FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 10, 2019
NEW CITY MANAGER
-Continued from PAGE ONE
of output for four hours,
allowing the excess water
from Hinton Creek to safely
run off down Willow Creek.
Bowles said the Corps had
“no concerns.” Interim city
manager Kim Cutsforth
told the council that there
were “historic water levels”
at the lake now because of
the hold back. Public Works
director Chad Doherty said
the Corps action of cutting
back on outflow saved one
of the city’s water lines that
runs along the creek from
being washed out.
On other public works
business, the council
praised the city crew for
their hard work in get-
ting the city ready after
the big snow storms for
last month’s St Patrick’s
Day event. The council
also heard from Doherty
who said the city’s street
sweeper is wearing out
and another one is needed.
The council voted to have
Doherty put in a bid for a
used sweeper from the city
of Cornelius. Doherty said
he went and looked at the
machine and it is in good
condition.
Dropping business water
fee
The council discussed
possibly dropping a water
surcharge of $17.50 per
month that businesses in
Heppner pay. Called a fire-
flow charge the city put in
the extra business water
charge when the new water
system was put in many
years ago. The businesses
do not receive any addition-
al services for this fee and it
is really a business tax.
There was push-back
from the Heppner business
community after it was en-
acted, but the extra charge
remained for many years.
Kim Cutsforth said the city
has been receiving extra
money from the county
and could now get along
without the extra $18,000
per year the city receives
from business water users.
Cutsforth, as well as
the city Utility Committee,
recommended dropping
the fee. “The city no longer
needs to burden our busi-
nesses in order to balance
the budget,” she said in her
report to the council. “Re-
moving this fee helps small
businesses and is an aide to
economic development.”
Some councilmembers
were in favor of eliminating
the extra charge, howev-
er, councilmember Adam
Doherty said the city may
be okay without the money
now, but what if it’s needed
in the future? Would the
city go back to the busi-
nesses and reinstitute the
extra water fee? He said
he wasn’t anti-business but
felt that businesses in town
could afford the extra $210
per year they are charged
and the city shouldn’t let
the money go at this time.
The council agreed to wait
on a decision until the city
starts its budgeting process
and then see where it was.
Sheriff looks at K-9
Morrow County Sher-
iff’s Office is investigating
the addition of a K-9 unit to
enhance their ability to en-
force drug laws and curtail
illegal activities. It has been
recommended by the police
commission that the city
budget $6,000 to participate
in the K-9 program. These
funds will be outside of the
regular law enforcement
contract and will be used
as needed. The city will
pay for a handler and a K-9
when they are in the city of
Heppner only. No action by
the council was taken and
it will be taken up at city
budget time.
New water bill due date
The council also heard
a proposal to change the
water payment due date
from the 10 th of the month
to the 15 th . Cutsforth said
many people are used to
having their bills due on
the 15 th so the city would
be more in line with other
due dates. The council will
consider the change at later
meeting dates.
April 30 last day to register for
May 21 election
The last day to register
for the election to be held
on May 21 is April 30.
Registration cards that are
postmarked by that date or
submitted online no later
than 11:59 p.m. will be
accepted.
According to Bobbi
Childers, Morrow County
clerk, military ballots have
already been mailed and
out of state ballots will go
out on April 22. The bal-
ance of the ballots will be
mailed May 1. Completed
ballots must be delivered
to an official drop site or to
the county clerk’s office no
later than 8 p.m. on election
day. Postmarks are not con-
sidered.
Items and candidates
included on south county
ballots will include:
-Umatilla Morrow Ra-
dio and Data District Posi-
tion 3, Keith Kennedy and
Position 5, Mark Pratt.
-Morrow County
Health District Director
Position 1, Marie Shimer;
Position 4, Aaron Palmquist
and Position 5, Carri Grieb.
-Port of Morrow Com-
missioner Position 4, Mar-
vin Padberg and Position
5, John Murray and Debbie
Radie.
