+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQ Wednesday, January 10, 2024 -- SEVEN
MC Commissioners meeting on ASA
-Continued from PAGE ONE the county has been target- Nicole Drive.
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“If you look at other
ASAs, that is not the case,”
he added.
Jensen said the re-do
of the ASA would provide
oversight and allow the
county to consider, though
not guarantee, multiple pro-
viders. He pointed out that
the county had previously
gone through changes with
its law enforcement struc-
ture and said a new ASA
would allow the county to
have the same flexibility
with ambulance services.
He also restated his
previous assertions that no
provider determinations
have yet been made, despite
continued chatter on social
media.
“Yes, this does provide
an opportunity to consider
other providers, but it is not
a guarantee,” Jensen said.
Jensen also said that,
despite previous assertions
that the ASA submitted to
the Oregon Health Author-
ity was not a draft, it was
indeed a draft document,
and OHA was aware of that.
“They (OHA) said,
‘Send us the initial draft.
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the issues,’” Jensen stated.
“They were fully acceptant
of it being a draft.”
He also said he had
been in contact with MCHD
and they were looking into
some “tweaks” that had
been brought up. Once the
county has finished the
feedback process with OHA
and interested providers, he
said, there would again be
public hearings.
Jensen also addressed
the upheaval caused in Irri-
gon, especially, by MCHD’s
announcement that it would
terminate ambulance ser-
vices in the county. He
said the county already
had assurances from dif-
ferent parties to ensure that
ambulance services within
the county will continue
after MCHD discontinues
services, though he did not
specify who those parties
were.
Jensen said he was also
reaching out to the various
communities to discuss
plans and options.
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time we believe that this
is necessary,” he said. “It
might feel painful right
now, there is a certain level
of uncertainty, but this is
something that needs to be
done.”
Circuit Court Building
Update
Also on last week’s
agenda was an update on
the progress of the planned
new circuit court building in
Heppner. Jensen said that,
per the board of commis-
sioners’ recommendation,
ing the proposed site next to
the county fairgrounds in its
planning so far.
Jensen admitted there
has been silence concern-
ing the new circuit court
building. He said much of
that was due to delays in
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the architect.
Once the design team is
in place, he said, the coun-
ty will begin coordinat-
ing stakeholder meetings.
Those stakeholders will
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in the new building, impact-
ed neighbors such as the
Collinses, and neighboring
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pner Elementary and the
fair and rodeo.
“And that will be, ‘Hey,
here is what we’re plan-
ning. Let us know of things
we need to take care of,’”
he said.
Jensen said that, real-
istically, those stakehold-
er meetings will begin in
February.
He also said that the
current costs for the build-
ing look high, but that the
county will try to strike a
balance between cost and
design as the project moves
forward.
Geotechnical surveys
are already underway at
the sight, Jensen said. Once
those results are in, the
county will know whether
the proposed site is even
suitable for building. Those
also should be ready around
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A town hall regarding
the issue was last held in
September. Jensen said he
hopes to have more public
engagement after the coun-
ty has met with stakeholders
and created a preliminary
design. Jensen did add that,
because the building will
house the circuit court, the
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say on almost all aspects
of internal design. For that
reason, outside engagement
will be limited.
“They have very strict
and steadfast require-
ments,” he said.
Construction is antici-
pated to take place in 2025.
Sykes called for a
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report so members of the
public could address Jensen
directly with questions.
Other Business
Also at last week’s
meeting, the board of com-
missioners held a public
hearing regarding the Bris-
tol Estates Subdivision just
west of Irrigon.
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ment, the board approved
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accepted a road dedication
for the subdivision and
approved the road name,
Also on the subject of
roads, the BOC approved
a road use agreement with
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which will include portions
of Baseline Ln., Sandhol-
low Rd., Myers Ln. and
Spur Loop Rd, among oth-
ers.
The road agreement is
for the energy company to
move equipment for a pro-
posed wind energy project
in the Butter Creek area.
