Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 2, 2020 -- SEVEN
County looks at Lexington airport upgrades
By David Sykes
Morrow County has
started looking at possible
upgrades to the Lexington
Airport, which is owned
and operated by the coun-
ty. The first step in future
airport development, which
could include additional
hangar space and other sup-
portive improvements, is a
feasibility study which will
be submitted to the Federal
Aviation Administration,
FAA, for approval.
A study of the airport
improvements was recently
completed by Centurywest
Engineering and presented
to the county commission
at a Nov. 4 meeting. In the
study, future improvements
were broken down into four
phases. In phase one there
would be four box hangars
located SW of taxiway B
and include a vehicle ac-
cess road. The four hangars
would be constructed as
one building with multiple
hangars. Cost of phase one
would be $400,000 for site
development and $700,000
for hangar construction for
a total of $1.1 million.
In phase two there
would be relocation of the
agricultural operations to
the infield area between
taxiway G and C. There
would be demolition of ex-
isting hangers on the south
side of the airport for con-
struction of additional new
box hangars. Cost of phase
two would be $950,000
for site development and
$2.3 million for hangar
construction, for a total of
$3.6 million.
A proposed Lexington Airport upgrade would add multiple new hangars and other infrastructure at the facility.
Phase three would ex-
tend fiber cable from high-
way 207 to the UAS build-
ings, construction of a new
septic holding tank system
in the infield for use by both
hangars and installation of
new water lines for the new
hangars. Phase four would
install 3-phase power to
serve the hangar units. Cost
of this work would be about
$2.4 million.
The plans will be sub-
mitted to FAA first, and if
approved by the agency, the
county will begin applying
for construction grants for
the projects. Public Works
is responsible for the airport
and has been very success-
ful in the past obtaining
grants to pay for almost all
improvements and work to
the airport. The county feels
airport improvements will
promote economic activity
for the south county area. At
its Nov. 4 meeting the coun-
ty commissioners approved
the proposed development
plan.
In other airport ac-
tion the commissioners
approved the transfer of a
surplus 2002 Ford Explorer
from the assessor’s office to
be used as an airport cour-
tesy car. The car would be
used by pilots who land at
the airport and need a ride
into town to attend meet-
ings, buy food or other busi-
ness. “Our remote location
is a challenge for anyone
to come in and expect to
do business in our com-
munity,” the county said in
providing the car. “Pilots
on flights with multiple
overnight stops are often
faced with the problem of
selecting an airport that is
near or accessible to hotels
and restaurants. Often the
most route efficient airports
are miles from the nearest
town and too far to walk
and may have not taxi ser-
vice. Wanting the economic
growth, it is apparent that
we need to provide visitor
ease of transportation,” the
county added.
In other business at
its November 18 meeting
the county approved an
agreement with Wight’s
Electric of Heppner to be
the county’s contracted
electrical contractor. The
agreement gives the county
good response and service
for electrical work. The
agreement is for three years
and Wight’s will bill the
county at an $88 per hour
rate with no travel time
since the company is local.
The county put its electrical
contracting services out for
proposals and received one
other bid from Shelco of
Hermiston.
The county likewise
agreed to a plumbing con-
“That’s a good question.
People charged with a
crime have a right to a
speedy trial. People and
businesses involved in
some civil cases may also
have a right to a trial by
jury. That right doesn’t go
away during COVID-19.
Courts are an essential ser-
vice in our communities.
People depend on us to hear
criminal cases and resolve
civil disputes.”
To protect rights, main-
tain access to justice, and
promote safety, Blaine said
Oregon’s state courts have
adapted their processes,
facilities and technology to
accommodate social dis-
tancing and other precau-
tions.
“In addition to making
extensive use of technology
for remote hearings when-
ever possible – which we
have long done in our part
of the state, here in Umatilla
and Morrow counties we
separate prospective jurors
into smaller groups where
they can be seated social-
ly distanced and observe
and participate in initial
phases of the jury selection
process by video with the
courtroom where the trial is
being held,” he said. “After
a jury is chosen, only the
judge, court staff, parties
and the selected jurors sit
in the courtroom for the
trial; observers are asked
to watch remotely by video.
During deliberation, the
jurors are seated around the
courtroom rather than in a
small jury room. We screen
for COVID-19 symptoms
on entry to the courthouse
and work to maintain safe
social distances for ev-
eryone. Appropriate face
coverings – masks – are
required to enter the court-
house. A mask is provided
to anyone who does not
have one.”
The Oregon Judicial
Department piloted the
updated online juror re-
sponse system with the
Marion County Circuit
Court between September
and mid-November. The
circuits courts in Umatilla,
Morrow and Deschutes
counties are in the first
group to follow that pilot.
Though use of the new sys-
tem is optional, so far about
26 of Oregon’s 36 state
circuit courts are expected
to make the transition by the
beginning of April.
The Oregon Judicial
Department (OJD) in-
cludes the Oregon Supreme
Court, Court of Appeals,
Tax Court, circuit courts
in every Oregon county,
and the Office of the State
Court Administrator. The
Department is committed
to protecting rights and
democracy by maintaining
a strong, fair, and impartial
court system. For more
information, visit www.
courts.oregon.gov.
ONLINE TOOLS
tract agreement with local
business Blue Mountain
Plumbing, LLC. The com-
pany was the only plumbing
business to respond and
said it would charge an
hourly rate of $90 per hour
for regular hours. Emergen-
cy overtime rates would be
$135 per hour.
In other business Com-
missioner Jim Doherty dis-
cussed its relationship be-
tween the county treasurer’s
office, which has a new
person recently elected who
will take over in January,
and the commissioners.
Doherty made a point of
saying he wanted to see all
the money that comes and
goes out of the county. “I
am assuming that is the case
now and if it is not the case
now then I want to know
why. Certainly, it (the trea-
surer’s office) is an elected
position and there is some
give and take but ultimately,
we are the fiduciary, right?”
he asked rhetorically. “The
buck stops here.” There
have been tensions and
arguments in the past be-
tween the commissioners
and retiring treasurer Gayle
Gutierrez over the duties of
the treasurer’s office and
appropriate oversight by
the commissioners. Coun-
ty Assessor Mike Gorman
reminded Doherty that the
treasurer “doesn’t just han-
dle the county’s money,
she handles all the other
(taxing) district’s money
too.” Gorman said there are
state statues and policies
the treasurer must follow
regarding how those funds
are handled as well.
-Continued from PAGE ONE
Blaine said the new
system will also streamline
internal court processes
– promoting increased ef-
ficiency – and provide the
courts with better data. He
said that data could inform
further efficiencies, support
efforts to better understand
jury composition and re-
sponse, and promote diver-
sity, equity and inclusion.
According to prelimi-
nary information from the
Oregon Judicial Depart-
ment, about 60 percent of
potential jurors are opting
in for text messages when
given the new option.
Blaine noted that, while
the new system is a big im-
provement, some members
of the public may have a
more basic question about
jury duty.
“Some people have
asked why jury trials are
continuing at all during
COVID-19,” said Blaine.
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