Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 2, 2020 -- THREE
Heppner averages
slightly warmer in
August
According to prelim-
inary data received by
NOAA’s National Weather
Service in Pendleton, tem-
peratures at Heppner aver-
aged slightly warmer than
normal during the month
of August.
The average tempera-
ture was 70.2 degrees which
was 0.7 degrees above nor-
mal. High temperatures av-
eraged 85.7 degrees, which
was 0.2 degrees above nor-
mal. The highest was 99
degrees on the 18 th . Low
temperatures averaged 54.6
degrees, which was 1.2
degrees above normal. The
lowest was 42 degrees, on
the 30 th .
On seven days, the tem-
perature exceeded 90 de-
grees. Precipitation totaled
0.00 inches during August,
which was 0.39 inches be-
low normal.
Precipitation this year
has reached 6.84 inches,
which is 2.54 inches below
normal. Since October, the
water year precipitation
at Heppner has been 8.22
inches, which is 5.22 inches
below normal.
The outlook for Sep-
tember from NOAA’s Cli-
mate Prediction Center
calls for above normal tem-
peratures and below nor-
mal precipitation. Normal
highs for Heppner fall from
82.0 degrees at the start of
September to 71.0 degrees
at the end of September.
Normal lows fall from 50.0
degrees to 43.0 degrees.
The 30-year normal precip-
itation is 0.56 inches.
Booster Club
auction cancelled
The Heppner Booster
Club has made the deci-
sion to cancel the annual
Booster Club Dinner and
Auction this year due to
the current restrictions. The
auction committee made
the decision for the health
and safety of the commu-
nity. The next auction will
be scheduled for October
2021.
Generous donations
from past auctions have
supported scholastic, ex-
tra-curricular and athletic
achievements for students
of Heppner Junior/Senior
High School in the past
and the committee plans to
continue that mission for
the 2020-2021 school year.
The committee stated
that donations from indi-
viduals and businesses will
still be accepted this year
for those who would like
to contribute. Donations
may be sent to PO Box
917, Heppner, OR 97836
and a thank you letter will
be returned as a receipt for
the tax-deductible donation.
Brandi Sweeney, auc-
tion chair, told the Gazette,
“Our Committee is disap-
pointed about canceling
our event, it is a great way
to celebrate and support
our Mustangs, but we look
forward to October 2021.”
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Stop in the Heppner Gazette office or email us
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188 W Willow Street
Heppner, OR
editor@rapidserve.net
Yard Sale
September 5 th and 6 th
8:00 am to 4:00 pm or until sold out
275 N. Court Street - Heppner
All items are in good condition
Holiday, jewelry, end table, games, books,
household, wood ammo boxes, play mat squares,
camping mats, old army cots, kid’s items,
and much, much more
Cash sales only – No returns
Masks and Social Distancing Required
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
Church Services 1st & 3rd
Sundays
10:00 AM
No Service September 6th
Available for:
Weddings • Funerals
Family Events
541-422-7300
Old
Country
Church
All Are
Welcome
NEW COUNTY BUILDING
-Continued from PAGE ONE cation was right. On adjust- contractor is awarded a provides public transit for
was a little higher than they
wanted to spend, especially
since it was more than in the
budget. “My next question
is, where does the mon-
ey come from?” Russell
asked. “We only budgeted
$250,000.” Commissioner
Melissa Lindsay speculated
that maybe Federal money
from the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Se-
curity (CARES) Act could
be used for the new build-
ing. Russell said when he
heard where some of the
other counties in Oregon
were spending CARES
money the new emergen-
cy building “would be an
easy spot for the county
to spend money.” Lindsay
said she felt “a small piece
of CARES dollars” could
be a good use to spend
on an emergency services
building.
