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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2019)
Parade winners announced HEPPNER G T 50¢ azette imes VOL. 138 NO. 34 6 Pages Wednesday, August 21, 2019 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Lexington RV park planned 10-15 sites on former school property Owyhee Nite Dazzlers. -Photo by David Sykes. The Owyhee Nite Dazzlers drill team took first place in the rider’s category at the 2019 Morrow County Fair parade. In the community float category, Critters with Attitude placed first and Columbia River Heat was second. Morrow County Health District was named the first-place winner in the commercial float category with Bank of Eastern Oregon taking second. Critters with Attitude. -Photo by Bobbi Gordon. Local man wants to construct RV park on this former school property in Lexington. By David Sykes Lexington man Sam Bellamy plans to build an RV park on the former school property he acquired in town several years ago, he informed the town coun- cil last week. The council was aware of his plans as Sam’s wife, Mary Kay, had been to a meeting several months ago to discuss the project. Bellamy says the park is going to be mainly vaca- tion type rentals with may- be two permanent spaces available. At last Tuesday’s council meeting he was not asking for official approval from the town council for the project, just informing them of the details. He ex- plained that before anything can be done, he first needs Department of Environ- mental Quality approval for an adequate septic system. The entire town of Lexing- ton is on septic so locating and installing an approved system is an important first piece to building the park. The town council ap- peared in favor of the idea with councilmember Bobbi Gordon saying it would be a “plus for Lexington.” However, one audience member was concerned if the park could eventually become a problem for the town. “What is the guar- antee it isn’t going to turn into Heppner’s RV park,” they asked. Heppner’s park is located downtown on Main Street across from the motel and has perma- nent residents. The park is gaining a reputation for trashy properties and re- ports of bad smells and people didn’t want that to happen in Lexington. Bella- my said he is going to keep his properties clean and will have only one or two permanent spots for rent, mainly for the property’s caretaker. The rest will be for short term rentals. “I will screen people care- fully, even the two perma- nent I have there,” Bellamy assured the council and public. There could be up to 300 windmill workers coming soon to work on the project once construction begins, and Bellamy said he would rent to them, but plans on keeping a close eye on things. Looking at rehabbing airport well In other business Bel- lamy told the council that he was contacted by the windmill construction people about obtaining a non-potable water source to be used during the construc- tion process. He said the town’s abandoned well at the Lexington airport may be an option. Bellamy said the windmill company will pay for all the expenses of putting in a new pump if he were allowed to run a test on the well. He said the benefit to the town would be a new pump and another source of water. There were concerns that the town did not have water rights on the well, and also a resident near the well wanted to know if pumping would impact the water level in his well. Bellamy said a separate monitoring device could be placed on the surrounding wells to make sure they were not negatively impacted from the pumping. Bellamy said he was asking for permis- sion from the council to run an eight-hour test on the well. The council said they would postpone the decision until they find out if they have water rights. Bellamy said the windmill company needed to know soon as they are looking for a water source by January or February. Members of the council suggested to Bellamy that a better option might be to have the wind- mill company help pay for drilling a new well instead, but he said there would not be time for that option. In other business May- or Marcia Kemp said she is still looking for land for a city park. “There is no place in this town for kids to play,” she said. Kemp said she has a couple of pieces of land in mind and if she secures them will begin applying for grants to fund it. “People have asked for a park and I think it’s import- ant to have a park for the kids. There are dollars out there for parks and we need to get them for our kids,” she said. Community mem- bers voiced their concern that the two parks already in Lexington are not watered or maintained, so wondered if a new park would have the same problems. Kemp also talked about new Welcome to Lexing- ton signs planned for the town. She showed a picture of the Welcome to Spray sign as an example of how Lexington’s may look. Al- though the community has been asked for suggestions for the new signs, the Wel- come to Spray sign was the only one submitted. Kemp applied for and received a grant to pay for the new signs. Morrow County Health District. -Photo by Bobbi Gordon. Walden to hold Heppner town hall Continuing a series of town hall meetings across Oregon’s Second Dis- trict, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced today he will hold town halls in Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Harney, and Wasco counties begin- ning next week. Heppner’s town hall will be on Wednesday, Au- gust 28 at 2:15 p.m. at Heppner City Hall on Main Street. “I’m looking forward These meetings provide just another opportunity to hear from Oregonians and provide an update on the issues I’m working on back in Congress. In addition to the over 74,000 letters, emails and phone calls I have responded to over the past year, these town halls help me stay updated on the issues people are facing in Rep. Greg Walden our communities. This is a to hearing from people top priority for me,” said throughout the Second Dis- Walden. trict at these five town halls. School starts Monday In other action the council heard a request from Sheila and Reid Miller for a reduction in setback requirements so they can put in a new home. The request was to reduce the set back from ten to six feet. The Millers said the reduc- tion was necessary because of the odd configuration of the lot and there was only one place to place their new two-bedroom two bath home. The council voted unanimously to approve the request. In other action Mayor Kemp asked that the two town employees laid off during the recent town shut down be paid for those sev- en days. The council said no to payment because the shutdown could have been avoided. “The council was -See LEX RV PARK/PAGE THREE Morrow County School District students start the 2019-20 school year Mon- day, August 26. There will be no school for students and staff on Friday, August 30, and Monday, Septem- ber 2, for the Labor Day holiday. The district held a dis- trict-wide staff in-service on August 19 at Riverside High School in Boardman, a building in-service on Tuesday and eight-hour staff workdays on Wednes- day and Thursday, August 21-22. MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS 350 MAIN ST LEXINGTON, OR 97839, CONTACT: JUSTIN BAILEY 541-989-8221 Offers vary by model. *Rebate offers valid on select 2015-2019 new and unregistered Polaris ® RZR ® , RANGER ® , Sportsman ® , GENERAL ® , and ACE ® models purchased between 7/24/19 and 9/30/19 and financing offers valid on select 2015-2020 new and unregistered models purchased between 7/24/2019 and 9/30/2019. **Rates as low as 3.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36-month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. 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