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well,” he said.
countability, when in the
proposed agreement, you
have the right to audit our
records,” she said. “The
post-pandemic healthcare
ODQGVFDSHLVYHU\GL൵HUHQW
than pre-COVID. Many
rural entities have closed
or are facing closure due to
declining revenues and sky-
URFNHWLQJ H[SHQVHV :H¶UH
experiencing this in our
current operations and are
exhausting every resource
to support services as we
are faced with tough deci-
sions and tough economic
times.”
Charlie Sumner, Lex-
ington Fire Chief, told the
commissioners he was frus-
trated by the political atmo-
sphere in the county.
“From what I under-
stand, there’s two side to
this issue, and neither side
had been willing to propose
something concrete or tell
people what’s going on,”
he said. “The bottom line
is that we all belong to
Morrow County and we
should all be together on
this. Certain individuals
want certain things, but
what’s good for the county?
“It’s not the way we
should be operating,” he
added.
John Kilkenny of Hep-
pner, husband of MCHD
board chair Diane Kilken-
ny, said he was disappoint-
ed to see an agreement with
ambulance provider AMR
in the meeting packet.
³:KDW¶V GLVDSSRLQWLQJ
to me is that we’re that
far down the road without
exhausting the talks with
the health district,” he said.
“By talking to people from
an ambulance company
in Portland who I can’t
imagine won’t cost more
money, have less knowl-
edge, is going to have less
expertise locally, we’re
going to have less services
ultimately, instead of keep
going down that path with
Morrow County Health
District.”
He pointed out that
both the BOC and the
MCHD board are elected
by the people.
“To my knowledge,
the two parties have never
met,” Kilkenny said. “For-
get about the past. Let’s
PRYHIRUZDUG/HW¶V¿QGD
UHVROXWLRQ:H¶UHJHWWLQJWR
the 11th hour and beyond.”
“Find out what it is you
can agree to. You’ve made
progress on the ASA,” he
added. “Do the same thing
on these ambulance ser-
vices.”
Nancy Arnson of Blake
Ranch said Morrow County
is a “family” that takes care
of each other.
“Morrow County
Health District is an import-
ant member of our family,”
she said. “They set a dead-
line because they needed to
know what they needed to
do to continue operating.
That is not strong-arming.”
³7UDQVSDUHQF\ :H¶UH
like the parents of children.
:H WKLQN WKH ZRUVW LI ZH
don’t know the truth. Just
tell the truth.”
Stuart Dick of Irrigon,
representing Morrow Coun-
ty Residents for Liberty and
Justice, presented a list of
demands to the BOC. And
requested a written reply.
1HJRWLDWH D VHWWOH-
ment with MCHD to end
the crisis with our Morrow
County Ambulance service.
(VWDEOLVK D QXPEHU
one priority of the BOC to
take the lead to safe guard
private well drinking water
in our county wells.
%2& KDV VWDW -
ed the county has a extra
$12,500,000 available to
build a new Circuit Court-
house to be matched by the
government. Funds have
been allocated for architec-
ture drawings yet the site
has yet to be approved by
the city. Morrow County
Citizens request a commit-
tee to be organized immedi-
ately to determine the best
site and best use of taxpayer
IXQGV:HUHTXHVWDOOIXQGV
BOC project cease until
there is public support for
the project.
0RUURZ&RXQW\&LW-
izens requests an advisory
committee of citizens and
negotiation experts paid for
by the county and the state
of Oregon to be established
to negotiate with any future
Amazon Complex. The pur-
pose of this committee is to
represent all Morrow Coun-
ty cities, Fire departments,
schools, taxpayers. etc.
0RUURZ&RXQW\&LW-
izens requests one County
Administrator not a sec-
ond at $160,000. There
are multiple complaints
against the present County
Administrator that need to
be investigated. The BOC
is not saving $125,000 as
stated.
The BOC has 6 days
WKH VDPH QXPEHU %2&
gave MCHD to respond
WR GUDIW$6$ WR UHVSRQG
to Morrow County Citi-
]HQV :H GHVLUH D UHVROX-
tion of these issues, not
a recall. However, of the
BOC chooses to continue
VWRQHZDOOLQJRXUH൵RUWVWR
solve and at least mediate
these issues we will initiate
a recall of all three Com-
missioners. Let the people
decide who they choose to
govern our Country.
The vote of the Ione
meeting was 13 for recall
and 2 opposed. The total of
DOO¿YHPHHWLQJVZDVIRU
recall and 37 against.
Scott Ezell of Irrigon, a
PHPEHURIWKH,UULJRQ¿UH
board, said Irrigon is being
left out of the conversation.
³:H ZDQW WKLV FRP-
PXQLFDWLRQ:HZRXOGOLNH
you to come to our public
meetings and provide pub-
lic comment,” said Ezell.
