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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2020)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 14, 2020 ~ Letters to the Editor ~ The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10. Peterson refuses to list all contributors To the editor: At the Boardman County Commissioner fo- rum both candidates were asked to name their top five financial contributors. Commissioner Jim Doherty responded by listing his top five. Candidate Joel Peterson responded he would only list his top two. Since every candidate has to report their financial contributions to the Oregon Secretary of State for some reason Mr. Peterson did not want to disclose the names of those who were his pri- mary financial supporters. The Oregon Secretary of State site secure.sos.state. or.us documents that Mr. Peterson’s number 3, 4, 5 and 6 financial contributors are all owners and directors of Windwave. Windwave is a locally owned telecommunications and fiber optics compa- ny that has contracts with Amazon for some of their telecommunications and all their fiber optics. They are an outgrowth of their parent company Inland Development Corp. which was founded in 2004. In- land Development Corp. is a nonprofit corporation founded to help unserved telecommunications in east- ern Oregon. Why does this matter in this election and why would Joel Peterson not want to divulge their names? The same individuals that own Windwave have positions on local boards, the port and community bodies that control the tax breaks and tax distribution negotiations with Amazon that have an enormous impact on the citizens of Morrow County. The owners of Windwave have become millionaires by turning many assets of Inland Development Cor- poration into a for profit company. According to tax asses- sor Mike Gorman, Morrow County Amazon exempted tax amount for 2020-21 is $39,458,567.71. The ex- empted tax break amounts to an 85 percent tax ex- emption for Amazon. This tax exemption is negotiated and distributed to the CREZ II enterprise zone largely controlled by the same people that own Windwave. For instance, Don Russell is chair of the Columbia Development Authority, chair of the CREZ II en- terprise zone, vice chair of Morrow County Com- missioners and part owner and chairman of the board of directors of Windwave. So instead of tax revenues distributed with equality, Morrow County citizens continue to bear the brunt of taxation through property taxes while CREZ II funds are distributed according to political power and influ- ence by those in positions of power and influence. Those that play the game get the money. Jim Doherty has bat- tled the conflict of interest financial dealings of Wind- wave and that is why their directors want to replace him with one that has no problem with Windwave ethics. Jim exercises in- tegrity which protects the citizens of Morrow County. Jim Doherty will continue to honor our way of life, require officials to act with integrity and ensure jus- tice for all no matter your position or influence. That is why he has enemies. He will not back down from threats and personal loss to do the right thing. Stuart Dick, Irrigon Vote Peterson for commissioner To the editor: We, the undersigned retired Morrow County Commissioners, having 24 years combined expe- rience serving as Morrow County Commissioner and more than 164 years as life- long residents of Morrow County, enthusiastically endorse Joel Peterson for the position of Morrow County Commissioner. The Peterson family has a long history serving the residents of all of Morrow County. Joel’s grandfather served as county judge and was an original organizer of the Port of Morrow. Joel knows the county from the Blue Mountains in the south as a generational cattle rancher, to mid coun- ty as an operating wheat farmer, to north county as a family involved in irrigated agriculture. This county-wide involvement in multiple areas of agricul- ture gives Joel knowledge of the agriculture needs throughout Morrow Coun- ty. Joel is a leader who puts others in the best po- sition to succeed, and as a commissioner would do this by letting well skilled county staff use their ex- pertise to the fullest, while providing guidance and transparent policies rather than a forceful hand. He will be a thoughtful deliberator at the county court, will always be pre- pared, will be inclusive of all views and will work for the success of all residents of Morrow County. Joel has years of experi- ence serving as president on county wide organizations including Morrow Coun- ty Planning Commission, Bank of Eastern Oregon, Valby Lutheran Church, MC Wheat League, Jordan Elevator Corp, ICABO, School Board and the Ione School Foundation, as well as serving on the budget committees for the Port of Morrow and Ione Fire Department. This extensive list of community service gives Joel unique and broad- based experiences all across Morrow County and the tools necessary to be an exceptional commissioner for Morrow County, to keep Morrow County moving in the right direction, deal with new challenges and keep the Morrow County economy growing. Please vote Joel Pe- terson for Morrow County Commissioner. LeAnn Rea, John Wen- holtz, Raymond Grace Patient revenue increases Morrow County Health District accountants WIPF- LI, LLP, told the board, at their September 28 meeting at the Port of Morrow in Boardman, that MCHD gross patient revenue in- creased by $1,231,637 in 2020 and $640,650 in 2019. They noted net patient ac- counts receivable increased from $1,624,402 in 2019 to $1,836,027 in 2020. WIPFLI reported that the district’s current assets, cash and cash equivalents increased from $9,459,000 in 2019 to $15,686,000 in 2020, “due to COVID-19 related funding.” Current liabilities also increased from $1,317,000 in 2019 to $6,045,000 in 2020. Long- term liabilities increased from $2,075,000 in 2019 to $3,720,000 in 2020. To- tal liabilities rose from $3,392,000 to $9,765,000 in 2020. Total operating reve- nues were up to $12,019,000 in 2020 compared to $11,210,000 in 2019, how- ever total expenses were $15,182,000 in 2020, up from $13,449,000 last year, leaving a $3,163,000 loss in operations this year, compared to a $2,239,000 loss last year. Non-oper- ating revenues increased from $2,531,000 in 2019 to $2,732,000 this year. The report indicated salaries and wages increased by 17 per- cent and employee benefits increased by 14 percent. Non-operating revenue in- creased by $201,000 due to increased property tax revenues and grant revenue. Capital asset expen- ditures, including con- struction in progress, were $690,990 this year with the largest costs attributed to an ambulance purchase. Other major purchases included an upgrade of the hospital’s boilers and IT server room upgrades. The district’s net po- sition for 2020 was down slightly to $5,920,000 from $6,067,000 the previous year; and its operating mar- Livestock producers seeking financial assistance for implementing methods that limit wolf-livestock interaction need to obtain an application to request funds. Applications may be found on the Morrow Coun- ty website, Wolf Depreda- tion Advisory Committee page at: www.co.morrow. or.us/bc-wdac, the coun- ty has announced. These applications need to be completed and received by the Morrow County Wolf Depredation Adviso- ry Committee by Tuesday, December 8, 2020, 4 p.m., as the committee will meet that evening to start the review process. There are several op- tions for submitting appli- cations, all of which must be received by the above due date: drop off at the Bartholomew Building, Room 201, 110 N. Court St., Heppner; mail to Mor- row County, P.O. Box 788, Heppner, OR 97836; or email to rlutcher@co.mor- row.or.us. Compensation can be requested for bone pile removal and/or burial, fladry (a line of rope mount- ed along the top of a fence, from which are suspended strips of fabric or colored flags that will flap in a breeze, intended to deter wolves from crossing the fence-line), range riders or other preventive measures. For additional information call Roberta Lutcher at 541- 676-5613. Livestock producers have deadline for wolf funds applications Death Notice Marie E. Rudisill – Marie E. Rudisill of Sandy, longtime Ione and Arlington resident, was born on Sep- tember 4, 1943 in Tillamook, OR to parents, Paul and Ada Worthington Werner. She died on October 7, 2020 in Gresham, OR at the age of 77 years. At her request no services will be held. Please share memories of Marie with her family at burnsmortuary- hermiston.com. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements. gin has decreased to a nega- tive 26.32 percent in 2020, from a negative 19.97 per- cent in 2019 and a negative 18.70 percent in 2018. Cash on hand, however increased to 204.76 days this year from 58.49 last year and 66.21 in 2018. The “Ratio increased in 2020 as a result of increased cash related to COVID-19 funding. Pioneer Memo- rial Hospital is at 62 days without the $5.7 million in CARES funding, “WIPFLI reported. Crawford honest, compassionate person To the editor: Theresa Crawford is running for the justice of the peace position. I am strong- ly supporting her. Theresa is an honest and compas- sionate person. These traits are important and necessary for a judge. She is analyti- cal and willing to take the time to get the facts. She has a desire to help our communities through legal actions, protecting victims and penalizing those who need it. But importantly she is not entrenched in law enforcement. She will not automatically take the word of the police over the accused. She will judge fairly, but also, she will rule with an understanding of the impacts on our com- munities. Theresa Crawford is a community member and she cares about our county. She has taken the time and effort to return to school so that she may better fill this position. I, for one, want a person in that seat who will be fair but firm. A person that will make sure our communities are protected and that our citizens are treated fairly. Please vote for Theresa Crawford Morrow County Justice of the Peace. Kim Cutsforth, Heppner Doherty cares about our county To the editor: Please vote for Jim Doherty for Morrow Coun- ty Commissioner. I be- lieve that Jim Doherty cares about our county. He un- derstands the issues facing every Community. He has shown that he will fight for what he believes is right. He is actively involved with Morrow County Citi- zens and has shown that he will get the job done. It is important that we have the right person for this job. That person is Jim Doherty. Joe Armato, Heppner Wolf Depredation committee to meet The Morrow County Wolf Depredation Adviso- ry Committee will hold a meeting on Tuesday, Oct 20 at 7 p.m. at the Bar- tholomew Building in Hep- pner. The committee will discuss a confirmed wolf depredation in the coun- ty, review grant amounts and the applications and process for fund requests. On the agenda are reports from Steve Cherry of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Alan Scott, committee member repre- senting Wolf Conservation and Chris Lulay, USDA Wildlife Specialist, Morrow County. Drawing to take place Oct. 19 Winning tickets for the raffle items donated to ben- efit Evan Kates, grandson of John and Kelly Boyer, will be drawn October 19. The raffle bundles are on display at Sage Clothing Company on Main Street in Heppner. Tickets are still available inside the store and may be purchased for $5 each or five for $20. All proceeds from the raffles are deposited into the Evan Kates account at Bank of Eastern Oregon Heppner Branch. For additional in- formation, contact Shelli Britt at 541-256-0857. Ground- Local students honored at EOU breaking ceremony for new county building Friday Kimberly Carter, Ione, graduated from Eastern Oregon University (EOU) for the 2019-2020 academic year with a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education and Initial Licen- sure in PK-12. The class of 2020 awarded 595 degrees. Hunter Nichols, Hep- pner, was one of 558 stu- dents named to the Dean’s A groundbreaking cer- emony for the new county office building in Irrigon will be held Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5PM Heppner Burn Ban Lifted Effective October 15, 2020, the Fire Chief of the City of Heppner announced the city BURN BAN will be lifted. Contact Heppner City Hall for burn permits List for the 2020 spring term at EOU. Taylor Mc- Daniel, also of Heppner, was one of 69 students named to the Dean’s List for the 2020 summer term. Qualifying students achieve and maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale while complet- ing a minimum of 12 hours of graded EOU coursework. Valby Lutheran Church Valby Road Ione Oregon. 97843 Church Services 1st & 3rd Sundays 10:00 AM Available for: Weddings • Funerals Family Events 541-422-7300 Old Country Church All Are Welcome Print & Mailing Services *Design *Print Sykes Publishing *Mail 541-676-9228
