SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 29,2008
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Letters to the Editor ~
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Some remarks require a response
arrange and we reviewed the national “rules”, which were
To the Editor,
I hoped to avoid hav ing to make any public com­ available on the internet. Both sources were perfectly clear:
ment regarding this election and Lexington’s Town Coun­ the Neighborhood Watch program is designed to establish
cil, but the candidate’s assertions in the Gazette over the a direct link between the citizens o f the community and
past couple o f w eeks leave me no choice. Some o f those law enforcement. Local government - i.e. the town council
-isn’t part of the loop. It wasn’t that the council refused to
remarks require a response.
A couple o f years ago, Lexington elected an ex­ do anything, it’s that, under this particular system, there
cellent and effective council. When the new Ethics Com­ isn’t anything for a council to do. The sheriff was ready
mission rules went into effect last April, all four council and willing to do his part - the rest is up to the individual
members resigned. 1 don’t blame them one bit. The rules neighborhood.
As for Ms. Kemp’s contention that “the mayor
are obnoxiously intrusive, and 1 would have resigned
with the rest of them if it hadn’t meant leaving the town runs the town without any opposition....” Good grief. It
completely without an operating government. Instead, 1 appears that a basic civics lesson is in order. The mayor
scrambled around and “conscripted” two people whom I doesn’t “run” the town. The mayor doesn’t even have a
knew would help out, at least temporarily, on short notice vote, except to break a tie. The council “runs” the town. The
mayor runs the meetings, and this mayor tries to do so in
- Sam Martin and Ruth Haskett.
Both o f them had previously told me “If there’s a manner that allows the council to function expeditiously
ever anything I can do to help...” I’m pretty sure they both and from a well-informed perspective. If that annoys folks
were thinking o f helping on building projects, or something who would prefer to make a shambles o f the agenda and
o f that nature, but I was also pretty sure that neither o f a battleground o f town hall - well, so be it.
The ugly fact is that in 2004, the town’s govern­
them would bite my head off when I told them what I did
want. They both swallowed hard two or three times, but ment was almost completely dysfunctional. The council
they finally agreed to serve, commission rules or no com­ meetings were wild free-for-alls, marked by contention,
mission rules. So the last act of the former council was to criticism and personal attack. The financial records were a
confirm the appointments of Martin and Haskett, effective disaster. Things have changed. I would be pleased to take
48 hours later. We were hoping at the time that the state credit for the turn-around, but the truth is all I did was
would get reasonable and the rules would become more “clear the decks” and keep the peace so the council and
amenable to small-town realities. That has not happened. our staff could do their jobs. The real credit goes to Dee
So “temporary” has turned into a more extended commit­ Burch and Dan Marshall, who very competently manage
ment, but it’s one which both o f these former-Council’s the town’s daily affairs, and to people like Jean Brazell,
Bev Steagall, Mike Orwick, Jim Nelson, Tony Clement,
appointees have accepted.
Mindy
Wilson, Jay Papineau, Dwyla Yokom, Dale Wilson,
Note that I refer to Mr. Martin and Ms. Haskett as
appointees o f the former council. This is as our charter Ruth Haskett, Sam Martin, John Ripple, Lorene Mont­
requires: the mayor nominates a potential appointee, but gomery, Duane Disque, Billee June Owen, and Charma
the Council must vote to confirm before the appointment Marquardt - people who serve, or have served, on the
becomes effective. Despite Ms. Kemp’s comment, the council or the budget committee over the past three years.
mayor is not empowered to seat a council member in his/ Many o f these folks had not assumed “leadership roles”
her sole discretion. Ms. Kemp should remember this. In before, but when asked (maybe “pestered” is a more ac­
2004, after she was selected by coin-toss (an innovative curate word), they stepped up. Others are individuals with
approach implemented by former Mayor Edwards), she valuable prior experience who were persuaded to become
assumed a seat on the council without the council’s confir­ involved again when they received some assurance that
mation. After two months of active participation - includ­ they would be able to conduct business in an atmosphere
ing proposing and voting on money issues - she vacated unpolluted by irrelevant strife. And nobody - but nobody -
the council seat when the town’s attorney was forced to gutted out the “bad old days” with more perseverance and
intervene, explaining as gently as he could that allowing dedication than Jean Brazell - or took more abuse for it. If
unauthorized persons to commandeer public offices is you truly wish to know what it was like when the Town’s
government was in the hands of the Edwards-Taylor-Kemp
unlawful.
