FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 11, 2019
FAA nixes county participation Christmas Music Fest planned
in airport maintenance work
Change in policy results in delay of runway
maintenance
By David Sykes
A change in policy by
the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration, FAA, will
likely result in the delay
of maintenance at the Lex-
ington Airport, the county
commissioners learned at
their November 27 meeting.
The commissioners were
not pleased, with one even
saying elected representa-
tives should be called.
In the past the FAA
has allowed the county to
do work at the airport and
count that work toward its
contribution in the federal
or state financed projects.
The work is called in-kind
or “account-reimbursed
construction” and is per-
formed by the county public
works department.
“Federal design stan-
dards for airfield construc-
tion work can be very strin-
gent,” the FAA office in Des
Moines, Washington said in
a letter to the county turning
down the contribution. The
FAA said even though the
county had done good work
on the airport in the past it
was not going to approve
the county doing work on
this project. “I understand
that the ADO has approved
and Morrow County has
performed work on several
past AIP projects using
force account reimburse-
ment, and to be clear, we
have no reason to believe
that the work in question
does not meet standards,”
said Kevin Latschaw of
the Seattle Airports District
Office. But he said, “We are
not inclined to approve the
request.”
The approved main-
tenance project is over $1
million for seal coating
and installing lighting on
the runaway. The county’s
work would have count-
ed towards a 10 percent
required local match to
receive the large grant.
Not allowing the county to
match funding with work
will probably not kill the
project, but most likely
throw the whole project
off by a year as the county
will now have to come up
with $100,000 cash in next
year’s budget. “We don’t
want to turn down a mil-
lion-dollar project over a
10 percent match,” Public
Works Director Matt Scriv-
ner told the commissioners.
The project was scheduled
to have been started soon
but may have to be moved
out to 2021. The county will
first have to come up with
$100,000 cash and include
that in the 2020 budget
before it can move forward.
Two of the county’s air-
port engineers from Bend
were at the meeting and
expressed disappointment
with the FAA ruling. “Your
public works has proven
capable of doing this kind
of work,” Tom Headley of
Century West Engineer-
ing told the commission.
“Crack seal and pavement
removal are perfect for in-
kind work for the county,”
he said. The county has
relied on in-kind work by
public works extensively in
the past at the airport, and
this policy change was a
surprise and blow to future
plans.
Commissioner Don
Russell, himself a pilot,
was not pleased with the
FAA action. “The FAA
want qualified contractors.
Morrow County is a prov-
en contractor, but they are
still saying no,” he said.
He asked if the engineers
wanted him to contact a
congressional representa-
tive about it. “I can do this,”
he said. Headley said no he
didn’t think going political
would help on this project,
adding, “This is a big blow
to us. It came out of the
blue.” Commissioner Me-
lissa Lindsay was surprised
the FAA turned it down,
saying since everything
had already been approved,
she had hoped they might
just say go ahead with this
project, but say no more
in-kind work on the airport
in the future.
Lindsay also pointed
out the airport is important
for economic development.
“This is a high economic
development for this end
of the county. This is huge.
They (the government)
talk about helping rural
counties and then they do
this,” she argued. Public
Works Management Assis-
tant Sandi Pointer has been
working on writing and re-
ceiving grants for the Lex-
ington airport development
and maintenance for many
years. “There are millions
of dollars that have gone
into that airport and then
we just can’t do this? What
about all the money we put
into the airport already?”
she asked.
After discussion the
commissioners decided to
write a letter to the FAA
expressing their disappoint-
ment. “Tell them we are
very disappointed and if
it happens again, we will
call our congressional del-
egation,” Commissioner
Russell said. “We have the
manpower and the exper-
tise, and we have trained
people and bought equip-
ment for this type of work,”
he added.
USDA opens Conservation
Reserve Program signup
Agriculture Secretary
Sonny Perdue announced
the U.S. Department of
Agriculture opened signup
for the Conservation Re-
serve Program (CRP) on
December 9. The deadline
for agricultural producers
to sign up for general CRP
is February 28, 2020, while
signup for continuous CRP
is ongoing.