Morrow County Public
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said the agreement would
help the county maintain
road integrity and the safe-
ty of the motoring public
during project construction.
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trucks will be required to
use designated pull-out ar-
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responsible for any damage
caused by their equipment.
They will also keep roads
maintained to county stan-
dards.
Imes said he and some-
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complete a road survey to
log road conditions before
work begins and again after
the project is completed.
In other business, the
board:
-Reappointed Gibb
Evans to Morrow County
Budget Committee Position
#3, a position expiring June
30, 2026.
-Appointed Morrow
County Finance Director
Kevin Ince as the budget
R൶FHUIRU)LVFDO<HDU
-Approved amend-
ments to the county ad-
ministrator job description;
major changes remove the
administrator as the budget
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administrator more pur-
chasing authority within
the budget.
-Approved a contract
for county counsel services
with Morrow County Dis-
trict Attorney Justin Nelson
and Deputy District Attor-
ney Gregory Goebel.
-Accepted Sykes’s res-
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Depredation Advisory
Committee and appointed
Morrow County Commis-
sioner Roy Drago Jr. in his
place.
-Appointed Keira Klein
and reappointed Braxton
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the Morrow County Fair
Board and learned of an
additional vacancy created
by the resignation of board
member Sarah Baker.
-Heard from Jensen
that the BOC held 31 meet-
ings in 2023 for a total of
94 hours and 19 minutes,
for an average of more than
three hours per meeting.
That time does not include
public hearings and town
halls.
That averaged a little
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Mom on your 50 years as President
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for all your hard work raising Angus cattle,
wheat, and us your family. Here's to
another year of checking the wheat market
and joining us to move equipment on the
last day of harvest.
Love, Ken, Julie & Geri
more than three hours per
meeting, Jensen said, which
was comparable to previous
boards who met four times
a month. Jensen also noted
that several processes had
been streamlined to make
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“You’re still dedicating
just as much time as the pre-
vious board of commission,
and it does allow time for
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sion to have other meetings
and attend to other matters
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the commissioners.
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS
AT 5PM
Advantage Dental by
Dentaquest
Allstott Construction,
LLC.
AmeriTitle
"Bailey Heavy Equipment
Repair, Inc.
Bank of Eastern Oregon
Blue Mountain
Community College
Blue Mountain
Investment Management,
LLC
Brannon's Auto Repair
%UHDNLQJ*URXQGV&R൵HH
Doris Brosnan
Bucknum's Bar and Grill
Buckshot, Inc.
Butter Creek Cattle Co.
Spot On Septic
The Cell Fix
Christian Life Center
Circle ""K"" and Mobil
Gas Station (Devin Oil)
City of Heppner
Columbia Basin Electric
Coop.
Columbia Development
Authority
Community Counseling
Solutions
Connected Professional
Accountants, LLC
Craig Miles Farming
Creekside Ranch
Dickenson Chiropractic
Clinic
Domestic Violence
Services
East Oregonian
Eastern Oregon Business
Source
John Edmundson
CMG Financial
)LQOH\%XWWHV/DQG¿OO
Gentry Homes
Green Feed and Seed
Grieb Farms Inc.
Haigh Heating and
Cooling LLC
Hair Expressions
Sharon Harrison
Heppner Auto Parts
Heppner Christian
Church
+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV
Heppner Market Fresh
Foods
US Forest Service -
Heppner Ranger District
Heppner Seventh Day
Adventist Church
Heppner United
Methodist Church
Hermiston Luxury Bus
Adventures
Hopeful Saints Ministry
Horseshoe Hereford
Ranch
Heppner Community
Foundation
Hughes Ranch (Merlin
and Claudia)
Intermountain Morrow
ESD
Jay Coil Fabricating
Kilkenny Ranch
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Les Schwab Tire Center
Mid-Columbia Bus
Company
First American Title
Insurance Company
Morrow County
Triangle Ranches
Morrow Co. School
District
Heppner CMD to
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th
The Heppner Cemetery
Maintenance District will
hold their monthly meeting
on Tuesday, January 16,
2024. The regular meeting
will be held at 5:15 p.m.
