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Heppner cancelled
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VOL. 140
NO. 7
8 Pages
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Local man wants former Lexington
school to be Airbnb or bed and breakfast
Plans to make lobby area a town museum
By David Sykes
Local businessman
Sam Bellamy says he has
plans to turn the former
Lexington school building
into either an Airbnb or a
bed and breakfast, he told
the town council last week.
Bellamy says the hasn’t
made up his mind yet on
which model to go with,
saying he was still research-
ing rules, etc. on operation
of both types of facilities. In
addition, he told the council
he also wants to make the
lobby area into a museum
type area featuring old pho-
tos and things from Lex-
ington’s history and past.
“I want to paint the walls
with old pictures,” he told
the council of his plans for
the building. Bellamy said
he would later be soliciting
photos from people to put
in the museum.
Bellamy bought the
1.94-acre school site in-
cluding the 12,862 square
foot brick building from the
school district. It had been a
long time since any classes
were held there, and the
district had since moved its
offices out of the building.
It was empty and unused
when Bellamy made the
purchase in 2016.
Plans for the building
include two lobby areas one
on the ground floor and one
on the second floor. There
will be six living units in-
cluding two 2-bedroom
and four single bedrooms,
he said. “They will not
be long-term apartments,”
Bellamy emphasized. Also,
on the lower level will be
a full-service kitchen and
laundry area that can be
shared between the guests.
He passed out a sketch of
the plans he has for the
building remodel. Coun-
cilmembers were enthusi-
astic about the project with
some suggesting he look at
setting up a coffee shop in
the lower lobby area and
maybe leasing the space to
an operator. While Bellamy
did not commit to a coffee
shop, he did say “I’m not
opposed to that idea.”
Bellamy already has
Department of Environ-
mental Quality approval
for the Airbnb or bed and
breakfast concept having
earlier received the depart-
ment’s okay when he had
planned to build a recre-
ational vehicle park on the
property. He dropped that
idea following objections
from some of the neighbors.
The council liked the
ideas and plans Bellamy
presented, and voted unan-
imously to write a letter in
support of the facility. Bel-
lamy did not give a timeline
for the project; however,
the land is already zoned
commercial.
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The Oregon Health Au-
thority, in partnership with
the Morrow County Health
Department, has cancelled
the Friday, February 19 free
COVID-19 testing clinic at
the Morrow County Fair-
grounds, due to weather and
road conditions. Please stay
informed on rescheduled
events on Morrow County
Health Department’s Face-
book page or in future press
releases.
To learn more about
your eligibility for vacci-
nations, and other important
health and safety infor-
mation, visit co.morrow.
or.us/publichealth, email
COVIDVaccine@co.mor-
row.or.us, or call 541-676-
5649. Morrow County
Health Department also has
an online form available on-
line to submit your interest
in a vaccine, and has future
clinics planned for vaccine
distribution.
Procession held to
honor Steve Myren
A Boardman fire truck passed through Heppner during the
Feb. 14 procession honoring Steve Myren. Inset: Steve Myren.
A procession honoring Steve Myren, the former
Morrow County Sheriff’s Department Undersheriff, was
held on February 14. The procession of nearly 50 vehicles
began about 10 a.m. at the Heppner Fire Hall on its way
to the Boardman Marina.
The procession was led by Sheriff Matlack and
If local businessman Sam Bellamy’s plans work out, this old Lexington School building will Myren’s wife, Mim. A second procession began in Irrigon,
have new life as a short-term visitor business.
meeting up with the Heppner group on Wilson Lane in
Boardman.
Myren passed away on February 1 after a short bout
Fire Department develops Miles said the LaFrance councilmember Gordon
with
cancer, at the age of 58.
truck is the oldest engine said she was “very pleased”
new logo
in Lexington’s fleet and with the town’s new audit
needs significant repairs to firm Solutions, CPAs out
be reliable, adding that a re- of John Day. After the city
placement is needed. “The was informed by previous
Spartan would become our auditor in La Grande it was
newest vehicle in the fleet no longer available to do
and offers several upgrades the work, the town missed
from our existing engine,” its Dec. 31 audit deadline.
she told the council. Miles Gordon said she contacted
said one of these upgrades the new auditors. “They
is a fully enclosed cab that stepped right up and said
The Lexington Fire Depart- seats six personnel. She they would do the audit and
ment has developed a new logo said the current budget has get an extension for us,”
incorporating town symbol, the funds to purchase the Gordon said. “I have been
the jackrabbit. -Design by Jess
truck and new dual tires happy with them and I am
Schiller.
it needs. Miles also said really glad to work with
the new tender purchased this audit firm,” she told the Heppner City Councilmember John Bowles (left) was sworn
in last week to another term on the Heppner City Council.
