r,
Treatment facility readies for opening
........ " " " M i l l , I
Open house next Tuesday and Wednesday for the public
Eugene, OR 97 403
By David Sykes
T he L a k e v ie w
Heights Secure Residen
tial Treatment Facility is
com pleting its finishing
touches in preparation for
its opening March 22, Ad
ministrator Matt Bergstrom
said Monday.
HEPPNER
Administrator Matt Bergstrom and Assistant Administrator Jennifer Cecil
show the control room of the new residential treatment facility opening in
Heppner next month.
photos by David Sykes
imes
VOL. 129
NO. 6
8 Pages
Wednesday, February 10,2010
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Cutsforth, Nelson in, Ballard out, in
Morrow County DA race
Incum bent gets DOJ job in Salem
By David Sykes
The Morrow County District Attorney election underwent some changes
this week as incumbent Elizabeth Ballard said she will drop out and not seek a second
term, and Morrow County native Tom Cutsforth threw his hat in the ring for the posi
tion. Cutsforth will join another county native, Justin Nelson of Lexington, who also
announced his candidacy for the job.
Word had circulating that Ballard would not run again for Morrow County
DA, but she had filed for the position with the secretary of state. Tuesday morning a
press release from Oregon Attorney General John Kroger put an end to the speculation
by announcing Ballard would be hired to prosecute health care fraud for the Oregon
Department of Justice (DOJ). (See related story page 6)
“I have been so honored to serve of the Morrow County District Attorney,”
Ballard said when contacted by the Gazette-Times Tuesday. “And 1 very much ap
preciate how well the community treated me and my daughter while we were here.”
Ballard’s daughter graduated from Heppner High School last year.
7
Ballard, who will be resigning from the DA’s job in March, said the governor
will either name a replacement until the election is completed, or the DOJ will send
someone to fill in the job.
The DA’s position is non-partisan, and as with all non-partisan positions in
Oregon the candidates face off in the May primary election. If no candidate wins more
than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers face off in a runoff election (typically
the following November.) If there are only two candidates in the primary election, the
top vote getter will become DA at that time.
Meanwhile Tom Cutsforth has announced his candidacyjoining Justin Nelson
who had already filed. Cutsforth had registered Dec. 4,2009, to run for district attorney
in Gilliam County, and then on February 8,2010 withdrew that filing and the same day
filed to run in the Morrow County election, (see related stories page 6).
Heppner endorses Irrigon Depot plan
Could see igloos used for mushroom growing
By David Sykes
The Heppner city council
Monday voted to endorse a
plan by the city of Irrigon
which could, among other
things, turn the old Army
Depot chemical igloos into
a mushroom growing op
eration.
As chemical destruction
at the depot winds down
and the base gets ready to
be closed, a group of local
agencies called the LRA
(Land Reuse Authority) has
been meeting to decide how
the depot will be used once
the Army pulls out.
Monday Irrigon City
Manager Jerry Breazeale
asked the Heppner Council
to endorse “The Irrigon
Plan” , which Breazeale
says would see the former
Depot turned into an eco
nomic engine producing
many jobs.
Breazeale produced
figures showing a total
job loss of 120 in Morrow
County when the Depot
finally finishes it works
and closes down* includ
ing 73 people in Irrigon,
three in Heppner, five in
lone, 27 in Boardman and
one in Lexington. “This is
too important for us to just
let this go,” Breazeale said
about the depot jobs that
will be lost.
Total job loss for Mor
row and Umatilla Coun
ties together will be 907
with a combined payroll of
over $52 million, Breazeale
says.
26x60 = 1560 sqft and 26x80 = 2080 sqft, 17’ celling In middle,
Breazeale has come
up with a 20-page plan,
which he handed out to the
Heppner council, outlining
how the Depot could be
converted into an economic
asset to offset the coming
job loss.
