FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Church to host
fundraiser
Business Speak
Successful project
management
By Greg Smith
Whether leading a small or large project, there are
key ingredients to success. First, the scope of the project
as well as a clearly defined outcome must
be determined and understood by the
stakeholders. This begins with a leader
who possesses the appropriate kind of
leadership style which is typically that of
a visionary and participant.
Identification of the necessary steps,
the requirements to achieve these mile-
Greg Smith
stones (for example, permitting, purchas-
es, acquisitions, navigation of regulatory
issues, etc.) and the estimated timeline to reach each goal
is paramount to success.
One of the most overlooked factors is the ability to
be flexible. Despite the best of plans, circumstances will
no doubt change, and modifications will be made. It is
a delicate balance between remaining focused on the set
goals and adapting to unexpected events, divergence of
opinions, and other factors outside of the project man-
ager’s control.
Buy-in from stake holders must be obtained and often
there is reluctancy to share information or a willingness to
compromise to achieve mutually beneficial goals. This is
where excellent communication and listening skills come
in. Each party must feel their needs and desires are being
addressed with the end result being a general consensus.
Depending on the type and scope of a project, providing
adequate progress updates to a manager, employer, or the
public is important, as well. The leader should provide
an update of the project and openly state any delays or
successes. Praise should be given to the team as a whole.
In conclusion, here are the key steps of successful
project management:
1. Develop and communicate the purpose, benefits,
and outcome of the project to obtain consensus from the
stakeholders.
2. Determine where adequate financial resources will
originate.
3. Create and oversee a budget after necessary ex-
penditures are identified.
4. When necessary, obtaining the assistance of in-
dividuals outside of the project with various areas of
expertise.
5. The project manager should fill at least two roles:
a. Explain the overall vision to obtain the desired
outcome.
b. Identify the steps and necessary timeline.
c. Play a “hands on” roll to be sure milestones are
being met in a responsive manner.
d. Be flexible and adjust to changes in the plan. This
may mean something that was communicated a month
ago is no longer pertinent. These circumstances may
result from new knowledge obtained, regulations and
processes, or situations completely out of the manager’s
control. Again, flexibility is a must.
6. Conduct regular meetings with the stakeholders and
others involved in the project to make certain everyone
remains on the same page and is aware of the progress
being made or obstacles which may occur.
7. Regularly report to the governing body or the pub-
lic through memos, conference calls, or press releases and
interviews with media depending on whether the project
is private or public.
8. When milestones are met, congratulations should
be given to the whole team and shared with the parties to
whom the group is accountable. There is no one person
who will be responsible for the success of the project.
9. Provide constant oversight of the budget to make
certain there are adequate funds available and that they
are being allocated properly.
10. Did I mention remaining flexible? A project of
any size can be compared to safely landing an airplane.
Adjustments for weather, wind speed and direction, etc.
must be made.
Seeing a successful project and its benefits come to
fruition is a very rewarding and time intensive experience,
but the points listed above should provide an outline to
achieving that goal.
Greg Smith is the director of the Eastern Oregon
University Small Business Development Center located
at 1607 Gekeler Lane, Room 148 in La Grande, OR.
If you are seeking free, confidential business advising,
please call 541-962-1532 or email eousbdc@gmail.com.
MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
Timeshare Cancellation
Get your free information kit
and see if you qualify:
Janet Greenup points out the rotted exterior beam at St.
Patrick’s.
Several areas of the
St. Patrick’s Church were
found to need repair when
a team of experienced home
repair parishioners inspect-
ed the church buildings
recently. Discovered to
need repair are shingles,
windows and an exteri-
or support beam with rot.
Some repairs can be done
with available funds and
volunteer workers while
others need professional
attention.
The church’s Altar So-
ciety and Parish Council
are kicking off fundraising
for these repairs and major
maintenance expenses with
a take-out only Valentine’s
Dinner on February 14.
Tickets must be pre-pur-
chased and are available at
DA’s Report
Morrow County Dis-
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has released the following
report:
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and license revocation. Fine
of $1,000, no purchase or
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was convicted of assault
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Murray’s Drug. Quantities
are limited. Tickets may be
purchased at $15 for one or
$25 for two.
The meal will consist of
Caesar salad, Ann Murray’s
homemade lasagna, gar-
lic bread, sparkling cider,
cheesecake and after-dinner
chocolate. It will be boxed
and available for pick-up at
St. Patrick’s Parish Hall on
February 14 between 4 and
6 p.m. The pre-purchased
tickets must be presented at
the time of pick-up.
Tickets may also be
purchased by contacting
Janet Greenup or Kay Proc-
tor, 541-676-9827. Tax-de-
ductible donations for the
church building repairs
would also be appreciated
and accepted.
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Church members Ella Mullins, Harper Coiner, Ashley Lindsay
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By Fr. Thankachan Joseph
SDB, St. Patrick Church
In the previous weeks
we have reflected on the
public ministry of Jesus.
