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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2024)
6WXDUW'LFN¿OHVSHWLWLRQ to recall commissioners 50¢ By Annalynn Black (BOC) refuse to cooper- Stuart Dick, Morrow ate or exercise transparen- County resident, has sent cy with MCHD (Morrow VOL. 144 NO. 8 8 Pages Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon petitions for a recall of County Health District). commissioners David They have not followed Sykes, Roy Drago, and the established process for -H൵:HQKRO]WRWKHFRXQW\ amending the Ambulance clerk. Service Area Plan, dam- The following is the aging the viability of the statement provided on all county ambulance service By Andrea Di Salvo lift and a lot to abide by, and three recall petitions. after approximately thirty Another solar energy a lot to get right and a lot 1) All three Morrow project seeking to site itself of expectations. It’s been County Commissioners -Continued to PAGE EIGHT in Morrow County moved a lot, and it’s been hard to one step ahead last week accomplish. when the Morrow County In fact, Sweeney said Board of Commissioners he didn’t blame NextEra, approved a comment letter but said he saw a need for in support of the project. more compliance over- The comment letter sight and coordination. He is part of the process for indicated that the learning a company seeking a site curve had placed a burden certificate from the Ore- on county resources. gon Energy Facility Siting ³:H¶UHWU\LQJWRJHWLW Council (EFSC). This was Map by Morrow County Associate Planner Stephen right, because we’re just the second comment letter Wrecsics - Contributed Photo seeing the tip of this, and submit an annual monitor- QRZ :KHDWULGJH (DVW LV the county was asked to a third of the land. :KLOHWKHFRPPHQWOHW- ing report. submit concerning a site coming on,” he said. “It’s Team photo Heppner Lady Mustangs. -Contributed Photo 0RUURZ&RXQW\:HHG just going to continue to get FHUWL¿FDWHIRU:DJRQ7UDLO ter to the EFSC expressed The Lady Mustangs on January 25th. The Lady Solar, a project of NextEra overall approval of the Supervisor Corey Sweeney worse if nobody catches it made history on Saturday, Mustangs improved their Energy. NextEra is head- project, there were a cou- told the commissioners to make sure it’s taken care February 17, 2024, by de- record to 18-7 and earned quartered in Florida but has ple of sticking points for that the additional recom- of and done properly.” IHDWLQJ :HVWRQ 0F(ZHQ the right to face No. 3 Regis “green” energy projects in the county, Mabbott said. mendations stemmed from That was one reason he 44-36 and securing the third LQWKH¿UVWURXQGRIWKH6WDWH 49 states, including some Chief among those were problems with past energy ZDQWHGWRVHH:DJRQ7UDLO underway here in Morrow weed control and Goal 3 facility agreements. Solar have its own weed spot at the Blue Mountain 2A playoffs on February District Basketball Tourna- WK:HVWRQ0F(ZHQRQ “This stems from some coordinator. mitigation. County. JDSV LQ :KHDWULGJH RQH A Weedy Topic 7KH SODQQHG :DJRQ “That’s what we’re try- ment at the Pendleton Con- the other hand, suffered ³:H GLG PDNH D QRWH and two, in monitoring and ing to do; do the right thing vention Center. This was three consecutive losses Trail Solar farm would not be as large as the near- that we would recommend reporting some weed issues and get it to where we don’t the third and decisive clash to Stanfield, Enterprise, by 10,000-acre Sunstone that a weed plan be required that have really developed have out-of-compliance between the two rivals, who DQG +HSSQHU LQ ¿YH GD\V Solar but would be large and that the weed plan be in the last three years,” issues, we’re not spread- had split their previous and dropped in the State enough—a 500-megawatt reviewed and approved by Sweeney said, “and kind ing weeds, and we’re not meetings. Heppner lost 45- 2A rankings. All four Blue farm located on about 7,450 the county weed supervi- RIDPLVIXO¿OOPHQWRIRE- creating a huge problem,” 48 at Athena on January Mountain teams will still ligations in that weed draft. he said. 5th but bounced back with acres in central Morrow sor,” said Mabbott. -Continued to PAGE SEVEN “NextEra’s been great The letter also recom- County. Morrow County Sweeney said that, ac- a 54-44 victory at home Planning Director Tamra mended that the site cer- on rectifying, great on cording to ordinance, the Mabbott told the board tificate owner, NextEra, working with and trying draft plan only has to be of commissioners that should fund at least one full to get this back in compli- submitted 30 days before the company estimated it time position to implement ance,” he added. “These Morow County- Fol- Authority which should -Continued to PAGE TWO lowing the second joint be in the middle of March. would only build on about weed abatement, as well as weed draft plans are a heavy meeting on Feb. 13th, the The Health District has ex- Morrow County Health pressed concerns that their District and the Morrow employees are unlikely to County Board of Com- stay for just 90 days, which missioners have mutually puts their services at risk in agreed to suspend negoti- the county. The county stat- By Andrea Di Salvo cultural trust. So, an individual who ations and meetings tem- ed that they require the new The Morrow County gives $100 dollars yearly to Schreiner said that, porarily. Morrow County ASA plan to be implement- Board of Commissioners a local cultural organization right now, an estimated Commissioners and Mor- ed before they can accept recently learned more about would also donate a match- ¿YH SHUFHQW RI SHRSOH HOL- row County Health District any long-term contracts. a way Oregonians can sup- ing $100 to the Oregon gible for the tax credit are couldn’t agree on extending The county will assume port the arts and culture in Cultural Trust and would using it. That raises around the date for the ambulance ambulance operations on their communities while receive a $100 tax credit. $5.2 