SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 21,2012
SHERIFF’S CONTRACT
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE
only gets a midlevel deputy,
and they do not keep a pa
trol car after it is taken out
of service. Heppner does
get the vehicle when it
comes out o f service.
Matlack also said
he did not at this time know
what the total contract
would be, as the county is
still in negotiations with
the union representing the
deputies. Matlack said the
increase could be anywhere
from 1.5 to 3.5 percent in
the personnel budget. The
council agreed to go ahead
and authorize the new con
tract with a built-in 3.5
percent personnel increase,
which would be reduced if
the contract negotiations
turn out to be less.
The council also
discussed the advantage
o f having the sheriff de
partment’s main offices in
Heppner.
“Having the sher
iff department here is one
reason we don’t have much
crime,” Mayor Les Paustian
said.
C o u n cilm em b er
John Bowles, who is also a
deputy, agreed, saying, “It
is a huge reason we have
no crime.”
In other action, the
council heard from hom
eowner Ed Tamasky, who
said he received a packet
from Oregon Department
o f Transportation about
the coming project on Bar-
ratt Blvd. The state is go
ing to be doing extensive
work on that street, and
Tamasky’s home is located
there. It appears the state
may need to purchase some
of Tamasky’s property to
complete the renovation of
Barratt; however, he was
concerned because the in
formation he had received
so far did not say how much
property was needed.
“The packet shows
property they are going to
take but it is just a blue line
on my property,” Tamasky
told the city council. "Is it
30 feet, is it three feet? I
don’t know how much you
are taking from me. Are you
going to take my tree and
part of my yard?”
Tamasky said the
state is going to meet with
him to discuss the project.
He said it was his under
standing that if they cannot
come to an agreement, they
will go to mediation and,
if that is not successful, he
and the state would go to
either binding arbitration or
condemnation.
“I want it on the
record that I feel coerced,”
Tamasky said. He was con
cerned because the city was
scheduled that night to sign
an eminent domain authori
zation with the state on the
Barratt property.
“Eminent domain
is not something any city
wants to do. It is not a
desirable thing,” said Pub
lic Works Director Brian
Harmon.
City attorney Philip
Spicerkuhn said the action
to approve use of eminent
domain was a required part
of the contract w ith the state
and if it was not passed
“technically" the city would
be in breach of its contract
with state redoing Barratt
Blvd.
The council voted
down a motion to delay ap
proval of the use of eminent
domain, and instead voted
to approve the agreement
with the state. Harmon
assured Tamasky that he
would contact the state and
get the situation worked
out.
“I will make sure
we get an answer by next
Monday close of business,”
he said.
In other business,
the council discussed the
procedure for replacing
the city manager Dave De-
Mayo, who is retiring. A
discussion was held about
possibly com bining the
public works position with
the city manager’s position
like Pilot Rock apparently
has.
Paustian said the
city manager now has to
follow certain state man
dates and would need to
be knowledgeable of these,
and that there is a lot of re
sponsibility that goes with
the job. Spicerkuhn said
that changing the position
could be done by changing
the city charter. Paustian
said th? council should
wait until applications for
the position are received
before making a formal
decision. Heppner citizen
Sam Hombeck was at the
m eeting and he recom
mended the council not go
this way. Hombeck said he
has seen it implemented in
other cities and it did not
work too well.
Sheriffs Report
for February 2012
Traffic-
There were 18 traf
fic stops, resulting in 15
warnings and three cita
tions.
A person called
MCSO and reported a driv
ing complaint. Deputies
were unable to locate the
vehicle. A deputy contacted
a person who parked a ve
hicle in an alley. A motor
vehicle crash was reported,
resulting in no injuries. A
motor vehicle crash was
reported, resulting in the
driver being arrested and
issued a citation for driving
while license suspended.
C ode E n fo r c e -
ment-
Twenty-six animal
complaints were reported.
Two citations were issued
for Maintaining a Dog as a
Public Nuisance. Six cats
and one dog were trans
ported to Pet Rescue. Four
code violations involving
parked/abandoned vehicles
were initiated. A deputy
made contact with a resi
dent about a fence. A person
called MCSO and com
plained about the gravel
on the road, to traverse the
caller’s driveway.
Theft Complaints-
A person called
MCSO and reported they
gave money to another
person to buy cigarettes and
the other person has not re
turned with the cigarettes or
money. Deputy made con
tact and the money was re
turned. A stolen cell phone
was reported. A deputy
investigated a theft from
two businesses. A person
reported a lost purse, which
was returned. H ow ever
medication was still miss
ing from the purse.
All Other-
Pi, person called
MCSO and reported they
heard voices outside their
home. A deputy checked
the area but was unable to
locate anyone. A deputy re
sponded to a burglar alarm.
It was determined to be a
false. A deputy investigated
an assault. A person called
MCSO and reported their
ex-spouse was refusing to
pay the caller as required.
A deputy contacted the
caller and advised the caller
it was an issue the caller
had to resolve through the
caller’s attorney. A deputy
contacted juveniles who
were trespassing and in
the process of letting out
animals. A caller reported a
neighbor was piling debris
on her property. It was de
termined to be a civil issue.