And the readings of this
Sunday bring another as-
pect of Jesus’ public min-
istry, that of healing. The
Lord called His apostles
to preach, heal and drive
out demons. We see these
Fr. Thankachan Joseph
elements very clearly in His
life. He is a good model for
all of us who are busy with the hustle and bustle of life
today. I used to tease others, saying that they have no time
even to breath due to the heavy schedule of activities.
Look at our generation: most of us devote very little time
to spend with the family or friends, or even time to pray.
The result is that many of us live very restless, anxious,
worried, depressed and spiritually impoverished lives.
In the Book of Job (7: 1-4, 6-7), the following words
of Job clearly show that he is undergoing a tremendous
agony and pain: “My pain is more than I can bear. I can’t
sleep at night. I shall not see happiness again.” Job’s lam-
entation is a reminder for all of us when we go through
similar experiences in our lives to cling to God instead of
blaming God. Job’s cry for aid from the Lord we all feel
when we become seriously ill, suffer accidents or misfor-
tunes, or even more when someone we love becomes ill
or even dies. Perhaps our hurt is not physical. Perhaps it
is emotional - when a relationship breaks up, a child runs
away, a friend or family member is publicly condemned.
When we feel pain, regardless of its source, we want to
join Job and say, “I shall never see happiness again.” He
was a man who believed completely in the Lord and had
received enormous blessings. The devil tries to undo his
faith. Eventually all of his blessings are removed, and
sufferings are heaped on Job. While he questions what
is happening, he never doubts nor loses faith. The life of
Job reminds every one of us: Are we that strong in faith?
Can we trust God even when we question? Do we accept
both blessings and sufferings from our Lord?
In the First Letter to the Corinthians (9:16-19, 22-
23), we read Saint Paul’s account of how he tries to live
the Good News. He is very clear: I must preach the Good
News! Here we see Saint Paul not just enduring trials and
tribulations but recognizing that preaching the Good News
is required of him because he believes in Jesus. St. Paul
tells everyone not to resist the word of God but, instead, to
see his life as an example of adhering to the Lord without
any distractions.
The Gospel of Mark (1:29-39) depicts the need of
work and prayer to go hand-in-glove with the Lord. We
see the active ministry of the Lord in healing, curing ev-
eryone from their ill health. We also see that in the midst
of all his activities of teaching and healing, Christ finds it
necessary to escape to a lonely place to pray. The Gospel
of the day presents to us how in the midst of His most
pressing work, Jesus took time out to pray and to restore
His energies. We need to do the same.
Jesus’s compassion and His healing of the sick is a
sign of the Kingdom of God. Some churches continue to
extend Christ’s healing presence to others in their minis-
try to the sick. For instance, the Catholic Church, in the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, prays for spiritual
and physical healing, forgiveness of sins and comfort for
those who are suffering from illness.
In today’s Gospel, we also notice the importance of
prayer in Jesus’s daily life. Jesus rose early in the morning,
moving himself from the crowds, and went to a deserted
place to pray. When the disciples found Him, He told
them that it was time to move on. We believe that in His
prayers, Jesus found guidance and direction from God. We
also bring our decision-making to God in prayer, asking
for His guidance and direction in our lives.
These readings call us to spend time with the Lord,
for a spiritual experience that will make our lives more
serene, happy, calm, truthful and honest, and ever willing
to forgive the mistakes of someone else. All these quali-
ties we witness in the person of Christ, since He had the
constant communion with His heavenly Father. Every one
of us is invited to be like Christ, be constant in prayer and
able to do much more in the present world of epidemic.
Transit plans to
extend services
Kayak Public Transit
and The Loop have part-
nered with Umatilla County
and Morrow County to be-
gin the planning process to
extend services to the city
of Boardman and the Port
of Morrow. The purpose of
the project is to provide safe
and reliable transportation
options to one of the re-
gion’s largest employment
centers.
This phase of the proj-
ect will be to determine
routes, schedules, potential
bus stop locations, as well
as develop capital and op-
erational budgets. Public
engagement is encouraged
and there will be multiple
opportunities to provide
feedback on this exciting
expansion project in the
coming months.
This project is funded
by the Statewide Transpor-
tation Improvement Fund
(STIF), a dedicated funding
source for improving and
expanding public transpor-
tation services in Oregon
that was created by HB
2017, the Keep Oregon
Moving bill. The contractor
selected to do the planning
is Kittleson and Associates.
Kayak Public Transit
is a public transit agency
providing transportation
options to seventeen com-
munities in four counties
in northeast Oregon and
southeast Washington. It is
operated by the Confeder-
ated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation (CTU-
IR) and is funded through
the State of Oregon De-
partment of Transportation
(ODOT), Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) grant
dollars, and local and Tribal
dollars.