Farmers and ranchers
who enroll in CRP receive
a yearly rental payment for
voluntarily establishing
long-term, resource-con-
serving plant species, such
as approved grasses or trees
(known as “covers”) to con-
trol soil erosion, improve
water quality and develop
wildlife habitat on margin-
ally productive agricultural
lands.
“The Conservation Re-
serve Program is one of our
nation’s largest conserva-
tion endeavors and a critical
tool to help producers better
manage their operations
while conserving natural re-
sources,” Secretary Perdue
said. “The program marks
its 35-year anniversary in
2020, and we’re hoping to
see one of our largest sig-
nups in many years.”
CRP has 22 million
acres enrolled, but the 2018
Farm Bill lifted the cap
to 27 million acres. This
means farmers and ranchers
have a chance to enroll in
CRP for the first time or
continue their participation
for another term.
Signed into law in
1985, CRP is one of the
largest private-lands con-
servation programs in the
U.S. The program was orig-
inally primarily intended
to control soil erosion and
potentially stabilize com-
modity prices by taking
marginal lands out of pro-
duction. This Farm Bill pro-
gram has evolved over the
years, providing a variety of
conservation and economic
benefits from coast to coast.
CRP has:
-Prevented more than
9 billion tons of soil from
eroding, enough soil to fill
600 million dump trucks;
-Reduced nitrogen and
phosphorous runoff relative
to annually tilled cropland
by 95 and 85 percent re-
spectively;
-Sequestered an annual
average of 49 million tons
of greenhouse gases, equal
to taking nine million cars
off the road;
-Created more than 3
million acres of restored
wetlands while protecting
more than 175,000 stream
miles with riparian forest
and grass buffers, enough to
go around the world seven
times; and
-Benefited bees and
other pollinators and in-
creased populations of
ducks, pheasants, turkey,
bobwhite quail, prairie
chickens, grasshopper spar-
rows and many other birds.
By enrolling in CRP,
producers are improving
water quality, reducing
soil erosion, and restoring
habitat for wildlife. This in
turn spurs hunting, fishing,
recreation, tourism and oth-
er economic development
across rural America.
To enroll in CRP, con-
tact your local FSA county
office or visit fsa.usda.gov/
crp. To locate your local
FSA office, visit farmers.
gov/service-locator.
20% off Montana Silver
Fresh Christmas Trees in Stock!
Morrow County Grain Growers Green Feed & Seed
Heppner - 242 W Linden Way - 541-676-9422
A festival of Christmas
music featuring musicians
from around the communi-
ty, will be held at Hope Lu-
theran Church (in Heppner
near the dam) on Sunday,
December 15, at 4 p.m. The
program will conclude with
an opportunity to sing your
favorite carols.
Admission is free, but
donations of canned goods
for the Neighborhood Cen-
ter will be welcome. More
information about the con-
cert is available by calling
the Hopeful Saints Ministry
office at 541-676-9970.
St. Patrick’s Parish to host
Christmas event
St. Patrick’s Parish will host a Christmas potluck and children’s musical play
December 15. Mass will be held at 11 a.m. followed by the potluck at noon and the
performance at 12:45 p.m.
The new musical, Follow the Star, performed by the children of St. Patrick’s tells
the story of the birth of Jesus and includes new songs, solos and music.
Everyone is invited to join the celebration of the Christmas season.
Sheriff’s Report
The Morrow County Sheriff’s Office has released the following information:
July 22: Morrow Coun- Oregon on S First St, Irri- drove off.
ty Sheriff’s Office received gon that a guy is trying to
-MCSO received a re-
a report on Lewis and Clark get into the drop box at the port on NE Third St, Irrigon
Dr, Boardman that earlier bank. Unable to locate.
that subject is headed back
today a newer white Ford
-MCSO received a re- from Hermiston to Irrigon
Explorer with three indi- port at Bucknum’s on N driving on CO plates and
viduals took pictures of the Main St, Heppner that there license. RP is concerned
site. 35 minutes later they is a female behind the bar that the subject is driving
wandered the property. One that is high and is bothering without a license because
of the individuals appeared her customers.
his is void after 30 days.
