Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 30,2014
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-SEVEN
Letters to the Editor ~
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Vote Grieb for county Don't take health
commissioner
services for granted
To the editor:
I have been to two county candidate forums for county
commissioner. Com m issioner Grieb has been falsely
represented as not devoting enough time to our county.
We have known Ken for several years and have seen
him put in countless hours o f community service above
and beyond his duties as commissioner. Ken and his wife
have volunteered many hours to our county's youth. Ken
is very devoted to our communities throughout Morrow
County. He has always been accessible to answer any
questions and concerns we have had about our county.
Ken Grieb is clearly the only ethical choice. Please
join us in supporting Ken Grieb for Morrow County
Commissioner.
Respectfully submitted by,
Raymond and Tanya Akers, Boardman
Grieb will ‘fairly
support’ the county
To the Editor:
After reading some o f the endorsem ents for the
other candidate for Morrow County Commissioner, I felt
compelled to provide the other side o f the issue. First 1
question the numbers o f missed meetings. According to
my research he has attended well over 90 percent o f the
meetings over the last seven plus years. Never has he
missed a meeting without prior notification to the other
commissioners and staff.
The meetings missed were to spend time with his
family, i.e., spring break, special activities with his young
children, etc. Other tim es were so he could provide
community services for the young people o f our county,
i.e., special auctions, announcing sporting events, etc. Is
there anyone out there that can condemn an individual
for spending quality time with their family or making
contributions to the youth of our county?
As a member o f an organization that Ken Grieb
represents as a commissioner, 1 can tell you that while
he had not attended all o f our meetings, he has stated
many times that if there is an issue, “just give him a call.”
Recently, the need for his assistance has arisen and. as
promised, he has been there to assist our organization
though the trying times.
From my observation Ken Grieb is here to fairly
support the entire county, and does not have any special
interests other than what is best for all o f Morrow County.
Please join me in re-electing Com m issioner Ken
Grieb for Morrow County Commissioner.
If we are sick, injured, or need medical assistance,
our ambulances, clinics, trained staff and hospital are
always there and ready for us. We assume that the medical
services we need will be ready, properly equipped and
close by to assist. They alway s have been. And we are
fortunate to have them
In this election our medical district is asking for the
continuation o f a tax levy that w ill help bring us these
quality and responsive medical services. I would urge
you to vote yes on the health district levy, and not take
the health-care services we count on and use, for granted.
David Sykes, Chairman, Tote Yes For Medical
Services Committee, A April Sykes. Heppner
WCVEDG ‘in full
support’ of health
district levy
To the Editor:
The Willow Creek Valley Economic Development
Group (WCVEDG) Board is in full support of passing
the upcoming ballot levy for the Morrow County Health
District (MCIID). MCHD provides local services and
is an important and critical economic driver for each
o f our communities in Morrow County. They currently
employ 78 employ ees county-wide and pay out wages of
$4,650,000 annually.
There w ill not be additional cost to the taxpayers, as
the levy will be a continuation ofthe previous levy, which
is $.39 per $1,000 property valuation. The length of levy
is five years and will help to:
-Maintain and improve access to quality care;
-Purchase o f new ambulances for Boardman and
Heppner;
-Implement electronic health record in clinics, home
health and hospice;
-Upgrade cardiac m onitoring system at Pioneer
Memorial and Emergency room.
Please join us in supporting this levy and keeping
and improving the services offered by Morrow County
Health District.
Sincerely
WCVEDG board members: Ed Rollins, Nancy Snider.
Jeff Bailey, Kim Cal forth, Marcia Kemp, David Sykes
and Shervll Bates, Project Coordinator
Respectfully,
Arletha Brannon. Heppner
Follow the G-T
on Face hook!
Greg Walden fights hard on
behalf of Oregon’s farmers
and ranchers against overreaching
regulations by the EPA and other
federal agencies. That’s why I’m
supporting Greg Walden."
U
- Barry Bushue
President, Oregon Farm Bureau
Support for Don
Russell
To the Editor:
I am writing this letter today to support Don Russell
as a candidate for Morrow County Commissioner.
1 made my decision based on questions 1 have asked
Don in his present position as a commissioner o f the Port
o f Morrow.
Over the last three years we have had numerous
discussions about some o f the laws governing and
decisions made in the area o f enterprise zones, the CREZ
program and the general need for livable wage paying
jobs in Morrow County.
During the process o f my fact-finding, it has been my
experience that Don has always taken the time to answer
my questions completely, and with honesty.
One o f his best qualities has been that if he did not
immediately know the answer he would assure me that he
w ould check it out and get back to me in a timely manner,
and he always has. I have always thought it was refreshing
that he has never used the usual political rhetoric when
answering questions.
After Don filed to declare him self a candidate, his
statement to me was that he would put in the effort, the
work ethics and the time to fulfill his duties to the best
o f his ability.
With that pledge, his experience, and his present
contributions to Morrow County, I gladly, and encourage
others to, support candidate Don Russell as Morrow
County Commissioner.
Howard L. Mullins, lone
‘Don’t vote for Grieb’
To the Editor:
Do not vote for Ken Grieb for Morrow County
Commissioner.