The commissioners
eventually voted to move
forward with a request for
proposals (RFP) from con-
tractors to get an idea of
the final cost but wanted
to also leave open the door
to make adjustments to the
building and costs later. “I
would like to fine tune this
more before we approve
the final cost of it,” Russell
said. “How we pay for it,
$300,000 over budget and
where does that money
come from? Do we need
everything that is listed in
the engineers estimate?”
he wondered. Lindsay said
a lot of time was spent with
the sheriff on analyzing the
site so she thought the lo-
ments to the building and
costs, she added, “There is
a little bit of room but not a
ton of room,” for changes.
After discussion and hear-
ing from the sheriff, Russell
said he was “happy with the
location.” Adding that “the
city of Heppner has been
very generous in donating
a piece of property to us.”
Local company
awarded road project
In other business the
commission awarded a lo-
cal construction company
a road contract for a recon-
struction project on two
county roads. Silver Creek
Contracting, LLC beat out
two other companies with
a low bid of $1,085,591 to
win the reconstruction and
widening project on Wilson
Lane and Olson Road near
Boardman.
The work involves
reconstruction of about
one-third mile of Wilson
Lane, and reconstruction
and widening of approxi-
mately three-quarters mile
of Olson Road. It will also
include intersection wid-
ening for turn lanes on
Wilson Road, installation
of approximately 330 feet
of 10-inch irrigation pipe,
50 feet of 18-inch culvert,
1,300 feet of wire fencing
and associated driveway
and road approaches.
On awarding the con-
tract to a local company,
Russell said he was glad to
see a county-based compa-
ny get the work. “It was a
pretty competitive bid and
I am happy when a local
bid,” Russell said after the
commission unanimously
approved the contract at its
August 12 meeting. “It’s
good when a local Mor-
row County entity can be
competitive and successful
in our county bids,” he
added. All three of the bids
on the project came under
the engineer’s estimate of
$1,448,100 on the project.
Engineering work will be
handled by Anderson Perry
& Assoc. of La Grande.
Public Works Director Matt
Scrivner said he expected
a mid-September start date
for the work.
New transporta-
tion system for Port of
Morrow Workers
The commission ap-
proved a proposal allowing
the county’s Loop Trans-
portation system to link up
with Umatilla County and
the Umatilla Tribes public
transportation system to
provide bus service for
workers living in parts of
Umatilla County working
jobs at the Port of Morrow
food processing plants in
Boardman. Under the plan,
fixed bus routes would
be added connecting the
cities of Boardman, Irri-
gon, Umatilla, Hermiston,
Stanfield, and Echo to jobs
at the Port of Morrow and
other employers in the cities
of Hermiston and Umatilla.
Kayak Public Transit is
an experienced transporta-
tion operator and is run by
the Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reser-
vation. Currently Kayak
14 cities within four coun-
ties in Northeastern Oregon
and Southeastern Washing-
ton and this would be a col-
laboration and hook up with
the Morrow County Loop
Transportation system, said
Loop Director Kati Imes.
“Kayak has experience and
has been doing fixed routes
for over 10 years. This is
Kayak and Morrow County
working together to make
it happen,” Imes told the
commissioners.
The new system would
also add a shuttle van that
will circulate amongst the
various businesses locat-
ed throughout the Port.
The van will provide more
localized service to the
various Port businesses
not located within a close
or safe walking distance
from the fixed route sys-
tem. The commission vot-
ed unanimously to move
forward with planning and
implementation of the new
transportation system.
In other business the
county authorized the pur-
chase of a new electric
Polaris Ranger. John Day
Polaris was low of three
bidders with a price of
$30,015 for the machine
with snowplow and tracks.
DEADLINE:
FRIDAY
AT 5PM
Make Morrow County Count!
* 2020 Census Opportunity *
Census Takers will set-up in Heppner
Thursday, Sept. 3 rd & Friday, Sept. 4 th
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Murray’s Garden – between Sage Clothing and Kuhn Law
Office on Main Street
Need transportation to the location?
Call The Loop for times and availability:
1-844-676-5667 or 541-676-5667