July 23: Morrow
to be carrying a weapon.
July 29: Morrow
-MCSO received a re- County Sheriff ’s Office County Sheriff ’s Office
port on I 84 W, Boardman received a report at Hwy received a report on Hanna
that there is tire tread all 730/I 84 W, Boardman that Arbuckle Rd, Heppner that
over both lanes. Referred RP hit a deer. The deer is RP is 25 miles outside of
well off the road to the left. Heppner towards Penland
to other agency.
-MCSO received a Referred to other agency. Lake and needs assistance.
-MCSO received a re- Is dehydrated.
report on SE Utah Ave,
Irrigon that gold Dodge port at E Hwy 730/First
-MCSO received a
short bed pickup went past St, Irrigon that a white car report on NE Quaid St,
his house at a high rate of driving through Irrigon is Heppner of debris on the
all over the road. Unable sidewalk and trailer parked
speed.
-MCSO received a re- to locate.
the wrong way.
-MCSO received a re-
port on NE Ninth St, Irrigon
-MCSO received a re-
that neighbor is blaring port that Johnney Allen port on NW Gale St, Hep-
music and rattling RP’s Hedge was arrested by pner that RP had two bags
MCSO on CA DOC parole stolen. States unknown
windows.
-MCSO received a re- and community service when it went missing. RP
port at Green Acres on warrant. No bail, lodged at called back and advised he
Paterson Ferry Rd, Irrigon NORCOR.
left the bag at the grocery
-MCSO received a store yesterday.
that her car was stolen at the
Butter Creek apartments. report on SE Utah Ave,
-MCSO received a re-
Vehicle was recovered by Irrigon that a gray Chevy port on Meadow Loop,
pickup went by his house at Boardman that she got a
UCSO unoccupied.
-MCSO received a re- a high rate of speed. Unable check mailed to her and
port on Washington Ln, to locate.
states she believes it is a
-MCSO received a re- scam.
Irrigon that there has been
a dog at her house all day, port on W Seventh Rd, Ir-
-MCSO received a re-
she has been trying to find rigon of a 60-year-old male, port at Agri Northwest on
the owner. Hasn’t had a diabetic and semi-con- Paterson Ferry Rd, Irrigon
problem all day but now her scious.
of a female parked off of
-MCSO received a re- Frontage/Pole Line who is
chickens are slaughtered.
-MCSO received a re- port at S Birch St, Ione of advising she is out of gas
port on SE Utah Ave, Ir- a subject threatening sui- and going to stay there until
rigon that a silver Honda cide and has access to two she dies. RP would like her
CRV goes up to a house handguns.
off the property and if it is
-MCSO received a re- truly a gas situation, they
near his every day and
parks out front going into port at Miller Rd/Hender- would be happy to fill her
the driveway or waiting by gart Ln, Boardman that up and get her along.
the driveway. RP advised there is a toilet in the road.
that someone waits in the Referred to other agency.
-Continued on PAGE SIX
-MCSO received a re-
car and other person goes
inside before leaving. RP port at MCGG Boardman
DEADLINE:
thinks they have to be buy- on Rail Loop Dr, Board-
man that a silver Jeep with
ing dope.
MONDAYS
-MCSO received a re- Idaho plates is digging a
AT 5PM
port at Bank of Eastern hole, walked down and they
Happy 90th Birthday
GENE ORWICK
Gene’s family invites his friends to join
us for a 90th birthday celebration at
Heppner Elks Club on
Saturday, December 14th, at
two o’clock in the afternoon.
A luncheon will be served in honor of
Gene.You are invited to share a story
from the past and make a new
memory to treasure.
Have a news story or photo for the Gazette? Email editor@rapidserve.net
call 541-676-9228 or stop by the office on Willow St., Heppner today.