Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2024)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 14, 2024 -- SEVEN ASA contracts and county administrator reports -Continued from PAGE ONE find out where we’re at on that,” he said, adding that he hoped to have it by the end of the week. Jensen also said the title report done by the Port of Morrow was not as “robust” as they had thought, so the county will also be doing a new title report on the specific area they are look- ing at for the circuit court building. “Just to be sure we’re clear on any easements or anything else that might impact development there,” said Jensen. On a positive note, Jen- sen said Judicial District 6 Presiding Judge Daniel Hill had reached out to see if the county needed to put additional financial requests in as the new legislative ses- sion begins. Hill has put in a request for an additional $2.5 million to make sure the county is covered in the case of budget overrun on the project. “We’re hoping we don’t have to use that, but we’ve got the request in there as a placeholder,” said Jensen. The $2.5 million would be a matching grant. Also in his report, Jen- sen said he met with several parties regarding the water nitrate issue. He said the county is still awaiting final determination on the grant from Business Oregon. As the county moves forward, Jensen said, it will be putting out a request for proposals for public outreach. He said there has been delay in public out- reach, but he’s hoping to get into affected communities this fall and discuss options. He also reported that the alarm regarding fires in Morrow County has dialed back for the moment and they are now looking at recovery, specifically for those who have grazing lands in affected areas. “We know that those cattlemen have been im- pacted by this, and so we are looking to see what we can do to get updates and resources to them,” he said. Jensen also reported that he attended the Let’s Build Boardman hous- ing event Aug. 6. He said Boardman is looking for options on how to address middle-income housing. “More or less, low-in- YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Call come housing gets subsi- dized. High income hous- ing, they’ve got the money to do it. It’s those people in the middle-average income range who are really im- pacted by things,” he said. Other Business In other business, the BOC unanimously ap- proved an IGA with Oregon Department of Transpor- tation to develop an Inter- change Area Management Plan (IAMP) for the Tower Road and Interstate 84 in- tersection area. Morrow County Prin- cipal Planner Daisy Goebel said the county has done IAMPs in the past, but not since 2014. She said it is a “pretty standard agree- ment,” though it does con- tain a caveat for a technical advisory committee and public advisory committee. To w e r R o a d i s i n Boardman, but Goebel said the transportation system falls within the jurisdiction of the county and the state. Jensen said that the city owns adjacent property, but the county owns the road, so Boardman will be a stakeholder in decision making. In other business, the board of commissioners authorized Jensen to pursue a ChangeX grant of up to $10,000 for an ABI TR3 “E” arena groomer to take care of both the indoor and outdoor arenas at the fair and rodeo grounds. The board also ap- proved a lease for a weed department facility on Lin- den Way in Heppner. The space is a two-bay garage with office space, which will allow the county to store weed equipment in an environmentally controlled area. The lease is $1500 per month and will require a supplemental budget change. The county will be responsible for mitigation and cleanup of any weed chemicals on the property. In department reports, Morrow County Public Works Administrative Man- ager Sandi Pointer reported on the use of Lexington Air- port by Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon Air National Guard. The groups used the airport July 24 to Aug. 2 for their command center and fuel location when fighting wildfires in the area. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. “It was exciting,” said Pointer. The firefighters brought their own fuel tanker, and Pointer and Morrow Coun- ty Public Works Director Eric Imes agreed that the airport’s fuel supply proba- bly wouldn’t have support- ed that much air traffic. In addition to air traffic, there was a command center trailer at the airport. Pointer said it was good for the county because it brought in a little revenue, as well as more exposure for the airport. She said several state officials com- mented that, if they had known the Lexington air- port was this accessible and easy, they would have used it more often. Imes said the com- mand teams were great to work with. He said they addressed his concern about the extra noise over the small town and explained the operation thoroughly. “They took really good care of town,” said Imes. Public works is also in the process of getting bids for new scales at the coun- ty’s two transfer stations, and Imes is creating a list of road signs that need replaced. If it cannot be completed this year, he said he hopes to have it in next year’s budget. “The road signs around the county are in terrible re- pair,” said Imes, adding that the map of the county was covered with dots where new signs are needed. “It looks like chicken pox.” Morrow County Transit Manager