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.