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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2020)
EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 16, 2020 Wenholz appointed to county budget committee Commission discusses ways to get more volunteer applicants By David Sykes Jeff Wenholz of Irri- gon was reappointed to the county budget committee last week. He was the only applicant for the volun- teer three-year position. Wenholz also serves as chair of the county planning commission, a member the county Solid Waste Ad- visory committee and the Irrigon Multi-Cultural Arts Center Board. In applying for the po- sition Wenholz said, “My qualifications for serving on the budget committee include majoring in ac- counting in the Portland State University honors program, sixteen years of approving and reviewing budgets in excess of $100 million as a director for Umatilla Electric Coop- erative and among other responsibilities, serving as accountant/bookkeeper for our family businesses of Irrigon Motors and Irrigon Mini-Storage. I also serve on the audit committee as a director for LS Networks, a Portland based fiber optic service provider.” Wenholz is from Irrigon and has lived in Morrow County for 47 years. In making the appoint- ment, commissioners dis- cussed how to get more people to apply for budget committee positions. “I know he is on the Umatilla Electric Board of Direc- Jeff Wenholz tors,” said commissioner Jim Doherty. “He is the planning commission chair and you like that there are folks willing to take on these challenges,” howev- er Doherty said he thinks the county should do more to get people to apply for county citizen volunteer positions. “I think that we should go out and recruit. I am happy that Jeff is on there and I’m happy to sec- ond the motion and happy to vote for him. But you al- ways want some diversity,” Doherty added. Commissioner Don Russell agreed. “I agree with Commissioner Doherty. We end up with people who have a pretty heavy finance background and accounting background in these budget positions. I think that is great, but I don’t think that it’s neces- sary. The hard budgeting really is how you spend our scarce resources, your reve- nue over unlimited requests for ways to spend them. You don’t necessarily need to be in tune with budget law,” he said. “In the future I encourage people that may not have that high level of accounting background or finance background that Jeff does to apply.” Russell said there is a lot of common sense in the budgeting process. “You got $10 to spend and $500 worth of requests you just need to pare down and do the best you can with the budget. Commissioner Lindsay said people need to get involved with the coun- ty government. “People are afraid when you say bud- get committee. Everybody would like to weigh in on how they would like you to spend the money, but when it comes to the budget they are scared.” “They feel like they need to be in tune with Or- egon budget law, that is not the case. I’ve got a degree in accounting and have been an accountant for a lot of years but I am not an expert on Oregon budget law,” Russell said. “We have great diversity of location but we could definitely get some diversity that rep- resents our community as well,” Lindsay said. The commission voted unani- mously to appoint Wenholz. Picking a retirement fund advisor delayed In other business at the Sept. 9 meeting, the commission delayed a deci- sion on picking a financial advisor for the county’s newly defined contribution retirement plan. The county received proposals from four finan- cial advisor businesses, however, Lindsay asked for the delay in picking because she had not had a chance to view the minutes and notes from the inter- view process. When the county decided to switch to a defined plan rather than the current guaranteed benefit plan, a committee of five was picked to inter- view candidates to handle the investment work. That committee which includ- ed Administrator Darrell Green, Commissioner Rus- sell, Finance Director Kate Knop, the county payroll director and the county human resource director worked the past two years on finding a suitable finan- cial firm. The qualifications they were looking for were to provide “administration, recordkeeping, education, enrollment and investment management services of the new defined contribution retirement plan.” The group interviewed four applicants and decid- ed on Kassie Williams of Edward Jones located in Hermiston. Members of the interview team had high praise for Williams. “I have seen it all and it was unan- imous among the group that Kassie Williams was our choice,” Russell said in urging the commission to approve the recommen- dation. Lindsay however said she would not vote in favor. “I want to see those minutes where the team was picked. I would like to see the presentations before I make the decision. This is a huge decision and I would like to see the presentations. I am not ready to make a decision. If you do, I will not vote,” she told the com- mission. The county decided to move from the guaran- teed payment system re- tirement plan where retires are guaranteed an income regardless of the investment performance, to a program where a certain amount of money will be invested by the county and the employ- ee and the market yield will determine retirement pay- outs. The defined payment plan was unsustainable and accumulating debt the county would be unable to pay off. Realizing the county would not be able to meet its retirement obli- gations if a change was not made, Commissioner Rus- sell engineered the switch to defined contribution. In refusing to vote on the recommended appli- cant, Lindsay said “I