TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Heppner City Council Moves Forward with Security Cameras
-Continued from PAGE ONE cilor JoAnna Lamb.
station, one on the Gilliam
and Bisbee building, one at
Thomson Square and one
on city hall looking toward
the courthouse.
Sharon Inskeep sug-
gested one camera at city
park be angled toward the
Heritage Park, and Cody
High said he thought it
might be beneficial to have
a camera out toward the
fairgrounds, whether that
meant adding another cam-
era or moving one of the
others.
“Because right now
you basically have every
angle of leaving our com-
munity covered except that
one,” he said.
The city currently has
cameras at the city park,
but those would be replaced
because they wouldn’t work
with the Verkada system.
“The whole thing with
the park is that you need to
be able to use the access,”
said Heppner Public Works
Director Chad Doherty.
“There’s a way to get on
and see the data that’s there
to help out the sheriff’s of-
fice or help us out.
“Those (old cameras),
I can’t do that,” he added.
“One thing about it, it
does provide a lot of securi-
ty for our small town,” said
Bates. “If someone comes
in here to do vandalism
or ripping us off, there’s a
good chance they’re going
to get in front of one of
those things.”
“It will be really helpful
during our larger events,”
added Heppner city coun-
The council voted
unanimously to accept the
pricing proposal and move
forward with eight camer-
as, with the understanding
that their placement will
be finalized later, and more
might be added.
Other Business
Heppner City Manager
Kraig Cutsforth said the
city is “plugging along”
with Anderson Perry on the
sewer project. Doherty said
he had spoken with Dane
Maben, engineering tech-
nician with Anderson Per-
ry, and had been told they
should have “working plans
and ready-to-go plans” by
the end of the year.
Phase one of the sewer
project includes a complete
rehabilitation of the city’s
existing treatment plant.
Phase two is a storage pond
to hold all the water all win-
ter, while having enough
land to irrigate it on in the
summer.
“The rehabbing of the
mechanical plan is in the
best interests of the city,”
said Doherty. “It should
work really good once we
get all that done.”
Doherty said the city
is currently in compliance
with the Dept. of Environ-
mental Quality, though it
struggles a little with am-
monia issues.
Cutsforth said the city’s
water management plan is
still under review by the
state. It has already been
in the state’s hands for 90
days, he said, but it will
probably be another 90
Ione drama class visits Elgin
Opera House
before it comes back to the
city. Otherwise, he said, the
city is waiting for Anderson
Perry to finish with the sew-
er project plans so the firm
can move on to the water
system plans.
“Till we get our water
master plan by the end of
this year, you’re going to
be kind of stuck,” he told
the council.
Regarding the Heppner
street project, Cutsforth
reported that he had not
closed out the project be-
cause the extension the city
requested was already in
the works at the state. He
was still holding contract-
ing firm Premier’s final
payments because, with the
extension of the project, the
state said not to release the
funds until the striping was
completed.
The city received a year
extension on the project,
which the council approved.
In other business, Eric
Chick gave the Heppner
Fire Department and told
the council the Oregon
State Fire Marshal’s office
is placing a tactical tender
in Heppner.
“Which is going to be
huge for us,” he said.
Chick also said the fire
department sent four new
firefighters to the Oregon
Trail Training Association
for hazmat training, as well
as doing in-house academy
training to get volunteers
certified.
“COVID really kind of
stunted our training abili-
ties,” said Chick. “So we’re
kind of catching up from
that.”
High asked if all the
city’s hydrants are acces-
sible or if there were any
the department needed help
with. Chick replied that all
but one were accessible,
with one hydrant on South
Main being an issue be-
cause of parked cars block-
ing the street, as well as a
reported dog kennel.
“Because there’s not a
lot of hydrants going out
of town that way, so any of
them that are there need to
be accessible,” Chick said.
The decision was made
to put the issue on the agen-
da for next month to give
the city time to look into
legalities and easements.
Chick also reported
that the fire department
responded to one chimney
fire in Heppner and four
controlled burns that got
our of hand, among others.
The council also ap-
proved an animal permit
for Alicia Brundidge for
six hens. Brundidge had
requested a permit for six
hens and five ducks. Lamb
said that, while she had no
objection to chickens, she
had kept ducks before, and
ducks don’t go to sleep with
the sun like chickens do.
“Ducks quack all night
long, whenever they feel
like it,” said Lamb. “And
they’re really, really loud.”
The council voted to
approve the permit for the
hens, with possible ap-
proval of the ducks if the
Brundidge’s neighbors are
all right with the idea.
AWANA Club ends year with
Grand Prix
AWANA Grand Prix winners (L-R): Speed winners Zethan
Humphreys, third, Caleb Ensley, first, and Anna Jepsen, sec-
ond, and design winners Sofia Di Salvo, third, Jaxson Nelson,
second, and Laurelee Jepsen, first. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo
Some members of the Ione Drama Department attended the
Peter Pan performance at the Elgin Opera House this past
weekend. The trip was funded by ticket sales from their school
performances. Pictured are (front row L-R) Khira Kreitzer,
Noelia Ramirez, Gift Cross, Zamira Dotson, Rosa Aguilar,
Hunter Scoggin and Julian Rodriguez-Shenna and (back row
L-R) Marcus Radcliffe and Gage Heideman. The drama de-
partment is headed by Chelsea Geer. -Photo by Erin Heideman
Local laundromat may
receive reprieve
By Andrea Di Salvo
Heppner’s only laun-
dromat looked like it was
on the point of closing, but
it may not be shutting its
doors quite yet.
