TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 30, 2023
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE:
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid
at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax
(541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: In Morrow County $35/year.
Outside Morrow County $40/year. In County Senior Rate (65 years or older) $30/
year. 9 month Student student subscriptions $35/year.
Chris Sykes ...............................................................................................Publisher
Andrea Di Salvo ............................................................................................ Editor
Cindi Doherty.........................................................................................Advertising
All News and Advertising Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.
For Advertising: advertising deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Cost for a display ad is $5.50 per
column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $15 up to 100
words. Cost for a classified display ad is $6.00 per column inch.
For Public/Legal Notices: public/legal notices deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. Dates for publi-
cation must be specified. Affidavits must be requested at the time of submission. Affidavits
require three weeks to process after last date of publication (a sooner return date must be
specified if required).
For Obituaries: Obituaries are published in the Heppner GT at no charge and are edited to
meet news guidelines. Families wishing to include information not included in the guidelines
or who wish to have the obituary written in a certain way must purchase advertising space
for the obituary.
For Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor MUST be signed by the author. The Heppner
GT will not publish unsigned letters. All letters MUST include the author’s address and phone
number for use by the GT office. The GT reserves the right to edit letters. 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.
AWANA starts Sept. 12
Heppner AWANA Club
will begin its 2023-24 club
year Tuesday, Sept. 12,
with registration and an ice
cream social for club mem-
bers and their parents. The
club will meet at the Chris-
tian Life Center (“dome
church”) in Heppner.
The evening will be-
gin at 6 p.m. with club
registration and ice cream
for everyone attending.
The event will also in-
clude games and a short
welcome from AWANA
Commander Dale Bates.
Meetings will
be held from 6 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays
throughout the club year.
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.
The Christian Life
Center is located at 535
W. Morgan St. in Hep-
pner. For more information,
contact AWANA Secre-
tary Andrea Di Salvo at
awana.heppner@gmail.
com, 757-285-5792, or
via Facebook Messenger.
Data indicates BMCC
has big economic impact
in region
A new study has indi-
cated the extensive impact
that Blue Mountain Com-
munity College (BMCC)
possibly has on the Eastern
Oregon regional economy
and its return of investment
for students and taxpayers.
Data reveals that
BMCC generated $157.5
million in economic impact
in the 2021-2022 fiscal year
while supporting one out
of 34 jobs in the Eastern
Oregon region.
The comprehensive
analysis was conducted by
independent labor market
research firm Lightcast, part
of a larger project that was
commissioned by the Or-
egon Community College
Association (OCCA) and
all 17 Oregon community
colleges.
The focus of the report,
primarily on the 2021-2022
fiscal year, dives deep into
the regional economic im-
pact of BMCC’s operations,
student spending and alum-
ni, along with the benefit to
taxpayers and students. The
$157.5 million impact is
equivalent to approximately
2.2 percent of the total gross
regional product within
the region BMCC serves,
which includes Morrow,
Umatilla, Union, Baker
and Grant counties, while
bringing in a total taxpayer
benefit of $16.8 million.
“This report helps
demonstrate what Blue
Mountain Community Col-
lege has been doing for over
60 years—serving and giv-
ing back to the communities
we serve,” said BMCC
President Dr. Mark Brown-
ing. “The impact of alumni,
current students and our
wonderful staff and facul-
ty, collectively supporting
some 2,305 jobs and $157.5
million annually shows a
most positive return on in-
vestment of public dollars.”
For students, attending
BMCC also apparently
brings a 6.3 benefit-cost
ratio. In other words, for ev-
ery dollar students invest in
BMCC, they receive a cu-
mulative value of $6.30 in
higher future earnings. The
rate of return for students
annually is 21.8 percent,
compared to the stock mar-
ket 30-year average annual
return of 9.6 percent.
Other key points from
the report include:
-The net impact of
BMCC’s former students
currently employed in the
regional workforce amount-
ed to $137.9 million in
added income in fiscal year
(FY) 2021-22.
-The net impact of the
college’s operations spend-
ing added $17.7 million
in income to the regional
economy in FY 2021-22.
-In return for their in-
vestment, students will re-
ceive a cumulative present
value of $44.2 million in in-
creased earnings over their
working lives. This trans-
lates to a return of $6.30 in
higher future earnings for
every dollar students invest
in their education. Students’
average annual rate of re-
turn is 21.8 percent.
-In FY 2021-22, Ore-
gon invested $28.7 million
to support BMCC. In turn,
the Oregon economy will
grow by $156.2 million
over the course of students’
working lives. Society will
also benefit from $4.3 mil-
lion of public and private
sector savings.