-Heppner Rural Fire
Protection District, Don-
ald Bennett and Kelwayne
Haguewood.
-Ione Rural Fire Pro-
tection District, Joseph
McElligott and Keith Rea.
-Heppner Cemetery
District, Thomas Wolff.
-Ione-Lexington Ceme-
tery District, Myrna Sieler
and Marilyn Childers.
-Willow Creek Park
District, Gary Propheter,
Ronald (Skip) Matthews
and Joe Armato.
-Morrow County Uni-
fied Recreation District
Zone 5, Cyde Estes.
-Unified Recreation
District Zone 4, Linda
LaRue.
-Morrow County
School District Position 1,
Brian Kollman; Position 2,
Marisela (Marcie) Rodelo;
Position 3, Richard Cole;
Position 4, Becky Kindle
and Position 5, Mary Kil-
lion.
-Ione School District
Position 1, Stacie Ekstrom
and Position 2, Tricia Rol-
lins.
-BMCC Director Zone
1, Chris Brown.
-Intermountain ESD
Director Zone 7, Joe McEl-
ligott.
-Oregon Trail Library
District Position 2, Lisa
Constantine.
-Ione Library District,
Anne C Morter and Betty
Rietmann.
-Heppner Water Con-
trol District, Al Osmin, Ar-
chie Ball and Jerry Gentry.
Additional information
regarding candidates and
the election can be found on
the Morrow County web-
site: https://www.co.mor-
row.or.us/clerk/page/elec-
tions-and-voting.
Cemetery Arbor Day tree
district giveaway scheduled
schedules
meeting
The Heppner Cemetery
Maintenance District will
hold their monthly meeting
on Tuesday, April 16 at
5:30 p.m. at the Ag Service
Building conference room,
430 W Linden Way. Agenda
items include minutes of the
previous meeting, financial
report and cemetery oper-
ations.
Meetings of the Hep-
pner Cemetery Mainte-
nance District are open
to the public according to
ORS 192.640(1). For addi-
tional information, contact
Janet Greenup at 541-561-
6768.
The annual Arbor Day
tree giveaway, sponsored
by Pendleton Parks and
Recreation, US Forest Ser-
vice, the Tree Commission
and the Parks and Recre-
ation Commission, will be
held Saturday, April 13.
The event will take place
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in
the Wal-Mart parking lot
near the grocery entrance.
Trees will be given
away by volunteers on a
first come, first served basis
along with informational
handouts. Varieties avail-
able include Blue Elder-
berry, Redosier Dogwood,
Golden Currant and Quak-
ing Aspen. Event sponsors
welcome the opportunity
to answer questions and
provide a wide variety of
information on trees.
Arbor Day is celebrated
nationwide on an annual
basis. Each state and mu-
nicipality set the date, with
Oregon’s Arbor Week being
the first full calendar week
in April.
For additional informa-
tion call 541-276-8100 or
visit pendletonparksandrec.
com. The parks office, 865
Tutuilla Rd, is open Mon-
day through Friday from 7
a.m. to 4 p.m.
This month’s feature is a
new animated retelling of
a classic allegory, in print
continuously since 1678
and widely read by pioneers
and pilgrims as they trav-
Students from Morrow
County have been named to
the Oregon State University
Honor Roll for winter term
2019.
Boardman – with 3.5
or better; Lizbeth Gaytan,
senior, business adminis-
tration; Taylor R. Hamby,
sophomore, biology; Tania
Mendoza, sophomore, uni-
versity exploratory studies.
Heppner – with a
straight-A average; Mekay-
la S. Kindle, senior, human
development and family
science. With a 3.5 or bet-
ter: Jessica M. Kempken,
junior, bio health sciences;
Kane P. Sweeney, sopho-
more, political science.
Ione – straight A av-
erage; Oskar M. Peterson,
senior, mechanical engi-
neering.
