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Irrigon and South MC to be served by Health District, Boardman Fire to serve Boardman -Continued from PAGE ONE ern ASA (Boardman) was bulance providers in the tee met and reviewed ap- plications on June 12 th and June 17 th . Both applicants were interviewed by the selection committee on June 21 st . The selection committee met again on June 25 th and June 26 th to finalize scoring. In his overview at the July 3 rd BOC meeting, Jen- sen said the committee found strengths and weak- nesses with both applicants. MCHD had several strengths in the application and interview process, he said, foremost being the district’s 30-plus years of experience in providing ambulance services in the county. “That gives them a great network of knowledge and resources to pull from,” he said, adding that MCHD had a lot of support from the community, as well as a strong network of Quick Response Teams (QRTs). At the same time, Jen- sen said he and the com- mittee both had concerns about the health district’s consistency of leadership approach and general staff- ing. “While their EMS lead- ership had been consistent and taken care of, there has been some question on turnover rates,” said Jensen. He added that the health district said the turnover rate was less than the na- tional average. “But it was a concern that was presented to them, and just leadership decisions on those types of things.” One such leadership decision that weighed heav- ily, he said, was the decision to cease ambulance opera- tions in March. “That put the county in an awkward position as we were nearing the finish goal of making these consider- ations,” he said, “and it is a bit of a black eye.” Jensen said the health district also asked for an in- tergovernmental agreement between all five cities and the county if MCHD did not get the contract for all three ASAs. Jensen said that could prove “challenging,” since multiple third parties could then impact the de- termination of ambulance service providers. Meanwhile, Jensen said a strength of Boardman Fire lay in its dual-role staffing model, in which firefighters are also EMTs and para- medics. That could provide cost savings if managed correctly. However, Jensen said, that could also be seen as a weakness. “It works for Board- man because they have the fire department,” said Jensen. “In other areas of the county, they don’t, so using that staffing model is a challenge.” Jensen also said that a drawback with BFRD is lack of experience with billing and financial pro- jections, which he said the health district “has down in spades.” Another area Board- man Fire came up lacking was in the area of volunteer support such as the QRTs MCHD had established. “As we look at the ru- ral nature of our county, specifically the extended distances in the Southern ASA, the reliance on QRTs is a lifesaving practice for the county and for EMS,” he said. At the same time, he pointed out that BFRD had stepped in as interim provider over the last three months and had done an “exemplary” job. Also, though several areas of the county have mixed feel- ings at best about BFRD, support for the fire district is strong in the Boardman area. Jensen also shared the composite scoring made by the committee. The North- scored overwhelmingly for BFRD. “I think that synergy of their model with the fire district there provides some unique options and oppor- tunities,” he said, “and a lower cost response for the Northern ASA.” For the Southern ASA, the committee swung in the opposite direction, choos- ing MCHD by a wide mar- gin. It was the Northeast ASA, which includes Ir- rigon and the surrounding area, that proved to be a sticking point. Jensen said the committee was pretty evenly split, seeing value in both, and recommended referring the decision to the BOC. Jensen said there was a 1.125-point difference be- tween MCHD and BRFD, with favor leaning slightly toward Boardman Fire. Jen- sen noted, though, that three members of the committee scored BRFD higher, while five scored MCHD higher. “So, we don’t have a majority giving this opin- ion,” he said. Jensen pointed out that, while Boardman Fire’s quoted cost to serve the north end was lower, he had concerns over those projec- tions since BFRD didn’t op- erate the Irrigon fire depart- ment. He also said letters from Irrigon community leaders weighed heavily in his decision to recommend MCHD as the provider for the Northeast ASA. While the work of the ad hoc committee provid- ed the groundwork for the selection of ambulance providers, the decision ultimately rested in the hands of the three coun- ty commissioners. As the commissioners questioned Jensen on specifics, Mor- row County Commissioner Jeff Wenholz said he had a problem with MCHD’s proposed IGA. “I don’t see how we would enforce it,” he said. “It enters third parties into something that real- ly has nothing to do with having ambulance service,” Wenholz added, saying the proposed 20-year IGA was also a concern when the provider contract was only for five years. Jensen replied that the health district had stated it would be open to nego- tiation on the IGA, which could happen before final- izing contracts. Wenholz also asked whether there would be a mutual aid agreement be- tween MCHD and Board- man Fire for the Northeast ASA. “Now, if the Irrigon ambulance is out, what is the solution so that Irri- gon isn’t without an ambu- lance?” he asked. Jensen said mutual aid agreements would be re- quired between all am- county, regardless of who was chosen. “It is a requirement,” he said, adding that part of the role of the ASA advi- sory committee is to make sure such requirements are followed and enforced. “If we have a provider that’s not responding to mutual aid requirements, that will put their provider contract into question.” The contracts will also require two ambulances based in each ASA, with one full team staffed and backup available on call. In other business at the meeting, Jensen report- ed that the environmental survey for the new circuit court building is underway at the proposed Kinzua mill site. The geotechnical survey was scheduled to be on site July 9 th . He said he anticipates both reports coming in around July 23 rd . Jensen said he hopes to have a recommendation on whether the site is feasible for the circuit court build- ing after that, hopefully with a presentation to the BOC by the first of August. Send in submissions for