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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2024)
+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQWednesday, May 8, 2024 -- SEVEN Board of Commissioners discuss ASA plan schedule -Continued from PAGE ONE gency medical care.2 nd 0 The provider must show- FDVHVX൶FLHQWFDOOYROXPH and financial stability to ensure the long-term sus- tainability of the service. 3 rd ) The chosen provider must guarantee quality care for all individuals living in or passing through the service area. 4 th) The poten- tial service provider must adhere to all regulations set forth by the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Medical Board, and Oregon Depart- ment of Motor Vehicles. 5 th ) The proposal submitted by the ambulance service pro- YLGHUPXVWLQFOXGHVSHFL¿F details such as the number and type of ambulances, along with the medical equipment they will carry. Additionally, the proposal should outline the vehicle storage arrangements, com- munication capabilities, dispatching abilities, and the number of personnel. 6 th) Any selected provider must diligently adhere to all policies, procedures, and guidelines outlined in the Morrow County ASA Plan and the enacting ordinance. 1H[W ZDV WKH 6SHFL¿F guidelines, Matt Jensen mentions that since there are three service areas, we need a provider that can service all those areas; 1 st Prospective Providers must submit a proposal for individual ambulance service areas (ASA). 2 nd Prospective Providers may submit individual proposal for multiple ASAs. 3 rd The Selection Committee and Board of Commissioners may communicate with Perspective Providers for FODUL¿FDWLRQDQGWRGLVFXVV service options. The date of issuance is set for May 6th. Jensen also mentioned that notices will be published in newspapers across not only this county but also adjoining counties. 2QHVLJQL¿FDQWGDWHWR note is May 20th, which is when written questions will be allowed. After that, the proposal deadline has been set for two weeks later on June 3 rd at 2pm. Following the submission deadline, the board will review the proposals and determine which ones will move forward. The selec- tion committee, consisting of representatives from all ¿YHFLWLHVZLWKLQWKHFRXQ- ty, will meet from June 5 th and June 12 th to discuss the proposals. Jensen, who initially suggested the for- mation of this committee, informed the board that IRXU RXW RI WKH ¿YH FLWLHV have already appointed their representatives. %UHQGD3UR൶WDFRXQ- cil member from Board- man, will represent that city, while Mayor Michelle Patton will represent Irri- gon. Heppner will be rep- resented by local medical professional Emily Jack, and Jerry Reitmann, a local business owner, will rep- resent Ione. Jensen stated that they are still awaiting Lexington’s decision, as they are expected to select their representative after the Lexington May Council meeting. Additionally, the county representatives on the committee will be Matt Jensen himself as County Administrator and Bob Blackmore as legal counsel. Two EMS professionals from adjoining counties are also being considered for the committee, pending FRQ¿UPDWLRQ Commissioner Sykes inquired about the structure of the committee meetings and whether they would be held publicly or privately. In response, Jensen ex- pressed a preference for private meetings, without live streaming on plat- forms such as Zoom. The Commissioners motioned to approve the ASA plan scheduling. Commissioner Sykes kickstarted the Circuit court building project conversa- tion by turning to Jensen and requested a brief sum- mary of how the board ar- rived at the present state of D൵DLUVUHJDUGLQJWKH&LUFXLW Court building. Jensen began by ex- plaining that over the past year, the prevailing assump- tion was that the county courthouse needed to be situated within the city boundaries of Heppner, in accordance with the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) and other state standards. Thus, the team had narrowed down several potential sites to ultimately select the fairgrounds as the preferred choice. The fairgrounds R൵HUHGDGYDQWDJHVVXFKDV cost availability, size of the area, ready-to-build infra- structure, proximity to utili- ties, and county ownership. However, unforeseen circumstances arose as the potential impact on fair- grounds parking during the county fair was brought to OLJKW6SHFL¿FDOO\WKHWZR acre lot that hosted horse races and accommodated participants’ vehicles be- came compromised. Taking this into account, the board started exploring alterna- tive options for parking. This turn of events also generated discord among neighboring residents. 1HYHUWKHOHVVDVLJQL¿- cant development occurred when the state’s chief jus- tice sent out a notice clarify- ing her interpretation of the location requirements. Ac- cording to her, the Circuit Court could be established beyond the city limits as long as it remained within the county boundaries. Armed with this new- found understanding, the board expanded their scope DQG DVVHVVHG ¿YH GL൵HUHQW sites across the county. They considered proposals from Irrigon, Boardman, Lexington, and the Mill site offered by the Port of Morrow. After care- fully weighing the pros and cons of each location, some were dismissed due to issues such as the need for building demolition, environmental concerns, or inconsistent political and geographical proximity to the current courthouse. The historical connection to Heppner, which the court- house actively serves, was also taken into account. Addressing concerns about the future of the cur- rent courthouse in Hep- pner, Jensen assured that its symbolic significance and historical relevance would endure. However, the impact of