At the Heppner City
Council meeting last week
in Heppner, city councilor
Dale Bates said he had spo-
ken with Jason Patterson,
the owner of the laundromat
on May St. The laundromat
has been struggling for
some time, and several of
the machines didn’t work.
Bates said Patterson
told him he would like to
upgrade the facility but
couldn’t make the numbers
pencil out to justify the
expense, and that the doors
to the laundromat might be
closing for good this month.
“We need to be aware
of this. The City of Heppner
doesn’t have any laundro-
mat for anyone at all at this
point (if it closes),” said
Bates. “I do not know what
we can do about that, but
we need to be aware of that.
“If there’s any funding
or any way we can help it,
if we know of somebody
who could maybe come in
and recreate one,” he added.
“I don’t know what kind of
discussion we could have
about it or if it does us any
good.”
Heppner city manager
Kraig Cutsforth said Wil-
low Creek Valley Economic
Development (WCVEDG)
was the only funding source
for development in Hep-
pner currently, but they only
finance capital repairs, not
equipment.
“Those machines are
extremely expensive, and
it’s just not something you
get funding for,” said Cuts-
forth. “The bank will give
you a loan, but if they don’t
pencil, they don’t pencil.”
“I think your idea’s a
good one. Small cities do
have laundromats,” put in
Kuhn, “so somebody must
make them pencil out.
“I think there should be
a way of doing it if people
actually research,” he add-
ed, noting that a laundro-
mat is needed not only for
people who don’t own their
own machines, but also for
when people’s machines
break down.
It wasn’t all just talk
at city hall. Earlier this
week, Patterson told the
Gazette-Times that the City
of Heppner had reached out
and wanted to hold meet-
ings regarding solutions
for keeping the laundromat
doors open. He said he
didn’t know yet what those
solutions would be, but he
was hopeful.
“It sounds promising,”
he said.
Heppner AWANA Club
concluded its 2022-23 club
year with its traditional
awards and pinewood derby
Grand Prix for members
and their families last Sun-
day in Heppner. Nineteen
club members, along with
leaders, family and friends,
packed the house for the
event at Heppner’s Chris-
tian Life Center.
Leaders John and Barb
Collin handed out awards to
the Sparks members, ages
kindergarten through third
grade. Adelaide Jepsen,
Anna Jepsen, Ariana
Matzick, Charlie Gulley,
Dillan Piper, Elliana Smith,
Germaine Ramos, Ian Ma-
cias, Jaxson Nelson, Josiah
Humphreys, Julius Bailey,
Kleo Childers and Tyler
Cimmiyotti all received
recognition for attendance.
Receiving attendance
awards for 90 percent at-
tendance or better were
Sparks Germain Ramos,
Kleo Childers and Ariana
Matzick.
Anna Jepsen, Ariana
Matzick, Germaine Ra-
mos, Josiah Humphreys and
Kleo Childers all received
awards for completing the
second book in the Sparks
program, while Adelaide
Jepsen received the Cubby
book award.
Truth and Training
leaders Dick and Karen
Temple were unable to be
at the awards ceremony,
so awards for the fourth-
through sixth-grade mem-
bers were handed out by
leader C.J. Johnson.
Aaron Humphreys,
A b b y S u m n e r, A b b y
Luttrell, Aidden Ramos,
Bryson Bailey, Caleb Hum-
phreys, Ellissa Yates, Frank
Di Salvo, Hannah Sumner,
Jayden Macias, Laurelee
Jepsen, Matthew Bailey,
Sofia Di Salvo, Sophia
Serrano and Zethan Hum-
phreys received recognition
for their participation.
In addition, Abby
Sumner, Bryson Bailey,
Frank Di Salvo, Matthew
Bailey and Sofia Di Salvo
all received awards for
good attendance, and Abby
Sumner, Bryson Bailey,
Caleb Humphreys, Hannah
Sumner, Jayden Macias,
Sophia Serrano and Zethan
Humphreys were recog-
nized for verse memori-
zation.
Receiving merit pins
for verse memorization
were Frank and Sofia Di
Salvo.
Laurelee Jepsen re-
ceived an alpha award for
completing the Truth and
Training book.
Heppner AWANA Club
also recognized teen volun-
teers Brionna Serrano, Nel-
ly Blakley, David Asbridge
and Zion Ramos.
In the Grand Prix event,
Caleb Ensley of Condon
took an impressive first
place in speed. Anna Jepsen
placed second and Zethan
Humphreys placed third.
Laurelee Jepsen placed
first in car design with her
horse trailer car. Jaxson
Nelson placed second with
his flag car and Sofia Di
Salvo was third with her
penguin-themed car.
