Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 31,2013
CREZ DISCUSSION
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE districts were represented
Morrow, City of Boardman
and Morrow County will
then distribute the funds
to special districts, such
as fire and police services,
based on needs created by
the new businesses and
employees locating here. So
far the CREZ has negotiated
several agreements that will
yield over $21 million in the
next 15 years, and board
members see more deals
and money on the way.
At the m eeting last
Thursday, held at the Port of
Morrow, the special district
representatives indicated
they would like more input
into how the fees will be
distributed.
As part o f the deals
m ade w ith th e C R EZ
board, businesses have
the option to support the
community and donate to
charitable organizations,
then use that giving as a
partial offset to fees paid.
CREZ has developed a list
of charitable organizations
in Morrow County, which
CREZ m an ag er C arla
McLane said they want
to be as in c lu s iv e as
possible; it will be limited
only to o rg a n iz a tio n s
located in Morrow County.
Anyone who wants their
o rg a n iz a tio n in c lu d ed
can em ail c m clan e @
co.morrow.or.us, or call
her office at 541-922-4624.
Estes said she would
like to see the needs of the
taxing districts met before
the charitable organizations.
“As taxing districts, we
felt we should have some
of that money coming to us
before they go to charitable
organizations,” Estes said.
An example of some of
the special districts at the
meeting were the Boardman
and Irrigon fire districts,
Irrigon and B oardm an
parks, Oregon Trail Library
D istrict, North Morrow
Vector Control, BMCC
and the Morrow County
Health District. Not all
at the meeting, as a total of
27 special districts are on
a list recently compiled by
the CREZ.
E x a m p le s o f th e
charitable or community
organizations asking to be
considered for funds are
the Neighborhood Center of
South Morrow County, lone
Community Agri-Business
Organization, Community
C o u n selin g S o lu tio n s,
H e p p n e r C h am b er o f
Commerce, Heppner Day
C a re , H ep p n er Youth
Baseball, Heppner High
S c h o o l S e n io r C la ss
Project Graduation and the
Community Women’s Club.
These are just examples, as
a total of 23 organizations
have asked to be put on a
list being compiled by the
CREZ for consideration for
future funding from new
businesses. The list will be
given to new businesses
locating in the Enterprise
Zone, and the decision
on w hich organizations
receive funding is up to
each individual business.
At Thursday’s meeting
e a c h s p e c ia l d is tr ic t
reiterated that funds are
tight and the money from
the CREZ is needed to
continue or add services.
M ost, including E stes,
agreed that fire and police
should be on the top of the
list being affected by the
economic growth o f the
enterprise zone and should
receive priority funding.
Estes was careful to
point out that she did not
w ant to see ch aritab le
organizations cut out.
“We just want to have a
say in this before it goes to
charity,” she said.
The CREZ board o f
directors was not officially
invited to the m eeting;
however, some members
of the CREZ board, such
as Chair Don Russell and
K aren P ettig rew , also
serve on special districts.
Russell is on the Rural
Fire District and Pettigrew
is on the Boardman Park
District, so they were able
to answer some questions
on procedure and policy of
the CREZ.
“All members o f the
CREZ are excellent public
servants,” Estes pointed
out.
She also said the special
districts people, likewise,
wanted only to represent
and serve their boards to the
best of their ability.
“On o f the concerns
I have,” said Larry Mills,
chairman o f the Morrow
County Health District, “is
1 hear we are negotiating
deals with the gas plant
and things at the Port that
do not include the smaller
districts.”
“As we are asked to
provide services, how are
these funds going to work
their way back to these
d istricts?” M ills asked.
“ S m all d is tr ic ts w ith
budgets might get some
one year then more the next
year. Is there a way to get
some stable funding?”
R u s s e ll s a id th e
problem with m ultiple-
year funding commitments
is businesses may not be in
the Enterprise Zone year
to year.
