Council concerned about juvenile activity
By David Sykes
II i I ii I ih I i I ii III iiiii II i I iii II
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
VOL. 127
NO. 43
12 Pages
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
An increase in ju
venile “problems" was dis
cussed at the October 13
HeppnerCity Council. Sher
iff Sgt. Randy Rayburn told
the council he has noticed
an increase in incidents of
harassment and vehicles
being “keyed" at the high
school. “There is a lot going
on,” Rayburn said.
C o u n cilm em b er
John Bowles, who is also a
sheriff deputy who at times
patrols Heppner, says he
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
City and county planning commissions to
hold joint meeting on Heppner subdivision
The Morrow County
Planning Commission and
the City of Heppner Plan
ning Commission will hold a
joint public hearing October
28 on a proposed land par
tition above the city along
Rock Street (see map). The
parcel is 109 acres owned
by Merlyn Robinson of
Heppner and the applicant
for the subdivision is Kyle
Robinson of Heppner.
The county and city
planning commissions are
meeting together because
part of the property is lo
cated inside the city limits
and some outside.
The meeting will be
held at 7 p.m. at Heppner
city hall and the public is
invited to attend. There will
be time for public comment
on the subdivision.
stops to talk to juveniles
and has noticed an increase
of groups of kids roam
ing around town. “It’s not
against the law to be in
groups gathering around
town,” he added.
C o u n c ilm e m b er
JoAnn Burleson, who lives
across from Hager Park, said
she has called the sheriff
department many times,
but by the time the deputies
get there (at the park) the
kids are gone. She said she
suspected drug activity was
going on. A citizen reported
at the Heppner Police Com
mission Meeting on Septem
ber 25 that there was gang
“tagging” or graffiti going
on in Heppner. The citizen
reportedly painted over the
graffiti. Rayburn said at that
meeting he was not aware
of any gang activity in Hep
pner. City Manager Steve
Bogart said that vandalism
had slowed down since the
starting of school.
Rayburn encouraged
citizens to call the sheriff
department over suspicious
activity. “If we don’t get the
calls, we can’t do anything
about it,” he said.
The council asked
for a clarification on the
juvenile curfew law in Hep
pner. (See box)
“We know there is a
problem,” Mayor Les Paus-
tian said, “and the whole
town has to work on it.”
City of Heppner Curfew ordinance
Curfew Hours:
1. For minors under the age of fourteen (14) years who have
not begun high school, the curfew is between nine fifteen
o’clock (9:15) P.M. and six o’clock (6:00) A. M. of the
following morning; -except, that on any day immediately
preceding a day for which no public school-is scheduled in
the City, the curfew is between ten fifteen o’clock (10:15)
P.M. and six o’clock (6:00) A.M. of the following morn
ing.
2. For children fourteen (14) years of age or older who have
begun high school, the curfew is between eleven o’clock
(11:00) PM. and six o'clock (6:00) A.M. of the following
morning; except, that on any day immediately preceding
a day for which no public school is scheduled in the City,
the curfew is between twelve o’clock (12:00) midnight
and six o’clock (6:00) A.M. of the follow ing morning.
Parental Responsibility:
No parent, guardian or person hav ing the care and custody
of a minor under the age ofeighteen (18) years shall allow
such minor to be in or upon any street, park or other public
place between the hours specified in subsection B above,
except as otherwise provided in that subsection.
Violation; Penalty :
1. Minor; Taking into Custody: Any minor who violates
this Section may be taken into temporary custody as
provided in ORS 419.569 as it exists at the effective date
hereof or as it may hereafter be amended and may be sub
jected to further proceedings as provided by the Oregon
statutes for curfew offenses.
2. Parent, Fine: Violation of subsection C above by a par
ent, guardian or person having legal custody of a minor is
punishable as a Class C civil infraction pursuant to Section
1-4-1 of this Code. (Ord. 475, 10-3-88; 1995 Code)
Age Restrictions; Exception:
It is unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen (18)
years to be in or upon any street, park or other public place
between the hours specified in this Section unless such
minor is accompanied by a parent, guardian or other person
twenty one (21) years of age or older and authorized by the
parent or by law to have the care and custody of the minor
or unless such minor is then engaged in a school activity
St. Patrick's remodeling
or lawful employment that makes it necessary to be in
The or upon such street, park or other public place during the
council was told remodeling hours specified in this Section.
would begin Monday on the
St. Patrick’s Senior Cen
ter. The $750,000 project
will see all the apartments
remodeled two at a time.
Residents will be moved
to other apartments while
work is being done on their
apartment.
Other business
Site of
Proposed
Land
Partition
A U flu
Head Start students learn fire safety
In other business the
council agreed to donate a
roll top desk used by the
Heppner Police Depart
ment to the Morrow County
Museum. The museum is
building a display of county
and city law enforcement
“as it has been part of the
history of the area.” The city
agreed with the stipulation
if was not used in a display
it would be returned to the
city.
In other action the
council approved a short
term contract with city man
ager Steve Bogart. Bogart
has been filling in for regular
city manager Dave DeMayo
who was been serving with
the army in Iraq. The con
tract will be from September
1 and will expire December
Workmen began the remodeling of St. Patrick's Senior Center
in Heppner on Monday. -Photo by David Sykes
1,2008 and will pay Bogart
a monthly salary of $5,400
plus one m onth’s salary
at the end of employment
in lieu of vacation. Bogart
will not be covered under
the city’s health insurance
program.
In other business
the council appointed the
following people to the city
planning commission: Dave
Fowler, Joyce Kay Hollo-
mon, Larry Mills, Nancy
Gochnauer and George Kof-
fler. The planning commis
sion is chaired by JeffBailey
and will hold a joint meeting
with the county planning
commission (see related
story) on October 28. Most
of the city commission had
earlier resigned because of
new stringent ethics disclo
sure laws.
Walden discusses lake level at
Heppner campaign swing
By David Sykes
Heppner Head Start students visited the Heppner Fire Station on Monday, October 13. The students
were taught about fire safety and calling 911. They also toured one of the fire trucks. Pictured w ith
the Head Start class are Matt Best and Steve Rhea. -Contributed Photo
Haunted House scheduled for November 1
Have you been waiting for the Haunted Shop? The creatures are anxiously
awaiting you but due to other events happening on Halloween they will greet you on
November 1.
Watch next week's Heppner Gazette-Times for more information.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
U .S. C o n g re ss
man Greg Walden made
a swing through Heppner
last Wednesday and spent
time talking to the public
about the level of the water
at Willow’ Creek Lake, and
also about the recent finan
cial bailout passed by the
government.
The Willow Creek
Valley Economic Develop
ment Group (WCVED) has
been pushing for a feasibility
study by the US Army Corps
of Engineers which would
allow 12 more feet of water
to be stored at the lake, and
alleviate
some o f
the nega
tive rec
reational
effects of
a recent
decision
(WCVEDG), along with
Kenny Turner, past chair
man of the WC Park District
and Tim Kuhn project man
ager of the US. Army Corps
of Engineers w hich operates
the dam, was on a panel to
brief Walden on the request.
Walden's office has agreed
by
t he
to carry the request forward
Corps to Congressman to the Corps.
sell irriga Greg Walden
Sykes said there is
consensus in the Willow
tion water
Creek Valley about the in
on a long
term basis.
creased lake level and. after
David Sykes of the giving the history and rea
Willow Creek Valley Eco soning behind the request,
nomic Dev elopment Group •Continued on Page SEVEN
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