Benjamin Tucker reported that ridership is picking up on The Loop’s fixed-route service. Sykes commented that he didn’t think the online schedule was easily read- able on a phone and asked if an app could be created for phone users. Tucker said the feedback they received was that people did not want to download another app. He also said the web- site has an interactive map that shows stops and times, He did agree that the site still needed optimization for phones. Tucker also said The Loop had worked with Sues Gibbs to create a route with a stop at the fairgrounds during fair week. “We are excited about being able to Print & Mailing Services offer that,” said Tucker. Morrow County Fi- nance Director Kevin Ince said the finance department is busy with several proj- ects, including closing out the last fiscal year by the end of September. At the top of the list are four different audits, including finishing the 2023 single audit and the public transit Agreed-Upon Proce- dures audit while beginning those same audits for 2024. In Oregon, the State- wide Transportation Im- provement Fund (STIF) requires audits for entities that receive STIF mon- ey. These audits follow Agreed-Upon Procedures established by ODOT. Meanwhile, Ince said, work continues on the En- terprise Resource Planning (ERP) program. Enterprise resource planning is a busi- ness management software system that is designed to manage and streamline an organization’s functions, processes and workflows with automation and inte- gration. The department has also finally begun work on the Internet Technology Disaster Recovery Plan, which was pointed out as a weakness in a previous audit. At the end of the meet- ing, the board of commis- sioners went into executive session to consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litiga- tion likely to be filed. After executive ses- sion, the board voted to engage Bend law firm Bry- ant, Lovlien & Jarvis, PC as legal counsel for the Columbia Development Authority (CDA) lawsuit. The move appears to be in response to a lawsuit Umatilla County has filed against the CDA. The law- suit seeks at least one mil- lion dollars for an alleged breach of contract over a March vote that turned over control of the CDAs industrial property to the two ports. Morrow County, the Port of Morrow and the Port of Umatilla are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! Submit Ads *Design *Print *Mail Sykes Publishing 541-676-9228 heppner.net Call 541-676-9228 Email graphics@rapidserve.net Heppner Gazette-Times Sykes PrintingQua L. Tiorum 541-676- SMALL OPERATIONS 9228 Come see us! Or Email ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAY 5:00 P.M. 177 N. Main P.O. Box 337 Heppner, OR 97836 Chris@sykesrealestate.net Broker Chris Sykes 541-215-2274 New Listing $230,000 This cozy 1950s home, located in a peaceful community, offers a blend of classic charm and modern comforts. The 3-bed, 2-bath property features a finished basement with two bedrooms and a bonus room, perfect for extra space or an office. The well-maintained yard, complete with mature fruit trees, provides a relaxing outdoor space. Essential appliances, including a fridge, range, washer, and dryer, are included, making it move-in ready. Sold as-is or with conventional financing, this charming home is ready for you to make it your own! 285 W ARCADE ST Lexington MLS# 24676541 SOLD 9.09 ACRES Secluded mountain property! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to own your own mountain property. Whether you’re looking for a hunting retreat or a permanent residence, this property has it all. With approximately 9.09 acres of land and a private pond you can embrace the beauty of nature and create a life of serenity in the mountains you’ve always desired. 80844 Black Mountain Ln Heppner MLS#:23510132 Reduced price $465,000 Experience luxury living in this stunning home located in Heppner, Oregon. Built in 2016, this beautiful property boasts luxurious features such as heated bathroom floors, a central vacuum system, a water softener, and central air for ultimate comfort. Enjoy the convenience of being close to the high school, Heppner pool, baseball park, elementary school, fishing spots, and downtown, all within walking distance. With an expansive lot, this is the perfect opportunity to own your dream home in an ideal location. 480 W Morgan St Heppner MLS#: 24057570 New Listing $299,000 graphics @rapidserve.net We also offer design and printing ser vices AG LOANS / PERSONAL & BUSINESS BANKING Heppner Gazette-Times HEPPNER / IONE Sykes Printing MEMBER FDIC Discover your dream home with this charming, well- cared-for classic traditional house. 4 bedroom 1 bath | 2314 sqft home featuring brand-new carpet with original wood floors beneath and beautiful woodwork throughout, this home blends timeless elegance with modern updates.The remodeled kitchen exudes a cozy, down-home feel, boasting quartz countertops and updated appliances with gas range. Enjoy outdoor living with a BBQ on the back deck or relax on the inviting front porch on a quiet street.The two- car garage doubles as a shop for all your projects, and there is ample garden space. Additional features include RV space forced air heat, central air cooling. Located close to downtown Heppner, this home also offers a remodeled full basement with a living area and a bonus room. MLS#: 24205860 220 W Center St. Heppner.