want to see what everyone else got to see because I did not choose the team and I would just like to look at it. I appreciate all the work; I just want to look at it.” Commissioner Jim Doherty said while he appreciated the work the group put in, he was also against making a decision at the meeting. He refused to second the motion for a vote, and it died for lack of a second. Knop said she would pro- vide all the documentation related to the interviews for Lindsay’s review. Going out for new admin building funding In other business the commission voted to ask for proposals from financial organizations for financing of the new $6.8 million administration building in Irrigon. The commission wanted to make sure local financial institutions in the county were notified of the finance request. “When we financed the Bartholomew Building in Heppner, we asked for proposals for banks in Morrow County,” Russell said. “I suggest we do that again. Don’t exclude any financial institution but make sure we include those that do business in Morrow County,” he emphasized. What the name of the new building would be was also discussed. Several names have apparently been sub- mitted, and the county hopes to have a name ready at the groundbreaking cere- mony later this fall. Morrow County students’ art celebrated “Super Chicken” was drawn by Kathryn Anderson. Two Morrow County students in grades four and five were honored during a virtual reception held earli- er this week. Their artwork was selected among 643 entries submitted to the AITC Calendar Art Contest, sponsored by Oregon Ag- riculture in the Classroom Foundation (AITC). The AITC Calendar Art Con- test showcases Oregon’s diverse agricultural and nat- ural resource commodities. This year, artwork was submitted by students in kindergarten through sixth grade across the state in public, private, charter and homeschool education sys- tems featuring Oregon agri- culture and natural resourc- es. The entries received celebrated Oregon’s diverse agriculture with artwork depicting a wide variety of Oregon’s 220 agricultural commodities. The two students re- ceiving this honor came from two Morrow County School drew a chicken and tunity to discuss the bounty can be viewed on the Feb- and beauty of Oregon ag- ruary page of the calendar. riculture and incorporate In describing her artwork, art into their virtual class- KC said, “I chose to draw rooms,” said Jessica Jansen, chickens because I like AITC Executive Director. the detail on their feathers Each month in the calendar and they produce eggs and features one of the winning meat for Oregon.” KC also student’s art and each day said, “We have nine free of the year has a fact about range chickens at my house. agriculture. Some of the chickens are The thirteen students Golden Laced Wyandotte. selected to be featured in I based my drawing off one our 2020-2021 calendar of these and her name is received a $50 award and a Super Chicken.” certificate to commemorate “The calendar contest this honor. The winning is a great project for teach- artwork are displayed on Sheep grazing in a field was drawn by Isabelle Ogden. ers and students to assign the website. Calendars are Schools, lone Community ber in the state of Oregon.” as a fun project during this free to Oregon teachers, School and Heppner Ele- Fourth grade student time of distance learning. and can be ordered for just mentary School. Kathryn “KC” Anderson It gives teachers an oppor- $4 on oregonaitc.org/shop. Isabelle Ogden, a fifth from Heppner Elementary grader from lone Com- munity School submitted artwork featuring sheep grazing in an open field with luscious green grass and can be viewed on the March page of the calendar. In describing her artwork, 188 W. Willow Isabelle said, “I chose to There are two homes on this property. The bigger one is a 3 draw sheep because when P.O. Box 337 bedroom 1 bath 958 sq ft now renting for $800 per month. Small- I did 4-H I had a sheep. 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If you are looking for an office or even a small store space this will work for you. Call today for a showing. 127 N Main St Heppner $295,000 This three bedroom one bath home located on a qui- et street in Heppner is well kept and in good condi- tion. It's very clean with newer carpets and is ready to move into. A full basement with a mini-shop and laundry room is ready for you. The property is fenced for use by your children or pets. Drive into the carport from the backside on Riverside St. for easy access. Call me and we can go take a look! 385 W Union Ave Heppner $230,000 Sale Pending Price Reduced! SALE PENDING One of Heppner's premier homes with so much to offer. Have room for a large family or when friends and relatives gather. 4 bedroom 3 bath with large living room, family room. Lots of storage everywhere. Enjoy a great view of the city from your front window, or enjoy a barbeque on one of two private decks. Lots of parking too with two attached spaces and a carport. All this on a secluded 1.88 acres at the top of town. Call for a showing 725 S CHASE ST Heppner Subject to Credit Approval *Terms & Conditions Apply $159,500 Information deemed correct not guaranteed Very nice 2 bedroom, 2 bath home with office that can be another bedroom. Excellent condition with a low maintenance yard, two car attached garage and great view of Willow Creek Lake. A fast-circulating hot water heater pump gives you in- stant hot water in both baths. Master bath has a Jacuzzi. Refrigerator & range included in the sale. Located in a quiet neighborhood with just a short distance down the hill to put your fishing line in the water. Call me soon for a showing! 430 FRANK GILLIAM DRIVE, HEPPNER
