THREE - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Irrigon clinic almost complete
RV LIVING
-Continued from PAGE ONE
an observation Russell later
confirmed.
In response Russel sub-
sequently wrote a letter
to county Planner Carla
McLane and Sheriff Ken
Matlack asking for “clar-
ity” on the ordinance and
its enforcement. Both Mc-
Lane and Matlack attended
the June 13 commission
meeting to discuss the RV
ordinance and how it is
enforced.
Russell said he took
a drive around the area of
Philippi’s property and saw
multiple instances of people
obviously living in RVs.
Russell said he assumed
people were living in them
when he saw porches and
decks attached, and water
and power going to the
vehicles. “I don’t think
that Blake is asking for
a special allowance, but
instead would like to be
treated like the rest of his
neighbors,” Russell said in
his letter. “Help me answer
his questions. What makes
it OK for one and not for
the other?”
McLane said living in
an RV without a permit is
generally not allowed in
Morrow County, but sited
three instances where it
is. One, if the RV is being
used while a home is un-
der construction, two for
temporary housing when
people have visitors but not
to exceed 30 days in any
12-month period, and three
for seasonal recreational
camping or hunting use by
the landowner. An RV can
also be used for living when
there is a medical hardship.
McLane said one exception
to the rule is people can
live in RVs when they are
parked in an authorized RV
park, several of which are
located around the county.
She said the ordinance pro-
hibiting RV living is there
mainly for health and safety
reasons.
Both McLane and Mat-
lack said the violation pro-
cess usually begins when
someone complains. “If a
neighbor complains we go
and look and see if there is a
violation,” McLane told the
commissioners. She added
the entire code violation
process in the county is
complaint driven, with her
office only investigating
other offences such as de-
bris, car bodies, excess veg-
etation etc. when someone
complains. However, she
pointed out, following her
receiving Russell’s letter
her staff went around the
area and found 13 other
possible RV living viola-
tions. McLane said letters
had been sent to those land
owners informing them
they may be in violation.
Although the discus-
sion originally started with
the specific code violation
of RV living, commission-
ers, the sheriff and McLane
eventually ended up dis-
cussing all code violation
enforcements throughout
the county. “How much
effort do we employ?” Mc-
Lane asked about enforce-
ment, pointing out there
would be additional costs
associated with her office,
and the sheriff’s depart-
ment putting additional
effort and manpower into
enforcement.
Russell said he want-
ed to see a more uniform
approach to enforcement.
“I understand where Mr.
Philippi is coming from.
He says, ‘Why me?’ Rus-
sell said. “I think we need
to be consistent. You can’t
drive by some violations
to enforce another one,”
he told McLane and Mat-
lack. Matlack agreed. “We
want it uniform.” He said
people can sleep in an RV
on property, they just can’t
live in it. However, when
they see an RV with power
and sewer hooked up they
pretty much know someone
is living in it, he said of his
deputies. Matlack also said
that code enforcement is
“not a top priority” in the
sheriff’s department and if
a deputy working on code
violations receives an emer-
gency or higher priority call
then they have to leave code
work and go to the more
important call. He also said
if the commissioners want
more code enforcement
other than from just citizen
complaints, then his de-
partment would need more
resources. “If we are going
to do more enforcement, it
has to be on everybody and
that means more hours and
more money,” he told the
commission.
McLane said there are
a lot of violations around
the county including junk,
weeds, noise violations and
even animal cruelty. The
State of Oregon does not
deal with noise (because
of budget restrictions) Mc-
Lane pointed out, and nei-
ther does the county. “No
one likes to work code,”
said Matlack, “but it’s ev-
erywhere and there is so
much to do if you want.
There are a lot of code is-
sues in Morrow County that
are not addressed. And it’s
complaint driven (for lack
of staff and resources) out
of necessity,” he told the
commissioners.
Commissioner Jim
Doherty suggested that if
there is to be consistency
in enforcement of codes
in the county, then maybe
there needs to be a code
enforcement person hired.
Commissioner Melissa
Lindsay disagreed, saying
the county should use what
it has to deal with code vi-
olations. “We have to deal
with it using the resources
we have.” However, “If it’s
(ordinance) not enforce-
able, maybe it shouldn’t be
there,” she added.