A disturbance was reported
at a residence. The people
involved were contacted by
deputies and the issue was
resolved. MCSO investi
gated graffiti downtown.
A juvenile was arrested for
Harassment. A person re
ported to MCSO that other
people made some inappro
priate comments to him. A
deputy contacted the com
plainant, who was advised
of his options. The parents
of a juvenile reported they
could not locate their son,
who was driving around
with his girlfriend. The
juvenile returned home. A
parent reported their teen
ager was having sex with
another teenager. It was
determined to be consen
sual and not violating any
laws. A deputy responded
to a residence for a sui
cidal person. Community
Counseling was contacted.
A person called MCSO to
report they received a prank
phone call. An elderly per
son reported people were
inside with a firearm. It was
determined to be a medical
issue with the reporter. A
resident called MCSO and
reported two people entered
the caller’s residence. The
suspects were identified;
however, the resident did
not want to pursue criminal
charges. A person reported
hearing adults and children
crying nearby. A deputy
responded was unable to
locate anyone crying.
Chamber lunch
meeting
A pathw ay to jobs. An investm ent In m ia i counties.
the
Morrow
^Pacific
project
Bringing new jobs
and opportunity to
Morrow County
The Morrow Pacific project is being developed to provide a coal export
route to U.S. trade allies in the Asia-Pacific market. With your support, it
will also provide new jobs and economic opportunity in Morrow County.
Cieating Jobs
The project, which is being developed by Ambre Energy, will bring an
estimated 25 jobs to Morrow County. It will also create 25 jobs in Columbia
County and 55 jobs in the transportation of coal - for a total of 105 local
jobs overall. These will be family-wage jobs with benefits, in the range of
$50,000 to $90,000 per year.
Supporting M o rro w County
The local economy will benefit in other ways as well.
■ The project will pay an estimated $750,000 in property taxes to
Morrow County annually and $850,000 in annual fees to the Port
of Morrow, based on initial shipping estimates of 3.5 million tons.
■ In addition, Ambre will make a voluntary annual contribution of
approximately $350,000 to support K-12 education in Morrow County,
based on a 10-cents-per-ton contribution.
Show Ypur Support
These jobs and benefits could begin as early as mid-2013. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers is currently reviewing the project and has invited public
comments. Community support is crucial during the public comment period
to make this opportunity a reality. Please visit www.MorTowPacific.com
and click on Show Your Support. It’s easy and quick - and it will make a
difference in bringing jobs and opportunity to Morrow County. ■
Morrow Pacific Project Paati
Every aspect of the project has been designed to meet O regon’s
high standards. All facilities will be enclosed, barges will be enclosed
and alt operations are designed to elim inate dust and spillage.
ambreenergy
The next meeting of the Heppner Chamber of
Commerce will be held Thursday, March 22, at noon at
All Saints Episcopal Church in Heppner.
Dirk Dirksen and Daye Stone will be there to talk
about the Morrow County School District budget; they
will also be updating chamber members on the status of
the technology classes they are working on to accom
modate future jobs in the wind farm industry.
Cost of lunch is $9; Murray’s Drug will cater.
Participants are asked to RS VP for chamber lunch
meetings by the Wednesday before.
Farm transportation
amendment passes
Senate
L a st w eek , the
United States Senate passed
by voice vote a bipartisan
amendment sponsored by
Oregon Senator Jeff Merk-
ley intended to make it eas
ier for farmers and ranchers
to transport their products to
market if they operate near
state lines. The amendment
was cosponsored by Sena
tors Roy Blunt (R-MO) and
Pat Toomey (R-PA).
“ T his is a huge
win for Oregon’s farmers
and ranchers," M erkley
said. “Farmers and ranchers
don’t become commercial
truckers just because they
happen to live near a state
line. I am pleased that we
were able to cut red tape
and put this arbitrary dis
tinction to an end.”
“ M aintaining the
historical exemption for
farm vehicles from the re
quirements for commercial
truckers is very important
to Oregon wheat growers,”
said Blake Rowe of Oregon
Wheat Growers League.
T h e A m e ric a n
Farm Bureau, the Oregon
Farm Bureau and the Ore
gon Wheat Growers League
all endorsed Senator Merk-
ley’s amendment.
Forest collaborative
meeting scheduled
The Umatilla For
est Collaborative Group
will meet at the National
Forest Supervisor’s Office
in Pendleton on Thursday,
March 22, at 10 a.m. The
office is located at 2517
S.W. Hailey Avenue.
This group o f di
verse stakeholders meets
regularly to explore and
develop opportunities for
collaborative recommen
dations to the U m atilla
National Forest. The group
currently is w orking to
develop a recommendation
for a project on the dry for
est site of the Kahler Unit.
Oregon Solutions
supports and facilitates the
group by providing services
and an internet presence. To
learn more about Umatilla
Forest Collaborative Group
activities, access the web
site at http://orsolutions.
org/osproject/ufcg.
The N orth Fork
John Day Watershed Coun
cil is host to the group.
Executive Director Elaine
Eisenbraun would like to
invite anyone who is in
terested in the operations
o f the Umatilla National
Forest to attend these meet
ings.
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