SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Board of Commissioners meeting on
curcuit court site and CREZ funds
-Continued from PAGE ONE of course he has always added that Boardman PD,
planning for the proposed
north end annex building.
Comparing it to Umatilla
County, which is fully func-
tioning and fully staffed,
Nelson questioned if Mor-
row County intends to rep-
licate such comprehensive
services. He acknowledged
the difficulty of filling po-
sitions in Heppner but not-
ed that these challenges
were specific to the south
Morrow County area. He
expressed curiosity about
whether Morrow County
plans to fully staff the annex
building or if it will only be
utilized on certain days.
Drago expressed his
apprehension about funding
and questioned whether
this would alter the state’s
approval for the original
courthouse construction
rather than an annex. Jen-
sen, in response, acknowl-
edged the question but sug-
gested seeking clarification
from Judge Hill, who could
provide insights into the
matter.
However, Jensen em-
phasized the importance
of considering Judge Hill’s
recommendations, propos-
ing a workshop involving
Doug Carl, the BOC, and
Judge Hill to delve deeper
into the idea of building an
annex.
Wenholz, adding to the
discussion, highlighted the
significance of maintaining
a partnership with the state
when considering the con-
struction project, “I think
that we should because it
is a partnership with the
state. They are paying 50%
of the courthouse part of
the building. If you’re giv-
ing them what they want,
if there’s any additions or
extra expenses, they are a
lot more willing to advo-
cate with the legislator and
appropriate dollars for it.”
Jensen expressed his
worry about the operations
and maintenance costs, “the
states build us these nice
facilities and we have to
take care of the operations
maintenance.” Jensen goes
on to say he is interested to
see their idea of staffing.
Sykes voiced his pref-
erence for keeping the fa-
cility in Heppner. He em-
phasized his support for the
fairgrounds site, stating, “I
want it to stay in Heppner,
I would go back to the fair-
grounds site.”
Drago gave his opin-
ion saying, “we gave the
millsite [a chance] and we
had our concerns at the be-
ginning, and they came to
fruition as we were afraid
they would.” He goes on to
say he would like to have a
workshop with Judge Hills
to address his comments or
concerns. And if it’s some-
thing that they can do, but
been on board with the
fairgrounds.
Sykes adds that he
doesn’t want to hold work-
shop/public meeting, “I
appreciate his letter, and I
appreciate what he’s do-
ing, but I don’t think you
can split the baby. I think
it needs to be in one place
and I think it needs to be
in Heppner. I’ve always
said that, from when I was
running for office I haven’t
changed my mind.” The
board passed a motion to
hold a public meeting to
discuss an annex.
Next on the agenda
was the discussion of the
approval of funds for the
Morrow County Sheriff’s
Office (MCSO) and their
request to utilize the previ-
ously awarded $100,000 in
CREZ funds. Brian Snyder,
representing the MCSO,
articulated the pressing
need for a private firearms
range. Currently, officers
are compelled to travel to
Arlington in order to access
a shooting range, according
to Snyder.
The proposed loca-
tion for the range is coun-
ty-owned land off Juniper
Canyon. This land offers a
convenient and accessible
site for officers to train ef-
fectively, says Snyder. The
estimated cost for estab-
lishing the firearms range
is around $65,000. Addi-
tionally, Snyder highlighted
the need to purchase new
search and rescue vehicles,
as the current ones are over
a decade old, worn out,
and no longer meeting the
required standards. They in-
tend to trade in the existing
vehicles and acquire two
new Polaris 570s equipped
with wenches and a new
trailer, amounting to a max-
imum cost of $35,000. Both
the shooting range project
and the acquiring of new
search and rescue vehicles
would use the total of their
previously awarded CREZ
funds.
Commissioner Sykes
drew attention to a previous
discussion involving the
Boardman Police Depart-
ment also requesting CREZ
funds for the construc-
tion of a shooting range.
Sykes sought clarification
on whether the proposed
firearms range would be
used solely by the MCSO or
if it would have a multi-de-
partmental purpose. Snyder
responded, emphasizing
that while the range would
be owned and operated by
the MCSO, it has the poten-
tial to benefit other law en-
forcement agencies as well.
He cited the example of
Hermiston PD, which has a
shooting range and has es-
tablished usage agreements
with other agencies. Snyder
Heppner Junior High
Volleyball Schedule
Sep 10 , 2024, 4:00PM
Away vs. Stanfield Second-
ary at the Stanfield Second-
ary School.
Sep 12 th , 4:00PM Grant
Union / Prairie City at
the Heppner Elementary
School.
Sep 16 th , 2024 5:00PM
Away vs. Riverside at the
Windy River Elementary,
Boardman Oregon.
Sep 20 th , 2024 3-Way
9:00AM Irrigon, River-
side at the Heppner High
School, B team @ HES A
team @ HHS.
