Local teachers receive Crystal
Apple awards
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 138
NO. 21 8 Pages
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Sue Gibbs
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Lexington mayor seeks ideas
for welcome signs
Vacant council seat still goes unfilled
Petra Payne
By David Sykes
Lexington mayor Mar-
cia Kemp says she wants
public input for the three
new Welcome to Lexing-
ton signs going up in town.
At last Tuesday’s council
meeting Kemp announced
the town had received a
$2,000 grant to help pay
for the signs and that she
wants to hear from peo-
ple what they should look
like. “Bring your ideas,”
she encouraged the public.
Councilmember Bill Beard
suggested that the town
send out a notice with its
water bills asking for public
input about the signs.
The grant for the signs
came from the Willow
Creek Valley Economic
Development Group com-
munity enhancement pro-
gram, which has given out
money to communities for
improvements. Kemp said
she was happy the city got
the money and she plans
on applying for this grant,
and others, in the coming
year. “We are going to be
ready next year to apply
for grants,” saying the city
“needs to get projects ready
to apply for a variety of
grants. I am going to be
very aggressive and go
after grants in the coming
year,” she said. Kemp iden-
tified nine different places
she would try for grants
including the Wildhorse
Foundation and Northwest
Farm Credit.
In a related matter
Kemp invited the public
to come and be part of the
town’s budgeting process.
She said the first meeting
is May 29. “Everyone is
invited. It’s your town and
your money,” she told the
public. “It will be fun and
interesting.” The council
also voted unanimously
to appoint Keven McCabe
to the budget committee.
McCabe has experience
in budgeting and money
management.
Council position still
unfilled
In other business the
council revisited making an
appointment to fill a vacant
council position. How to
make the position caused
some friction at last month’s
meeting when Kemp said
she would not allow one
of the names put forward,
Curtis Thompson, to be
considered for the empty
position. At this month’s
meeting she said that was
incorrect, and she did not
have the authority under
the town charter to block a
name for consideration. In
the meantime, another per-
son has expressed interest
in the being on the council.
Sheila Miller re-submitted
her letter of interest. In
January Kemp had also
denied Miller’s request for
consideration. Apparently,
Tim Schulte withdrew his
request from last month to
be a councilmember.
A motion was subse-
quently made to vote on
the two candidates. The
vote was two yes, coun-
cilmembers Bobbi Gordon
and Bill Beard, and two
no, councilmember Marcia
Sticka and Mayor Kemp.
Gordon and Beard said
that according to the town
charter Kemp does not
have the right to vote with
the council except in the
case to break a tie. Kemp
disputed that interpretation
and produced a letter from
2004 in which a lawyer for
the League of Oregon Cities
gave an opinion apparently
saying the mayor can vote
with the council in the case
of filling council vacancies.
The current town charter,
however, wasn’t adopted
until 2012.
The issue was not re-
solved at last week’s meet-
ing, and the empty council
position remained unfilled.
Kemp asked the council to
wait until she gets another
legal option on whether the
mayor has the right to vote.
“I am going to the League
of Oregon Cities and get
a legal opinion. If I am
wrong, I’m wrong.” Sev-
eral members of the audi-
ence including past mayors
and councilmembers said
they couldn’t remember the
mayor ever voting except
to break a council tie. One
member of the public and
past councilmember, Will
Lemmon pointed out that
with the current makeup
of the council, “Wouldn’t
this result in continued
deadlocks?” Kemp said
the public could decide and
make its decision at the bal-
lot box. “Wait until election
then get rid of us.” Lemmon
urged the council to try and
work together. “Can’t it be
better to work together for
decisions. We will see if this
continues to be a deadlock
situation,” he said.
Jake brakes making
noise
In other business the
council discussed a truck
that comes through town
regularly making noise
using its “jake” brakes. It
was suggested to contact
the sheriff about the offend-
ing truck, but no one had a
license number. For those
unfamiliar, jake or jacob
brakes are compression
release brakes on diesel
trucks. When a diesel en-
gine slows down using its
jake brake, it opens the
exhaust valves on top of
the compression stroke. In
commercial trucks, when
the jake brake is used to
slow down, the truck makes
a deep rumbling noise
which can be disturbing
when used in residential
areas. There are no signs
in Lexington prohibiting
jake brakes and apparently
there is no town ordinance
against it. One person sug-
gested just contacting the
driver of the truck and ask-
ing him to stop using them
so much.
In other action the
council sent a letter to Fed-
eral Signal Corp asking
for a refund of $6,639 the
town spent in 2018 with
the company for a new fire
siren that never operated.
Federal Signal admitted
that it advised the town
wrong when it bought the
siren, however the fire si-
ren has not been replaced
or sent a refund. The town
needed to have its attorney
send a letter demanding the
refund. The old fire siren on
the previous fire hall had
been sold so the town has
been without a siren for
some time. “When we get
a new one have someone
install it and make sure that
it works,” Kemp said.
