+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQWednesday, April 24, 2024 -- SEVEN
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She is also looking for
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the border, there’s no other
organization out there right
now that’s talking about it.”
He then asked the com-
missioners to reach out to
the Oregon senate president
or speaker of the house and
ask them to start some dis-
cussions.
“Our representatives,
legislative-wise, in Eastern
Oregon are not listened to,”
McCarter said. “They’re
run right over the top by
everything that’s coming
out of Western Oregon.
“We’re trying to get
a voice, because we don’t
have that representation
that we need,” he added.
He mentioned that Har-
ney County is the largest
county in Oregon, larger
than five U.S. states, but
only has four law enforce-
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he said, Measure 114 is tar-
geting gun ownership and
threatening citizens’ ability
to defend themselves.
He also pointed out that
the legislature is trying to
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is targeting the water rights
of small farms and shutting
them down.
“We’re being steam-
rolled, and somehow we
need to get our voice out
there,” he said.
HB 4002
The BOC also heard the
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now the repeal, of Oregon
Measure 110.
The measure, voted
into law in 2022, had de-
criminalized possession
of small amounts of ille-
gal drugs. However, the
undesirable consequences
of the measure moved the
state to repeal the measure
recently, re-criminalizing
drug possession.
Part of that repeal was
House Bill 4002, which
grants counties funds for
deflection programs for
persons suspected or cited
for unlawful possession of
controlled substances.
“It’s better than Mea-
sure 110,” said Morrow
County Commissioner Roy
Drago. “It’s not perfect.”
The bill focuses on di-
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viduals from the criminal
justice system, Morrow
County District Attorney
Justin Nelson said. He com-
pared it to the diversion
available to individuals
who are found guilty of
drunk driving but have no
prior record.
Diversion would send
a person into a treatment
program through the district
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would bypass the DA’s
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make an on-site determina-
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Both Nelson and Drago
said they preferred the idea
of diversion because it gave
the county better tools to
ensure that individuals fol-
low through with treatment.
Nelson told the com-
missioners that Morrow
County is eligible for
$150,000 but must submit
an application to receive
funds. However, the ini-
tial application is due next
month, leaving little time to
work out the details of such
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who would administer it.
“Most grants, you say,
‘Hey, here’s our process we
want to go through, here’s
our plan,’” said Nelson.
“This one, it’s like, we are
interested, here’s the mon-
ey, now go start planning
on it and once you get that
done, we’ll give you the rest
of the money.”
One of the questions
was who would serve as the
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Nelson asked the commis-
sioners to consider making
nance Director Kevin Ince
asked if there was a reason
the county needs to the
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than an organization like
Community Counseling
Solutions (CCS).
Nelson replied that,
while CCS would likely
receive part of the funding,
it wasn’t certain they would
receive all of it.
Drago said he support-
ed the bill but did not have
a preference on how the
fiscal responsibility was
designated.
“But right now we
probably are the best situ-
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he added. “And if we don’t,
we don’t get our foot in the
door, then we’ll lose out
on that.”
Morrow County Com-
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he was cognizant of the ex-
tra workload it would place
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during budget season, but
also thought it would be bad
to miss out on the funding.
Morrow County BOC
Board Chair David Sykes
said it came down to wheth-
er the present and future
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“Sometimes your im-
mediate benefit as com-
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you have to take a hit,” said
Sykes.
The commissioners
voted unanimously to have
Morrow County to act as
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and approval.
Other Business
Regarding the budget,
Morrow County Adminis-
trator Matthew Jensen told
the commissioners that the
county budget committee
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budget committee meeting
has been pushed back to
May 9-10 to accommodate
changes to the budget.
“This will just give a
little more time to nail it
down,” he said, adding that
the reason for the exten-
sion was the change in the
county’s auditors, which
required adjustments to pre-
vious years. That, he said,
impacted this year’s budget
outlines and “dominoed.”
“We just want to make
sure what we take to the
budget committee is au-
thoritative and accurate,”
Jensen said.
He also told the BOC
that the county has made
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the assistant county ad-
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manager positions. The
new assistant administrator
currently works for the City
of Pasco and is expected to
start May 15.
“Both of those posi-
tions will help expedite,
streamline some things
and make sure we have
adequate stewardship over
the items that the county’s
supposed to be taking care
of,” he said.
Jensen also said he,
Morrow County Public
Works Director Eric Imes
and Morrow County Plan-
ning Director Tamra Mab-
bott had met about road
access permits. He said
there are some challenges,
because what comes before
the county in each situation
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“We just want to be
consistent on how we’re
handling that,” he said.
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like to commission some
photographs of county
landscapes from a regional
photographer, as the county
is “bereft” of good photo-
graphs in its public spaces.
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some of the blank walls and
celebrate some of the heri-
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our county,” he said.
Patrick’s Celebration in
Heppner.
“She’s got a good eye,”
Jensen said.