“We have a fire truck
we need that costs more
than can be purchased in
one year,” he said. “ But
co m p an ies can fail to
meet the requirements of
the Enterprise Zone and
drop out of the CREZ,” he
explained.
Russell said the CREZ
has control over the funds
only on a y ear-to -y ear
basis, so is unable to make
longer-term commitments
to special districts. Russell
also p o in ted out th a t,
w ith ch aritable giving,
businesses will only receive
a 50-percent “buy back”
or reduction in fees they
must pay when donating
to charities. Russell did
say c h a rita b le g iv in g
would only be available to
organizations in Morrow
County.
In a d d re s s in g the
use o f enterprise zones,
Russell told the group,
“There are 60 enterprise
zones in Oregon. Do we
like enterprise zones? No,
but if we want growth and
economic development in
Morrow County, we have
to have one. It is a good
thing for getting wages in
Morrow County, but we
know not all people are
living in Morrow County,”
he said.
Estes admitted that in
order for Morrow County
to be competitive for jobs
and business it must use its
Enterprise Zone; however,
she asked for a set method
for CREZ to distribute the
funds.
“I would like for this
group to develop a proposal
to take to CREZ and ask
them to take a percentage of
the fees and divide them up
among the districts.”
“Our AT Vs need to be
replaced,” said Greg Barron
of the North Morrow Vector
Control. “Could we use
extra funding? You bet.
We provide a service to the
community,” he said.
“ We can use every
dime we can get. They say
to get creative. I am about
creatived out,” Barron said
of his fight to stay in budget.
"We are just waiting for
our first case of West Nile
(a deadly mosquito-borne
virus),” he said.
Mills suggested that
the group make no formal
request to the CREZ at this
time but go back to their
individual districts and talk
it over with their boards of
directors. Estes did not set
another date for the next
meeting but agreed each
special district should have
time to discuss the issues
raised at the meeting.
BEAMER TURNS 100
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE
for several years. With an
inherent love of horses, the
family built up a herd of
American Quarter Horses.
Ralph became active in
cutting horse shows; with
his stallion, Maestro, his
black mare, Domino, and
champion gelding Peppy’s
Chipper, he won several
northwest championships,
while Mary patiently and
quietly worked behind the
scenes to support this sport.
Though she often played a
supporting role, she also
had a talent for cutting,
winning a saddle and other
awards on her horse, Rosie.
The Beamers had two
children who also became
involved w ith h o rses.
Ralph Neil, bom in 1936,
went on to be a fierce
roping co m p etito r and
bulldogger in the Northwest
Rodeo A ssociation and
P ro fe s s io n a l R odeo
C o w b o y s A ss o c ia tio n
competitions. Neil passed
away in November of 1995.
A d au g h ter, Janice
Jean Bothum, was bom in
1940 and also became an
avid rider, showing horses
and barrel racing. She was
a princess on the 1958
Pendleton Round-Up court.
M iss N orthw est Rodeo
Queen in 1960 and Miss
Rodeo Oregon in 1961,
role that had a lot of support
from both her mom and
dad. A medical secretary
and tran scrip tio n ist by
profession, she now resides
in Pendleton.
N e e d in g s u m m e r
pasture for their cattle herd
led the Beamers to buy both
the Peterson and Johnson
ranches near Ukiah. What
ensued became a yearly
saga involving their yearly
c a ttle d riv e from the
Heppner ranch to Ukiah.
Two o f the colorful
riders who volunteered
their services each year for
this drive included Dean
Gilman and Art Vance (both
deceased), as well as Harold
Irwin and Howard Bryant.
Some o f their humorous
escapades are still being
retold.
One time Ralph and his
crew of trail-dusty cowboys
donned bandana masks,
shot their guns in the air,
and put on a performance
for motorists who stopped
and began taking pictures of
an authentic-looking Wild
West scene. Bryant, one of
the colorful cow herders,
also created a big ruckus.
