Heppner gazette-times., December 23, 2015, Image 1

Peace on earth...
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 134
NO. 49 10 Pages
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
This nativity scene in Lexington reminds us of the “reason for the season.” Read more Christ-
mas insipiration on PAGE THREE. Find local Christmas greetings on pages FOUR and
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon FIVE. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
Gutierrez iles for
county treasurer
Heppner Celebrates Christmas
Heppner celebrated Christ-
mas last Thursday at the Mor-
row County Fairgrounds.
The evening included visits
from Santa and Scrooge, a
special performance by the
Jingle Bell Dancers and, of
course, the reward card and
rafle prize drawings. Left:
Santa chats with some very
good little girls, Jingle Bell
Dancers Hannah and Ali
Green, with elf Zandra Mas-
terson serving as Santa’s lit-
tle helper. -Photo by Barbara
Prucha
Above: Scrooge gives his pre-
dictable opinion of the yearly
festivities: “Bah, humbug!”
-Photo by Carmelo Di Salvo
Appointments made to CREZ board
Tw o a p p o i n t m e n t s Port of Morrow; however,
were recently made to the in the last election he won
Columbia River Enter- a seat on the county court
prise Zone (CREZ)
and subsequently re-
board.
signed from the Port
Morrow Coun-
of Morrow. He is
ty Commissioner
currently the chair-
Don Russell was
man of the CREZ
appointed as one of
board.
the representatives
In another ap-
from the Morrow
pointment Port
County Court. He Don Russell
of Morrow board
will replace Greg
member Jerry Healy
Sweek, who was
of Heppner was ap-
then named as an alternate pointed to ill Russell’s seat
on the board.
on the CREZ.
Russell was already
The CREZ is an enter-
serving on the CREZ as prise zone located mainly
an appointment from the in the Port of Morrow area
around Boardman, and of- entities—the Port of Mor-
fers tax incentives to busi- row, Morrow County Court
nesses wishing to locate and City of Boardman.
there. Businesses
The board members
pay fees in lieu of
jobs are to negoti-
property taxes to
ate agreements with
the CREZ, which
new businesses and
subsequently dis-
decide how funds
tributes the mon-
are to be spent.
ey throughout the
Since July of
county to be used
2015 the CREZ has
for four different Jerry Healy
taken in approxi-
purposes: Educa-
mately $2.2 million
tion, housing, community in payments from ConAgra
development and public Foods, VaData (Amazon),
safety.
Columbia Plywood and
The CREZ board is Columbia River Technolo-
made up of two appoint- gies (Tillamook).
ments from three different
Logging will impact
Electric co-op declares
patronage payments snowmobile routes along
The board of directors With the addition of the
Western Route
of Columbia Basin Electric $660,000, the Co-Op has
Cooperative, headquartered
in Heppner, has announced
the retirement of $660,000
in Capital Patronage Cred-
its. This amount represents
the second half of 1984 and
all of the 1985 outstanding
Capital Patronage Credits
and several small credits
from more recent years.
Capital Patronage
Credits represent mem-
bers’ equity in the mem-
ber-owned cooperative.
returned $5,242,697 to its
member/owners over the
last 38 years.
Most credit holders will
receive payment by check.
Active credit holders of
very small value or in ar-
rears will have payments
applied to their account.
Multiple account holders
will receive a single check
for all accounts. Funds are
expected to be disbursed in
mid-December 2015.
This winter, logging
activities on the Heppner
District will temporarily
impact groomed snowmo-
bile routes along a 10-mile
section of Forest Road 53
(Western Route Road), an-
nounced Ann Niesen, Hep-
pner District Ranger.
The temporary road
closure on Forest Road
53, from its junction with
Forest Road 5321 to its
junction with Forest Roads
5311/5312, may be in
place through February. A
one-lane snowmobile path
will be available along
this closed section allow-
ing access to nearby snow
trail systems on the Forest.
Snowmobilers can expect
to encounter logging traf-
ic along this route and are
advised to use caution.
In addition, Morrow
County Public Works will
close County Road 603 as
-See SNOWMOBILE
ROUTES/PAGE TWO
Gayle Gutierrez of Hep- Treasurer since 1997.
pner has again iled for the
As a reminder, coun-
position of Morrow County ty positions open in next
Treasurer, county clerk year’s election are Mor-
Bobbi Childers an-
row County Judge,
nounced this week.
Morrow County
Gutierrez was born
Commissioner Po-
in Walla Walla, WA
sition 1, Morrow
and raised in Mil-
County Clerk, Mor-
ton-Freewater, OR.
row County Jus-
Her family moved Gayle
tice of the Peace,
to the Ione area in Gutierrez
Morrow County
1969. She graduated
Sheriff, Morrow
from Ione High School and County Surveyor and Mor-
then obtained a degree in row County Treasurer. All
photojournalism from Blue are four-year terms except
Mountain Community Col- for judge and justice of the
lege. She and her husband peace, which are both six-
moved to Heppner in 1983. year terms.
She has worked for Morrow
Candidates for the
County since 1989 in public Morrow County Judge po-
works, assessment and tax, sition must file with the
and in the inance ofice. Oregon Secretary of State;
She spent several years on the deadline to ile for the
the City of Heppner Bud- primary is March 8, 2016.
get Committee, as well as Candidates for all other
serving a term as president county positions may ile
of the Oregon Association with the Morrow County
of County Treasurers and Clerk; the deadline to ile
Finance Oficers. She has for the May 17 primary is
served as Morrow County March 10, 2016.
Rental study may
lead to more units
Shortage of rentals a persistent
problem in South County
By David Sykes
ind a place to live. New
A recently completed employees many times do
study on rental units in Hep- not want to buy a new home
pner, Lexington and Ione immediately, and wish to
has revealed what most rent instead. WCVEDG
people already knew— sees the rental shortage as
there is a persistent shortage an economic hindrance to
of available rental housing the area, which needs to be
in South Morrow
addressed.
County.
To start off the
Commissioned
study WCVEDG
by the Willow Creek
Director Sheryll
Valley Economic
Bates compiled a
Development Group
list of rental units in
(WCVEDG), the
the area, which was
study was complet-
then given to Barak
ed by long-time ap-
for his analysis and
praiser and housing Doug Barak report. Landlords
expert Doug Barak
for 54 single family
of Barak and Associates, rental units, seven duplexes
Hermiston. Among other and three apartment com-
things, the study revealed plexes were contacted and
a one-percent vacancy rate confidential data on type
for single-family rentals of rentals and rents paid
and a zero-percent vacancy was gathered and used in
rate for duplexes in South the study.
County.
WCVEDG has been
Major employers in the working for several years
area, along with real es- on ways to ease the rental
tate agents, WCVEDG and shortage, and the group
the Heppner Chamber of hopes the study will provide
Commerce have for some valuable information for
time been wrestling with possible developers who
the rental shortage, which might either build new
becomes most apparent units, or rehabilitate exist-
when new people come ing homes for conversion
into the community seek- to rental units.
ing employment, and can’t
Gazette closed for Christmas,
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The Gazette-Times will
close at noon on Thursday,
Dec. 24, and will remain
closed Friday, Dec. 25,
for the Christmas holiday.
Normal business hours will
resume Monday, Dec. 28.
The Gazette-Times will
also be closed Friday, Jan.
1, for New Year’s Day.
Normal business hours will
resume Monday, Jan. 4.
We wish everyone a
safe and happy Christmas
season and New Year.
MCGG will be open
until Noon on Christmas Eve
Closed Christmas Day
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mcgg.net