the MC Fair contest -Continued from PAGE ONE tion as possible about the picture. This photo from Ione area of farmer Ken Nelson, was taken in 1929, and shows the first harvest using a tractor to pull the combine. Norman Nelson, the father of the late Chuck Nelson, and grandfather of Morrow County District Attorney, Justin Nelson, is on the tractor, a model 30 gas Cat. Fred (Alfred Nelson, Jr.), father of Ken Nelson, is standing on the front of the combine. The sack sewer was “Porky” Lyons, and Alfred Nelson, Sr., father of Norman and Fred, is on the separator. Wheat farmers are encouraged to enter this contest, which hopefully will show the grain harvest through the years in Mor- row County. Photography department superintendent, Tina Palmer, says: “Grow- ing up I rode with my dad in a combine with no cab, and now our kids and grand- kids, the next generations, ride in an air-conditioned combine and cut more acres in a day than Dad did in a week. Farming has come a long way. It is important that each generation real- izes the importance of the family farm in feeding the world.” Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 10, 2024 -- SEVEN MC Board of Commissioners approves ASA awards M o r r o w C o u n t y ’s Board of Commissioners acted on staff recommen- dations and approved mov- ing forward with notice of awards for Ambulance Service Areas (ASA) under the new Ambulance Service Plan that will be effective on July 17, 2024. Board- man Fire Rescue District was awarded the North- ern ASA while Morrow County Health District was awarded the Southern and Northeast ASAs. Staff were directed to finalize contract negotiations and bring final contracts back to the Board for final approval. It is anticipated that ASA pro- viders will assume respon- sibility for their respective areas in late July or August, depending on contracts being settled and resources being put into place. The Board of Com- missioners would like to acknowledge the commu- nity members that assist- ed staff in reviewing ap- plications and interview- ing the applicants. These individuals represented not only their respective communities but the entire County and provided in- valuable insight, comments and questions during the process. Their input was an important factor in as- sisting staff to make final recommendations. These individuals include Emi- ly Jack (Heppner), Sheila Miller (Lexington), Jerry Rietmann (Ione), Brenda Profitt (Boardman), and Michelle Patton (Irrigon). We also appreciate the as- sistance of David Anderson, the EMS Chief with North Gilliam Medical District, who provided specific EMS experience and knowledge for the Committee. Governor Kotek announces state preparedness in advance of excessive heat warnings Salem, OR – In ad- vance of excessive heat warnings for most of the state this holiday week from noon Thursday through Sunday evening, Gover- nor Tina Kotek is remind- ing Oregonians to take extra precautions to stay safe. State agencies are mobilizing resources and standing up the state Emer- gency Coordination Center throughout the heatwave. “Oregon will experience record-breaking heat across the state this holiday week,” Governor Kotek said. “While extreme heat can be deadly for anyone, certain groups – children, elders, people with disabilities, and people who work out- side – face additional risk. Also, remember to check on your neighbors, especially those who might not have access to air conditioning. “High heat can also be a cat- alyst for wildfires. I strong- ly urge all Oregonians to practice extreme caution this weekend, stay cool, and take preventive mea- sures to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.” Temperatures across Ore- gon are expected to reach near record-breaking levels, with the Portland metro area, Willamette Valley, and parts of Southern Oregon expected to hit tempera- tures in the triple digits. The heat risk levels and what they mean for individuals can be found on the Nation- al Weather Service’s Heat Risk map at www.wpc. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has activated the state Emer- gency Coordination Center in response to the heatwave. Multiple partners including the Oregon Health Authori- ty, the Oregon Department of Human Services office of Resilience and Emergency Management, the Oregon State Medical Examiner, the Oregon Public Utility Commission and the Amer- ican Red Cross are working with local and tribal emer- gency managers as they prepare to open cooling centers. State agencies are providing support and re- sources where requested. The state Emergency Co- ordination Center will meet throughout the heatwave to monitor the situation and respond accordingly. The Oregon Health Au- thority is also encour- aging people to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion as advisories predicting triple-digit temperatures go into effect this week. Oregonians can find more information about local cooling centers from 211 at www.211info.org/ summer-and-heat-re- leated-resources Sign up for OR-alert at (oralert.gov) and get life- saving alerts and instruc- tions during emergencies to help you and others stay safe in Oregon. WWW.HEPPNER.NET Information on the pro- cess, including applica- tions, forms, presentation files, and other items, will be made available on the County’s website on Friday, July 5, 2024. Please direct inquiries to: Matthew Jensen, Ad- ministrator (541) 676-2529 177 N. Main YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Call ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/ P.O. Box 337 Heppner, OR 97836 Chris@sykesrealestate.net Broker Chris Sykes 541-215-2274 $395,000 Sold 541-676- 9228 DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5PM Or Email graphics@rapidserve.net 80439 Black Mountain Ln Heppner MLS#:23425595 Don’t Let Salem Dictate Morrow County’s Future! VOTE NO on Recall! If Recall is successful Governor Tina Kotek will choose our next County Commissioners Do the citizens of Morrow County want Salem politicians deciding our future? If this recall is successful, Oregon Law says Governor Tina Kotek will choose our next board of commissioners. And Tina’s hand-picked people will serve two-and-a-half years! Keep Local Control VOTE NO on Recall Is this what Morrow County wants? Don’t leave Morrow County’s governance in the hands of valley politicians. Keep local control and Vote Down this misguided and unwarranted recall/power grab! Paid for by David Sykes
