Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 29,2009 - SEVEN
Morrow County Court weekly meeting held
The Morrow County
Court met on April 15 in
Boardman with Judge Tail-
man, Commissioner Grieb
and Commissioner Rea in
attendance. Following is a
summary o f those meeting
provided by Leann Rea.
The court approved
the minutes from the April
25, 2008 meeting held just
prior to the beginning o f
the budget m eeting. The
minutes o f the 2008 budget
meetings were presented to
the court for review. These
will be approved or amended
at the budget meeting.
The court approved
m o n th ly a c c o u n ts p a y
able, retirement taxes and
payroll in the am ount o f
$358,906.77.
The road department
provided the following re
port: Road Canyon Bridge
- The crew is now in the
process of hauling and plac
ing the final lift of three inch
rock for the approaches.
The crew should get that to
finished grade by the end of
the day. On Thursday the
crew started on the finish
gravel for the approach.
The guardrail pieces have
arrived so the crew will
also be working on the in
stallation of the rails. The
crew removed the gravel
that was hauled in for the
detour and replaced the dirt
that had been removed. This
will allow the land owner to
return the area to pasture.
Upper Rhea Creek - This
project has been put on hold.
Road Grading - The crew
continues with spring road
grading. They are currently
working in the Valby, Blake
Ranch and Sunflower Flat
areas. Road Sweeping - The
road sweeping is continuing.
The crew has completed the
sweeping in the lone area
and is currently in Rhea
Creek Road area. From there
they will be working their
way to the Heppner area.
Blowing Sand - The crew
continues working towards
the removal o f sand drifts in
the area o f Homestead Road
and Bombing Range Road.
Judge Tallman has made
arrangements to meet with
the B oardm an B om bing
Range Chief to discuss the
ongoing problems with the
blowing sand.
The court conducted
the following business: Ap
proved a refund o f prop
erty taxes in the amount o f
$572.11 to Krupa Laxmi,
Inc.; approved a purchas
ing pre-authorization for a
HP LaserJet printer for the
finance dep artm en t; a p
proved a request to place a
two drawer file cabinet in
the basement storage area
for the AFSCME.; reviewed
the activity report for the
weed control and road paint
ing department; the court
heard a request from the
C om m ission o f C hildren
and Fam ilies to relocate
their office to office space
in the Boardman area. After
reviewing all information
provided, it was decided to
approve this request. The
court heard a report from
the sheriff’s office regard
ing the recently purchased
em erg en cy v eh icle. The
vehicle if ready and delivery
arrangements are pending.
Also heard a report that the
county vehicles that were
not sold through the bid
process could be used to pay
for “course training” at the
Hanford Training Facility.
The county will receive the
equivalent o f “ Low Book”
value in exchange for the
training. The training fee is
$350 per day. This transac
tion will provide several
days o f training. The court
reviewed and approved the
contract for the paving on
U pper Rhea C reek Road
between mile post 2.2 and
4.5.
The West Extension
Irrigation District requested
that the county transfer the
water rights that were ap
purtenant to the right o f way
the county acquired for the
w idening o f Kunze Lane
(4.1 acres) be returned to
the district. The request was
approved, with the condition
that the district would be
responsible for all fees as
sociated with the transfer.
The court reviewed
and signed the contract ap
proving the new fee sched
ule from the Finley Buttes
Landfill Company. The fee
for Large Dead A nim als
(over 200#) will be $50 per
ton beginning May 1,2009.
The fee will go to $65 per
ton May 1, 2010 and $75
per ton on May 1, 2011.
While this fee increase may
seem high, it is much better
than the original proposal
received from Finley Buttes
Landfill Company.
The court met with
DEQ representatives to ob
tain answers regarding the
change over process taking
place at the Army Depot.
This change over is neces
sary for the disposition o f
the mustard.
The c o u rt h eld a
public hearing on the “Code
Enforcement O rdinance” .
There were a few county
residents in attendance. The
ordinance will again be read
by title at the May 6 meet
ing in Heppner, time to be
determined.
The Port o f M or
row is seeking some fed
eral stimulus handing for the
proposed interchange onto
Highway 730 and requested
a letter o f support from the
county. This request was
approved.
The court received
a copy o f the “ Investment
M anagement & Portfolio
Review Ending March 31,
2 0 0 9 ” from Ju d ith M c
Gee and Jen n ifer C urrin
G utridge, agents for the
McGee Financial Strategies,
Inc. They also provided
the court with information
regarding the status o f the
county’s retirement plan and
actions the county needs to
take to insure the viability
of the plan for current and
future retirees.
lone Topic Club hosts luncheon
Retiring a lot easier said
than done for Robinson
-Continued from Page ONE couple also has two daugh
“Teaching at lone
has been a privilege,” said
Robinson. “It’s a small com
munity that, like most com
munities, takes pride in their
school. It’s the heart o f the
community. Kids come first,
as they should. The support
we get is phenomenal. When
you work with the staff that
I work with it makes it so
much easier because we
are jacks o f all trades here.