Following the discus-
sion, no action was taken,
however McLane did say
she would check around
and see what other counties
are doing, and report back.
She also plans on putting
out some news releases to
explain to the public about
the RV codes. She added
that summer time normally
sees an increase in people
living in RVs illegally.
Kilkenny graduates
Katherine Kilkenny her bachelors in nursing
from Gonzaga University
graduated from the
in 2012. She started
University of San Di-
her nursing career
ego in May earning
in Washington on
her doctor of nursing
a cardiac unit and
practice degree spe-
then moved to San
cializing in psychiatric
Diego to continue
mental health with a
her nursing career.
3.9 GPA.
Katherine
In San Diego
Kilkenny graduat- Kilkenny
she was part of a
ed from Heppner High
team to create a
School in 2008 and received
telemetry-medical-surgical
unit at Sharp Memorial
Hospital. She then began
her doctorate education in
2015.
Katherine plans to start
practicing as a Psychiatric
Nurse Practitioner in San
Diego this summer. She is
the daughter of John and
Diane Kilkenny.
Neigh-
borhood
Center to
hold bag
sale
The Neighborhood
Center in Heppner will hold
a $15 bag sale on Tuesday,
July 3. The center will be
closed on Wednesday, July
4 in observance of Indepen-
dence Day.
The clinic expansion/remodel in Irrigon is scheduled to be
completed soon.
Morrow County Health
District CEO Bob Houser
told the MCHD Board, at
their Monday night meeting
in Irrigon, the Irrigon Clinic
expansion construction is
expected to be completed
and the remodeled facility
in use by August.
“It’s coming along,”
said Houser, who added
that the building’s siding
has been installed around
the front of the building,
but has not been complet-
ed on the existing portion
of the clinic, sheetrock for
the expansion has been
brought into the building
and is in the process of in-
stallation, the sidewalk and
ramp have been poured and
the security wires to allow
employee access with their
badges are also in the pro-
cess of being installed. The
date for construction of the
IMC parking lot was set
for June 26, with the clinic
remodeling completion date
of August 18.
Also at the meeting,
board Chair John Murray
swore in newly appoint-
ed board member, Marie
Shimer from Boardman.
She replaces Joe Perry,
who resigned. Shimer is an
administrator with the Mor-
row County School District.
The board approved
purchase of two MTS Pow-
er load gurneys and lease of
four additional ones, which
will enable EMTs and other
medical personnel to lift a
patient up to 700 pounds.
Houser said the gurneys
will enable even a small
person to lift very heavy
patients, basically at the
touch of a finger. Cost for
the two purchased gurneys
is $47,229; the two-year
lease agreement for four
gurneys is $94,459, with the
option of a buyout. The dis-
trict benefited financially by
buying several of the gur-
neys at once, said Houser.
The board also ap-
proved purchase of an
automated pharmacy dis-
pensing unit at a cost of
$286,262 and an ultrasound
unit at $134,680, which
includes training and two
probes, both of which are
to be funded with a five-
year $359,857 loan at 4.5
percent from the Bank of
Eastern Oregon.
In other business, the
board heard a presenta-
tion by Andrea Fletcher on
the 2015-2017 and 2018
Community Health Needs
Assessment and subse-
quently approved the 2015-
17 health needs assessment
and impact evaluation sum-
mary and the 2018 Commu-
nity Health Needs Assess-
ment and strategies. Board
member Aaron Palmquist,
Irrigon, who is also the
Irrigon city administrator,
commented that a housing
crisis exists and population
is expected to grow dramat-
ically with new jobs antic-
ipated in the county. He
said the district will need
to adapt to a diverse popu-
lation and also bear in mind
the future needs of an aging
population, particularly in
south Morrow County.
In other business, the
board:
-approved awarding a
contract to apparent low
bidder, Wesley Wise Ex-
cavating, for $88,162 for
the Irrigon Medical Clin-
ic parking lot; and a bid
from Wellen’s Farwell for
$93,925 for erosion control,
survey work, sidewalk re-
moval, excavation, asphalt,
curbing, driveways and
walks.