For an in-depth look
at the economic impact of
Blue Mountain Community
College, go to https://www.
bluecc.edu/economic-im-
pact.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
FRIDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
Irrigon Council says no to truck route exceptions
-Continued from PAGE ONE have to parallel park on the best I can do to help al- 2024 and will be up for
er might not.
“The other thing is that
this has been going on since
2015,” he said. “We have
people who adhere to it.
We have people who push
against it just because they
can.
“It becomes an enforce-
ment issue not only for code
but also for law enforce-
ment,” Palmquist added.
The city manager said
they had people move into
the city who owned larger
lots in residential areas and
would park trucks on the
property or work on them
there. That was when the
council decided to desig-
nate truck routes. There are
exceptions, such as emer-
gency vehicles, delivery
trucks and moving vans.
“You have to be careful.
How do we meet the needs
of everybody?” Palmquist
said. “We have a lot of
places that people can park
trucks.”
Irrigon Mayor Pro-Tem
Daren Strong mentioned
that the designated truck
routes also have to do with
keeping the city roads
maintained.
“And those specific
truck roads are thicker,”
he said. “So they’re made
for that.”
Irrigon Councilor
Heather Bishop said she
saw a problem with making
one allowance, because the
city would run into prob-
lems if five more people
from the street also asked
for exceptions and the street
ended up being taken up by
trucks.
“It’s either black or
white. You can’t accept it
for one and then not for
everybody else who shows
up,” she said.
“I think since we wres-
tled with this thing eight
years ago and went through
it pretty thoroughly and it’s
lasted all this time,” added
Strong, “I think it’s fine the
way it is.”
There is space for truck
parking between the Irrigon
Shell and the Rustic Truck.
The issue of opening
Eighth Street as an addi-
tional entry to the Irrigon
Marina got a hearing but
then stalled at the meeting.
The council had pre-
viously directed city staff
to reached out to city engi-
neering firm JUB for vari-
ous scenarios for opening
NE Eighth or NE Seventh
streets, as well as a poten-
tial restroom facility and
various options for signage,
parking and vehicle move-
ment.
JUB’s report indicated
no parking spaces would
be hindered or removed.
Meanwhile, city staff say
that a second direct ac-
cess point from US 730
to the marina is safer and
increases the marina’s ca-
pabilities. Funds have al-
ready been laid aside, and
Columbia River Enterprise
Zone (CREZ) funds could
also be used.
City staff recommend-
ed the council adopt Op-
tion 1, which carries a cost
estimate of $375,700. It
would include connecting
Eighth St NE to the marina,
improving traffic flow with
signs and arrows, construct-
ing a restroom and utility
extensions.
However, some council
members weren’t so sure.
Bishop said she didn’t think
it was necessary and ques-
tioned whether it was the
best use of CREZ funds.
“It’s definitely a dis-
cussion. I’m not sure I’m
completely sold on opening
Eighth Steet,” said Irrigon
Mayor Michelle Patton,
adding that she had been
talking with people around
the marina. “So far, every-
one has said they like it the
way it is.”
Patton also said she
thought it might be too
much traffic on Eighth, a
street with houses on both
sides. Both she and Bishop
noted that people would
that street if the change
were made, and even then,
it would be a tight squeeze.
“There’s no congestion
going down Tenth,” said
Bishop. “It’s a straight shot
going down to the marina.
I think it’s more of a safety
hazard to have it go down
Eighth where everything
is a house, where there
are kids constantly, every-
where.”
She did say that she
liked the idea of an addi-
tional restroom.
“I think we need to look
at this as a safety thing,”
replied Palmquist. He said
that, during the watermelon
festival, there were boaters
who didn’t pay attention to
the marina signs and took a
straight shot in. “They don’t
care,” he added.
“It’s up to the council to
make some of these kinds of
decisions,” said councilor
Benji Calvert, “but in this
situation, everyone in the
town is going to be affected.
“Personally, if I lived
on one of those streets, I’m
not sure I’d be really happy
about it becoming a main
thoroughfare,” he added.
“My hesitation would
come in that the park board
isn’t totally with us,” said
Strong. “If that’s not re-
solved, I don’t think we
should push through.”
Patton said the city
definitely needs to talk
with the public and the park
board before moving for-
ward. The council decided
to table the issue for the
moment and conduct a poll
of Irrigon residents.
Earlier in the meeting,
the council heard from a
couple of Irrigon residents
who were unhappy with
their water bills.
“I want to know how
many of you people here
are paying $300 water bills
a month,” Allen Tomkins
said. “Because I’m really
getting sick of this. I’m
one person, and I’ve been
getting a $300 water bill
for the last three months in
a row.”