Everyone has a number of
duties and assignments and
we all try to work together
for two things, the kids and
the community.”
Robinson plans to
stay busy during his re
tirem e n t from te ach in g ,
although he does plan to do
some substitute teaching.
He is planning to take care
o f some tim ber acreage,
as well as hunt and fish.
He also plans to do some
horseback riding since he
has three horses, though
“one is retired like I am.”
Robinson also has a love for
photography.
“My wife and I are
both fortunate that we have
both sets o f parents and
will be spending time with
them,” said Robinson. The
ters, Jacklyn in Tri-Cities
and Natalie in John Day, as
well as two grandchildren,
Josh and Corey, both also
in John Day.
A lth o u g h he has
m any fond m em ories o f
teaching, one o f Robinson’s
most memorable times hap
pened just recently at lone
School. “In trying to make
up my m ind about retir
ing, I walked into class one
morning kind o f in a daze,”
said Robinson. “The morn
ing announcements, which
are on TV, were going and I
sat down in my chair and a
whoopee cushion went off.
A kid then raised his hand
and asked if he could have
his whoopee cushion back.
What can you do but laugh?
You’ve got to have fun with
the kids.”
“My wife keeps ask
ing if I will now grow up,”
said Robinson. “I will miss
the kids the most. I have
had the privilege o f seeing
them at ail ages and stages.
I have never, in 22 years
(at lone) regretted being a
teacher here. I didn’t think
it would be this hard to call
it quits.”
Strange to retire after
30 years in education
-Continuedfrom Page ONE to move back to Minnesota
go until all o f her flags were
gone. One day, a little fourth
grader tried to block her but
she was going so fast that
she hit him with her feet
extended and scooped him
up and he went along for
the ride.
S tra n g e ’s m o th er
w as a o n e-ro o m school
house teacher and her fa
ther was in insurance and
banking. Her two brothers
are engineers and her sister
is psychologist. She plans
to stay in H eppner until
the spring o fv2010 or until
her house sells, whichever
comes first. She then plans
as her siblings have made
a request for her to move
home after retirement.
“I have loved living
here,” said Strange. “Hep
pner is a wonderful town.
I was happy to work in Ir
rigon and Boardman. Work
ing with the staff was very
pleasant and it was good to
know more people w hile
working in schools.
Strange says she will
miss the people in Heppner
and has many friends that
she will come back to visit.
“H eppner is an excellent
town.”
Ballots to go out
Friday, due May 19
-Continuedfrom Page ONE year term s-K athy M oore
The Topic Club of lone recently hosted for the IHS seniors girls, exchange students and their mothers for a luncheon. Topic Club
Members are (Back Row, L-R) Betty Rietmann, Nancy Anderson, Stacy Shelton, Anne Morter, Gene Crowell, Betty Gray, Kristi
Crowell, Nancy Ostheller, Alice Diaz, Eunice McElligott, Willa Coe, Kathy Morther, Margo Shear, Virginia Martinez and Terry
Felda. (Seated, L-R) Brenna Rietmann, Gip Garret, Toffey Bruno, Manon Crum, Oil Bittengers, Tori Heagy and Hailey Arbogast.
-Contributed Photo
Sheriff’s Report
The Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office reports han
dling the following busi
ness:
Feb.
10
cont.
-B oardm an Police Dept,
cited Guadalupe Olivarez,
Jr., 36, for driving 50 mph
in a 35 mph zone.
-BPD arrested Dar
rell Wayne Dixon, 47, for
Possession o f Methamphet-
am ine 1000 feet from a
school. He was lodged at
UCJ with $12,500 bail and
his vehicle was impound
ed.
-H e p p n e r A m b u
lance responded to a report
o f a 91-year-old male who
fell in the bathroom and
hit his head. The man, who
was bleeding from the head,
was transported to Pioneer
Memorial Hospital.
-Irrigon Ambulance
received report from the
daughter o f a 40-year-old
man that he was the floor in
the bathroom. There was no
transport.
F e b . 11: MCSO re
ceived report from an Irri
gon woman that there were
footprints leading up to her
window in the alley. A dep
uty responded and advised
extra patrol in the area.
-M C S O re c e iv e d
report from a subject that
two horses were m issing
from her parents’ place out
o f lone.
