Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 2009)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 9,2009 ~ - THREE BEO distributes school supplies Letters to the Editor ~ The Heppner Gazette Times Mill print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that >ou provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. TheGT reserves the right to edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks w ill be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks" at a cost of $ 10. Exercising rights whenever necessary To the Editor and to the residents of Lexington: By all means, let’s clear up some of the inaccura cies that 1 have been accused of by the Lexington council plus some of theirs that were mentioned in their recent letter to the newspaper. The protocol that was published in my original letter was taken word for word from the minutes of August 11 and noted as being read into record by the mayor. Now the council is disavowing its existence. The September newsletter, which came with the water billings, included a so-called First Draft of a Proposed Protocol that would restrict the rights of community residents to speak at, and voice, their concerns at council meetings. When was the meeting held to discuss these revisions and when was it written? Definitely not at a special, regular, advertised or scheduled public meeting. The residents of the community were not notified that any meeting was to be held. No meeting was held at city hall. Said meeting was probably held in secret session at the home of one of the council members. Isn’t it strange, that someone’s vehicles are a dead giveaway as to what is going on at a place of residence? At the April 14th meeting (also in the minutes) it was noted that there was a delinquency in a water account and that arrangements were in place for payment. Did these arrangements just automatically fall into place or were they made by the recorder and council? Someone must have been responsible for making payment arrange ments. Since April there have been other delinquencies reported. I wonder who made arrangements to have these accounts “put in place for payments” if it wasn’t the re corder or the council. Maybe the recorder and the council need to go back to school and take a course in English Composition 101 if they do not understand the difference between making arrangements and putting arrangements in place or the similarity. Per the council’s last letter, -I have not requested a copy of the financial statement in the past two years. That is not true. Three months ago, I asked for a copy of the financial statement and was told by the mayor that she did not have the current figures, but that she would see that 1 received one. I am still waiting for it. However, another community member has a recent copy, which has been readily available. Anybody with even half a brain would have no trouble determining that the town is in trouble and operating beyond its means. There seems to be the mistaken opinion, by the council, that others in the community do not know how a municipality operates. Most of the community members, who do attend the meetings, have had years of practice and experience, not just a few months like the current council. Also, I did not state that all of the town money came from water revenues, but that it was the primary source of revenue w ith a few other incidentals. Again, the council and the recorder have twisted the facts. It would seem that they could at least be truthful in the way they present their arguments. As for the yelling and fighting at council meet ings, nothing could equal or surpass the “Academy Award Performance,” presented by the male member of the council at a recent council meeting. Even as two-year-old toddler’s temper-tantrum would have been appalled and ashamed to witness or be part of such an action. As a note, I am an ex-U.S. Marine, who spent two years in the South Pacific, WWI1 fighting for Americas Rights (among them Freedom of Speech) and I intend to exercise those rights whenever necessary. Bob Taylor Lexington Just to set the record straight... To the editor: Being open and honest should be the goal of every city council. Last week there was a letter to the editor regarding a previous letter to the editor. The city council of Lexington is claiming that the information in the first letter was not the first draft of the new public comment protocol revisions. Just to set the record straight, this was the exact copy of the draft that was read to the public at the council meeting on August 11.1 went to city hall the next morning and asked for a copy of what was read to us the night before by the Mayor. This is the protocol revision that was published in the paper. I have copies of this information at my home if anyone is interested in seeing it. I have no idea when they revised the first draft since there have been no advertised meetings held by the council (either public meetings or executive sessions). I also purchase a copy of the meeting minutes and the bills to be paid each month. I also purchase a copy of the financial statement periodically and share this information to other interested community members so any informa tion printed in the community members previous letter came from town hall. All I am asking of the council is to be open and honest and to follow the charter, election law and state laws. Shirley McCarl Top Photo: Trivia Rollins, Lexington U.S. citizens deserve respect To the Editor: Ordinary people in our area go about their daily lives striving to do the best for their families and their community. We elect congressional representatives who hopefully have the best interests of our entire country at heart. Instead congress has approved an out-of-control spending spree and now the democrats are pushing to add another trillion dollar deficit with an all-inclusive government controlled health care plan. To help pay for the cost of a one-payer health care system an 8 percent payroll tax aimed at employers to help pay for this proposal would be disastrous for small businesses already struggling with overhead costs. And robbing $500 billion from the Medicare budget would limit some of the services that are necessary for retirees A way to reduce health care costs would be to allow insurance companies to compete nationwide, not in each individual state, creating more competition. Tort reform is needed to lower doctors’ malpractice insurance costs. Drug companies could produce more generic drugs at lower prices. Health care policies with a high deductible to provide coverage only for major medical issues would lower premium costs. If the US government were fiscally responsible we wouldn’t be trillions of dollars in debt to countries like China. There