County thanked for
funds
In other business the
council was presented with
a letter Mayor Kemp wrote
to the Morrow County Bud-
get Committee thanking
them for the $55,463 pro-
vided to the town by the
county. Kemp said the town
will use part of the money
to replace old and worn out
water meters, and the rest
to pave two badly needed
streets.
In the letter Kemp also
talked about projects she
hopes to see get done with
the help of grant money.
“We have a priority list
and have identified projects
that need funding. Some of
our projects include street
repairs, a park, new well,
Lexington Community
Days, railroad right-aways,
and other projects. We will
be applying for grants to
help achieve these goals
when possible. In addition
we have some reserve funds
coupled with grant match-
ing funds to accomplish
some of our goals,” she said
in the letter.
“Lexington is now
entering a new era – We
are inviting the citizens to
“Make Lexington Great”
and we are off to a great
start since January of this
year. We govern with the
help of our citizens who
have been involved in not
only our town council meet-
ings but have been active
in our two community goal
setting/grant meetings. We
have had a good turnout for
our meetings, ranging from
8 to 20 citizens eager to get
involved as we move for-
ward to a more prosperous
Lexington,” Kemp said.
Four local teachers
were recently chosen as
the 2019 Crystal Apple win-
ners. Sue Gibbs, a fourth-
grade teacher at Heppner
Elementary School; Petra
Payne, the Spanish/Senior
Transition/Health teach-
er at Heppner Jr/Sr High
School; Stephanie McElli-
gott, the Instructional Aide/
District Test Coordinator/
Next Steps Counselor for
Ione Community School
and Paul Neiffer, a Spanish
teacher/ESL Director at
Ione Community School
were awarded 2019 Crys-
tal Apple Excellence in
Education awards by the
Intermountain Education
Service District (IMESD).
A total of 45 individuals
from eastern Oregon school
districts were honored at
events held in La Grande
and Pendleton.
Each year, the IMESD
partners with its school dis-
tricts to recognize outstand-
ing administrators, teach-
ers, educational assistants
and office and building staff
for their dedication and
commitment to students
and for their willingness
to go above and beyond
their regular duties. Nomi-
nations are submitted over
a two-month period by
administrators, coworkers,
parents, students and com-
munity members. Winners
are selected from these
nominations by school dis-
trict administration.
Sue Gibbs has worked
for the Morrow County
School District for 21 years.
Her nomination stated,
“She works hard to help
each student reach their full
potential and is committed
to individual instruction for
every student who needs
it.”
Petra Payne has worked
for the district for 16 years.
According to her nomina-
tion, “Tireless in her devo-
tion to students, Petra goes
the extra mile to ensure they
are well prepared for future
success.”
Stephanie McElligott
has worked for the Ione dis-
trict for seven years. Steph-
anie’s bilingual skills are
greatly valued, as she is in-
tegral in communicating to
non-English speaking stu-
dents and their parents. Her
nomination stated, “She is
one of those employees we
cannot do without.”
Paul Neiffer
Stephanie McElligott
Paul Neiffer has
worked for the district for
two years. According to his
nomination, “Paul is a great
asset in working with Ione’s
non-English speaking stu-
dents and works with the
adult Hispanic Club. His
vast knowledge of so many
subjects is impressive, and
students and co-workers
alike highly respect him.”
“We are so pleased to
celebrate all of this years’
Crystal Apple winners.
Each of these individuals
are contributing greatly
to the success of students
in eastern Oregon,” said
Michele Madril, IMESD
director of communication.
Awning to be replaced
at local store
(L-R): Doug Klock, Dale Bates, Darlene Klock and Richard Hainline load up the old awning
to send it off for repair.
The awning at Peter-
son’s Jewelers on Main
Street in Heppner was re-
moved Monday and the
frame was transported to
Walter’s Upholstery in Wal-
la Walla, WA to have the
new awning installed. Not
only will the awning be
replaced, but the front and
side of the building will be
pressure washed, boards
replaced, sanded and re-
painted.
Heppner community
members expressed an in-
terest in making donations
to assist with enhancing the
Peterson’s Jewelers build-
ing to show Mr. Peterson
that he is appreciated for
the great service he has pro-
vided to the community for
many years. Willow Creek
Valley Economic Group
has approved funding for a
business enhancement grant
for 50 percent of the cost of
the project. The community
donations will pay the other
$3,350 of the cost.
The Heppner chamber
is in charge of the proj-
ect and will be accept-
ing donations. Contact the
chamber at 541-676-5535
for additional information.
Checks payable to Heppner
Chamber can be dropped
by or sent to PO Box 1232,
Heppner, OR 97836. Pe-
terson’s Jewelers should
be indicated on the check.
There is also a donation
jar at Murray’s Drug in
Heppner.
G-T closed Memorial Day
The Heppner Gazette-Times will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday on
Monday, May 27. The deadline for all news and advertising for the May 29 issue will
be Friday, May 24, at 5 p.m. Normal business hours will resume Tuesday, May 28.
The G-T wishes everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.
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