Harvest underway in
Morrow County
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Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
5<K
A combine near North Lex shears wheat fields during harvest on Tuesday. W hile some farm
ers were able to begin harvest more than a week ago, others are just now able to get under
way. -Photo by David Sykes
High to file for
county commissioner
Announces he will run as an independent
VOL. 131
N 0 . 29
8 Pages
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
IRS Catch 22 could
affect health district’s
tax-exempt status
By April Sykes
The status of two grants
which would assist in fund
ing Morrow County Health
District’s proposed Irrigon
M edical Clinic remodel
has been jeopardized by a
dispute between the IRS
and the health district.
According to MCHD
CEO Michael Blauer and
C hief Financial Officer
Nicole Mahoney, the dis
trict’s tax-exempt status is
in jeopardy because of an
IRS paperwork Catch 22.
She said that the district
has a letter from the IRS
saying that the district is tax
exempt; however, the IRS
has failed to update their
records.
“It’s their error,” said
Mahoney, who added that
it cannot be disputed that
MCHD is a tax-exem pt
organization. She said that
the district, because it is a
governmental entity, is not
required to file IRS form
990, which is an income
and expense report for tax
exempt organizations, and
consequently has not filed
the 990 with IRS. However,
the IRS is stuck on the issue
that MCHD has not filed the
990, even though MCHD is
not required to because it is
a governmental entity.
“Our opportunity to
gamer the money (for the
clinic construction) is se
verely compromised,” she
said.
Mahoney said she has
contacted the IRS almost
daily to no avail, indicating
that the issue is in some sort
of IRS limbo.
“All it would take is
someone going on their
computer and clicking a
button,” said Blauer.
Mahoney said that she
had told Blauer that they
might need legislative help
in resolving the issue. Board
chairTarry Mills and board
member Leann Rea advised
Mahoney to contact Senator
Ron Wyden to assist.
Blauer said that the
clinic remodel has been set
back a bit with construction
“hopefully” to get under
way in September and "pos
sibly” completed sometime
in January. Mahoney said
that the current situation
with the IRS may result in
the district having to borrow
more money to complete
the project. The district had
applied for construction
grants from the Meyer Me
morial Trust and the Ford
Foundation, both of which
require tax-exempt status.
Mahoney said that MCHD
has received notification
that it has USDA approval
concerning the district’s
request to incur the debt.
Also at the meeting, the
board approved a tempo
rary easement for the city of
Heppner so that ODOT can
construct a sidewalk and do
drainage work on the street
in the front of the hospital.
The board also approved a
permanent easement for an
ODOT project in the rear-of
the hospital, on the comer
of Pioneer and Thompson
streets. No water, sewer or
power issues were involved
in either project. This con
struction is in conjunction
with a larger ODOT road
project in Heppner.
In other business, the
board:
-heard from Blauer that
the MCHD electronic re
cords system has undergone
a significant test, which is
a big step in the process
of transferring from paper
to electronic records and
a step closer to receiving
governmental reimburse
ment for expenses incurred
in the switch. He said that
the system seems to be
ll'S ALMOST FAIR & RODEO TIME.1 1
I
■
working; however. Director
of Nursing Services Molly
Rhea added that a lot of
the systems recently went
down, but then subsequent
ly recovered. The transfer
from paper to electronic
records is a governmental
mandate.
-learned from Blauer
that Family Care (Medic
aid contractor for the state
of Oregon) has withdrawn
its application to become a
coordinated care organiza
tion (CCO) for Umatilla
and Morrow counties and
instead GOBHI (Greater
Oregon Behavioral Health,
Inc.) and ODS (Oregon
Dental Service) are jointly
forming a CCO. Their joint
organization, Eastern Or
egon C oordinated Care
Organization, has been con
ditionally approved as a
CCO. CCOs, which would
manage care for Medicaid
patients, would disburse a
set amount for each patient,
which would cover all types
of care, from health care to
dental care to psychological
care. This is designed to
improve Medicaid patients’
care by assuring that they
have adequate and consis
tent primary care, thereby
improving their health and
consequently saving money
by reducing hospital stays
and emergency room visits,
at least in theory. However,
many details concerning
CCOs have yet to be re
solved. It has not yet been
determined how MCHD
will be affected; however,
with its critical access des
ignation, the district has
been assured of cost-based
reim bursem ent through
2014, says Mahoney.