having the courthouse physically lo- cated in the Heppner area, both perceptually and prac- tically, was acknowledged by the board. In a recent executive session, the commission had requested Jensen and the design team to under- take a narrowed-down se- lection process and provide cost estimates for several potential sites. This deci- sion aimed to streamline the decision-making process DQGHQVXUHWKHH൶FLHQWXVH of funds, as there is a grant with a deadline of 2026 that must be utilized. With careful consider- ation of numerous factors, the Board of Commissions embarked on a focused search for potential Circuit Court locations. Their aim was to strike a balance between meeting the nec- essary requirements and considering the concerns and history of the county. Commissioner Sykes raised the question, why can’t the Bartholomew building (the current court- house in Heppner) be up- dated and used? Jensen acknowledged that while revitalizing the courthouse was a possi- bility, the entire burden of funding would fall on the counties shoulders. He not- ed that the current funding being allocated by the state ZDVVSHFL¿FDOO\HDUPDUNHG for new construction proj- ects. Sykes interjected, em- phasizing that this funding accounted for 50% of the total amount required. Confirming Sykes’ statement, Jensen revealed that the 50% funding equat- HG WR D VLJQL¿FDQW VXP RI $12.7 million. While some may argue that this sub- stantial amount could be used to construct an entirely new and impressive build- ing, Jensen explained that the court system imposes VSHFL¿F VWDQGDUGV IRU WKH construction of courtrooms. These standards cover ev- erything from structural requirements to the size of windows and the offices allocated to judges. Jensen says a study had been con- ducted regarding the neces- sary updates and additions to the Bartholomew Build- ing and when the Circuit FRXUW EXLOGLQJ LV ¿QLVKHG he will look into updating the Bartholomew Building. Kelly Stewart, an archi- tect from DLR Group, pre- VHQWHGWKH¿QGLQJVRIWKHLU collaboration with Alliance to analyze potential loca- tions for the county court- house. Stewart revealed WKDWWKH\KDGLGHQWL¿HGIRXU promising spots: the Kinzua Mill Site North end, the Kinzua Mill Site South end, the fairgrounds in Heppner, and a site in Boardman. Stewart highlighted the ex- pansive size of the Kinzua Mill site, spanning over 100 acres, and noted that it had been divided into two distinct sections for analy- sis purposes. However, she emphasized that the extent of environmental geotech- nical bindings needed to be FRQ¿UPHGWKURXJKGHWDLOHG surveys. According to Stewart , EHIRUH DQ\ ¿QDO GHFLVLRQV could be made, these sur- veys needed to be conduct- HG DQG ¿QGLQJV HYDOXDWHG The time required for the surveys was estimated to be a minimum of three months. However, depend- ing on the results, the pro- cess could potentially take ORQJHUD൵HFWLQJWKHRYHUDOO timeline of the project. It was noted that the surveys were initially planned to commence sooner; howev- er, the necessity to prioritize the installation of water and sewage infrastructure led to a delay. The commission mem- bers were presented with the estimated costs asso- ciated with installing wa- ter and sewer facilities at the chosen sites. For the North end, considering the distance, the projected cost ranged between $2.2 million and $2.9 million. On the other hand, for the South end, the estimated cost was reported to be between $1.9 million and $2.8 million. Turning their attention to the last two sites, Stewart reassured that although the Boardman site still needs to undergo a survey, she UHPDLQV FRQ¿GHQW WKDW QR major obstacles would be uncovered during this pro- cess. While the Fairgrounds site has already been sur- veyed, so, moving into development will be swift. Jensen chimed in and HODERUDWHGRQWKHVSHFL¿FV of the two potential sites. He mentioned that the North site option is located just west of the Ag extensions R൶FH DQG WKH '09 QHDU Kinzua Mill. In contrast, the South site sits on the south side of the road, adjacent to silver creek storage. Jensen further highlighted that the South option would not be impacted by the 500-year ÀRRGSODLQWKHUHE\PDNLQJ it a more viable choice for development. Jensen also disclosed that the port has UHFHQWO\ R൵HUHG WR GHPRO- ish some storage facilities in the vicinity. However, he expressed his concerns about potential environ- mental implications that such actions might entail. Sykes raised concerns about the potential impact of surveys on the project timeline and cost. Com- missioner Sykes sought confirmation on whether the surveys required for the Kinzua Mill site options would add an additional four months to the proj- ect. Doug from Alliance, FRQ¿UPLQJ 6\NHV¶ GRXEWV stated that the surveys were indeed necessary and would D൵HFWERWKWKHSURMHFWWLPH- line and cost. Sykes inquired about the state’s power to veto the project based on the results of the survey studies. Doug explained that anything WKDW FDQ EH ¿[HG FDQ VWLOO be built upon, but he also highlighted that some of the additional costs would solely fall on the county. Seeking clarity, Sykes pressed further and asked at what point they would know the exact cost to the county. Sykes wondered LI WKH\ VKRXOG ¿UVW VHOHFW a site and then allow the state to decide if they would provide 50% of the funding. In response, Doug sug- gested that the exploration cost would likely be borne solely by the county but emphasized that the exact details were still unknown. Eurl, last name un- known, another Alliance UHSWRRNWRWKHÀRRUWRVKHG some light on the matter saying that it would be impossible to determine the full extent of any remedia- tion required until a site was chosen and the building’s