“There’s no leaks, and
I’m not using 60,000 gal-
lons of water,” he added.
He said he’d been as-
sured the meters aren’t
wrong.
“But I guarantee they
are wrong,” he said. “Be-
cause I’m one person, and
there’s no way I’m using
60,000 gallons of water.”
“You’re trying to say
that we don’t care, we’re
not trying to help you,”
Patton said, addressing
public posts and comments
Tomkins had made.
“I just want to make it
publicly known…we have
gone above and beyond,”
she said. “We have paid to
check for leaks. We have
checked your meter. We
have sent staff over.”
“And yet, I’m still get-
ting $300 water bills,” he
replied. “You’re making up
excuses.”
Patton and council
member Heather Bishop
suggested part of the is-
sue could be his use of a
swamp cooler. Bishop also
recommended he approach
CAPECO, which might
provide help with his water
bill.
Barb Hulse also said
her water bill was more
than $300.
“And I shut off every-
thing,” she said, adding that
she uses a heat pump, which
does not use water, “and my
bill only went down three
dollars.”
“I’m getting to the
point that if I have a load
of laundry to do, I’m going
to run down to the laundry
mat and do it. It would be
cheaper,” she added.
Bishop again suggested
CAPECO.
“Give it a try,” she said.
“That the best I can do.
They said they could help.
“The city has gone over
everything in their power to
check for everything they
can,” Bishop added. “That’s
leviate some of the hardship
you’re feeling. Please give
it a try.”
Palmquist told the gath-
ered crowd that if their
pipes had a hole that was a
quarter inch, in a month that
would use 393,000 gallons.
He also said they were in
the process of changing the
town’s water meters. The
process is about two and a
half years from completion
he said, due to funding.
“They’re not cheap,”
he said. “And we’re not
charging people. We’re just
saying we have to get this
done.”
Palmquist also added
that the city has multiple
residents who have wa-
ter bills in excess of $300
during the summer, some-
times because of unknown
water uses like members of
the household leaving hoses
running.
The residents said they
were told CAPECO would
not help because Irrigon
does not have a contract
with CAPECO. Palmquist
said the city’s attorney ad-
vised them not to sign an
agreement, but that did not
mean CAPECO could not
help.
“They will still give
money to people and help
them,” he said.
In other business, the
Irrigon council approved
an application for a Dept. of
Land Conservation and De-
velopment planning grant.
The Grant Young Memorial
grant, named after a DLCD
Eastern Oregon regional
representative who passed
away in 2017, is made
available to small cities ev-
ery two years. Cities with a
population under 2,500 are
eligible to receive $2,000.
The city does not have to
designate what it will use
the grant for at this time, but
a close-out report would be
due in April of 2025.
The city council ap-
pointed Hector Canno to
fill the vacant seat of for-
mer council member Alan
Carnahan. The appointment
runs through December
re-election in November
of next year. Canno will be
sworn in at the September
council meeting.
The city council also
discussed an intergovern-
mental agreement (IGA)
with the City of Umatil-
la for Umatilla County’s
PATH (Practical Assistance
through Transitional Hous-
ing) program. The goal of
PATH is to help people tran-
sition out of homelessness.
Patton told the council
the program offers small
dwellings for people to live
in, but residents will be re-
quired to be drug- and alco-
hol-free and to actively look
for work. Plans are also
being made for larger units
for those who find work to
continue their progress.
“It’s going to be tough,
no drugs, no alcohol, ac-
tively looking for a job,”
said Patton. “I’m just keep-
ing positive thoughts and
hoping that this will work
and help people get back on
their feet again.”
Palmquist said the
city’s attorney wanted to
make some changes to the
IGA before the council
approved it. The attorney
is also working on an “an-
ti-camping” ordinance in
response to Oregon’s recent
homelessness legislation.
Patton also announced
she had attended a mayor’s
conference and came out of
it excited to “jump in with
both feet.” She said she had
resigned her full-time posi-
tion with the school district,
switching to substitute, so
she will have more time to
devote to city business.
“I will be a lot more
available and out there,
which I look forward to do-
ing,” said Patton. “It some-
thing I’ve been wanting to
do since I started as mayor.”
ODOT will start work
on the sidewalk ramp proj-
ect in Irrigon Sept. 5. The
project will include occa-
sional road closures with
diverted traffic.
A family fun night is
planned Sept. 1 from 5:30-
8 p.m. at Columbia View
Community Church.
ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE:
FRIDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
217 North Main St.,
Heppner, OR
Phone 676-9158 Floral 676-9426
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177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
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541-215-2274