1‘freely admit that there have, indeed, been some faction - ask Jean.
changes over the last three years. For one thing, our books
One final observation. We don’t have newspaper
now balance each and every month and right down to the reporters coming to the council meetings any more, hoping
last penny. That first year, the one I got “shanghaied” into to glean some tidbit to give their readers another laugh at
after Mayor Edward’s recall, I spent two solid months Lexington’s expense. We have achieved the ultimate suc­
working until 2 and 3 a.m. night after night in order to cess: we have become boring. For a lot o f us that is the
get the accounts in sufficient order to submit them to most welcome change o f all.
the auditor. I struggled to reconcile the money accounts Val Doherty
while Jean Brazell completed the individual department Mayor o f Lexington
reports - a huge task for which I will be eternally grateful.
That year, the records didn’t go to the auditor until No­ A win, win vote
vember - we had to file an extension with the state. This Letter to the Editor:
year, the records went to the auditor as soon as the June
As always in every election, there is a certain
bank statements came in and we got an “A” : our accounts subject that goes unnoticed, or is not heard by all citizens
are perfect. Because o f this, and a state rule change, next during a campaign by the delegates who are running for
year we can (if we choose - no decision has been made that position.
yet) send our filings directly to the state and will not have
There is one, among many issues that caught my
to have them pre-audited - which would save the town attention, and a lot o f other voters that I know, and that is
Larry Sample’s intent to reestablish the D.A.R.E program
about $3,500 annually.
Another change: Comment from the community in our Morrow County Schools. As an employee o f Mor­
is always welcome — there’s a special agenda item for row County School District for 10 years, I can tell you,
“community input” at every Council meeting - but it is early prevention is essential! I feel that the number one
confined to its place on the agenda rather than being fielded problem with our children today, is the lack o f education
throughout the meeting. Consequently, the meetings run, and prevention of drugs and alcohol.
This program was in effect when I was hired as
on average, about an hour and a half instead of three and
a half hours. The meetings are also much quieter than they a custodian in 1997. I have not seen it in our district for
the past 8-10 years. This is a subject that needs to be ad­
used to be.
Third change: Since John Ripple became our Bud­ dressed, and that is Larry Sample’s priority! This program
get Committee chairman three years ago (a position that has been proven to be effective nationwide at an 80% rate.
is his fop life, as far as I’m concerned) the annual budget It works.
preparation process that used to be an agonizing exercise
With two children o f my own. I’m concerned about
requiring six or seven or more meetings strung out over their awareness of these dangerous and potentially deadly
three months now wraps up in two meetings about 30 days drugs that plague our community nationwide, and more
apart. Nothing gets ignored and nothing gets left out. But in ours daily!
the thing gets done, and it gets done promptly.
Knowing Larry Sample for the last 38 years, he
It is true that we are not launching out in new is committed to making a difference in our society. He
directions. What we are doing is keeping our nose above is dedicated to helping all o f the community equally and
water. (Incidentally, the total sum o f the delinquent water without prejudice. I ask all parents with children in Morrow
accounts last month amounted to - zero.) And what atten­ County School District to join me in electing Larry Sample
tion the current council allots to “livability issues” is pretty for Morrow County Sheriff. This is a win, win vote!
much focused on just three things: the water system, the Jeff Toms
water system, the water system.
Boardman
The new est Council appointees, Billee Owen
Matlack is doing a good job
and Charma Marquardt, have proved to be sensible, de­
pendable, and able to maintain their poise in the face o f To the Editor:
We have been in Irrigon for many years. We have
provocation. (An all-too-frequent side-affect stemming
from that “community input” agenda item.) As council seen the good and the bad. Ken Matlack is a big change
Members, they grasp these basic town priorities: pay the for Morrow County.
We see him at a lot o f the public gatherings and
bills and keep the water running through the pipes. Just
for the record, we weren't exactly swamped with volun­ going down the highway regularly. We feel he is doing a
teers to fill vacant council positions following the April good job. Let’s keep him and his officers working to keep
resignations. After three or four months o f limping along Morrow County safe.
with a bare quorum, I went to the Owen home intending Ival and Ruth Sullivan
to park myself in their living room and beg, badger or Irrigon
bamboozle until I got either Billee or Ira to “agree" to
The correct representation
serve. Discovering that we needed two more members to
fill council positions, Billee cheerfully dragged her sister To the Editor:
The Gazette recently published a letter o f support
Charma into the project as well. A good turn for the town,
as it develops, and one I am more than happy to try to from myself for Ken Matlack for sheriff. I signed the note
as John Sebastian, Principal at AC Houghton Elementary. I
secure for the town via election.
