Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 2009)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 10,2009 - SEVEN HHS principal reports that President Obama calls HHS teacher’s aide -Continued from Page ONE the new system, the grading softball team that took the 2009 state championship. The win is all the more exceptional, said the edu cators, because the Irrigon Junior/Senior High School has only been in existence for five years and has only been playing varsity sports for four. Parents Andre and Kathy Meyer attended the meeting and asked for clari fication about the change in direction at Heppner High School, since they will have two seniors at HHS this fall. Kathy M eyer expressed concern that the students may be “guinea pigs for an untested system that has not been proven to work.” “I’m really concerned when I see a number system in ex change for an ABC system. Why change from ABCs to a one-six system. What is the benefit?” asked Meyer. The new system at HHS is a pilot program and no other high schools in the district will convert. Stone told Meyer that she may have some misconceptions about the new proficiency system and commented that the “Rubric” is not that differ ent from the current system, and basically is what the district is doing now. He added that while there will be a num bered system , students will still receive letter grades. “ If indeed we’re actually doing it now, then why are we changing,” asked Meyer. At the May meet ing Stone had outlined a change from seven to eight periods per day at HHS and subsequent change from a curriculum based on “seat time” to one based on proficiency. Accord ing to Stone and Burrows, beginning this fall, HHS students will be tested to determine their proficiency before they move on to a higher level, however, they will still receive letter grades. The administrators said that currently HHS has 132 hours of “seat time” instruction, while the state requires 130 hours. This fall with the change to an eight- period day, the hours of “seat time” instruction will fall to 118, below the state requirem ents, however, the school’s change to a proficiency system will still ensure state certification. Stone also said that with criteria will also change. No ‘D’s will be assigned. Students will receive ‘A’s, ‘B’s, C ’s o r ’F’s. Board member Bill Kuhn commented that the change will allow students to take more elective classes and assured the Meyers that the change would be ben eficial to students. “It will allow HHS to become more diversified . . . a stronger school,” said Kuhn. In other business, the board: -recognized board m em ber N ancy Vander Does for her service on the board. Vander Does will step down when her term runs out. Vander Does said that she and her husband, Victor Vander Does, who will retire soon as Mor row County Health District CEO, plan to travel. -recognized Tony Barnhart, CEO of Mid Co. Bus Company, for Mid- Co’s contribution of a S500 scholarship for a graduating senior at each high school in the district. Barnhart said that the district’s bus transpor tation costs for next year will be approximately the same as this year with the same service level, barring any extenuating circum stances, and remarked that the company has driven five million miles for the district with no major accidents or injuries. -heard from Bur rows concerning the pas sage of the May 19 serial levy. Burrows expressed his thanks for district patrons for approving the levy. He said that while the estimat ed state education funding amount is down because of the economy, the district is confident in funding its programs with the current state-wide estimate of $5.6 billion. “We have definitely tightened out budget,” said Burrows. -heard from Bur rows concerning the pos sibility of Riverside High School in Boardman quali fying as a “small school.” He said a bill to that effect has passed out of the state House and is now in the Senate. He said that if that occurs, it would mean an additional $400,000 to the district in this biennium. -heard from Bur rows that overall two thirds of district students passed reading and math bench marks, which is “pretty good,” especially consider ing 25 percent of the stu dents are English Language Learners and 12-15 percent are special education stu dents. “ It’s pretty good,” remarked Burrows, “but in Morrow County we don’t w ant to be pretty good.” He said the results were a little better than last year. -accepted a resig nation from Lori McCombs, Sam Boardman Elementary School ed assistant; accept ed a retirement for Cecilia Drake, A.C. Houghton El ementary School reading teacher. -approved employ ment for Josh Bettesworth, RHS assistant custodian. -approved extra duty coaching contracts as follows (Heppner schools listed only): Heppner High School: Greg Grant, ath letic director, head football coach, head golf coach; Les Payne, assistant football coach; Kevin Payne, as sistant football coach; Josh Coiner, assistant football coach; Pam Dowdy, head volleyball coach; Petra Payne, assistant volleyball coach, head softball