The men w ere tra ilin g
the cattle past a junk pile
near Ukiah when Howard
roped and dragged a noisy
hunk of metal, causing a
stampede as trail-w eary
rid ers in sta n ta n e o u sly
became alert.
M ean w hile, it was
Mary who brought along
all the provisions and kept
those jokesters fed, no small
task for just one person.
Later in life, Mary took
up the sport o f golfing,
w hich she enjoyed for
several years, However,
her interests have always
centered mainly on family.
Mary’s granddaughters
are R o b in N a n se l o f
Colstrip, MT; Dr. Mollie
Aschenbrener of Chico, CA;
Anna Bothum of Prineville,
OR; and Polly Hawkins of
Pendleton, OR. All were
able to attend a pre-birthday
celebration at the Heppner
ranch along with Mary’s 12
great-grandchi Idren.
- FIVE
Fair season kicks off
with 4-H horse show
The kickoff of the 2013 Morrow County Fair began on July 27
with the 4-H Horse Show held at the fairgrounds. According
to 4-H Extension agent Ashley Jones, all the exhibitors did a
great job again this year and everyone had a good time. Top:
Grand champion Ashley Price (right) with horse. Shadow,
and reserve grand champion Maggie Collins with Butterflop.
Pictured bottom (L-R) on horseback are: Keegan Gibbs, Kylee
McClure, Vizta Sifford, Ivy Sandford and Ashley Price, with
Queen Krysten Powell (center) and Maggie Collins standing.
Jones also said she wanted to acknowledge people like Robin
Jones, Rita Bergstrom, Barb Weedman, Sue Gibbs, Jeannie
Collins, Emily Bergstrom, Queen Krysten and her pennant
bearer, Alyssa, Scott Jones, and Dick and Karen Temple, as
well as all of the volunteers, parents and exhibitors for making
the show a success. “We couldn't do it without your help and
support,” she says. -Contributedphoto
Kicking o ff the 100
year anniversary o f the
Morrow County Fair last
Saturday was the annual
4-H horse show.
It was a hot, busy day
for the 4-H horse kids.
Six kids in all participated
in showmanship, western
equitation, trails and gaming.
A few even participated in
bareback riding, showing
the judge their impressive
horsemanship skills.
Each participant did
a fantastic job, according
to judges, but only two
are allowed to go on to
participate in the Round
R obin e v e n t h eld th e
Friday of fair week. Ashley
Price was awarded Grand
Champion in showmanship
with her 22-year-old horse.
S hadow , and M ag g ie
C o llin s w as a w a rd e d
Reserve Grand Champion
w ith her fiv e -y e a r-o ld
horse, Butterflop.
Everyone is invited
to come watch the girls in
action the Friday o f fair
week during the Round
Robin/M aster Showman
Competition in which they
will be participating with
their horses.
Music in the Park
sees good turnout
Heppner saw a good turnout for its first Music in the Park
last Sunday, July 25. More than 100 people turned out in
Heppner’s Hager Park to listen to the musical talents of Jamie
Nasario, vocals, and Luke Basile, guitar. The Shared Ministry
of Hope Lutheran and All Saints Episcopal also served up
about 90 meals to raise money for an upcoming mission trip.
-Contributed photo
Chamber lunch meeting
This week’s Heppner Chamber of Commerce lunch
meeting will be an all-entities report. The meeting will
take place Thursday, Aug. 1, at noon in the St. Patrick’s
Senior Center dining room.
Lunch expense is $10; A&M’s will cater.
Lunch attendees are asked to RSVP no later than the
Wednesday before.
H eppner L es S c h w a b
C o ng ratulates B aily B en n ett
FOR REPRESENTING OUR
COMMUNITY IN FLORIDA AT THE
ASA 1 8 G o ld N a tio n a l
S o ftball T o u r n a m e n t
.a
US SCHWAB
STREET ■ HEPPNER OR 9 7 8 3 6 S41 - 6 7 6 -9 4 8 1
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