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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
HEPPNER G T 50¢ azette imes VOL. 136 NO. 43 8 Pages Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Larry Mills, the “Voice of the Mustangs” was honored for his 28+ years of service as the Mustangs football announcer before the game Friday night. He was presented with an inscribed microphone along with a Mustangs jersey and an autographed helmet to thank him for his many years of service. Pictured (L-R): Coach Les Payne, Larry Mills and Coach Greg Grant. – Photo by Kirsti Cason Mustang football seniors and their parents honored Grieb, to be new announcer Ken Grieb will be taking over the duties as the Mustangs football announcer to become the new “Voice of the Mus- tangs” after the retirement of Larry Mills. – Photo by Bobbi Gordon Mustang football seniors and their parents were celebrated at the game against Corbett last Friday night. Pictured (L-R): Wyatt Steagall (64) with his parents John and Jennifer, Beau Wolters (40) with his parents Kirk and Amy, Coby Dougherty (24) with his parents Cliff and Donna, JD Lehn (57) with his parents Joe and Janna, Kevin Smith (3) with his mother Mela- nie and Peyton Lehman (35) with his parents Andy and Jessica. – Photo by Kirsti Cason Local businesses participate in the Heppner Haunt on Halloween Sports playoffs this weekend Heppner Mustangs vol- leyball will fight to bring home the volleyball state championship Nov. 3 and 4 at Ridgeview High in Red- mond, OR. First game will be against the Culver Bull- dogs at 8 a.m. on Nov. 3. Mustangs football will host a first-round playoff game against the Neah- Kah-Nie Pirates at 1 p.m. on Nov. 4 at the Morrow County fairgrounds. Hunter Nichols will represent Heppner/Ione boys cross country at the OSAA Cross Country state championships on Nov. 4 at Lane Community College in Eugene, OR. County Commission to hold ‘business meetings’ prior to regular meetings No agendas, no public comments April Sykes (second from right) doles out trick or treat candy to the Heppner Day Care and Heppner Infant Center when they visited the Heppner Gazette-Times on Halloween. – Photo by Bobbi Gordon MCHD to complete Irrigon Medical Clinic addition By April Sykes The Morrow County Health District Board ap- proved an architectural cost estimate of $925,674 for completion of the Irrigon Medical Clinic addition and approved going out for bid on the project at their regu- lar meeting held in Lexing- ton Monday night. The cost estimate anticipates a start date of summer 2018. The district had budget- ed $685,000 for the project, which leaves a $240,674 deficit, plus an additional $91,878 for additional shell space for the project. The district is exploring funding for the project. Architectural Cost Consultants, LLC, of Ti- gard specified that the estimates were for direct construction costs only and did not include furnish- ings, equipment, architect and engineer design fees, consultant, inspection, or testing fees, hazardous ma- terial testing and removal, financing and other costs. The board also appoint- ed a new board member, Carrie Grieb of north Lex- ington, to replace Jill Park- er, formerly of Boardman, who resigned when she moved out of the district. The other candidate for the board was Marie Shimer, Boardman. In other business, CEO Bob Houser said that he anticipates the endoscopy room at Pioneer Memo- rial Hospital will get the go-ahead for use shortly. He said that patients have already been scheduled for endoscopes in December. The services were shut down over a year ago after the state deemed the room unusable because of venti- lation issues. The district completed a remodel of the room and has been await- ing state recertification for some time. Having endo- scopes available locally is a valued service for Heppner area patients and is also lu- crative for the district. In other business, the board: -learned from Chief Financial Officer Nicole Mahoney that the district had a $132,768 loss for September. “The revenue just wasn’t there,” said Ma- honey. The district showed $854,098 in gross patient revenue, less $909 for a provision for bad debts and a $125,096 revenue deduc- tion, plus $149,591 in tax revenue and $10,857 in other operating revenue for $888,451 in total operating revenue; $1,031,820 in total operating expenses, and a $10,600 non-operating gain for the $132,768 loss for the year. -learned from Houser that he and human resourc- es have met with a nurse practitioner, Dana Brannon, who may be open to em- ployment with the district, filling in with flexible hours and scheduling. A tenta- tive meeting was planned with her and providers for October 31 or November 2. -heard from Houser that a physician’s assistant, Daniel Doherty, currently working in Hermiston, has expressed interest in a posi- tion at the Irrigon Clinic. -learned from Houser that Dr. Johnston, who pre- viously signed a contract with the district, is still awaiting Oregon licensure. Houser also said that an interview has been set up for November 14 with Dr. Richard Aballay, who has indicated an interest in lo- cating to Oregon. -heard from Houser that the district is still seek- ing a mid-level provider (physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner) for the Irrigon Clinic and a reg- istered nurse for Pioneer Memorial Hospital. -learned that the Irrigon Medical Clinic will hold a disaster drill on Nov. 30 with Pioneer Memorial Clinic and the Ione Com- munity Clinic conducting the drill on other dates. Houser said that it has been a problem for law enforce- ment to attend such drills. -heard from Houser that the first meeting with Scott Combs with Clark/ Kjos architects has been planned for Nov. 21 to “go over” additional concepts for improvements to Pio- neer Memorial Hospital and Pioneer Memorial Clinic. He said that the cost for additional work that the architect firm is doing for the district was $11,500. He said that new conceptual designs and updates to the master facilities plan will be provided along with a cost estimate. The Morrow County Commission has decided to hold what are being called “business meetings” prior to its regular meetings twice per month. The meetings will start at 7:30 a.m. Regu- lar meetings normally start at 9 a.m. According to the Com- mission, the purpose of the early meetings is “to allow for a less formal exchange of information.” There will be no agendas made public and no public comment will be taken during the business meetings. Actual voting will be done at the regular meetings. It was not announced whether minutes of the business meetings would be made available, or if the meetings will be recorded. The business meetings will be done on a trial ba- sis and if implemented, held twice per month ro- tating between Heppner and Boardman. The first business meeting was held Oct. 18 prior to a regular meeting in Boardman. ‘Fall back’ this Sunday, Nov. 5 The days are getting shorter, and it’s time to “fall back.” The Gazette-Times would like to remind ev- eryone to set their clocks back for the end of Daylight Savings Time this Sunday, Nov. 5. -See MCHD/PAGE THREE Coveralls ♦ muck boots tank deicers ♦ ice melt IN STOCK NOW Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed 242 W. Linden Way, Heppner • 676-9422 • 989-8221 (MCGG main office)