In other business:
The board of commis-
sioners approved a Memo-
randum of Understanding
with USDA Department of
Forestry and other “Blue
Mountain governments”
to establish cooperating
agency relationships for
the purpose of preparing
the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the
Revised Land and Resource
Management Plans for the
Malheur, Umatilla, and
Wallowa-Whitman Nation-
al Forests.
The board named Jen-
sen as the county adminis-
trative contact and Drago as
the county program contact.
“Umatilla Forest is a
big part of Morrow County.
We have the head office
here, we have a lot of forest
land here,” said Sykes. “It’s
a big part of our county. I
feel good to have this status
settled and have us involved
in the process.”
The Board of commis-
sioners approved a contract
with the City of Heppner for
law enforcement services
by Morrow County Sher-
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MCSO Undersheriff
Brian Snyder told the com-
missioners they had moved
to a two-year contract, July
2024 through June 2026.
The total contract amount
for two deputies will be
$230,826.42 each fiscal
year, plus a standard cost
of living adjustment the
second year. The city will
make quarterly payments.
The city will also pur-
chase a patrol vehicle in the
second contract year at an
estimated cost of $44,000.
The board also ap-
proved the appointment of
Joselyn Piper of Heppner
to the Morrow County Fair
Board. “We’re really happy
to have Joselyn on. She’s
come to the meetings and
looks like will be a great
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Fair Secretary Sue Gibbs.
Piper’s appointment
will leave two remaining
vacancies on the fair board.
One of the three vacan-
cies was from an expired
term, while two members
resigned citing family situ-
ations and lack of time.
Department Reports
In her department re-
port, Gibbs said she has
spent the year so far trying
to get a head start on spon-
sorships and that results
have been “outstanding.”
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sponsors so far, bringing
the sponsorship amount to
around $22,000 so far this
year.
“And we just received
another one yesterday,”
she added. “So I’m really
excited about that.”
Gibbs said her goal is
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May and get it out by the
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get it into the schools.
This year’s fair theme
will be “Admiration for
Generations.” The winner
of the fair theme contest
was a fifth-grade student
from Ione.
Gibbs said she has
had several superinten-
dent meetings and was just
awarded a grant from the
arts coalition.
“My superintendents
for open classes are really
excited. We’re going to be
using that money, $5500,
to bring in professional
artists to encourage and do
displays at fair,” she said.
She said they hope to
bring in two professional
artists to do presentations
and free classes for the
public.
doors on the sheep barn.
Morrow County Public
Transit/The Loop Director
Benjaman Tucker reported
that The Loop had operated
it’s new transit service 15
days in April. He said he
had not heard from all driv-
ers, but those he had spoken
with already reported more
than 100 rides.
“Word is getting out
there, and people are start-
ing to use it,” he said.
Demand response gave
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quarter of 2024. Those rides
covered 43,938 miles.
Tucker said his hope
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gain popularity and that
people currently using de-
mand response will switch
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up resources to serve more
demand response riders
who can’t be served now
due to limited availability.
“We’re pretty much
right there at the max as
far as what we can do for
demand response,” he said.
Morrow County Justice
of the Peace Glen Diehl
lamented previously re-
porting that driving speeds
seemed to be going down.
“I should have kept my
mouth shut,” he quipped.
“It was right after that we
received a speeding ticket
for 150 miles.”
He also said that he had
attended a judges’ training
and found that what Mor-
row County is experiencing
is happening statewide.
“For some reason, peo-
ple still aren’t getting it,
and they’re going some of
these outrageous speeds,”
said Diehl.
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ceeding 100 mph is $1,150
and an automatic suspen-
sion of 30, 60 or 90 days at
the judge’s discretion.
“And that was a re-
action from the state say-
ing, ‘Everything’s getting
out of hand, and going
those speeds, the chances
of surviving an accident are
greatly diminished,’” said
Diehl, adding that the blow-
out from such an accident
also increased the chance
of involving more vehicles.
He also said he had
found getting people to
show up for court has be-
come a widespread problem
since COVID.
“Some people honestly
forget. Others, they just
don’t care,” he said.
On a positive note, he
said the court has assisted
12 people in getting their
licenses and insurance this
year so far.
“To me, that’s a win-
win for the entire county,”
Diehl said.
WWW.HEPPNER.NET
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There were 12 players
in the ladies game play at
the Willow Creek Coun-
try Club on April 23 rd . the
weather was cool but sunny.
The results are as follows;
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(A) Karen Thompson and
(C) Betty Carter. The Low
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al Mithcell and (C) Nancy
Arnson. Least putts was
Kris Linder. Longest drive
was (B) Loa Heidman, and
(C) Nancy Arnson. Upcom-
ing game is April 30 th with
tee-time at 10am.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR MAY AND JUNE
May 2nd Ladies Night Dinner
0D\WK<RXWK1LJKW'LQQHUDQG5D൷H,WHPV
June Glen Ward Memorial Fishing Derby
June 14th Flag Day Service
June 16th Father’s Day Picnic
Lodge Meetings
1st thru 4th Thursday of the month at 8pm.
Except June, July & August the 1st and 3rd Thursday
of the month.
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