Irrigon – 3.5 or better;
Asusena Munoz Flores,
junior, human development
and family science; Brandy
Quezada-Hermosillo, ju-
nior, human development
and family science; Bruno
Salas Garcia, junior, micro-
biology; Corbin M. Tegner,
senior, pre-computer sci-
ence.
Lexington – 3.5 or
better; Logan S. Grieb,
sophomore, management;
Weston J. Putman, junior,
marketing.
A total of 1,371 stu-
dents earned straight-A
(4.0). Another 4,728 earned
a B-plus (3.5) or better to
make the listing. To be on
the Honor Roll, students
must carry at least 12 grad-
ed hours of course work.
Dam Right committee to
hold meeting
A newly formed com-
mittee with concerns about
Willow Creek Reservoir
and the dam has been
formed and will hold a
meeting to discuss those
concerns on April 11. The
meeting is scheduled at 7
p.m. in the Heppner City
Hall conference room.
A few of the concerns
to be discussed are the
effects of the algae, swim-
ming and fishing in the lake
and what is being done to
fix the problems. Another
concern is how the dam is
holding up after 35 years
and is everything possible
being done to keep the dam
safe.
Everyone is invited to
become involved and be-
come a part of the solution
by joining the Dam Right
committee.
Chamber Chatter
Wednesday, April 10 at
6:30 p.m., Crafty Nights at
the Library book folding.
This event is sponsored by
the Oregon Trail Library
District and will be held
at the Heppner branch.
Register online at https://
oregontrail.ploud.net or call
541-676-9964 for addition-
al information.
Wednesday, April 10
at 6:30 p.m., High School
Tri-County Band Festival
hosted by Heppner High
School at the Heppner El-
ementary School gym. The
event will include students
from 10 area schools per-
forming a concert. Ad-
mission is $1 per person
and everyone is invited to
attend.
Thursday, Apr. 11 from
noon to 1 p.m., Heppner
Chamber to host a candi-
date’s forum for the Port
of Morrow Commissioner
Position #5 in the Heppner
City Hall conference room.
Lunch will be catered by
Tacos Hometown for $10
per person. RSVP to the
Heppner Chamber at 541-
676-5536 or email at hep-
pnerchamber@centurytel.
net.
April 12 through May
5, Tastiest Taco contest will
be held as a fundraiser for
United Way of Umatilla/
Morrow Counties. Partic-
ipants may buy a Tastiest
Taco stamp booklet of 10
locations for $10. Test one
taco at 10 different local
restaurants in Hermiston,
Irrigon, Pendleton, Stan-
field and Umatilla to deter-
mine the tastiest taco. The
booklet will include one
taco per person per vendor,
but additional tacos may
be purchased. Booklets
are available at umatilla-
morrowunitedway.org or
from Sheryll at the Heppner
Chamber office, 541-676-
5536.
Saturday, Apr. 13 and
Saturday May 11 from 10
a.m. to 1 p.m., SAGE Cen-
ter Saturday Agriculture/
Science based activities
with free admission. Plan
on spending the day at the
SAGE center and partic-
ipate in the activities and
take a tour of the SAGE
Center while you are there.
Contact 541-481-7243 for
questions.
Monday, Apr. 15 is he
deadline for the Communi-
ty and Public Enhancement
grant offered by Willow
Creek Valley Economic
Development Group. To
obtain an application, con-
tact the Heppner Chamber
at 541-676-5336 or email
heppnerchamber@centu-
rytel.net. The application
is also available on the
Chamber website: heppner-
chamber.com.
Monday, Apr. 15 is he
deadline for the Business
Enhancement Grant re-
quests offered by Willow
Creek Valley Economic
Development Group. Al-
though the grants are open
for consideration if funds
are available, current re-
quests will be reviewed
along with the Community
and Public Enhancement
grant requests. To obtain
an application, contact the
Heppner Chamber at 541-
676-5336 or email hep-
pnerchamber@centurytel.
net. The application is also
available on the Chamber
website: heppnerchamber.
com.
