosen to represent the United States.
Smalley and Hamilton are the only athletes from
Eastern Oregon to compete in the Special Olympics
Winter World Games next February, at Tamarack
Resort, near Boise, ID.
Smalley and Hamilton will travel in December
to Copper Mt. Colorado for training to prepare for the
World Games.
Committed to Continue to Serve M
the Citizens of Morrow County!
Elect John Wenholz
Morrow County Commissioner
Ci id« ii
2 0 2 South M ain Street, C on do n , Oregon
( 5 4 1 ) 3 8 4 - 4 6 2 4 toll free: ( 8 0 0 ) 2 0 1 - 6 7 0 6
I o r a t e d 2 1 / 2 hour»« Im m B rm l. unci 2 h o u rs fro m P o rt la n d ¿V T ri ( ifici».
Paid for by John Wenholz, 290 W California. Imgon, OR