are some 33 un-vetted czars advising the President and leading the charge. The economy of our country is at stake! It’s time that Americans with common sense took charge. Although many can’t join in the cross-country Tea Party tour or the rallies planned for September 12, at least phone or e-mail your representa tives. There has got to be a better way than socialized medicine and more government control. The U.S. is home to the best people in the world who deserve respect, not the name calling by the people who are supposed to represent them. Merlyn Robinson Heppner Chamber lunch meeting to be held EMT classes to be held The guest speaker for the chamber lunch meeting on Thursday, September 10, will be Michael Strong, Uma tilla’s site project manager for the Chemical Materials Agency’s Umatilla Chemical Demilitarization Program, assisted by Steve Meyers, public affairs team member from the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The lunch meeting will be held at City Hall and lunch will begin at noon. Willow Creek Diner will be catering the lunch and will be serving Swedish meatballs, potatoes, braised carrots and dessert. The cost for lunch is $9. Upcoming speakers, activities and inform a tion: September 17 - Oregon State Attorney General John Kroger; September 24 - State Representative Greg Smith. Emergency medi cal technician (EMT) class es will be taught in Hep pner through Blue Moun tain Community College beginning September 28. Deadline for enrollment is September 15. Classes will be held / \f ^ Heritage Land Co. ^ 278 N. Main, Heppner We sell Residences. Benches, and Recreation (541) 676-5049, (541) 980-3465 www.heritageland.net,www.farmseller.com www.eastoregonrealestate.com SoHth Morrow County's Numbor One Real Estate Company HEPPNER ELKS 358 676-9181 " H here f riends Meet" M2 North Main Monthly German Specials! 'Beginning on September lotir and" served every 3rd Saturday through out the faff ancf w inter (Beet Roll & Sweet/Sour Cabbage) (Dumpling Soup) Mashed Potatoes and Salad Bar on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30-9 p.m. and some Saturdays. Classes could be paid for if students are will ing to volunteer. For more informa tion call 676-2922. Private investment opportunity for housing development in Heppner Are you interested in possibly becoming an in vestor in helping to develop more family housing in the Heppner area? Willow Creek Economic Develop ment Group (WC’VEDG) has scheduled a meeting to talk about the opportu nity to build 3-5 duplexes to accommodate the local housing needs. The meet ing has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, Full m enu served on Septem ber 4th, 5th a n d J 1th Golfers only on the 12th a n d Full m enu on the 18th Come join other Elbs for Claudia's first special! starting at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to the Chamber Office at 676-5536. Heppner’s Branch Manager at Bank of Eastern Oregon, dropped by HES to deliver a bucket of school supplies and new backpacks to Mary Ann Elguezabal. The hank donated the backpacks and a portion of the supplies and set up a col lection site for employees and customers to make donations. All branches of BEO are having similar drawings, giving away one to five backpacks and/or donating the supplies they purchased and collected. Bank of Eastern Oregon plans on making this an annual event. Two names were drawn at the Heppner branch and each student w on a backpack stuffed w ith supplies. The lucky students were Cheyenne Shaw and Gavin Hanna. Contributed Photo 2009 Morrow County Historical Society tour planned Sept. 26 The Morrow Coun ty Historical Society Ice Age G eology bust tour will be held on Saturday, September 26. The bus will leave Heppner at 8:30 a.m. and Boardman at 9 a.m. for a full day of Columbia River geological wonders, w ine tasting and a box lunch. Ice Age Floods In stitute, Lake Lewis Chapter member Don Harkness will be the tour guide. The cost of the tour is $20, payable to the Morrow County His torical Society. Tour fees should be paid in advance to reserve seating. For more informa tion or seating availability contact Louis Carlson at louis-bcarlson@centurytel. net, 541-676-5302; Carol Michael at cnrmichael@ gmail.com, 541-481-9457; or Don Eppenbach at dep- penba@msn.com, 541-622- 3197. Film highlight of M. C. Historical Society to be held at annual meeting A film fe stiv a l highlight of Morrow Coun ty Historical Society w ill be held at the annual meeting in Heppner on Sunday, Oc tober 4. A potluck meal will begin at 1:30 pm., at the St. Patrick’s Senior Center. G uests with last name A-F are asked to bring a favorite side dish; G-N bring salad; O-Z bring des sert, or, guests can simply show up. The business meet ing and program will begin at 2:30 p.m. The film fes tival program will feature two short documentaries. The first will be "Ameri can Cowboys,” a true story o f tw o legendary cow boys, Jackson Sundown and George Fletcher, who broke the color barrier at the Pendleton Roundup. The second will be “The Logger’s Daughter,” the story of Maxville, a town built in Eastern Oregon in 1923 by a Missouri lumber company. The meeting will conclude at 4 p.m. Both meeting and program are free. Copies of the 2009 Morrow County Chronicles will be avail able for sale for $5. Annual membership dues are due and can be paid at the meet ing. Dues are $5. Co ntact Louis Carlson. louis-bcarlson@ centurytel.net, 541-676- 5302; or Don Eppenbach deppenba@msn.com, 541- 922-3197 for annual meet ing information. M.C. Veteran's Service Office to open first Thursday of each month The Morrow County Veteran's Service Office at the Gilliam Bisbee Building in Heppner w ill be open the first Thursday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. V o lu n te e rs are Those w ishing to see the veteran's ser\ ice officer needed to help with the are asked to call for 541-922-6420 for an appointment. American Red Cross Blood D rive w hich has been scheduled for Friday, Sep tember 18, from 1-6 p.m. at the Senior Center dining room. Contact the Chamber Tiller's Folly w ill be in Heppner to perform at a at 676-5536 for more infor community concert on Thursday. October 8, at the Hep mation and to find out how pner High School gy mnasium starting at 7 p.m. Donations you can help. at the door will be taken to support the local St. Patrick's “Wee Bit O ’ Ireland" event. Blood drive volunteers needed Community concert to feature Tiller’s Folly Fair Board meeting to be held Willow Creek Park and Recreation District to meet A Fair Board meet ing will be held on Satur Willow Creek Park and Recreation District will day, September 19, at 5 meet on Thursday. September 10. at 5 p.m. at Heppner p.m. at the Port of Morrow City Hall. in Boardman.