coach; Janelle Healy, assistant volleyball coach; Mark Lemmon, head wrestling coach; David Norton, head bo y s’ basketball coach; Ken Grieb, assistant boys’ basketball coach; Mark Dowdy, head girls’ basket ball coach; Chris Rauch, assistant girls’ basketball coach; vacant-head base ball coach; Troy Morgan, assistant baseball coach; Melissa Coiner, head track coach; Jason Palmer, assis tant track coach; Heppner Junior High: David Norton, head football coach; Den nis Peck, assistant football coach; Wendy Cannin, head volley ball coach, head track coach; Mindy Wilson, assis tant volleyball coach, head girls’ basketball coach; Lar ry Palmer, assistant track coach; vacant-head boys’ basketball, assistant boys’ basketball, assistant girls’ basketball, head wrestling. -ap p ro v ed extra duty non-coaching posi tions (H eppner schools listed only): Heppner El ementary: Jannie Allen and Pam Dowdy, Talented and Gifted program coordina tors; Karen Smith-Griffith, DART p ro g ram ; M ary Ann Elguezabal, English Language Learner site co ordinator; Heppner High School: Wendy Cannin, annual; Joe Lindsay, half time band; Virginia Grant, rally advisor; Jodi Chapa, drama; John Flaherty, TAG and DART. - a p p r o v e d th e 2009-10 substitute teacher daily rate at $154.72. -approved the May 19 election results. -adopted the 2009- 10 board calendar as fol lows: July 2009-no meet ing; August 10-district of fice; September 14-HHS; October 12-SBE; Novem ber 9-Morrow Education Center, Irrigon; December 14-Irrigon Elem entary; January 11, 2010-Hepp- ner Elementary; February 8-RHS; March 8-ACH; April 12-Windy River El ementary; May 10- HIS; June 14-district office. -approved annual organizational details. -approved and ad opted the 2009-10 budget with an amendment to move $25,000 from the general fund to food service. -approved the first reading of policies on non discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act, Equal Employment Opportunity, Fam ily M edical Leave, Credit for Proficiency and Students. -approved an atten dance variance for a student within the Morrow County School District to attend school in Hermiston. -ap p roved early graduation for two stu dents. -heard the follow ing announcements: June 10-last day for students; June 12, last day for teach ers. -approved the fol lowing OEBB plans for 2009-10: m edical plans 4, 5 and 7 with pharmacy plan A; medical plan 8 with pharmacy plan C; dental plans 1, 2 and 6, all with orthodontia; vision plan 2; long term disability plan 1, optional and to be paid by employees; life insurance, optional and to be paid by employees. “’’Employees have the option to choose any of the medical plans ad opted,” said Deputy Clerk Rhonda Lorenz. -held an executive session to discuss legal is sues and negotiations. Heppner, lone graduations held Graduation ceremonies were held this past week for Heppner High School and lone Community School. Left photo: Bo Foster and Lenka Dobosova make their entrance for their graduation ceremony. Right photo: lone graduates await their diplomas. -Photos by David Svkes Beaver tee ball season ends The B eaver Tee Ball closed their 2009 sea son on Tuesday, June 2. The team, made up of five, six and a couple of seven-years olds, traveled to lone to take on IRT. The last scheduled game was cancelled due to severe weather conditions. The team pizza party and awards program also had to be cancelled due to the weather. The Beavers had a great season playing teams from Heppner. lone. Fos sil, Condon and A rling ton. There was going to be a team pizza dinner and awards in the park follow ing the last game, however was cancelled due to the weather. Awards w ent to the following: Most Valu able Player, Jackson Leh man; Most Enthusiastic, Blane Mahoney; Loudest Cheerer, M arlee M itch ell; Most Inspirational, M adelyn N ichols; Most Improved Hitter. Kaden Combe; Most Improved Thrower. Hunter G reen up; Most Improved Fielder, Angel Matthew; Overall Most Im proved, Harley Ann Anderson; Best Sports manship, Trevor Linnell. The Beavers were Pictured are members of the Beavers with their coaches, Darcee Mitchell and Jessica Lehman. -Photo by Sandy Mat thews • sponsored by Colin and by Darcee Mitchell and Jes- Erin Anderson and coached sica Lehman. Residents to see increase in city water rates -Continuedfrom Page ONE Deputy Randy Rayburn who said the man driving a pickup which struck the St. Patrick’s Senior Center May 30 causing some dam age and destroying a bench, would be given a citation. The man had pulled into Heppner Family Foods parking lot and it was be lieved that he was suffer ing from a heart attack or stroke causing him to speed through the parking lot and run into the senior building. Rayburn also reported that he was one of the first on the scene of the accident, and that it was Wacy Coil o f Heppner who arrived at the scene and jumped in the pickup and turned off the engine while it was still run ning at a high rate of speed after the collision. The man did not die as was rumored, but was life-flighted to Portland. Rayburn also re ported several other