Sheriff Matlack seeks
re-election in 2020
HEPPNER
G T
50¢
azette
imes
VOL. 138
NO. 38 6 Pages
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Fire hall gets new flag
Fire Chief Rusty Estes with Don Bennett and Whitney Haguewood. -Contributed photo.
The Heppner Fire Hall
recently received a new
custom-made American
flag for use in their confer-
ence room. Hand crafted
and painted by Whitney
Haguewood, the flag was
created from used fire hose
complete with brass con-
nections.
The flag was presented
to Fire Chief Rusty Estes
by Haguewood in honor
of her grandfather Donald
Bennett, who has served as
chair of the Heppner Rural
Fire Protection District for
many decades. Bennett
recently stepped down as
chair but continues to serve
on the rural board. The large
flag will hang in the hall’s
conference room.
The Heppner Fire Hall
serves both the city of
Heppner’s Volunteer Fire
Department and the Hep-
pner Rural Fire Protection
District.
Council hears plans for new
RV park in Lexington
12-15 spaces on former school property
By David Sykes
The Lexington town
council last Tuesday heard
plans for a new recreational
vehicle park planned for the
former school property. The
park would be owned by
Sam and Mary Kay Bella-
my, owners of Lexington
Pump.
Sam Bellamy was at
the meeting to answer ques-
tions from the council and
the public. The main ques-
tions to come up about
the planned 12-15-unit
park was how it would be
kept clean, not become
run down and an eyesore.
Some town residents were
worried about “trash, tran-
sients and trouble” and
mentioned several times
not wanting the facility
to end up like the one in
Heppner. Bellamy said he
would not let that happen
both through his written
lease agreements, and reg-
ular inspections of the park.
“I’m interested in windmill
workers and tourists,” he
emphasized.
Bellamy said he wanted
to get the park complet-
ed by the end of the year
and be ready for the big
new windmill construction
project starting soon near
Lexington, so he could pro-
vide spaces for some of the
estimated 300 construction
workers expected to be on
the job. After that he said
the park would be mainly
for short term stays, except
for one or two spots to be
used by caretakers.
The meeting last Tues-
day was a public hearing
on the project which is re-
quired before details of the
park are completed and sent
to the town planning com-
mission for approval. The
four-member town council
also serves as the planning
committee. Bellamy said he
has also received approval
from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Environmental
Quality for installation of
a septic system. He said
he would be doing most of
the construction of the park
himself.
Access to the RV park
was also discussed and
Bellamy said he plans to use
an existing town street that
runs alongside the prop-
erty. Lexington resident
Sid Kennedy who lives
across from the proposed
park said he would be up-
set if the park turned into
some kind of camp with
the people causing trouble.
He was also concerned the
park might bring down his
property values. Other
residents said they did not
want to see kids running all
over the place, getting on
other people’s properties
and causing trouble.
Bellamy said he would
monitor the property and
make sure it was orderly
and kept up. “Sam will
keep it nice,” one audience
member said. “He will do
the right thing.” The council
was prepared to vote on the
proposal, but it was then
decided to wait one month
for additional information
about the park, including a
proposed lease agreement
Bellamy plans on using.
Land donated for new
town park
In other business May-
or Marcia Kemp announced
that Sam and Mary Kay
Bellamy have agreed to
donate land on the former
school property for use as
a city park. Kemp has been
advocating for some time
for a new park “where our
children can play.” She said
the town needs a place for
kids and said she would im-
mediately begin submitting
grant applications for new
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
playground equipment. The
Bellamys said they would
lease the ground on the
west side of the old school
building for the new town
park. Some towns people
wondered if the town had
the resources to maintain
the park once built, and
others said they thought
volunteers would step up
to do maintenance once it
was built.
In other business the
council reportedly voted
via email to hire Kevin
McCabe as part time town
recorder. The previous re-
corder had turned in her
resignation. Mayor Kemp
had suggested at the meet-
ing that the town refrain
from hiring a permanent
recorder until the “turmoil”
involving city government
is resolved. “I don’t want to
put whomever we hire into
this situation,” Kemp said.
Councilmember Bill Beard
agreed but said to Kemp:
“Keep us informed on what
you are doing. When we
have questions please get
back to us,” he implored.
At this time there is a
recall petition against the
mayor and councilmember
Bill Beard. A third recall
petition has also reportedly
been started against coun-
cilmember Bobbi Gordon.
Beard’s and Kemp’s peti-
tions have been submitted
and the signatures verified,
however only Beard’s recall
vote has been scheduled
(see related story).
The Heppner Ga-
zette-Times wants to see
pictures of your trophy
animals from this hunting
season. Stop
by to have
your picture
taken, drop
off photos,
mail them to
PO Box 337
in Heppner, email them to
editor@rapidserve.net or
text cell phone photos to
541-980-6674.
Morrow County Sher-
iff Kenneth Matlack has
announced that he will run
for re-election in 2020.
Matlack was elected the 16 th
sheriff of Morrow County
in 2004, taking office in
2005. He has over 40 years
of law enforcement knowl-
edge and experience serv-
ing eastern Oregon and the
citizens of Morrow County.
“It has been an honor
and my pleasure to serve the
people of Morrow County
as their elected sheriff. I
wish to announce my 2020
re-election efforts to seek
the will of the people to be
retained as the 16 th person
to be elected Morrow Coun-
ty Sheriff,” Sheriff Matlack
said.