-received the follow
ing report for June: Pio
neer Memorial Clinic had
Leann Rea will have
some company in the race
for Morrow County Com
missioner this fall. Heppner
resident Cody High has re
ceived the Indpendent Party
nomination and plans on
filing as a candidate for the
commissioner position.
The G azette-T im es
asked High the same ques
tions given to the other
commissioner candidates
before the primary elec
tions. (See the April 25,
2012 edition for Leann
Rea’s responses.) Here’s
what he said:
Cody High
Age: 27
Place o f birth: Coun
cil, ID
Where have you lived?
New Meadows, ID from
1985-1989; Klamath Falls,
OR, 1989-2003; H epp
ner, February 2003-August
2003; Klamath Falls, Au
gust 2003-2007; Seattle,
WA, 2007-2008 and Hep
pner, 2008 to now.
E d u c a tio n a l b a c k
ground I’m a graduate of
Heppner High School.
Family: Not married;
no children.
What, if any, prior gov
ernment experience do you
have? Two years serving for
the Heppner City Council.
Why do you feel you are
better qualified than your
opponent to represent the
people o f Morrow County
as com m issioner? As a court adequately represents
minimum-wage, working- Morrow County residents,
class citizen of our county both north and south ? Geo
1 have a different perspec graphically, yes. The issues
tive than our current
that come before
com m issioners. 1
the county affect
believe that during
all o f us; it does
my time on Hepp-
not matter where a
ner’s City Council I
commissioner lives
have shown a level
as long as they are
head, a common-
liste n in g to the
sense approach to
people.
I______ L
the issues, and a
Do you think
Cody
High
willingness to lis
the present distribu
ten to and consider
tion o f tippage fees
individuals’ complaints and is equitable, or should the
concerns.
county change the way tip-
What is the biggest page money is distributed?
problem fa cin g Morrow I would have to review the
County government in the budget to give a complete
future? Lack of funds. The answer but, yes, 1 would
state has had budget prob like to see the distribution
lems, which has led to less of the tippage fee change.
money com ing into our However, this may not be
county and little to no mon possible for some time, due
ey for our cities. This has to to current financial woes
change, or our county will and budgeting practices.
Do you think the county
not be a place to develop,
work or live.
should change its charter
What will be your first and/or the number o f elect
priority i f you are elected as ed commissioners? I am
commissioner? First, meet unaware of the county char
ing with department heads ter, or even if one exists, so
and getting to understand I do not know if it needs
the issues that are going be changed. I do know that the
fore the county court. Sec current budget could not af
ond, I would like to review ford any more commission
past policies and the budget ers. If a time came when the
to understand where we are, budget was healthy enough
how we got here, and where and the county was larger,
we can and should go in the I would be open to discus
coming years.
sions about adding two
Do you feel the current more commissioners.
Hail storm does damage
-See MCHD TAX STATUS/
PAGE FIVE A view from the Morrow County Courthouse toward Heppner’s Main Street during last week's
hail storm. Vehicles around the area received broken windows and dents during the July 17
storm; roof damage was also reported in some places, as well as minor crop issues. All in all.
though, the county emerged largely unscathed from a storm that hammered the area with
D T " E « » “ » * C ounty F air ft
hailstones some witnesses said were as large as ping-pong balls. -Contributedphoto
R odeo is coming soon and c ONCE
AGAIN THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIM ES
WILL BE PUBLISHING ITS ANNUAL
S pecial F air ft R odeo edition .
The special edition, which contains Fair &
Rodeo articles, schedules and events, will
be published August 8 The deadline to be
included in the edition is July 31. If you
would like to advertise or submit articles
for The Special Fair Edition, contact Megan
at The Heppner-Gazette-Times,
541-676-9228 or megan@rapidserve net
A T,M ( GG.WífcfcNiFfcLÜiA, S E E D .IN iH E IT N E K
NURSERY STOCK MUST GO!!]
t30% OFF . ¿f i
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
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