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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (July 31, 2013)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 31,2013 MISS CONGENIALITY Health district board discusses CREZ funds By A p ril Sykes TTie CREZ (Columbia River Enterprise Zone) and its proposed disbursal o f millions o f dollars paid by businesses located in the zone in lieu o f county taxes was a topic o f concern for the Morrow County Health D is tric t B o ard at th e ir regular m eeting Monday night in lone. MCHD Board member Leann Rea, who is also not o nly a M orrow C ounty C om m issioner, but also a m em ber o f the CR EZ Board, explained somewhat the CREZ Board's thinking on potential distribution o f th o se funds to o th er g o v e rn m e n t e n titie s or charitable organizations. Rea explained that the CREZ Board plans to invite proposals and grant requests on a yearly basis. However, concerns were raised by the health district board that monies that would normally go to taxing entities, such as the health district, would now go to the CREZ five- m e m b e r, n o n - e l e c t e d board, for distribution. Rea showed the MCHD Board an extensive list of entities that have requested funds of the CREZ. M CH D D ire c to r o f N ursing M olly Rhea, voiced concern about a ru m o red co m m en t th at “the health district would not rec e iv e a d im e ” o f the money, possibly due to long-standing grudges against the district held by some north Morrow County residents. Grigg said he and board Chair Larry Mills attended a meeting concerning the CREZ at the invitation of Cyde Estes, chair o f the M orrow County U nified R e c rea tio n D istrict. He said th a t “ The p u rp o se o f th e m e e tin g w as to assess the interest o f the special districts in jointly sponsoring a letter to the Enterprise Zone requesting that a portion o f the fees they collect be shared with the special districts.” G rig g la te r p o in te d out, and board m em bers concurred, that the district would not be in the black if the district did not receive tax monies. Concerning physician recruitment, Grigg related to the board that he has b een in c o n ta c t w ith a physician who is currently p ra c tic in g o u t o f sta te w h o h a s e x p re s s e d an interest in working for the district. Grigg said that this physician is a colleague of Dr. Russ Nichols, who is employed by MCHD. He said that he has arranged to brin g the doctor and his wife in for an onsite interview Aug. 21 and plans meet-and-greet dinner get- togethers with the physician and his w ife and board members. While the provider staff is currently sufficient, Grigg and the board anticipate the possible retirem ents o f Dr. Ed B e rre tta and P h y s i c i a n ’s A s s is ta n t Sheridan Tamasky within the next several years. A lso at the m eeting, C h ie f F inancial O fficer Nicole Mahoney submitted a pro p o sal to the board that would provide for an accelerated pay-off o f long term debt, w hich w ould save an estimated $400,000 in interest payments. Through this proposal, th e m o n th ly p a y m e n t for the Bank o f Eastern O regon R evenue B ond, currently at $3,193, would be increased to $4,500. The d istric t’s BEO loan for the hospital remodel, cu rren tly with a $4,150 m onthly payment, would be increased to $4,500. The district's USDA loan, now at $5,622, would be increased to $6,000 per month. The d is tric t c u rre n tly has a $250,000 balance on the BEO revenue bond with a May 1, 2021 payoff date; a $415,000 balance on the BEO hospital remodel with a Dec. 1,2023 payoff date; and a $1,065,608 balance on the USDA loan with an Aug. 1,2042 payoff date. All told, with this plan, the district would expect a $2,035 m onthly increase in payments, for a $24,423 total annual increase. B o a rd m e m b e r Joe Perry, who is also a banker, pointed out that the district w ould save m oney if it paid off the smallest loan, with the highest interest rate, which would be the BEO Revenue Bond. The board subsequently voted to increase payments for that loan to the entire $2,000 a month, rather than spread out increased paym ents over the several loans. In other business, the board voted to approve the low bid from Roche D iagnostics C orporation to r e p l a c e th e a g in g chemical analyzer for the Pioneer Memorial Hospital laboratory. While the Roche bid for the machines was slightly higher, the long term p r o p o s a l, w h ic h in clu d e d su p p lie s, was lower. Roche Diagnostics Corporation’s proposal for two analyzers called for $204,686 for the first year for the new equipment and supplies, with $56,686 each year for the