Retirement party held for
Judge Ann Spicer
HEPPNER
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azette
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VOL. 139
NO. 2 6 Pages
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
A retirement party was held last week for retiring Justice Court Judge, Ann Spicer at the
Bartholomew Building in Heppner. Pictured (L-R): Claudia Hughes, Ann Spicer, Kandy Boyd
and Pat Edmundson. -Photo by April Sykes.
Estes given rousing send off at
retirement dinner
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
County and Circuit Court at
odds over courthouse use
Circuit Court boots Justice of Peace from shared space
By David Sykes
going Justice of the Peace
An on-going conflict Ann Spicer, who was at
over shared use of court- the commission meeting
house space in Heppner by for the swearing in of the
both the Circuit Court and new Justice of the Peace,
the Justice of the Peace was more blunt. “This has
boiled over last week when been an ongoing battle and
the county commission re- they have tried repeated-
ceived a letter telling them ly to take over,” she told
no more sharing of space. the commissioners. “They
At issue is use of one of can’t have what belongs to
the rooms at the courthouse the county.” She said the
for both Circuit Court judge Justice of Peace proceed-
chambers and then to con- ings have only conflicted
duct Justice of the Peace with Circuit Court usage
business. The Sixth Judicial “three times in nine years.
District Court meets regu- The statement that we are
larly in Hermiston and on in constant conflict is just a
a rotating basis in Heppner, flat out lie,” she said.
and they don’t like having
Lindsay said her past
to share a room with the meetings with Circuit Court
County JP. They say sharing officials have tried to work
causes too many conflicts out an arrangement, but
and they no longer want to the Circuit Court seems to
share.
have had enough of talking.
In a letter deemed “Commissioner Melissa
“heavy handed” by com- Lindsay met with my Trial
missioners, Presiding Judge Court Administrator on Fri-
Christopher Brauer said
day, December 23
his court has “exclusive
to inform me your
and unfettered control
Board approved
of spaces” which Mor-
initial steps in
row County is required
space use planning
by law to provide for
regarding use of
the court. He went on to Judge
the Morrow Coun-
say a verbal agreement Christopher ty Courthouse by
the county and the cir- Brauer
County agents and
cuit court have been op-
the State courts,”
erating under for many
Judge Brauer
years over use of the shared wrote. “We appreciate this,
space is “ illusory and was however, as Commissioner
never recognized by the Doherty said to Judge Hill
Circuit Court,” and that the and Mr. Blaine (Circuit
Justice has no right to use Court Administrator) it
room 205 at the courthouse. feels like the same tune
When the county re- again.”
ceived the letter at its Jan-
At a November 13
uary 2 meeting the commis- meeting of the commis-
sioners, as well as outgoing sioners, Circuit Court Judge
Justice of the Peace Ann Daniel Hill and Court Ad-
Spicer, were not happy. ministrator Roy Blaine
“There is no need to take were in attendance and one
this approach. It’s too heavy of the big problems was the
handed,” Commissioner jury room. They said there
Jim Doherty said.
is little privacy as jurors can
In the letter, the circuit hear what is going on in the
court said it was moving next room such as music
forward with plans to con- and talking, and it is hot and
vert room 205 to use as a crowded.
jury deliberation room and
Judge Brauer said in
the current jury room to use taking control of the upper
as the exclusive chambers court house room, the Cir-
of the Circuit Court. “I have cuit Court would from now
directed the Trial Court on permit county personnel
Administrator to ensure access to the courtroom and
control of all court space,” the jury room only “by prior
Judge Brauer told the com- arrangement with the Cir-
missioners in his letter.
cuit Court and when Circuit
Commissioner Melis- Court staff are present.” He
sa Lindsay who has met said the county employ-
several times with rep- ees will be able to remove
resentatives of the court county personal property
in an effort to resolve the currently in room 205 only
conflicts, said there was no by contacting the court. As
reason for the circuit court far as future usage Brauer
to take over all that space. said “The Justice of the
“They don’t have enough Peace will be able to docket
business for the entire up- matters in the courtroom,
stairs,” she said. Commis- and to use the jury room
sioner Don Russell said the for jury deliberations, and
court was “misrepresenting the District Attorney will
the history of the circuit be able to use the jury room
court usage,” emphasizing for grand jury session – all
that there has not been with prior arrangement and
that many conflicts. Out- coordination with Circuit
Court staff”
In taking control of
spaces in the county-owned
courthouse Brauer cited
several Oregon State laws
giving authority to dictate
usage. “I have determined
that use of this space-to
wit the room currently re-
ferred to as ‘judges’ cham-
bers’ (room 205) – by both
Circuit Court judges and
Justice of the Peace for
the Heppner Justice Court
creates a statutorily insuffi-
cient and unsuitable space,”
he said.
In wondering if the Cir-
cuit Court has the authority
to take over a county-owned
space Commissioner Jim
Doherty asked rhetorically
“What are we supposed to
do, link arms in front of
the building and have our
sheriff there?”
Lindsay said she want-
ed to keep working towards
a solution. “We want to
make improvements for ev-
eryone,” but added that any
effort by the court to take
the space is “unacceptable.”
She added there is a meet-
ing scheduled February 1
with Judge Hill, and that
the two would continue to
use the space as in the past.
New Justice of Peace
sworn in
In other business at the
Jan 2 meeting new Justice
of the Peace Glen Diehl was
sworn into office by Mor-
row County Clerk Bobbi
Childers.
Retiring Fire Chief Rusty Estes receives an impressive award for his years of service to the de-
partment and the community. Presenting Estes (center) with the award are incoming Fire Chief
Steve Rhea (left) and Rural Fire Protection District Board Chairman Kelwayne Haguewood.
Retiring Fire Chief he has worked with over the ments around because of
Rusty Estes was honored years. He said Heppner has the participation and quality
last Friday at a prime rib one of the finest fire depart- of its volunteers.
dinner in Heppner. The Elks
Lodge was full of those
who had worked with and
appreciated his 45 years of
service to the department.
Incoming chief Steve Rhea
played Master of Ceremo-
nies and told humorous
stories and other anecdotes
about his many years work-
ing with Estes. Others also
took the microphone to
relate their stories about Es-
tes. There were also firemen
from surrounding districts
who came to bid Estes
farewell.
As part of the ceremo-
ny, Estes was presented
with an impressive fire
axe award and also a bit
of humor with a modified
walker with flashing lights
and a horn.
Estes thanked the
crowd and said he would
miss being on the job and
especially all the firemen
New Justice of the Peace Glen Diehl is sworn into office by
County Clerk Bobbi Childers.
Diehl was appointed
by Governor Kate Brown
to the position filling the
vacancy created by the re-
tirement of Judge Annetta
Spicer.
Diehl, who has been a
community service work
crew supervisor in the Mor-
row County Sheriff’s Office
since 2016, has worked in
law enforcement for his
entire career. He previously
served as a law enforcement
officer for the Pilot Rock
City Police Department,
the Umatilla County Sher-
iff’s Office, the Morrow
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PAGE FIVE
Estes tries out his new retirement walker presented to him in
good fun.