schematics were presented to the state. Sykes then requested asked for an ex- ample of what can be found that will require remedia- tion. Responding to Sykes’ query, Doug explained that if contaminated soil were to be discovered at the se- lected site, the only solution would be to dig down until reaching uncontaminated soil and replace it. Howev- er, he emphasized that this remediation process would come with a hefty price WDJPDNLQJLWD¿QDQFLDOO\ burdensome endeavor. According to Jensen, the fairgrounds necessitate some excavation work, as indicated by a recent survey highlighting areas that require soil removal. However, Jensen assures that such sites, with a his- tory spanning hundreds of years, are bound to have sections that need to be re- done. Inquisitive about the potential contamination of old mill sites, Sykes asks Jensen for an example and what they could anticipate. Doug provides a response, suggesting that there could be several possibilities, including chemicals used to treat logs that may have seeped into the soil. He also highlights that during the mill’s operation, due to the prevailing practices of the time, oil and equipment were changed right on site without proper recycling, leading to oil seepage into the soil. However, Doug HPSKDVL]HV WKDW GH¿QLWLYH knowledge about the con- taminants present will only be attainable through site testing. Delving further into the matter, Jensen emphasized that obtaining water from the city would be a more cost-effective option for the south site, as opposed to FUHDWLQJDZHOOVSHFL¿FDOO\ for a building of that size. Jensen then raised con- cerns regarding the expense of connecting waste water to the city. It brought into question whether the coun- ty would be willing to cover the full cost of approxi- mately $235,000 associated -Continued to PAGE NINE Proudfoot & Cutsforth awarded BEO $500 scholarships Heppner, Oregon, (May 2, 2024) Bank of Eastern Oregon has selected its 2024 high school senior scholarship recipients. This scholarship is awarded to students planning to enroll in agriculture or business in college and judging is based on scholarship, leadership and citizenship. Applica- tions are accepted from graduating seniors in the ar- eas where Bank of Eastern Oregon and Bank of East- ern Washington branches DQGORDQR൶FHVDUHORFDWHG Cameron Proudfoot and Morgan Cutsforth were the students from Heppner awarded $500 scholarships. April Morrow County Marriage licenses issued Issued on April 15 th - Donna Marisa Sherman from Heppner and Richard Bedolla Hernandez from Boardman. Issued on April 24 th - Nyellie Felipe Carrilo from Boardman and Nathe- niel Anthony Hernandez from Boardman. Issued on April 25 th - Vanessa Mo- nique Olvera from Board- man and Ismiael Diaz from Boardman. Issued on April 26 th - Michael Louis Bogart from Heppner and Alice Mae Ragan from Heppner. EHA to host open house May 18 th Echo Heritage Asso- ciation will be hosting an open house in the historic St Peters Church at 33208 Marble Street, Echo, begin- ning at 10:30 on Saturday May 18, 2024. Doris Pitzer, locally renown organist, will treat us to selections on the 120-year-old pump organ at 11:00. Doris has played and led music for church, school events, wed- dings, and funerals in this region for decades and she still plays with a warm style and genuine capacity every chance she gets. An interpretive tour will be led by local Pas- tor Fr. Daniel Maxwell at 11:45. There is always beautiful symbolism adorn- ing a Catholic church and the early inhabitants of WKLVDUHDLQFOXGHG¿QHVWDW- uary and an altar in this church from the beginning, in 1913. Pastor Maxwell is very well versed in the LQWHQGHGVLJQL¿FDQFHRIWKH items in St Peters and will be giving us insight into these uniquely historical symbols during the OPEN HOUSE. The Annual ACE Car Show will be going on downtown that day and, of course, the café’ and two wineries in Echo are not far away. All in all, a vacation close to home awaits on Saturday, May 18 th in Echo and includes free tours for all ages at the historic St Peters Church. Judicial Department wants to hear from court users If you have interact- ed with Oregon’s circuit courts recently, the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) wants to hear from you. OJD is asking court users to take an anony- mous Access and Fairness Survey. The survey results will help OJD identify ways to improve and ensure that everyone has equal access to the courts. Questions on the sur- vey include: Did the court treat you with respect? Did the court make things easy to understand? Did the court make you feel safe? OJD invites anyone who has interacted with the state circuit courts to participate. This includes people involved in lawsuits or other court cases and their family members. This also includes witnesses, jurors and potential jurors, victims, attorneys, and law enforcement. The survey is avail- able online at www.courts. oregon.gov/survey in English, Spanish, Russian, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese. People who prefer a paper survey can ask for a copy at their local court. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAY AT 5:00 P.M. Senior Boys & Fathers Free Lunch May 14th 11:30-1pm Tuesday May 14th from 11:30-1pm Heppner and Ione Graduating Senior boys and their fathers or male mentors are invited to the Heppner Masonic Lodge, 138 W Willow st, for a free lunch sponsored by Bucknums Tavern with Guest Speaker Brett Koss. Heppner Lodge #69 wants to honor the hardwork these local men have put in and wish them well on their future endeavors. Please RSVP to Cody High at 541-256-0847 to ensure we have enough for everyone. We hope to have all local senior boys attend this event.