In other business at earlier from Ione has also council.
In other action the coun- -Photo by David Sykes.
the February 9 meeting the been received had been sent
develop a lagoon system
council heard a report on to the local body shop in cil appointed Eric Imes to By David Sykes
T h e H e p p n e r C i t y for treatment of the effluent.
fire department activities town to have the Ione logo the town budget committee.
The rest of the eleven
from firefighter Josie Miles. removed. “This was done Imes works for the county Council last week adopted
She said the department is as a donation to the depart- road department where he the 2021 goals for the city. 2021 goals for the city
working on a new Maltese ment and was no cost to us. is the assistant road master. Number one on the list adopted by the council
Cross fire fighter emblem. The truck is now prepped Sheila Miller and Myrna is the continued work on include:
2. Continue work on
She showed a proposed logo and ready for its new logo, Sieler are returning to the the sewer retention pond
committee after serving project, including readying the street projects, start
that incorporated the town’s Miles told the council.
Miles also reported on last year. The council set plans and finding a location construction. (short term).
jackrabbit symbol. “Lex-
3. Downtown improve-
ington and the surrounding new virtual meeting equip- March 2 as the first budget for the lagoon and going out
for bids. Heppner has been ment evaluation - improve
communities have respond- ment and printer for the committee meeting.
In other action the notified by the state De- info signage and repair
ed well to the ‘return of the fire department that have
jackrabbit’,” she told the all been installed and are council voted to increase partment of Environmental sidewalks. Continue re-
council. “The presence of in use. “This will allow us the town water rate by $1 Quality, DEQ, that it will placement of some trees.
the old school mascot on to conduct our own training per month starting with the have to discontinue dump- (long term).
4. Plan to improve mini
our water tower and new meetings and host virtu- July 1 billing. That would ing treated effluent from
city signs has sparked many al meetings from our fire increase the base rate to $48 its sewer plant into Willow park at Post Office - Bottle
conversations and pride hall,” she told the council, per month. “We’re going Creek. The DEQ says there filler, information station,
from longtime residents,” adding that the items were to run out of money in the is too much ammonia in the complete pavilion/gazebo,
she said. “The fire depart- all purchased with COVID water budget if we don’t do effluent so dumping must be pave and/or cement. (long
ment would like to build on grant money received in something,” Gordon said stopped. Several extensions term).
5. Evaluate and plan
of the needed increase. She to find a replacement have
this excitement and update 2020.
In other town business, said the action now would been granted to the city, and
our Maltese Cross to rep-
resent our community and the council heard a report allow the budget committee the most economical and -See ‘21 GOALS/PAGE TWO
its history. We are working from maintenance man to budget in the funds for feasible way to deal with
the problem seems to be to
to rebuild our department Scott Lamb who said a the upcoming fiscal year.
and look forward to work- section of city road near
ing with the council to Clark’s Canyon would be
strengthen our community. chip sealed later in the year,
Adding the jackrabbit to our having received a bid from
cross is something we hope the county to do the work
will help distinguish us for $18,000 “for the whole
from other departments and thing.” He said the work
spark community pride and would be done sometime
support in our department,” between June and Sept. 1.
Miles told the council. She “We have to budget for it,
said the department is pre- but I think we should do it,”
paring now to order new said councilmember Bobbi
door decals for the engines Gordon.
Lamb also said one of
and new personnel apparel
that will all be updated with the large trees at the park in
town had died and would
the new jackrabbit logo.
In other business from have to be removed. “It’s
350 Main Street
the fire department, Miles sixty feet tall, one of the
Lexington, Oregon 97839
said Hermiston Fire has big ones but it died. It may
541-989-8221
presented the department come back but I doubt it,”
with an opportunity to he said. Lamb also reported
mcgg.net
purchase its 1990 Spartan he had a bid to fix the shop
pumper engine for $6,000. roof for $425, which the
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She said this would replace council said if it was in the
Lexington’s 1971 red La- budget should be done.
In other city business,
France pumper engine.
Council adopts ‘21
city goals
New city sewer treatment system
ranked number one
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