The Heppner AWANA
program is the combined
effort of local churches to
teach children what the
Bible is all about. AWANA
stands for “Approved Work-
men Are Not Ashamed,”
based on II Timothy 2:15.
Games, songs and a Bible
lesson are included during
a typical club meeting.
For more information
on the Heppner AWANA
Club, contact AWANA
Heppner secretary Andrea
Di Salvo at awana.hep-
pner@gmail.com, 757-
285-5792, or via Facebook
Messenger.
CBEC visits Salem
Pictured L-R: Frank Jaeger, CBEC board member from
Fossil, Andy Fletcher, CBEC Chief Executive Officer, Gerry
Arnson, CBEC Board President, and Greg Smith, Oregon
District 57 State Representative. -Contributed photo
Pictured L-R: Frank Jaeger, CBEC board member from
Fossil, Gerry Arnson, CBEC Board President, Bill Hansell,
Oregon District 29 State Senator, and Andy Fletcher, CBEC
Chief Executive Officer. -Contributed photo
Several members of
Columbia Basin Electric
Co-op made a quick trip to
Salem earlier this month
to discuss hot topics with
members of the legisla-
ture. Always at the surface
are electric transmission
problems due to increased
demand on the grid. Other
topics on the visit’s agenda
included wildfire mitigation
and fiber to the home for all
of Morrow County.
“These are some of the
things we have to work on,”
said CBEC Board President
Gerry Arnson.
CBEC is one of 18 elec-
tric co-ops in the state. Or-
egon Rural Electric Coop-
erative Association sets up
legislative days for co-ops
to go down and meet their
representatives, senators
and other entities like the
public utilities commission
or the broadband office to
discuss what’s happening in
the regions they represent.
Previously, co-ops had
to share days, but this year,
each of the co-ops took a
separate day to visit with
legislators in Salem over
items of concern to its
members.
On this trip, Columbia
Basin Electric was repre-
sented by Arnson, board
member Frank Jaeger of
Fossil and Chief Executive
Officer Andy Fletcher. The
three CBEC representatives
met with Rep. Greg Smith,
Sen. Bill Hansell and mem-
bers of the Oregon Public
utilities Commission.
“Our specific purpose
was to discuss some of the
items out there that our
office is currently facing,”
said Fletcher.
One of those is broad-
band.
“It’s first and foremost
in our area, since we’re
really not connected in
our most rural areas,” said
Fletcher. “We have so many
Morrow County residents
that have no connectivity.”
Thanks to broadband
funding coming down from
the federal government,
the state will soon be dol-
ing out grants, and CBEC
wanted them to know that
they would be support-
ing that in this area. They
also wanted to thank Smith
for supporting House Bill
4092A, sponsored by Sen.
Pam Marsh, as well as ask
Hansell for his support.
Fletcher and Arnson
both said that the COVID-19
pandemic highlighted the
need for better internet
connectivity in rural areas,
especially for education and
tele-health.
“We owe it to the chil-
dren,” Arnson said. “They
spent two years with them
not being able to study
without high-speed inter-
net.”
“This could help down
the road, and we need to
make it a priority,” added
Fletcher.
The other big topic
in the visit was wildfire
mitigation and emergency
response. The three co-op
representatives spoke with
people in Salem about what
small cooperatives are fac-
ing throughout the state and
in eastern Oregon, especial-
ly public safety power shut-
off (PSPS). PSPS is where
utilities take the initiative
to shut off the power before
major weather events.
“It was more talking
about not punishing util-
ities that are doing the
right thing,” said Fletcher.
“CBEC, we pole check, we
spray around our transmis-
sion lines, we’re doing all
the little things that make
sure it doesn’t happen, but
electricity is still inherently
dangerous.”
“Larger utilities are
doing some great things.
We use NOAA,” he added.
“We don’t have millions of
dollars to invest in weather
stations and meteorolo-
gists.”
Fletcher also said the
co-op would like to see bet-
ter guidance from the state
for smaller utilities, espe-
cially guidance that would
utilize local emergency ser-
vices like Morrow County
Emergency Manager Paul
Gray or Heppner Fire Chief
Steve Rhea.
“We need to work with
them when we’re making
decisions about shutting
down power,” said Fletcher.
As far as whether the
visit made much progress,
Arnson said they felt good
about the trip, but Fletcher
was cautiously optimistic.
“Realistically, some-
thing’s going to end up hap-
pening that is catastrophic,
and then there’s going to
be better protections for
smaller utilities,” he said,
adding that there is an un-
derstandable but real gap
in understanding between
rural and urban thinking.
“To grasp the concept of
what its like in rural eastern
Oregon compared to the
valley—it’s significantly
different. It’s a lack of un-
derstanding. I don’t blame
them at all.”
Despite those hesita-
tions, Fletcher said he felt
confident in being heard by
local representatives.
“Everybody should
take the opportunity to talk
to our local representatives
about what’s concerning
them, because they do care,
but it’s hard to hear it some-
times,” said Fletcher. “And
they do care.”