Sep 24, 2024 4:00PM Away
vs. Weston-McEwen at the
Weston Middle School.
Sep 27 th , 2024 3-Way
9:00AM Away vs. Irrigon,
Stanfield Secondary at the
Irrigon High School.
Sep 30 th , 2024 4:00PM
Away vs. Umatilla & Clara
th
Brownell Middle at the
Umatilla High School.
Oct 7 th , 2024 4:00PM Uma-
tilla & Clara Brownell Mid-
dle at the Heppner Elemen-
tary School.
Oct 8 th , 2024 4:00PM
Weston-McEwen at the
Heppner Elementary
School.
Oct 12 th , 2024 3-Way
9:00AM Central Middle,
Umatilla & Clara Brownell
Middle at the Heppner,
High School B team @
HES A team @ HHS.
Oct 15, 2024 4:00PM Stan-
field Secondary at the Hep-
pner Elementary School.
Oct 17 th , 2024 4:00PM
Away vs. Grant Union /
Prairie City at the Grant
Union High School.
Oct 21 st , 2024 4:30PM
Away vs. Irrigon at the
Irrigon High School.
which currently travels
to Pendleton for shooting
practice, could also benefit
from this endeavor.
Commissioner Drago
expressed his interest in
ensuring that the public also
has access to a shooting
range. He proposed that if
the range could serve both
law enforcement agencies
and the public, it might
facilitate a smoother ap-
proval process. Snyder ac-
knowledged the suggestion
but raised concerns about
potential staffing issues,
insurance liabilities, and
the increased vulnerability
of the range to vandalism if
opened to the public.
Drago suggested com-
bining resources with the
Boardman PD to create a
project that would bene-
fit the entire county and
be open to the public on
weekends.
While Drago did not
insist that this was the only
way forward, he urged the
MCSO to consider pool-
ing funds from the city of
Boardman and the Sheriff’s
Department to undertake a
venture that would serve the
community as a whole. The
collaboration was intended
to provide an opportunity
for the public to engage and
utilize the proposed project.
Snyder, in response to
this proposal, expressed
his willingness to consider
the idea. However, he also
voiced his concerns about
the potential cost involved.
According to Snyder, it was
estimated that the Board-
man project alone would
require around $2.5 million.
He emphasized the finan-
cial constraints, saying,
“we’ve got pennies for a
project like that.”
In light of these con-
cerns, Sykes offered a pos-
sible solution by suggesting
that the MCSO consider the
shooting range in Arlington
as a model for their project.
He cited its public acces-
sibility as a benefit and
highlighted the increased
safety it would bring to the
community as well.
The board made a mo-
tion to authorize the MCSO
to proceed with purchasing
new search and rescue ve-
hicles, with a budget of up
to $35,000.
Furthermore, the board
also agreed on another mo-
tion, granting permission
to the MCSO to further ex-
plore the logistics and costs
associated with building a
shooting range. The MCSO
was tasked with providing
additional information to
the Board, enabling them
to make informed decisions
about the viability of the
project.
Heppner
Junior High
Football
schedule
Sep 12 th , 2024 4:00PM
Grant Union / Prairie City at
the Heppner Football Field.
Sep 26 th , 2024 5:00PM
Stanfield Secondary at the
Heppner Football Field.
Oct 3 rd , 2024 4:00PM
Weston-McEwen at the
Heppner Football Field.
Oct 17 th , 2024 4:00PM
Away vs. Grant Union /
Prairie City at the Grant
Union High School.
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541-676-9228
Commissioner Sykes signs ASA plan
-Continued from PAGE ONE agreements are intended to Rescue District was also ac-
for the efforts of all in-
volved parties, including
the Morrow County Health
District. He emphasized the
importance of establishing
strong working relation-
ships within the county
as the new plan is imple-
mented.
The new Ambulance
Service Plan and provider
enhance Morrow County’s
ability to meet the emergen-
cy response needs of resi-
dents, businesses, and visi-
tors. The county recognized
the experience of Morrow
County Health District in
providing ambulance ser-
vices and expressed antici-
pation of a successful part-
nership. The Boardman Fire
knowledged for providing
interim services while the
Ambulance Service Plan
was being finalized and the
provider selection process
completed.
For more information,
inquiries can be directed to
Matthew Jensen, County
Administrator, at (541)
676-2529.
Heppner Daycare in need of a new facility
-Continued from PAGE ONE this next phase of the proj- efforts of the Heppner com-
reliable and high-quality
childcare is increasingly
recognized as a critical fac-
tor in supporting local econ-
omies, and the new facility
is seen as a key component
in ensuring the long-term
vitality of the area.
