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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 2017)
TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 10, 2017 COUNTY COURT -Continued from PAGE ONE old. On Aug. 18, he said staff is working out well, it counts but was told only the cities and then di- viding up the balance based on population. The funds for the grant will come from Strategic Investment Program (SIP), which is money coming in lieu of taxes from various energy projects, mainly wind, lo- cated in the county. Russell said he pre- ferred a base amount first to each city. “If we just did it on population Ione and Lexington would not get enough dollars to do any- thing with,” he said. The commission did not make a final decision on how the grants would be distributed. The commissioners also heard from Morrow County Assessor Mike Gor- man, who said only $1.8 million in the current year’s property taxes were yet un- collected. He said that was a pretty good collection rate and that the final payment date was May 15 so more money may come in. Gorman also went over the collection process with the commissioners, saying the county starts collection procedures after four years’ delinquent taxes. He said on May 16 his office will send out delinquent notices and then in June start sending out foreclosure notices on tax bills over four years four-year delinquent taxes will be published in the newspaper and then the court will get involved and issue a judgment against the property for the back taxes. Property owners have two years after the judg- ment to pay up and get re- moved from the judgement. He said the county does not really like to go through the foreclosure process, and would rather property own- ers get caught up on back taxes. However, if after the two years from the date of the judgement no payment is received then the title is transferred to the owner- ship of the county, and the property is sold to satisfy the lien. Personal property taxes such as business equipment or mobile homes are treat- ed differently and can be seized by the county. “We don’t make that a practice,” he says, saying the county would rather work with the owners and get a schedule set up for payment. He said the county can charge 16 percent interest on late taxes. Gorman also reported that he has new staff on board and they have been attending training classes to get up to speed and are doing a good job. “The new will take a couple of years but I see good things,” he told the commissioners. He said Derek Gunderson had taken the retired Cyde Es- tes’s position. Gunderson, who has worked there three years, “has really stepped up,” Gorman said. Gorman also told the commission that his of- fice plans on starting re- appraisals next year in some parts of the county. They will probably start with Boardman he said. Gor- man added that his office is behind on market pricing farm valuations, especially irrigated ground, and plans to work on that also. The assessor uses past sales to valuate property, and he said they will team with Gilliam County, which has some dryland and irrigated sales also, to help do proper evaluations. He said the last county valuation study was in 2010, which found ir- rigated land around $5,000 an acre, which “might be a little low, maybe.” In other business, the commission heard a re- port from Morrow County Treasurer Gayle Gutierrez. Commissioner Lindsay told Gutierrez she had tried to access information at the bank about county ac- the treasurer could see that information. Lindsay said she felt more than one per- son should have access to the accounts. Gutierrez said that was not necessary, since all Lindsay had to do was ask her and the infor- mation would be provided. Commissioner Doherty said checks and balances were a good thing, and Russell said if the commissioners have a question “we should not have to go to the treasurer and then get the answer from her.” The commissioners instructed county staff, however, to draw up bank instructions allowing all commissioners and the fi- nance director access to the county banking accounts. Gutierrez said she did not agree, “and would not sign off on that.” In other action the com- mission awarded three roof- ing bids to Seth Moses Roofing of Heppner. Moses will put on foam roofing with coating to the county shop building at Lexing- ton, the library in Heppner and the health building in Boardman. Moses was low bidder on all projects for a total of $37,875. “I am pleased this went to a Morrow County con- City landmark gets welcoming new look The storefront of the Gilliam-Bisbee building in Heppner got a minor facelift recently with a window display welcoming visitors to the community. The display, which combines coun- try whimsy with helpful visitor information, was created by Babette Wall of Heppner. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo tractor,” Lindsay said. “I have been pleased with Seth’s work on previous occasions.” The county also voted to sign a three-year truck- ing contract with Andy Ashbeck Trucking, LLC. The contract spells out the costs the county will pay for various trucking equipment when it calls on Ashbeck to help with road projects. “If deadline to get a proj- ect pave road repaired and need gravel, this will allow someone else to call upon if needing the additional equipment,” the contract states. The commissioners also discussed an earlier proposal to change the ro- deo board from its present committee structure to a county recognized board. The county and the rodeo have been talking over the change and what it would mean for the rodeo. No agreement has been signed; however, Lindsay agreed to be the liaison between the county and the rodeo. SCHOOL DISTRICT -Continued from PAGE ONE man, educational assis- ic director, head football, ing employment action: tive rules on reimbursable Elementary, Jan. 2018-no Elementary and Windy River Elementary; and Lois Tallman, SBE ed assistant. In other business, the board: -received the follow- ing enrollment report for May: A.C. Houghton El- ementary, Irrigon-276; Sam Boardman Elementary, Boardman-336; Heppner Elementary-171; Irrigon Elementary-198; Windy River Elementary, Board- man-227; Heppner Jr./Sr. High School-161; Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School-370; Riverside Jr./Sr. High School, Boardman-428; Morrow Education Cen- ter, Irrigon-62; total-2,229. Dirksen reported that the district is up 61 students over last year and is opti- mistic concerning contin- ued growth. -approved the follow- ing recommendations to rehire for 2017-18 (Hep- pner listed only): Heppner Elementary: educational assistants-Jackie Alleman, Lorna Botefuhr, Rebecca Evans, Tami Lien, Janet Wilson, one vacant ed assis- tant position, ed assistant/li- brary tech-Debra Campbell; head cook-Kim Carlson, assistant custodian-Kathy Cutsforth, facilities coor- dinator-Kelly Fox, assistant custodian-Linda Workman, head secretary-vacant; Hep- pner Jr./Sr. High School: library tech-Ginger Bow- tants-Tiffanie Greenup, Ken Grieb, Jessica Lentz, Larissa Maddern, depart- ment secretary-Tracie Bunch, head secretary- Darcy Hostetler-Robinson, head cook-Lori McCabe, assistant custodian-Teresa Parret, head custodian- Robert Wilson. -approved the follow- ing extra duty contracts for non-coaching positions recommended for rehire for 2017/18: Heppner El- ementary: TAG (talented and gifted program) coordi- nator-Madison Rosenbalm; half-time DART (early intervention)-Sarah Ma- theny, Melissa Coiner, ELL site coordinator-Mary Ann Elguezabal; Heppner Jr./Sr. High School: annual-Jere- my Rosenbalm, band-Rick Drake, drama advisor (fall/ winter and spring)-Alaina Lemmon, half-time TAG coordinator-John Flaherty, Petra Payne, Dart-John Flaherty; district level: RTI (response to intervention) district coordinator-Melis- sa Coiner, Jill Ledbetter, ELL (English Language Learner) district coordina- tor (extra duty pay schedule D)-Theresa Proctor-Reece, RTI system district-wide coordinator-Kaira Rysdam. -approved the follow- ing extra duty coaching contracts (Heppner list- ed only): Heppner High School: Greg Grant-athlet- C-team boys’ basketball, head golf; Virginia Grant- half-time cheerleading, Les Payne-assistant football; Kevin Payne-half-time as- sistant football; Jeremy Rosenbalm-half-time as- sistant football, head boys’ basketball, Mindy Wilson-head volleyball, Russ Nichols-half-time head cross country, head/ assistant track, Antonia Nichols-half-time head cross country, Ken Grieb- assistant boys’ basketball, Robert Wilson-head girls’ basketball, Mark Lemmon- head wrestling, Andy Stelk- head baseball, Timothy Wilkins-assistant baseball, Laura Winters-head/assis- tant track, Matt Scrivner- assistant golf, Rick John- ston-head softball, Janelle Ellis-half-time assistant softball, Mike Correa-half time assistant softball, va- cant-assistant girls’ bas- ketball, assistant volley- ball; Heppner Junior High: Chad Doherty-head foot- ball, Joe Armato-assistant football, Terri Gentry-head volleyball, Rocky Turn- er-head boys’ basketball, Jeremy Arbogast-assistant boys’ basketball, Antonia Nichols-head