Matlack grew up in the
Irrigon/Umatilla area and
graduated from Umatilla
High School and Eastern
Oregon State College with
a Bachelor of Science De-
gree in education. He was
a public-school teacher
and coach at Powder Valley
High School in North Pow-
der until he was recruited
by the Oregon State Police.
During his career with the
Oregon State Police he was
assigned and promoted to
a variety of different posi-
tions including trooper, de-
tective, detective sergeant,
patrol sergeant, assistant
station commander and
outpost commander. As
the outpost commander,
he supervised state police
field operations in Gilliam,
Wheeler and a portion of
Morrow County.
Upon retiring from the
Oregon State Police, he
received a private investi-
gator license and worked
as a private investigator in
Oregon and Washington.
He also worked for several
years as a contract inves-
tigator with the Oregon
Department of Corrections.
Matlack reported, “The
office of sheriff is one of
the oldest and most unique
elected positions in the
United States. The sheriff
by Oregon state statute is
defined as “The Chief Law
Enforcement Officer and
Conservator of the Peace”
in each of our 36 counties.
His only true boss are the
people who place him into
office. The sheriff serves at
their will. If the sheriff is
faithful to the people and
develops an agency that
the people trust and find
him to be approachable
and willing to answer their
questions, and accessible
either at the office or at his
home by phone or personal
contact then they most like-
ly can see for themselves
if he has the character and
Sheriff Kenneth Matlack
leadership abilities to pro-
tect and serve them. If not,
then he will not be elected
and that is the way it should
be. I have done my best to
serve the people whether in
the office or working in the
field supporting our depu-
ties. It has been a wonderful
job and I seek to continue
serving you.”
To monitor the current
activities and actions of the
sheriff’s office on Facebook
search the Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office Facebook
page. Matlack’s current and
future goals and plans are
available by visiting www.
aworkingsheriff.com.
“I will continue to keep
you informed with articles
and activities and answer
your questions or concerns
as we go through the elec-
tion process. I appreciate
your support and sincerely
seek your vote,” Matlack
stated.
FCC authorizes $67.6 million
to expand rural broadband
Representative Greg
Walden (R-Hood River)
released the following
statement after the Federal
Communications Com-
mission authorized $67.7
million for rural broadband
in Oregon over the next 10
years for rural broadband.
These funds will support
Oregon for the next decade
by helping to maintain,
improve and expand af-
fordable broadband for
rural Oregonians. Ten coun-
ties in Oregon will receive
funding, nine of which
are in the Second District,
including, Baker, Gilliam,
Grant, Jefferson, Malheur,
Morrow, Wallowa, Wasco
and Wheeler.
“Expanding access to
rural broadband in Oregon
brings us closer to narrow-
ing the urban/rural digital
divide and ushers rural Or-
egonians into the 21 st centu-
ry,” said Walden. “There are
still too many Oregonians
who lack access to reliable
broadband internet service
and thus access to things
like telemedicine, remote
learning, next generation
emergency services and
video streaming because
of insufficient internet ser-
vice. I am grateful that the
FCC recognizes the need to
expand rural broadband in
Oregon. I look forward to
continuing to work along-
side Chairman Pai and my
colleagues in congress to
ensure all Americans are
connected to high speed
broadband.”
The funding Oregon
received is part of a larger
national authorization of
$4.9 billion across 39 states
and the American Samoa.
In return for the support
the FCC is offering, carriers
must maintain, improve and
expand broadband through
their service area.
In his statement, FCC
Chairman Ajit Pai said
these funds will help 4,700
homes and small businesses
in Oregon and help close
the digital divide.
“Our action today will
help close the digital divide
and is a win-win for rural
Americans and taxpay-
ers, including nearly 4,700
homes and small business-
es in Oregon,” said FCC
Chairman Ajit Pai. “Car-
riers get the predictable
support they need to deliver
broadband to their custom-
ers in these high-cost rural
areas. And taxpayers, who
fund this support through
a fee on their phone bills,
are getting more bang for
their buck.”
Walden invited Chair-
man Pai to eastern Oregon
last year to discuss efforts
to improve connectivity in
rural communities, includ-
ing making sure patients in
remote areas have access
to the best doctors through
technology like telehealth.
Walden continues to
partner with Chairman Pai
and the FCC to expand
broadband infrastructure
to rural communities in
Oregon, which is a priority
for Representative Walden.
Walden led the effort to pass
the RAY BAUM’S Act into
law, which reauthorized the
FCC and gave the agency
additional tools to enhance
broadband expansion.
Burglary suspect in custody
Kristopher Enrique
Roggiero, 20, of Hermis-
ton was arrested by Morrow
County Sheriff ’s Office
September 3 after a Hep-
pner burglary investigation
identified him as a suspect.
The Morrow County
Sheriff’s Office received
a report of a burglary at
a residence in Heppner
on September 2. Deputies
conducted a follow-up in-
vestigation the next day,
contacting neighbors in the
area and reviewing secu-
rity camera footage which
identified the suspect and
his vehicle.
After locating the sus-
pect vehicle on Highway
207 at MP 15A Roggiero
was taken into custody and
lodged at Umatilla Coun-
ty Jail. He was arrested
on charges of Burglary I Kristopher Enrique Roggiero
(felony), Theft I (felony) (misdemeanor). Total bail
and Criminal Mischief II was set at $65,000.
MORROW COUNTY GRAIN GROWERS
350 MAIN ST
LEXINGTON, OR 97839, CONTACT: JUSTIN BAILEY
541-989-8221
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