million per year, but service. The Health District March 13. They expect a receiving a tax break. Schreiner says there is room R൵HUHG D \HDU H[WHQVLRQ plan for ambulance ser- However, the tax credit is Jaylene Papineau of the capped at $500 for indi- for growth. and proposed to use the vice coverage from County Morrow County Cultural viduals, $1,000 for couples “If more folks simply current ASA for stability, Administrator Jensen at Coalition and Aili Schrein- ¿OLQJMRLQWO\DQGIRU knew about the tax credit, but the commissioners sug- their meeting on Feb. 21. er, Cultural Trust Manager C-class corporations. liked where the funds went gested a 90-day extension Morrow County and the of the Oregon Cultural Schreiner stressed that Aili Schreiner and participated in it, the until they receive an ap- Health District may meet Trust (OCT), were on hand supporting the Trust doesn’t size and number of our proved service agreement again after OHA approves at the Feb. 7 board of com- mean paying more in taxes grant awards. grant awards would go up from the Oregon Health the ASA plan. missioners meeting to share but being able to choose The Trust also runs VLJQL¿FDQWO\´VKHVDLG the unique way the OCT to some extent what state competitive grant pro- ³:H¶UH XQLTXH LQ WKH works with taxpayers to taxes fund. grams, funds cultural work nation,” Schreiner told the direct where some of their “This is good news for in Oregon tribes, and funds commissioners. “No oth- taxes go. those of us who believe statewide service provid- er state has a way for its Schreiner said the Ore- in the arts, heritage and ers such as the Oregon citizens to elect to send This update follows Service Area Plan. MCHD gon Cultural Trust was cre- humanities and who help Heritage Commission and some of its tax dollars to a two meetings between the is publishing this update to ated 22 years ago, in 2001. support that work with our the Oregon State Historic cultural trust, and then we Morrow County Health explain our stance on some According to her, a diverse own personal donations,” 3UHVHUYDWLRQ2൶FH in turn redistribute those District Board and the of the important topics that group had gone to the state she said. funds around the state so In Morrow County, it’s and asked for a way to sup- She told the commis- the Morrow County Cul- that there are grant options Morrow County Board have been stumbling blocks port cultural projects. sioners the Trust has sup- tural Coalition that partners available wherever you during which the two par- between the two parties. “They said, ’You know, ported more than 1,600 cul- with Oregon State Cultural live in Oregon or whatever ties agreed to come together :K\ZRQ¶W0RUURZ&RXQ- culture is happening every- WXUHQRQSUR¿WVLQ2UHJRQ Trust to distribute funds. kind of culture is important to discuss a path forward ty Health District extend where in Oregon, and we’d ³:KLFK MXVW VSHDNV WR Some of the areas funded to you.” for the ambulance service. the 90-day notice period? like to make sure there are how busy Oregonians are could include the county Papineau invited coun- Unfortunately, the two par- MCHD has agreed to an funds to support the arts and exploring their world and rodeo, community parades ty residents interested in ties could not agree on an extension of two years. history and heritage that is WKH PHDQLQJ WKDW WKH\ ¿QG and the Morrow County learning more to come visit immediate path forward. This is considered short- important to each commu- there,” she added. Historical Society, among with her. Meetings between the two term in this industry due to nity,’” Schreiner said. Schreiner said 60 per- others. “I feel pretty strongly parties will resume when WKH VLJQL¿FDQW LQYHVWPHQW As a result of that, cent of the funds get dis- “So, wherever you are about this program,” she the Oregon Health Author- LQ HTXLSPHQW DQG VWD൶QJ the Oregon Cultural Trust tributed to various organiza- in Oregon, you have access said. “I’m a believer in ity approves the Ambulance -Continued to PAGE THREE was created to raise funds tions and projects, with the to arts and history and her- keeping our history going.” through a state tax cred- other 40 percent going into itage in your community,” it program and distribute a permanent fund. Schreiner said. them throughout the state. Of that 60 percent, half On the other hand, the The way the tax credit goes to competitive cultur- permanent fund is designed program works is that, if an al development grants, a to provide interest and in- individual makes donations quarter to partner agencies vestment income for the to an organization like the like the Oregon Historical Trust, which she said was CALL Morrow County Historical Society, and the final 25 especially important during Society, they can make a percent to county coalitions times like the COVID-19 541-989-8221 matching donation to the and nine tribes—around pandemic. ext 204 OCT, which comes back 450 awards to counties and “It’s nice to have a per- to them in the form of a tribes per year. manent fund to leverage for more dollar-for-dollar tax credit. In the time it’s been when the times call for it,” “This is a source of around, the trust has award- she said. information funding that is completely ed more than 10,000 grants Another source of in- up to individuals,” she told for a total of more than $40 come is the special Cultural the commissioners. “A lot million throughout the state. Trust license plate. The of folks are not used to us- This is done partly through license plate was commis- ing tax credits, there aren’t a a statewide network of cul- sioned on the OCT’s 20 th lot in Oregon, and this one’s tural coalitions, groups of anniversary, and a portion pretty special.” volunteers who make yearly of the fee also goes to the Another solar project seeks approval Weed control top of mind for county Lady Mustangs advance WRVWDWHSOD\R൵V Joint meetings paused Cultural trust supports art, history through tax credits MCHD press release ambulance service