It is also true that the council did not take an of­ should’ve signed it as John Sebastian private citizen. That
ficial position regarding Ms. Kemp's Neighborhood Watch would’ve been the correct representation.
proposal. What the council did do was listen w ith interest John Sebastian
to the presentation Sheriff Matlack was kind enough to Irrigon
Why change?
Letter to the editor:
Following is my submission for supporting Ken
Matlack for sheriff o f Morrow County. Vote for Ken Mat-
lack. I did. Briefly my reasons are:
1. His operational concepts are excellent.
2. He has years of valuable experience.
3. H e’s a hard working sheriff who does his share
o f field work.
4. His undersheriff, Steve Myren, is exceptionally
well qualified and helpful.
5. His deputies that I have met are very personable
and participate in community activities.
6. His office staff members are cheerfully helpful
and courteous.
7. He’s doing a good job.
8. Why change?
John L. Bristow
lone
Support for health district levy
To the Editor:
Recently I was a rehab patient in Pioneer Memorial
Hospital for 20 days. The care was outstanding from all
the employees. I was assisted through the hospital in being
transferred from Portland, admitted and received excel­
lent medical care. If it was not for the staff I would have
been far from home, family and caring friends. Having a
staff who encouraged me in my recovery and visitors who
kept my spirits up during the extended stay helped make
it bearable while healing.
This was not my first experience with the qual­
ity o f care received through Pioneer Memorial Hospital.
My in-laws spent approximately 18 years at the hospital
nursing home. We never had a complaint about the care
given them.
As residents o f Morrow County, we need to be
aware o f how essential Pioneer Memorial Hospital and the
district’s medical facilities are to our families. For many
o f us these are an absolute necessity in an emergency. The
extra 30 to 45 minutes o f more could be the difference in
survival.
The health district has an excellent hospital, clinic
and transport system which have served us for many years.
I would ask that you cast your vote in support for the health
district levy. You w on’t be sorry that you did.
June M. Crowell
lone
Join in voting for Sample
To the Editor:
If you feel like I do and are getting tired o f the
negative campaigning, I agree. However, I feel the need to
make the following statement. There are a lot o f negative
ads coming out with fluffed up information. They seem to
forget that I worked there for two years before I decided
I’d had enough.
So according to the website of the current adminis­
tration, they say that prior to his becoming sheriff the calls
for service were 4,500. The year after he took sheriff it was
15,084, more than triple the calls. Does this mean the crime
rate has tripled in Morrow County? I believe the citizens of
Morrow County need to demand a true accounting o f these
numbers and know what these numbers are representing.
They state that both the sheriff and undersheriff take up
to a 1,000 calls a year, but do not state what these calls
represent. For instance, do the numbers represent a traffic
stop, an arrest (not just a traffic citation) crime report, a
criminal court appearance, and how many convictions have
they received, or how many are related to animal control
(dogs, cats, or chickens), an area check, or just show up on
a call and then just turn it over to a deputy. They say they
are out there helping the deputies with the call load. So
they should have the numbers to show how many actual
cases they have taken, how many arrests they have made,
and how many convictions they have. The only thing I’ve
heard is that all the calls they have taken appears to be
very deceitful.
If you have still not made up your mind about who
the best man for the job is, then join me in voting for Larry
Sample for your sheriff. He will bring back integrity and
true accountability that is needed in the sheriff’s office.
Phil Morris
lone
I have already voted, have you?
To the Editor:
To my amazement when I opened up my ballot I
found that all the Heppner City elite were on the ballot
for reelection. Being new to here I was unaware o f this
and as their was no articles about this in the paper or TV
channel.
Last time Mr. Bowels was appointed, I had placed
my name in for the position but the city manager called
me and said that the city elite did not know me so I wasn’t
being considered. Well, I don’t know who they are. In the
two years we have been here, the only ones I have met was
the city manager and the sheriff.
Neither o f the sheriff contestants have been by my
house. Too late now. I have already voted. Have you?
The area we moved from was run by The Good
Old Boys System, is that what we have here?
I did not bother to vote for them or the judges as one
vote and they are back in. This is democracy in action.
Please note not everyone watches TV channel 3.
Lot o f us get the paper in the mail on Thursday so please
give your notices a week in advance o f publishing. I hate
finding out the event was on Wednesday or Thursday
morning before I can get my mail.
Donald R. McCallister
Heppner