The Daycare Expansion
Subcommittee is actively
seeking the community’s
input and involvement in
ect. Interested parties, par-
ticularly landowners with
properties that meet the
minimum requirements,
are encouraged to reach
out. The Subcommittee can
be contacted via email at
ksirimurray@gmail.com or
by phone at 503-504-8508.
In closing, the Subcom-
mittee remains optimistic
that, with the collective
Heppner Volleyball
Varsity Schedule
8/29/24: Tournament 4:30
PM vs. Pendleton (Umatil-
la/Morrow County Volley-
ball Jamboree - Pendleton
High School)
8/31/24: Tournament 9:00
AM vs. Grant Union (Grant
Union Tournament - Grant
Union High School)
9/3/24: 5:00 PM @ Echo
(South Wasco County) -
Non-League
9/3/24: 6:30 PM @ South
Wasco County - Non-
League
9/5/24: 4:00 PM vs. Pilot
Rock - Non-League
9/7/24: - Tournament 9:00
AM vs. TBD (Heppner
Tournament - Heppner)
9/12/24 : 4:00 PM @
Weston-McEwen - League
9/13/24: Tournament 9:00
AM vs. TBD (Powder Val-
ley Tournament - Powder
Valley High School) -
9/14/24: Tournament 9:00
AM vs. TBD (Powder Val-
ley Tournament - Powder
Valley High School)
9/17/24: 4:00 PM vs. Dufur
- Non-League
9/19/24: 4:00 PM @ Irrigon
- League
9/26/24: 5:00 PM vs. Stan-
field - League
9/28/24: 10:30 AM vs.
Echo (Stanfield Secondary
School) - Non-League
9/28/24: 12:00 PM vs. Im-
bler (Stanfield Secondary
School) - Non-League
9/28/24: 1:30 PM vs. Gas-
ton (Stanfield Secondary
School) - Non-League
10/1/24: 4:00 PM vs. Irri-
gon - League
10/5/24: 2:00 PM @ En-
terprise (Grant Union High
School) - League
10/5/24: 4:00 PM @ Grant
Union (Grant Union High
School) - League
10/10/24: 4:00 PM vs.
Weston-McEwen - League
10/17/24: 4:00 PM @ Stan-
field - League
10/19/24: 12:00 PM vs.
Enterprise - League
10/19/24: 4:00 PM vs.
Grant Union - League
Ione and Arlington
football schedule
Sept. 6 th , Pine Eagle 6pm
in Arlington, Ione departs
at 4pm.
Sept. 13 th , Jordan, Valley
1pm (PT) in Jordan Ar-
lington departs 6am, 2pm
(MT) in Valley Ione departs
at 6am.
Sept. 20 th , Echo 7pm, in
Echo, Arlington departs
4pm, Ione departs at 4pm.
Sept. 27 th , Wheeler County
7pm, in Fossil. Arlington
departs at 4pm, Ione departs
at 4pm.
Oct. 4 th , Prairie City 7pm,
in Arlington. Ione departs
at 4pm.
Oct. 11 th , South Wasco
7pm, in Maupin. Ione de-
parts at 1:45pm, Arlington
depart at 2:30pm.
Oct.18 th , Dayville/Monu-
ment 7pm, Arlington. Ione
departs 4pm.
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munity, the vision for a new
childcare facility will soon
become a reality. The proj-
ect represents a significant
investment in the future of
the town, its families, and
its children, and the Sub-
committee is eager to see
this vision come to fruition.
Heppner
Football
Schedule
Non-League Games:
8/30/24: @ Gold Beach,
7:00 PM.
9/6/24: vs. Colton, 7:00
PM.
9/13/24: vs. Knappa, 7:00
PM.
League Games:
9/20/24: @ Irrigon, 7:00
PM.
10/4/24: @ Stanfield, 7:00
PM.
10/11/24: vs. Weston-McE-
wen / Griswold, 7:00 PM.
10/18/24: @ Riverside,
7:00 PM.
10/25/24: vs. Grant Union,
7:00 PM.
11/1/24: vs. Enterprise,
7:00 PM.
Heppner Cross
Country
schedule
SEP 28 th , 12:00 PM Baker
Invite, Quail Ridge Golf
Course, 2801 Indiana Ave,
Baker City, OR 97814,
USA.
OCT 5 th , 3:00 PM, Hep-
pner Mustang Invite, Hep-
pner, OR 97836, USA.
OCT 12 th , 3:30 PM Verno-
nia Invitational, Anderson
Park, Vernonia, OR 97064,
USA.
OCT 14 th , 8:30 AM Red
Barn 5K Fundraiser, Lex-
ington, OR 97839, USA.
OCT 19 th , 12:00 AM Gold
Rush Run, 7th Street Com-
plex John Day, OR.
O C T 2 7 th , 1 : 0 0 P M
3A/2A/1A SD-3 Districts,
Pendleton Community
Park, Pendleton, OR 97801,
USA.
DEADLINE:
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