“The City of Irrigon has
submitted a formal notifica
tion of interest to the Army
Depot Transition team ask
ing for a specific convey
ance of a significant portion
of the lands and structures
on the M orrow County
side in accordance with the
plans and procedures of
the US Army in closing the
entire facility and transition
the property out of the mili
tary,” the plan starts out.
Part of the Depot property
lies in Morrow County and
Ventilated: top back wall/bottom of front door
continued page 8
1001 Storage Bunkers "Igloos"
Front doors large enough for forklift, only a few large enough for vehicles
2’ minimum dirt covering at top, much more on sides, ventilated , 55-65 degrees year round
thermal, no water or electricity in any
Typically stored explosives, very clean
Workman put up the eight-foot fence around the outdoor recreation area. The
fence has sensors around the top to detect movement.
Although there is
still a lot to do, Bergstrom
said the facility will be
ready tb go when the resi
dents start arriving next
month.
Although the re
cent rains played some
havoc with construction,
contractor Larry Baarstad
said 90 percent of the facil
ity is done and what’s left is
finish-up work. When driv
ing up to the facility, which
sits across from Lakev
iew Heights overlooking
the dam, it is obvious the
landscaping has not been
completed. Inside workers
were still putting together
furniture and doing other
odds and ends. Outside
workmen were putting up
the eight-foot high fence
around the recreation yard,
but overall the facility was
looking pretty good.
A tour of the build
ing shows an entrance area
for the public off w hich the
administrator’s office is lo
cated. Behind locked doors
lies a central resident room
in the middle with eight
sleeping rooms surround
ing. There are two restroom
facilities for the residents,
also off the main room.
Above the main room is a
loft area which has a couch,
television and a great view
of Willow Creek Lake. The
whole building has a lot of
natural light and is open
and airy. There are quiet
rooms and a medication
disbursement room. Off to
the side is the kitchen w here
the meals will be prepared
by a full-time cook, and
off the back is the outdoor
recreation area. The facil
ity plans to offer equine
therapy later where horses
will be cared for and ridden
by the residents.
In the staff area,
which is separated from
residents by locked doors,
are break, conference and
staff restrooms. A total of
21 people will work at the
facility, including three on-
call positions. Work days
Bergstrom shows the loft where residents have a
view of the Willow Creek lake below.
Public entrance to the treatment facility
are 12.5 hour shifts.
Cameras abound
throughout the facility,
where staff will keep an
eye on residents using sev
eral monitors in the central
control room. “There will
be two people on staff and
awake all night long, and
then the other staff will
come in during the day, so
there is always someone
awake here,” Bergstrom
said.
Residents are
taught to do chores like
washing their own clothes
in the washer and dryer,
and there are privileges
granted for good behav
ior, Bergstrom explained.
There is TV, ping pong,
foosball and other activities
for recreation, and residents
are allowed to take smoke
breaks outside.
In addition there
are two “crisis respite” beds
available in a separate sec
tion of the facility. Those
rooms will be available
for local people who may
be having certain types of
problems. There is a cov
ered carport where sheriff’s
deputies could bring people
to the facility if need be.
The treatment fa
cility will hold an open
house on Tuesday, Febru
ary 16, from 3-8 p.m. and
on Wednesday, February
17, from 5-8 p.m. and the
public is invited. “We want
people to come up and take
a look around," said Berg
strom.
Treatment
Facility Open
House
Lakeview Heights
Secure Residential Treat
ment Facility will hold an
open house on Tuesday,
February 16, from 3-8 p.m.
and on Wednesday, Febru
ary 17, from 5-8 p.m.
Hors d'oeuvres and
beverages will be served
The facility is lo
cated at 68982 Willow
Creek Road in Heppner.
For more information call
541-676-9161.
GREEN FEED & SEED IN HEPPNER:
Vatentine’i Day, Spedai j t
Montana
montana
Silver 20
O ff
%
Valentine’s Day February 14th
M orrow County Grain Growers Green Feed A Seed
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242 W. Linden Way. Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)