“Please get on the record
and let us know what the
plan is.”
Raymond Akers of
Boardman told the com-
missioners there is growing
support for a recall.
Kirsten Espinola of
Ione, also a health dis-
trict employee, said she
had been in a small town
that went with an outside
ambulance company, and
people had died because of
response time and lack of
local knowledge.
“I don’t want to have
to worry for myself and my
children or my husband,”
VKH VDLG ³:K\ FDQ¶W ZH
work together?”
Sara Bayless of Irrigon,
health district paramedic,
said she had previously
worked for AMR, and stat-
ed that poor management
and wages meant the com-
pany operates at all times
with new and inexperienced
providers.
“AMR does not care for
WKHLUSDWLHQWVWKHLUVWD൵RU
the communities they serve.
They care about money,”
said Bayless.
Colleen Neubert said
she did not believe an out-
side provider from Portland
was in the best interests of
the county. “They do not
NQRZ RXU URDGV :H KDYH
a lot of addresses that are
YHU\KDUGWR¿QG´VKHVDLG
“They don’t know our cit-
izens.”
Kevin Jepsen, a Uma-
tilla resident who works for
the health district, also said
he was frustrated by people
not being heard.
“It hurts me to see these
people being left behind
and unheard,” he said. “As
representatives of the peo-
ple, you should be doing
what they want.”
He also stated that he,
too, had experience with
AMR.
“I am telling you; they
are not a company you want
in your county,” he said.
County Administrator
Update
Jensen said the Ore-
gon Health Authority has
confirmed receipt and is
reviewing the ambulance
service plan.
³:H¶UH H[FLWHG WKDW
they are making headway
and that things are going
Meanwhile, according
to Jensen, MCHD has ex-
pressed acceptance of the
current proposed ordinance
and ASA.
“This is good news.
:H DSSUHFLDWH LW 7KLV LV
common ground,” he said,
adding that he “had to hear
about it through a newspa-
per article,” but had since
KDGLWFRQ¿UPHGE\0&+'
“It provides a basis for us
to have further discussions
on.”
However, Jensen said
the health district has insist-
ed on an exclusive one-pro-
vider model in a contract
sent out on January 30,
2024. Due to the health dis-
trict’s stance, Jensen said,
FRXQW\ VWD൵ DUH UHYLHZLQJ
proposals for interim ser-
vices.
“The problem is, we
need to get the plan,” said
-HQVHQ³:HKDYHH[SUHVVHG
this to the health district
since October, November.
:HQHHGWRJHWDSODQ¿UVW
then we can reach out to
providers.”
Jensen also said that the
health district insisted on
an exclusive contract and
“were not budging” on the
the 90-day deadline.
³:LWKWKRVHWZRWKLQJV
it puts us in the situation
we’re at right now,” Jensen
stated. “From the get-go,
we’ve asked for patience—
ZHMXVWQHHGWR¿[WKHSODQ
and then we’ll work through
the providers.
“Morrow County
Health District is uniquely
positioned to provide the
best service for the county,”
KH DGGHG ³:H KDYH QRW
asked them to terminate.”
Jensen again laid the
tension at the feet of the
health district, saying
MCHD had created a sit-
uation the created uncer-
tainty for its employees and
county residents.
He also said that he had
reached out to the Irrigon
and Heppner fire chiefs
and had attended a MCHD
board meeting.
“The main players, we
are reaching out to,” he
said.
He also said that con-
sidering multiple coverage
areas within the county was
nothing new but said past
ASAs had had up to four
areas, one of which was
served out of Hermiston.
He said that, logistically,
the county doesn’t need
three or four areas, but
“geographically and polit-
ically,” they are necessary.
“You can’t have an am-
bulance up in Boardman
covering for Heppner,” he
said.
He also said that
MCHD ambulances had
served Morrow County for
more than 30 years as a
largely volunteer service,
but that had changed in
the last three years when
they switched to 24/7 paid
VWD൶QJ
“It makes sense to
make it exclusive when it
is free or they’re doing it
as a service,” Jensen stat-
ed. “As soon as a provider
suddenly says, ‘County, we
need money,’ then it should
go to a fair and represen-
tative consideration of all
providers.”
Jensen said the county
has not requested contracts
or proposals because the
ASA in not in place. He also
said discussions with AMR
had not included personnel,
but only the leasing of am-
bulances and equipment.
³:HDUHQRWORRNLQJWR
have MCHD provide am-
bulances because this is a
sticking point for them, and
we’re looking at providing
from outside sources.”
He said the intent is still
to have the interim plan to
the public by Feb. 21.
“I want to get to a reso-
lution on this,” he said.