track, Brandi Sweeney-assistant track, vacant-assistant volleyball, head girls’ basketball, assis- tant girls’ basketball, head wrestling. -approved the follow- resignations/non renewals- Devin Bailey, Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School science teach- er, end of 2016-17 school year; Beth Garnett, River- side Jr./Sr. High School sci- ence teacher, Brenda Profitt, Sam Boardman Elementary special ed teacher, Adara Spring, Sam Boardman Elementary ed assistant, Renee Zielinski, RJSHS head secretary; retirement- Lloyd Bowman, June 30; employment/promotions/ transfers 2017-18-Katie Burton, SBE first grade teacher, Julia Finch, SBE third grade teacher, Tiffany Jordan, RJSHS language arts teacher, Christine Moore, Windy River El- ementary sixth grade teach- er, Heather Noble, SBE/ WRE kindergarten-grade six music teacher, G’Ann Thomas, RJSHS language arts teacher, Sarah Wells, SBE kindergarten teacher, Jacquelynn Whitesell, SBE special ed teacher, Haily Wooldridge, Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School language arts teacher, Lucia Zavala, SBE ed assistant. -approved the first reading of policy on the su- perintendent’s evaluation, the local wellness program, staff-student-parent rela- tions, whistleblower, family medical leave. -adopted policy on head lice. -adopted administra- We know your business makes our business. Take us along, too. school meals and milk pro- grams. -viewed a presentation on the district’s science textbook adoption by teach- ers Dawn Callow, Kaitlin Gustafson, Jason Palmer and Danielle Wardle and adopted textbooks. The presentation also included information on the online forensics classes held in Boardman and Irrigon, but not available in Heppner due to science teacher staff- ing shortages. -received the following 2017-18 board calendar as follows: July 2017-no meeting, Aug. 14-RJSHS, Sept. 11-district office, Heppner Elementary, Oct. 9-Sam Boardman Elemen- tary, Nov. 6-A.C. Houghton Elementary (changed from Nov. 13, due to the district’s observance of Veteran’s Day), Dec. 11-Windy River meeting, Feb. 12-Irrigon Jr./Sr. High School, March 12-Heppner Jr./Sr. High School, April 9-Irrigon El- ementary, May 15 (changed from May 14)-Morrow Education Center, Irrigon, June 11-Heppner Elemen- tary. -heard the follow- ing announcements: May 12-make up snow day for north end schools only, May 15-Crystal Apple awards, May 25-seniors’ last day, May 29-Memorial Day holiday, June 3-gradua- tions- 10 a.m., Riverside, Boardman, noon, Irrigon, 2 p.m., Heppner; June 8, students’ last day, June 13- 30, Irrigon and Heppner summer school, June 12-30 and July 31-Aug. 5, Board- man summer school, June 12-next board meeting and budget hearing. Youth invited to ‘Disco with It’ at tri-county 4-H camp Each year Oregon State University staff from Gil- liam, Wheeler and Morrow counties host a Tri-Coun- ty 4-H Summer Camp at Cutsforth Park outside of Heppner. This year’s camp dates are Thursday, June 15, through Sunday, June 18. Cost is $85 if regis- tered by May 25 and $100 from May 25 through June 5. Scholarships are avail- able to enrolled 4-H mem- bers; please check with your county 4-H Office. No registrations are will be accepted after June 5. T-Shirts are included with the registration fee. While this is a 4-H camp, it is open to all youth from these three counties; they need not already be enrolled in 4-H in order to participate. The camp theme this year is “Disco with It.” Youth who attend will spend three nights camping in tents with their coun- selors and peers and will participate in educational workshops, craft activities, a hike and a dance. There will also be a campfire each night complete with skits and songs. Counselors are in the eighth through 12 th grades and are from Gil- liam, Wheeler and Morrow counties. For more information, contact the Morrow County 4-H office at 541-676-9642 or visit http://oregon.4h. oregonstate.edu/programs/ camps/other. DA’s Report BEO Mobile for Apple & Android Member FDIC beobank.com Morrow County Dis- trict Attorney Justin Nelson has released the following report: -Marion Ivan Taylor, 57, was convicted of As- sault IV, a Class A Misde- meanor. Of the sentence of 180 days’ jail time, 90 days were suspended and the defendant sentenced to 36 months bench probation. In addition to 90 days’ jail time, probation conditions included 60 hours of com- munity service, no contact with the victims, and anger management evaluation and treatment. Additional counts of Harassment and Theft II were dismissed. Fines, fees and assessment totaled $100.