next five years for supplies for a total o f $431,431. A bid submitted by S iem ens H ealth care D ia g n o s tic s , I n c ., o f Newark, Delaware, for a com bined a n a ly z e r was $192,683 for the first year for equipment and supplies, with $66,733 each year for the next five years for a total o f $459,615. M a h o n e y sa id th at the lab p e rso n n e l w ere f a v o r a b le to w a rd th a t option. In other business, the board; -ap p ro v e d a one- year contract renewal for Sheridan Tamasky, PA-C, with some small changes. -learn ed from G rigg o f ex p a n sio n o f patient s a tis f a c tio n s u rv e y to include the tw o clin ics, one in Heppner and one in Irrigon. -received a proposal from the Bank o f Eastern O regon for a $ 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 five-year loan for purchase o f an ambulance and other e q u ip m e n t w ith a 3.75 percent interest rate. Total payments for the five-year loan w ould a m o u n t to $3,661 w ith no pre-payment penalty. - le a r n e d o f th e district's annual employee engagement survey. -h e a rd fro m G rig g c o n c e rn in g th e c u rre n t s ta t e o f th e E a s te r n Oregon Coordinated Care O rg a n iz a tio n . He sa id that the EO C C O B oard members have agreed to seek approval for non-board m em ber CEOs to attend CCO meetings and pledged to improve communication. EOCCO board members got a spot on the board basically through a six figure buy-in. Board spots were not made available to CEOs o f the sm aller d istric ts, w hich were unable to come up with the dough. The recently- formed coordinated care organizations will supervise disbursement o f funds for M edicaid patients for all types o f care, including h e a lth , d e n ta l and psychological. -h e a rd fro m G rig g c o n c e rn in g a “ N a tio n a l N ig h t O u t” s p o n s o re d by the Boardm an Police D e p a rtm en t, B oardm an R u ra l F ire P r o te c tio n D istrict and the M orrow County Health District to be held at the Boardman C ity P ark on T u esd ay , August 6, from 5-8 p.m. The evening will include a hamburger/hot dog dinner, bike and infant car seat raffles and an opportunity to visit with providers. Grigg commented that he wants the people o f Boardm an and Irrigon know that the district wants to help them as much as they do Heppner. -received the following p rofit/loss statem ent for June: the district received $646,023 in gross patient revenue; less $11,411 for bad d eb ts and $86,481 fo r c o n tra c tu a l and o th er a d ju stm e n ts, plus $ 116,118 in tax revenue and $31,516 in other operating revenue for $695,764 in total operatin g revenue, $707,303 in total operating e x p e n se s, $39,763 in a non-operating gain for a $28,224 gain for the month, an average monthly year-to- date gain o f $47,720 and a $572,634 gain for the year to date. -received the following report for June: Pioneer M em o rial H o spital had two admissions, one swing bed admission, 17 admitted for observation, 488 total admissions, 83 emergency room encounters, 1821 lab tests, 138 x-ray procedures, 37 C T sc a n s, 25 EK.G tests, three colonoscopy procedures, two endoscopy procedures, 20 respiratory therapy procedures; Home Health had 95 patient visits; Pharmacy had 1084 drug doses for $69,701 in drug revenue; Pioneer Memorial Clinic had 372 patient visits with 23 new patients, 36 seen by a nurse and five no-shows; Irrigon Medical Clinic had 135 patient visits, 22 new patients, 47 seen by a nurse and 14 no shows; H eppner A m bulance had 25 total page outs w ith 23 transports for $26,697 in re v e n u e ; B o a rd m a n A m bulance had 32 total page outs with 18 transports for $23,798 in revenue; Irrig o n A m b u lan ce had 20 total page outs with 13 transports for $16,903 in rev e n u e ; th e re w ere seven flights. For the year end, Heppner Ambulance had 284 total page-outs w ith 241 t r a n s p o r t s ; B o a rd m a n A m b u la n c e had 396 total page outs with 230 transports; and Irrigon Ambulance had 291 total page outs with 187 transports. There were 42 flights for the year. Wildhorse grants funds for bell rehab Most county residents are a lre a d y a w a re th a t th e M o r r o w C o u n ty Courthouse in Heppner is in the early stages o f a face ‘lift.’ Many applications are going into various grant programs in the area to help fund this restoration. The Wildhorse Foundation o f the C onfederated Tribes o f the U m a tilla In d ia n Reservation has awarded M orrow County $10,000 toward this rehabilitation project. Residents can c h e c k u p d a te s as th ey b e c o m e a v a i l a b l e in th e H e p p n e r G a z e tte - T im es, on th e M orrow County w ebsite at www. morrowcountyoregon.com and on the ‘Morrow County Clock Tower Renovation’ Facebook page. Community lunch menu St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish members will serve lunch on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at St. Patrick’s Senior Center. The meal will include fish and chips, coleslaw, cucumbers and onions, hush puppies, and Jell-0 parfait. Milk is served at each meal. Suggested donation is $3.50 per meal. Menu is subject to change. Lillian Sandford, Miss OHSR 2013-14, with Kyle Robinson of Heppner, the OHSR National Director, after coronation ceremonies in Rock Springs, WY. -Contributedphoto -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE s p e e c h , im p ro m p tu , m o d e lin g a n d w r itte n ro d e o k n o w le d g e te s t. They also participated in every rodeo performance, selling 50/50 tickets to raise m oney for the N ational H ig h S c h o o l R o d e o scholarship fund, rode in four grand entries, were buddies for the Special Kids Rodeo, signed hundreds of autographs for young fans and represented their states at the scholarship annual auction, rodeo knowledge b o w l, ta le n t sh o w and Mr. National High School Rodeo Association contest. Sandford, now a senior at Heppner High School, is the daughter o f Rick and Sylvia Sandford o f lone. She was joined at nationals by sch o o lm ates G arrett Robinson and Tate Gentry, who both qualified in the shooting contest. The top four in each event attend nationals each y ear. M ore th an 1,400 athletes were on hand in W yom ing for the event. Oregon’s high school rodeo season kicks off with the f ir s t fa ll ro d e o s b e in g held Labor Day weekend, September 1-2, in Condon and Septem ber 13-15 in Molalla. “I wouldn’t have been able to attend finals without my g racio u s sp o n so rs,” added Sandford. HHS to host volleyball clinic Heppner High School is hosting a volleyball skills camp Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 5-6. The session for grades four through five will be from 8-10 a.m. each day, w ith grades six through eight from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m., and high school from 5-8 p.m. C ost is $30, w hich includes a t-shirt. For more information, contact Dieter Waite at 541-626-3836. Fair offers opportunities for green thumbs Yes, 2013 marks 100 years o f M orrow County resid e n ts sh ow ing th eir b lo s s o m s , b lo o m s and arrangem ents at the fair. It also will be the last year for the H eppner G arden Club to be the sponsor of flow er exhibits. On that note, garden club members are asking county residents to help m ake it the best year ever. Everyone is invited to bring exhibits to the Morrow C o u n ty F a irg ro u n d s Monday, Aug. 12, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. or Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. V o lu n te e rs w ill be th e r e to h e lp p ro v id e water and jars for freshly cut flowers. Go to http:// morrowcountyoregon.com/ county-fair/2013-morrow- county-fair-premium-book/ and look at the premium book’s pages 29 through 33 for information. Or find a prem ium book at your local post office. There is also a section for youth ages six and under, seven to 14 and 14-17. Garden club members will gladly help with any questions at entry time. L ocal green thum bs are also in v ited to use th e ir flo w er pow er and enter some o f the special contests: Heppner Garden Club will award cash prizes for Best Arrangement and Most Blue Ribbons, a free floral arrangement will go from M u rra y ’s D rug to the w in n er o f the “Just Imagine” class, and MCGG Green Feed will present a free rose bush to the winner o f the “Timeless Beauty” class. P a ss th e w o rd and enter! MimrswiiiciosuuMPM wwmim . is m wm mm WEDDING TABLES Friends and Family are invited to the wedding o f K ylee D isq u e & S e a n A lls to tt Pisa and A Kylee Sean on Saturday August 17, 2 0 1 3 a t 6 :0 0 pm Faith Presbyterian Church 1 0 0 5 SB 9th S treet, Hermiston Reception to follow a t Purswell's Place 4 6 5 Christensen Loop Rd., Hermiston j RSVPtO S 4 1 -1 8 9 -8 S 3 S I Callahan Baker, daughter of Julie and Matt Baker of Lexington, at her grandmother’s Heppner home, helping choose flowers to enter in the centennial fair. -Photo by Kay Proctor August 17, 2013 Tayll o r G o u ld & W illia m B r a n n o n September 13, 2013 M m 217 North Main S t. Heppner • PhW e 676-9158 • F *Ja l 676-9426 DOG BITE HARRIS ALBUM RELEASE PARTY] FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 - BUCK NUM S B IL L Y COOK D A N INFECTO DOG B IT E H A R R IS Serving Morrow, Whoolor & Gilliam counties Since 1959 } \ I