177 N. Main
P.O. Box 337
Heppner, OR 97836
Chris@sykesrealestate.net
),9(+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQ:HGQHVGD\)HEUXDU\
38%/,&127,&(
-Continued from PAGE FOUR
er of forestland or the rep-
resentative of an owner
of forestland, at least one
member must be an owner
of grazing land or the rep-
resentative of an owner of
grazing land. Forestland
LV ODQG GH¿QHG LQ 256
526.005 that lies within
an Oregon Department
of Forestry Fire Protec-
tion District within Mor-
row County. Grazing land
LV ODQG GH¿QHG LQ 256
526.324 that lies within
an Oregon Department of
Forestry Fire Protection
District within Morrow
County. Interested mem-
bers will be appointed to a
four-year term and may be
reappointed to any num-
ber of terms. Letters of
interest must be received
by Monday, February 19.
Please submit letters to
Valerie Ballard, vballard@
co.morrow.or.us or by reg-
ular mail, Morrow County
Board of Commissioners,
P.O. Box 788, Heppner,
OR 97836."
Published February 14, 28,
D൶GF
,1 7+( &,5&8,7
COURT
OF
THE
STATE OF OREGON
FOR THE COUN1Y OF
MORROW Probate De-
partment In the Matter of
the Estate of: THOMAS
L. MOORE, Deceased.
Date of Death: October
15, 2023. No. 23PR10173
NOTICE TO INTEREST-
ED PERSONS. Notice is
given that the undersigned
has been appointed and has
TXDOL¿HG DV WKH SHUVRQDO
representative of the estate.
All persons having claims
against the estate are re-
quired to present it, with
proper vouchers, within
four months after the date
RI ¿UVW SXEOLFDWLRQ RI WKLV
notice, as stated below, to
the personal representa-
WLYH DW .XKQ /DZ 2൶FHV
267 N. Main Street, P.O.
Box 428, Heppner, Ore-
gon 97836, or they may be
barred. All persons whose
ULJKWV PD\ EH D൵HFWHG E\
the proceedings in this es-
tate may obtain additional
information from the re-
cords of the court, the per-
sonal representative or the
attorney for the personal
representative. PERSON-
AL REPRESENTATIVE:
'DWHG DQG ¿UVW SXEOLVKHG
February 7th, 2024
perience of outside consul-
tants regularly engaged by
the consultant under con-
sideration
C. Labor & Equipment
Availability
D. Method of Approach
Copies of the Request for
4XDOL¿FDWLRQV PD\ EH
obtained from Morrow
County, P.O. Box 428, 365
: +Z\ /H[LQJWRQ
2UHJRQ
9500, spointer@co.mor-
row.or.us. Complete pro-
posals will be accepted at
the same address until 4:00
p.m., March 7, 2024.
Published February 7, 14,
D൶G
127,&( 2) 6+(5-
,))¶66$/( On March 7,
2024 at the hour of 11 am
at the Lobby Doors inside
the Morrow County Court
House, 100 N Court St,
Heppner, OR 97836, the
defendant’s interest will
be sold, subject to redemp-
tion, in the real proper-
ty commonly known as:
595 SE 13TH STREET,
IRRIGON, OR 97844.
The court case number
is 22CV37958, CAR-
RINGTON MORTGAGE
SERVICES, LLC, Plain-
WL൵DQG7+((67$7(2)
.(11(7+5(/:$5'
7+(
81.12:1
HEIRS, ASSIGNS
AND DEVISEES OF
.(11(7+5(/:$5'
MARY
KATHERINE
PERINE; SARA NOLAN;
7$=,((/:$5'.(,7+
0$57,1
(/:$5'
0,&+$(/$ (/:$5'
AKA SHAYLA
(/:$5' 6(&5(7$5<
OF HOUSING AND UR-
BAN DEVELOPMENT;
AND ALL OTHER
PERSONS OR PARTIES
81.12:1&/$,0,1*
ANY RIGHT, TITLE,
LIEN, OR INTEREST
IN THE REAL PROP-
ERTY
COMMONLY
.12:1 6( 7+
STREET IRRIGON,
OREGON 97844, Defen-
dants. The sale is a public
auction to the highest bid-
der for cash or cashier’s
check, in hand, made out
to Morrow County Sher-
L൵¶V2൶FH)RUPRUHLQIRU-
mationon this sale go to:
http://oregonsheriffssales.
org
Published January 31, Feb-
UXDU\ D൶G
4c
The Morrow County
Heritage Museum & Ag-
ricultural Museum will
hold their Annual Board
Meeting February 20 at
7:00 PM at the Heritage
0XVHXP QH[W WR WKH OL-
EUDU\ 7RSLFV GLVFXVVHG
will be work and displays
completed in 2023 and the
ongoing work at the Agri-
cultural Museum.
Published February 14,
D൶GF
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S:\HAMILTON, CRISTI\
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D൶GF
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