In Ken's seven years as a commissioner, he has been
absent from 38 of the weekly county court meetings. (You
can confirm this yourself by looking at the minutes o f the
Morrow County Court meetings, which are public record.)
Ken seldom, if ever, attends the comm ittee meetings he is
assigned, training, or extra county court meetings.
From my viewpoint it appears that Ken’s only interest
in serving as a Morrow County Commissioner is the
$35.000-per-year salary and health insurance valued at
over $ 1,600 per month.
T hank you,
John Wenholz, Irrigon
Former Morrow County Commissioner
CANDIDATE FORUM
-Continuedfrom PAGE ONE
Ken G rieb spoke, saying w o u ld re sig n from the
that during his seven
Port if elected to
and half years as a
the county court,
c o m m issio n e r he
Russell said that he
has g o tte n a lo n g
would. He said he
well with the other
w ould rem ain on
commissioners and
the Boardman Rural
w o rk e d h a rd to
F ire P r o te c t io n
iron out problem s Don Russell
D is tric t B o a rd ,
t h r o u g h o u t th e
however, saying he
county. As an exam ple, did not see that as a conflict.
G rieb re la te d on
D is tr ic t A tto rn e y
instance where he candidate J u s tin Nelson
sat down with local is running unopposed for
He s a y s he
d o e s n 't th ink the
p ilo t John B oyer reelection but came to the
a n d w o rk e d out forum because he felt it
government should
p ro b le m s B o y e r is important for voters to
be concerned with
a n d th e c o u n ty hear from th eir elected
“ w hat p e o p le do
were having about officials. He thanked the
in their bedroom s”
th e o p e ra tio n o f Tea Party for sponsoring
a n d s h o u ld n o t Ken (¿rich
the a ir p o r t, th u s the forum . Som e o f the
be involved w ith
gay m arriage issues. He avoiding a legal battle.
improvements and positive
a lso d o e s n 't th in k the
“I have no agenda and c h a n g e s im p le m e n te d
governm ent should be in will serve all o f the
since his election
the business o f spying on county,” he said.
are the setting up
their citizens' phones and
C om m issioner
o f a new internet
emails. King also said he c a n d i d a t e Don
case m anagem ent
feels the governm ent is Russell spoke about
s y s t e m , w h ic h
wasteful with taxpayers’ h is b a c k g r o u n d
a ll o w s h im s e lf
as a l o n g - t im e
money.
o r o th e rs in h is
F or U .S . H ouse o f county resident and Justin Nelson o f fic e to a c c e s s
Representatives, running businessm an, and
c a se in fo rm a tio n
against Greg Walden (who his experience and successes wherever they are. He also
w as not in a tte n d a n c e ) as a board member on the pointed to his opening an
is D ennis L in th ic u m o f Port o f Morrow. Russell office in Boardman, staffed
Klamath Falls. Linthicum hit incum bent G rreb on by h is d e p u ty d is tr ic t
h a s b e e n a c o u n t y the issue of not attending attorney, as offering more
commissioner for 30 years m o re c o u n t y - r e l a t e d service to the people of
m e e tin g s , o th e r Morrow County.
and says the federal
g o v e rn m e n t h a s
th an th e re g u la r
Morrow County Health
“ gorged its e lf on
weekly commission District CEO Dan G rigg
power." He says the
meetings.
also took tim e to speak
federal government
“They advertise a b o u t the d is tr ic t's tax
has in cre ase d its
this as a half time levy, saying that our local
power by creating
j o b . I b e l i e v e com m unities should feel
you have to p ut fortunate to have the good
$17.5 trillion in debt Dennis
and used it to fund l i n t h i c u m
in m ore than ju st medical services we do. He
th e m e e tin g s on pointed out that the levy is
fe d e ra l a g e n c ie s
that dictate and control the Wednesday.” Russell said. not an increase in taxes but
American people.
H e s a id t h a t i f a a continuation of a previous
Linthicum, a computer com m issioner only goes levy. He said the levy would
program m er and analyst, to c o u n ty c o m m is s io n be used to m aintain and
is in fa v o r o f lim ite d meetings on Wednesdays, improve access to quality
governm ent, term lim its, w ith th e s a la r y
c a re , p u rch a se
legal immigration, school received he would
new a m b u la n c e s
c h o i c e a n d S e c o n d begetting paid $300
for Boardman and
Amendment rights.
per hour.
Heppner. implement
He attacked Walden,
“ Y ou n e e d
e le c tro n ic h e a lth
saying he is part o f the to sh o w up fo r
records in clinics,
Washington status quo and m o re th a n j u s t
home
health
is “ doing n othing m ore th e c o m m is s io n D a n G r ig g
and h o sp ic e , and
than the bidding of house m eetings,” Russell
u p g ra d e c a rd ia c
speaker John Boehner."
sa id , p ro m isin g th at if m o n ito rin g s y s te m s at
M o r r o w C o u n t y elected he would do more. Pioneer Memorial Hospital
C om m issioner candidate
W hen a s k e d i f he and the emergency room.
K ing is running for the
U.S. Senate, and he said
it d o e s n 't m atter if you
elect either a Democrat or
Republican; you will get
the sam e result because
both parties only care about
one thing.
“ T hey do w h a te v e r
they can to win the election
and stay in power,”
King said.