Agenda items include min-
utes of previous meeting,
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Operations. The meeting
will be held at the Ag Ser-
vice Building conference
URRPDW:/LQGHQ:D\
Meetings of the Heppner
Cemetery Maintenance
District are open to the
public according to ORS
192.640(1). For questions,
contact Janet Greenup at
541-561-6768.
Print & Mailing Services
*Design *Print
Sykes Publishing
Morrow County Fair
Morrow County Health
District
Morrow County Parks
Morrow County Veteran's
Services
0RUURZ6:&'
$J:HVW)DUP&UHGLW
O So Kleen Inc
Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo
Oregon Trail Library
District-Heppner Branch
Frank and Cara Osmin
SU Extension Service
Pettyjohn's Farm and
Builders Supply
Pioneer Memorial
Therapy Services
Port of Morrow
Portland General Electric
Silver Creek Contracting,
LLC
SLIM'S PLACE AIRBNB
Richard Ladd
Neighborhood Center of
South Morrow County
Statewide Publishing
Sweeney Mortuary
Sykes Publishing
Tacos Hometown
7KH:RROHU\3URMHFW,QF
7KRPDV):RO൵&3$
Tom Denchel Ford
Country
TREO Bike Tours
Turner Ranch, Inc.
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:LOGKRUVH5HVRUWDQG
Casino
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:LOORZ&UHHN$VVLVWHG
Living
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Club
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Invenergy, LLC
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District
:LQGZDYH
Communications, Inc.
Gar Aviation, Inc
Apex Outdoors, LLC
Jag Journey, LLC
Gateway Cafe
Murray's Drugs
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Excavating
and Garbage Services
Morrow County Grain
Growers
TREO Ranches
Lindsay Ranch
Lexington Pump, LLC
Northwestern Motel
Morrow County
Museums and Farm
Foundation
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Economic
Development Group
St. Patrick's Catholic
Church of Heppner
Balm Fork Lodge
Sykes Real Estate
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2൶FH
Training and Employment
Consortium
M Technology Solutions
:KHDWULGJH:LQG,,//&
Heppner Chamber of
Commerce
Upper Place
Concessions Steve's
Guide Service
Dale and Sheryll Bates
*Mail
541-676-9228
Blown Away Ranch
Heppner Daycare and
Preschool
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Company
Morrow Development
Corporation
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Technology Consulting
LLC
Flood Town Books
LLC
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Management LLC
$PD]RQ $:6
B.P.O.E.
Gorge Networks
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SAGE Center
Eastern Oregon
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The Swanson Insurance
Group
HomeLightLiberty
Grains
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Jeannies Jam's & Jellies
Essential Massage
Tillamook
Indian Lake
Campground
Camas Prairie Cowboy
Convention
6KHUZLQ:LOOLDPV
Serendipity Designs by
Sheena
Rogers Toyota of
Hermiston
Crum Farming
Feather Touch Cleaning
Foundry Collective
Morrow County
8QL¿HG5HFUHDWLRQ
District
D2 Photography, LLC
Michael & Kay Proctor
Pine Gate Renewables
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Mortgage
Howard & Beth Bryant
Foundation
Broken Spoke
Restaurant & Saloon
Barnett and Moro, P.C.
South Morrow County
Seniors Matter
Anderson Boylan
Ramos, PC
Elmer's Irrigation
Bohn's Printing, Inc.
Morrow County
Livestock Growers
Sherrell Chevrolet
Faded Joe's Barbershop
1HL൵HU5DQFK
"NextEra Energy
Resources
Hansen Veterinary
Services
Lancaster Fencing,
LLC.
Jack Rabbit Candle
Company
Townsend Career
Coaching
Blue Mountain
Plumbing LLC
RimRock Canyon
Church & Cottage at
The 32 Ranch
EOU Small Business
Development Center
Kenny Land Surveying
Heppner High School
Booster Club
Taste of The South,
LLC
Thank you to our 2023
Chamber members!