Thursday, Apr. 18 from
1-4 p.m., CPR Public Class
in the Pioneer Memorial
Clinic conference room
provided by Morrow Coun-
ty Health District. Tom
Sanders, Respiratory Ther-
apist, will be leading this
class. If you are interested
in participating or need
more information, call 541-
676-2930.
Friday, Apr. 19 at 7:15
p.m. and Saturday, Apr. 20
at 2:15 p.m., SAGE Center
movie event showing Bum-
blebee. Plan on coming and
watching this movie at the
SAGE Center for a $3 ad-
mission cost (includes free
popcorn). Bottled water and
concessions are available
for cash purchase.
Friday, April 26 from
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,
First Friday Friends of Je-
sus will hold a special year-
end wrap-up session at
the All Saints Parish Hall.
For additional information,
contact the church office at
541-676-9970.
Saturday, Apr. 27 from
9 a.m. to 12 p.m., 6 th Annu-
al DVS Walk in her shoes
awareness event at Riv-
erfront Park in Hermis-
ton. Domestic Violence
Services, Inc. is looking
for sponsors for the event
stations and sponsorships to
help cover the expenses for
the event. Station sponsor,
$250; Platinum sponsor,
$150; Gold sponsor, $100
and Silver sponsor, $50.
For additional information
or to sign up for the event
call 541-276-3322.
Thursday, May 16 from
noon to 1 p.m., Willow
Creek Valley Economic
Development Group host-
ed annual luncheon at the
Heppner Senior Center
dining room. Updates on
the programs WCVEDG
is working on and guest
speakers from Portland
General Electric will be on
the agenda. Alvin Liu with
Gateway Café will cater a
BBQ lunch. RSVPs are re-
quired no later than May 13.
June 22-29, Bicycle
Rides Northwest’s BRNW
Oregon 2019. The group
will be spending the night in
Heppner, as part of the ride,
on Friday, June 28. The
ride will begin and end in
Condon and travel to Moro,
Maupin, Fossil, Spray and
Heppner. For additional
information or to register
to ride access their website:
http://bicycleridesnw.org/
rides/brnw-oregon-2019/.
Hold the dates for the
summer music in the park
concerts from 5:30 to 7:30
p.m. Hopeful Saints Minis-
try volunteers will provide
meals for purchase. Sunday,
June 9 will be Chasing
Ebenezer. Dakota Brown
will perform on Sunday,
July 14 and Wasteland
Kings on Sunday, August
11.
Thursday, August 1 is
the deadline to apply for
Morrow County Cultural
Coalition grants. Applica-
tions for cultural-based ac-
tivities are being accepted,
with grants to be awarded
for up to 50 percent of the
total project cost. For com-
plete guidelines and appli-
cation form, contact Gayle
Gutierrez at 541-676-5630
or via email at ggutierrez@
co.morrow.or.us.
OWC to hold meeting
Free movie night scheduled
The monthly free mov-
ie night sponsored by Hope-
ful Saints Ministry will
take place this Friday, April
12, beginning at 7 p.m. at
the All Saints Parish Hall.
Local students named to OSU
honor roll
eled to a new land.
Pizza and beverages
will be provided. More
information is available by
calling the church office at
541-676-9970.
The Oregon Wheat
Commission (OWC) will
hold a special commission
meeting on April 11 to
discuss commission busi-
ness. The meeting will be
held at the Port of Morrow
Riverfront Facility, 2 Ma-
rine Drive, Boardman, OR
beginning at 10 a.m. in the
Riverfront Room. Lunch
will be provided.
Commission meetings
are open to the public and
anyone wishing to attend
is encouraged and welcome
to do so. Dress is business
casual.
The meeting location
is accessible to persons
with disabilities. The ADA
prohibits discrimination
against persons with dis-
abilities
For additional infor-
mation contact the Oregon
Wheat Commission office
at 503-467-2161.