M in im i
Area battens down
hatches in face of
severe wind
111 > 1111111111
Bessie Wetzell Newspaper Library
l ni versi ty of Oregon
Eugene. OR 97403
1
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HEPPNER
5(K
azette
imes
VOL. 131
N 0. 51 6 Pages
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Above: City workers and Century Link employees work to clear downed trees that fell across
CenturyLink lines. This convergence of two fallen trees on Court Street in Heppner was just
one example in a list of problems that ranged from lost shingles and gutters to fallen trees dur
ing the severe wind storm that tore through South Morrow County last week. There were even
reports of a shed that blew off someone's property and past several houses before landing near
a creek. According to Heppner City Manager Kim Cutsforth, the Lexington airport measured
sustained winds of 45-48 mph during the storm, with gusts to near 80 mph. “It wasn't as bad
as it could have been. The city crew got right out there...they were out late and up early in the
morning. They did a great job,” she said, though she added that she could tell local residents
were feeling the stress of the constant wind and threat of damage. “I could tell there was a
lot of anxiety from it." Below: A fallen tree in front of the Heppner library also caused some
problems for city crews. -Photo bv David Sykes and April Sykes
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
County-wide task force
seeks to capitalize on
energy projects
By David Sykes
McLane is heading up the which was a result of this
A county-w ide task new task force, with Wil larger session, met Tuesday,
force has been formed to low Creek Valley Economic Dec. 18, to begin the ac
prepare for an influx of Development Group (WC- tual work of implementing
workers for construction VEDG) director Sheryll ways all communities in
and operation of new wind Bates serving as
the county can ben
farms, transmission lines vice chairperson.
efit from the new
and gas-generating plants
Last month a
growth.
coming to Morrow County. larger group of 30
Members of the
The majority of workers are community leaders
task force include
expected to begin arriving including mayors,
Sheryll Bates o f
in the county in March or city managers and
WCVEDG, County
April of 2014.
elected county of Sheryll Bates Planner and com
Although no definite ficials, along with of WCVEDG mittee chairperson
number of construction or a number of state
C a rla M cL an e ,
permanent workers has been officials, met for a
M orrow C ounty
determined, some o f the day-long session at the Port Commissioner Leann Rea,
projects slated for
of Morrow to dis lone M ayor-elect Linda
the county include:
cuss how the coun LaRue, Irrigon City Man
Cascade Crossing
ty could handle the ager Jerry Breazeale, EO
transmission, Coy
influx of people and R epresentative Oregon-
ote Springs substa
do it to the county’s Economic Revitalization
tion, Carty gas-gen
e c o n o m ic b e n Team Scott Fairley, Lex
erating plant, UEC
efit. That meeting, ington Town Recorder Dee
wind farm, and Ella
which was initiated Burch, Heppner Mayor-
Butte and Heppner Carla
by the WCVEDG, elect Joe Perry, Morrow
McLane
Wind wind farms, County
hammered out the County Planning C om
as well as various Planner
problems and op mission Chairman David
data farms, substa
portunities facing Sykes, Irrigon Mayor David
tions and other proj
the county with the Bums, Boardman Chamber
ects at the Port of Morrow. coming new growth.
Director Diane Wolfe, and
County Planner Carla
The smaller task force, Boardman City Manager
Karen Pettigrew.
One issue the task force
agreed to deal with is where
to house both temporary
and perm anent w orkers
coming to the county. The
group agreed to contact
RV park owners to find out
what vacancy r^Jes they
have. Temporary workers
could stay in the parks;
however, the task force was
sensitive to recreational us
ers who may be displaced
from by the workers. The
group also discussed zon
ing rule changes that may
allow temporary workers to
stay on undeveloped private
property for short periods
of time.
The task force also
talked about the impact
on schools and agreed to
try to get school officials
involved in the planning.
South Morrow County sees
the influx of workers as a
way to increase the number
of children in the schools,
which have seen a drop-off
in enrollment dating back
to the closure of the Kinzua
Mill in Heppner in 1998.
“Bah. humbug!’’ Even polar opposite* like Santa Clause and
F uture m eetings o f
Ebenezer Scrooge put aside their differences for a tempo the task force are planned
rary truce during Heppner’* Celebrate Christmas event last in different cities in the
Thursday, Dec. 20. Attendees reported a good time for all,
county. The next meeting
with a festive meal, picture* with Santa, reward card and oth
er prize drawing*...and, of course, appearance* by the most will be held at the Town of
famous of all Christmas humbugs, Scrooge himself. -Photo by Lexington’s new city hall
building.
Alita Nelson -See Page 6 fo r more Celebrate Christmas
Scrooge vs. Santa?
Boardman takes first step in
creating gang ordinance
At their Dec. 11 meet
ing, the Boardman City
Council took the first step in
passing a gang ordinance.
The ordinance changes
the city’s municipal code
to include language estab
lishing a procedure for law
enforcem ent to identify
and designate persons who
are associated with crimi
nal gangs and involved in
criminal gang activity. The
ordinance also includes
language for those persons
to appeal the gang designa
tion.
A person who meets the
criteria set in the ordinance,
designating them as a gang
member, will be recom
m ended to the M orrow
County District Attorney’s
Office to be placed on a list
of designated gang mem
bers. This list will be a use
ful tool for law enforcement
in cases where it may be a
parole violation for some
one to be in the company
of known gang members.
The designated gang mem-
L-R: Boardman Councilor Ed Glenn, Mayor Chet Phillips
and Councilor Steve Doherty. The mayor presented the two
exiting councilors w ith certificates of appreciation. -Contrib
uted photo
bers list will clearly outline
those individuals.
By a vote o f four to
one. the ordinance had its
first reading Tuesday night
and is expected to have a
second reading and pas
sage at the Jan. 3,2013 city
council meeting.
In other city business,
the council approved an
Intergovernmental Agree
ment with the Port of Mor
row for providing water to
city w ater customers on
Laurel Lane. The city’s au
ditors, Fife and Cockbum,
presented the annual audit
review. The auditors gave
the city a clean audit opin
ion w ith no exceptions. The
council also said goodbye
to Ed Glenn and Steve Do
herty as they both attended
their last city council meet
ing as councilors. Their
terms end Dec. 31. Mayor
Phillips presented them
each with a Certificate of
Appreciation.
G-T closed for New Year’s
The Gazette-fimes the Jan. 2 edition will be resume Wednesday. Jan 2.
will be closed Tuesday, Jan. Friday, Dec. 28 at 5 p.m.
We wish everyone
1, for New Year’s Day. The Normal business hours will a safe and happy new year,
news and ad deadline for
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