-MCSO received re
port from on lone subject on
Hwy. 74 that he had heard a
strong explosion that almost
blew the windows out o f his
house.
-MCSO received re
port o f a horse that cut its leg
and is in distress.
-MCSO received re
port from an Irrigon woman
that her husband is filing
for divorce and he is threat
ening to kick her and her
disabled mother out o f the
residence.
-MCSO received re
port from Jefferson County
that they arrested a female
subject on a Morrow Coun
ty w arrant for Failure to
Pay Fine/Theft III and on
a Jefferson County warrant
and local probable cause
charges.
-M C S O re c e iv e d
rep o rt th at A dam Jonah
Waldrop, 30, was arrested
by Multnomah County on
an Irrigon Justice Court war
rant for Failure to Pay Fine/
Driving While Suspended.
Kinzua Lunch Group
to meet May 15
A very talkative Kinzua Lungh Group met at Ser
vice Creek Lodge for lunch on April 24th. Those attending
were Ada and Ernie Schell, Janet and Jr. Nelson, Peggy
and Bob Nelson, Lavonne and bob Slinkard, Midge and
John Geer, Jean Ann and OL Adams, MaryLee and Bob
Britt, Cenone and Yap Benson, Ellis McRoberts, Bill Pot
ter, Bonnie Campbell, Rollene Allen, Annabelle Gubser
and Marilyn Garcia.
Everything was so nice at Service Creek that the
group decided to have lunch there on May 15 at 11:30
a.m.
Holly Rebekah Lodge to
hold monthly card party
Holly Re"bekah Lodge will be hosting the monthly
card party at the Odd Fellow Hall in Lexington on Saturday,
May 2. Play will start at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
For $5 participants can enjoy an evening o f cards,
fun, snacks and visiting with friends.
Due to Heppner High School's graduation on
June 6, the May card party will be the last one held until
September.
DA’s Report
Morrow County District Attorney Elizabeth Bal
lard has released the following report:
-Michael Anthony Mullikkin, 25, was convicted
o f Assault in the First Degree, a Class A misdemeanor,
was sentenced to 180 days incarceration with 150 days
suspended, two years bench probation, complete 40 hours
o f community service, and other numerous conditions.
Mullikkin was also convicted o f Contempt o f Court, an
unclassified misdemeanor, and was sentenced to two years
bench probation and other numerous conditions. Total
fines, fees and assessments were $1,225.
lo n e L e x in g to n
C em etery District: Direc
tor at large, four-year term
and two-year term-Cecilia
“ M a u re e n ” M c E llig o tt,
lone; Edward Baker, Lex
ington.
B o ard m an C em e
tery District: two Directors
at large, four-year terms-Le-
land “Blair” Purcell, David
Pedro, both Boardman.
Irrig o n C em etery
M aintenance District: Di
rector at large, four-year
term-no candidates filed.
I r rig o n C o m m u
nity P a rk & R ecreatio n
District: Position 1-Burrel
Cooley; Position 5-Barbara
Phillips; Position 4-Melodee
A. Tovey, all Irrigon, all
four-year terms.
B oardm an P ark &
R ecreation D istrict: two
Directors at large, both four-
and Karen Pettigrew, both
Boardman.
Heppner Commu
nity Education Commit
tee: Positions 1, 2, 4, all
four-year terms; Positions 3,
5, 6, all two-year terms-no
candidates filed.
Irrigon Com m u
nity Education Commit
tee: Positions 1, 5, 6, all
four-year terms; Positions 2,
3, 4, all two-year terms-no
candidates filed.
Boardman Com
munity Education Com
mittee: Positions 1, 3, 6, all
four-year terms; Positions 2,
4, 5, all two-year terms-no
candidates filed
H ep p n er W ater
Control District: two Di
rectors at large, both four-
year terms-Robert “Butch
Laughlin,” Donald Bennett,
both Heppner.
Heppner Garden Club hosts
Blue Mountain district meeting
On A pril 18, the
Heppner Garden Club host
ed the Blue Mountain dis
trict meeting. Special guest
was president o f Oregon
State Federation o f Garden
Clubs, Sherry Cossey.
Guest speakers were
Terry and Cheryl Tallman.
The d istric t p resen ted a
state life membership to Jan
Reed for job well done as
director.
The H eppner G ar
den Club presented Joanne
Burleson, president with a
state life membership for her
six years o f service.
T he new d is tric t
officers installed to serve
were: C'ece Delfs as director;
Marge Timmons as assistant
director, and Eve Ironhawk
as secretary treasurer.
Five Blue Mountain
Garden Clubs attended.
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