-learned the large signs
and reader board for the
Boardman building, which
house a physical therapy
office and Murray’s Board-
man Pharmacy, may not be
completed by July 1, due to
permitting issues. The signs
for the Boardman building
and the Irrigon Medical
Clinic have been approved.
-a registered dietitian,
Lauren Robbins, Baker
City, began seeing MCHD
patients on June 19. Houser
said that she plans to see
both inpatients and outpa-
tients, review menus and
Marie Shimer is sworn in as a new board member by Chair
John Murray.
tutor the dietary manager.
Robbins is employed by St.
Alphonsus Medical Center.
-learned Pioneer Me-
morial Hospital has re-
ceived the nurse staffing
survey results, the first the
hospital has had dealing
with new Oregon adminis-
trative rules. MCHD Direc-
tor of Nursing Terri Brand
Correia and others on the
staffing committee are in
the process of working to
respond to the deficiencies.
Houser commented the new
rules “cause a lot of angst,
especially in smaller hos-
pitals,” adding that imple-
menting the policies could
cost “tens of thousands of
dollars.”
-received the following
profit and loss statement
through May: the district
had $966,240 in gross pa-
tient revenue, less $5,492
for bad debts and $168,647
in contractual and other
adjustments, plus $149,591
in tax revenue and $65,330
in other operating reve-
nue for $1,007,022 in total
operating revenue, less
$1,085,148 in total operat-
ing expenses and a non-op-
erating gain of $38,362
for a $39,764 loss for the
month and a $103,398 year
to date loss.
-received the follow-
ing hospital report for the
month: Pioneer Memorial
Hospital had three admis-
sions in May, one swing
bed admission, nine admis-
sions for observation, one
hospital respite admission,
582 total outpatients, 92
emergency room encoun-
ters, 2,109 lab tests, 131
x-ray/ultrasound tests, 24
CT scans, five MRI scans,
34 EKG tests, six lower
endoscopy procedures, 24
respiratory therapy proce-
dures.
-received the follow-
ing reports: Home Health
had 76 patient visits for
the month; Hospice had
one admission; Pharmacy
had 2,375 drug doses for
$82,300 in revenue.
-received the following
ambulance report: Heppner
Ambulance had 28 page-
outs with 27 transports
for $47,302 in revenue;
Boardman Ambulance had
31 page-outs with 18 trans-
ports for $30,702 in rev-
enue; Irrigon Ambulance
had 29 page-outs with 18
transports for $25,670 in
revenue; Ione Ambulance
had five page-outs with
one transport for $1,435 in
revenue; there were five life
flights.
-received the follow-
ing clinic reports: Pioneer
Memorial Clinic had 427
patient visits for May, with
four new patients, 40 seen
by a nurse and 25 no-shows;
Irrigon Medical Clinic had
297 patient visits with 45
new patients, 46 seen by
a nurse and 46 no-shows;
Ione Community Clinic
had 35 patient visits, no
new patients, eight seen by
a nurse and zero no-shows.
Community lunch menu
The Neighborhood
Center summer hours are
Monday through Friday
The community lunch will be held on Friday, July
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 6 next week instead of Wednesday, due to the holiday.
Saturdays 1 to 4 p.m.
Willow Creek Baptist volunteers will serve lunch on
Friday, July 6 at St. Patrick’s Senior Center. Lunch will
be cheese burgers, jo-jos, coleslaw, fresh fruit salad and
flat
apple pie for dessert.
Effective June 29,
Milk is served at each meal. Suggested donation is
2018, the Fire
$3.50 per meal. Menu is subject to change.
Chief of the City
of Heppner
is imposing a
CLOSED
SEASON for
open burning
based on local fire
safety concerns.
This burning ban is for the City of Heppner.
A reminder that open burning also
includes a “burn barrel.”
The closed season will remain in effect
until further notice this fall as per ORS 478.960.
Library district
meeting time
changed
Oregon Trail Library District has changed the time
for monthly board meetings to 6:30 p.m. OTLD meetings
are held the third Wednesday of the month unless there is
a scheduling conflict.