inci dents the past month in cluding the ju d g e ’s car getting egged and three students caught smoking marijuana at the ball field above the high school. All three were cited for pro cession less than an ounce of within 1,000 feet of a school, which is a class C misdemeanor. It was also reported that one of the construction workers on the Court Street project had been causing a problem. He was apparently intoxicated and “cussing a lot” at the park and the ball field below the elementary school. The problem was handled, his supervisor notified, and the sheriff’s deputy was told that if the worker keeps causing prob lems in town that he would be fired and sent home. The sheriff's department antici pates no further problems with the subject. The deputies were successful in catching a golden Labrador that has been causing problems on Jones Street. The dog was held at the Heppner sewer plant and then transported to Pet Rescue in Hermiston. The deputy was told by Pet Rescue that the dog had dug out of the kennel and is now running around in the Hermiston area. Another dog was picked up at the Shell station and transport ed to the sewer plant and then taken to Pet Rescue. Shell station em ployees were told to quit feeding the dogs when they come around. Discussed shortening city hall hours The council dis cussed, but took no action on a plan to open city hall an hour later, at 10 a.m. instead of at 9 a.m. so staff would have more time to get work done instead of waiting on the public. The office would be closed dur ing the lunch hour, then open from 1 to 5 p.m. The council also heard from DeMayo who said the city needs to have the new position of utility billing clerk working as soon as they can after July 1,2009. The new part time (35 hours week) position was approved by the city budget committee and ap proved by the city council Monday. The city is going to change the personnel manual so that part time can be defined as 35 hours per week instead of 20 hours. This means that unless an employee worked 35 hours a week or more, they would not qualify for benefits. In other business the council appointed the following people to the city planning commission: Tamara Lien, Vi Wilgers and Don Stroeber. A Resolution Adjusting Water and Sewer Rates In The City Of Heppner Whereas, in 1989 the voters in the City of Heppner voted for a General Revenue bond in the amount of $625,000 to upgrade and repair its Wastewater plant to comply with requirements dictated by the Oregon Department of En vironmental Quality (ODEQ), as a result a “Sewer bond” fee of $8.90 was assessed each property owner, and Whereas , the work o f repair and upgrading the Wastewater plant was finally completed in 1994, and Whereas, in 1996 an opportunity to refinance these bonds and save $ 11,546 dollars in interest was available, the City Council, as good stewards of the citizens monies did so by passing Resolution 259-96 (a vote of the people was not necessary), refinancing the same. Due to Measure Five, the “bond fee" was paid from the Sewer chaiges rather than from property taxes, as originally designed, and Whereas, in the year 2007, repairs and an upgrade of the Wastewater plant was necessary, and some of the debt from the previous improvements remained, the City Council authorized a loan with Bank of East ern Oregon in the amount of $300,000 to accomplish this. Resolution 681-07 was approved. The “Sewer bond” fee was renamed “User Repair and Mainte nance fee” and applied directly to repay this debt, and Whereas, in the Spring of 2009, a member of the Utilities commission made a proposal that the Beginning Fund Balance of the Debt Service fund be used to payoff this debt in frill and that the “User Repair and Maintenance fee” could then be used to make the payments of $130,701 due annually for the Water Improvement Project (WIP) completed in 2005. The payments had been delayed due to litigation issues with the Construction company, and Whereas, the Utility commission, the Budget Commit tee and the City Council have reviewed and deliber ated over this proposition and have arrived at a con sensus of what action should be taken on this issue. The Beginning Fund Balance in the Debt Service fund, on or about July 1, 2009 shall be used to payoff the remaining debt for the Wastewater plant repairs and improvements. Any remaining monies shall be applied to the annual payment on the Water Improvement Project loan. The City Manager shall effect the necessary actions to enable the annual payment of $130,701 to be made on December 1,2009 due to the State of Oregon for the Water Improve ment Project loan.As soon as possible, on or about July 1, 2009 all Sewer bills shall no longer include either a “Sewer Bond” fee nor a “Maintenance and Repair” fee. All Water utility hills will reflect a base rate increase of $10.90. This money shall be disbursed as follow s: $8.00 shall be ap plied towards the WIP loan. $ 1.00 shall be applied towards the Fleet Reserve account (used for vehicle purchases) and $1.90 shall be applied to the Infrastnicture limergcncy fund.
