(,*+7+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQWednesday, March 27, 2024
Circuit court in doubt
-Continued from PAGE ONE Hwy. 74. Some land south
consensus that the mill
site, owned by the Port of
Morrow, was by far the
preferred site.
However, with the al-
ternative of losing the cir-
cuit court laid before them,
they also agreed that they
could get behind the fair-
grounds site if issues like
rodeo parking were worked
out.
Sweeney’s caution to
the Heppner crowd may
have been timely, as Mor-
row County Administrator
Matthew Jensen told the
Morrow County Board of
Commissioners March 20
that the county continues
to broaden its search for a
circuit court site.
The BOC and coun-
ty staff had been making
plans based on the idea that
the circuit court building
had to be inside the Hep-
pner city limits. A letter
from Judge Hill earlier this
month changed that.
H i l l ’s l e t t e r w a s
prompted by outreach from
concerned citizens who
were not in favor of the pro-
posed site due to its impact
on the rodeo, neighboring
houses, and the nearby el-
ementary school.
“So that suddenly took
our soapbox that I’d been
working on for the last six
months of, ‘It has to be in
the city limits of Heppner,’
right out from underneath
me,” said Jensen.
Jensen said the pre-
ferred site is still the fair-
grounds, with the Port of
Morrow ground outside of
Heppner being the best al-
ternate because of the issues
at the fairgrounds.
The biggest challenge
with the mill site is infra-
structure. Potable water
is not readily available,
Jensen said, and there is
a lack of sewer. He said
developing a public-grade
well system would be any-
where from $500,000 to $1
million additional cost.
Jensen also said that,
while they could build a
septic system, that would
constrain further devel-
opment. The POM is in
discussion with the City
of Heppner regarding ex-
panding its sewer system,
but that alternative comes
with its own costs, since the
nearest sewer connection
would be near the Willow
Creek Country Club golf
course.
“We’re trying to quan-
tify what those costs are and
how that would impact the
project,” Jensen said.
Building at the mill site
would likely occur north of
of Hwy. 74 could possi-
bly be used, since work is
in progress to remove it
from the flood plain, but
Jensen pointed out that the
level plain would be more
valuable for industrial or
commercial development.
Meanwhile, the court-
house would most likely be
built into the hillside on the
north side, which he said
would be a cost saver for
the county.
Jensen said the county
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the design crew and Port of
Morrow March 19. Another
was scheduled for March
21, to include the City of
Heppner.
While he said the coun-
ty is focusing at this time
on the old Kinzua mill site
outside of Heppner, Jensen
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due diligence.
The county is vetting
at least four locations in
addition to the fairgrounds.
Because of the infrastruc-
ture problems inherent in
the mill site, Jensen said
the county is looking at two
other sites in South Mor-
row, as well as a two-acre
site in Boardman.
“It’s not my preference.
I think there’s historic and
political value in having the
courthouse down near the
county seat, but I have two
acres, county-owned, on a
main street in Boardman,
and I need to be able to
show that,” said Jensen. “If
nothing else, we can show
what the investment is in
the South County with this
courthouse.”
Jensen said the design
team is working on a report
on all the sites, but the need
for vetting by civic engi-
neering means the report
probably won’t be ready
until May.
Some have questioned
why the existing courthouse
can’t be renovated, but
Jensen said the state funds
are for new construction
and cannot be used to up-
grade or remodel existing
facilities.
He did say that the
county is early enough in
the design process that the
only costs that have been
sunk into the fairgrounds
site have been geotechnical
and land surveys and a title
search. The total for those is
$10,000 to $12,000. Those
are still good if the fair-
grounds site is used.
“But it’s spent money
and, if we move that, that
would be a lost cost for this
project,” he said.
St. Patrick’s Winners
-Continued from PAGE ONE rays’ and the ‘Missionaries
with an astounding 104
feet. In the team catego-
ry, ‘the Murrays’ emerged
victorious, displaying re-
markable coordination and
strength, achieving an ex-
traordinary distance of 310
feet. ‘The Hass’ team with
280ft and in third place
‘The Cunninghams’ team
with 259ft.
The Road Bowling
competition witnessed
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teams and 30 participants
battled for supremacy on
the challenging course. In
the end, it was ‘Team Never
Quit’ that triumphed. Com-
prising members Danielle
Ludwig, Brent Eckman,
Wyatt Hedman, and Jared
Hedman, their unwavering
determination and skill
paved the way for victory.
An exciting plank
race also captivated the
audience, with participants
pushing themselves to the
limits of speed and agility.
‘The Lucky Bastards’, com-
prised of Lane Bailey, Shane
Lazinka, Brandon Seitz,
and Wacy Coil, emerged
as the victors, crossing the
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determination. ‘The Mur-
Jason’ secured second and
third place.
Finally, the much-antic-
ipated bed races entertained
the crowd, with teams com-
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honors. ‘Who’s Your Patty’
claimed the coveted first
place, leaving the specta-
tors in awe of their speed
and teamwork. ‘The Local
Ladies’ team secured an
admirable second place.
The St. Patrick’s Pa-
rade Game Winners truly
embodied the spirit of this
festive event. Through their
creativity, skill, and un-
wavering determination,
they delighted the crowd
and left a memorable mark
on the parade. These win-
ners, along with all the
enthusiastic participants,
showcased the rich Irish
heritage and collective joy
of the celebration, making
the St. Patrick’s Parade a
resounding success.
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Heppner, OR 97836
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Heppner, OR 97836
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