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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 2015)
OPINION A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2015 EDITORIAL • COMMENTARY • LETTERS HermistonHerald VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 17 JESSICA KELLER EDITOR jkeller@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4533 MAEGAN MURRAY SEAN HART SAM BARBEE JEANNE JEWETT KIM LA PLANT STEPHANIE BURKENBINE REPORTER mmurray@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4532 SPORTS REPORTER sbarbee@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4542 OFFICE COORDINATOR klaplant@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4530 REPORTER smhart@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4534 MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT jjewett@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4531 MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT sburkenbine@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4538 To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: • call 541-567-6457 • e-mail info@hermistonherald.com • stop by our of¿ces at 333 E. Main St. • visit us online at: www.hermistonherald.com ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Delivered by carrier and mail Wednesdays and Saturdays Inside Umatilla/Morrow counties ......................................................................................... $42.65 Outside Umatilla/Morrow counties ...................................................................................... $53.90 The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN 8750-4782) is published twice weekly at Hermiston Herald, 333 E. Main St., Hermiston, OR 97838, (541) 567-6457, FAX (541) 567-1764. Periodical postage paid at Hermiston, OR. Postmaster, send address changes to Hermiston Herald, 333 Printed on E. Main St., Hermiston, OR 97838. recycled A member of the EO Media Group Copyright ©2015 newsprint I Trust me t is either feast or famine here at OTB. Some weeks require power tools to dig down to the level of a column, and other times there is a surfeit of riches. It’s buffet time! This week, let’s talk about “trust.” The instigation for this particular column is that happy event many of our citizenry engage in — renewal of a driver’s license. Most folks remember WKHLU¿UVWOLFHQVH0LQHZDV a bright pink piece of heavy card stock from the State of Pennsylvania. Obtaining that involved going down to the State Police Barracks in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, to obtain a learner’s permit. At the barracks I was subjected to an eye test and a written test and had to produce my ELUWKFHUWL¿FDWHWRFRQ¿UP my age. Then — several months later — I returned for the physical driving test and was issued my “Cinderella License,” so called because it was invalid from midnight WR¿YHXQOHVV\RXZHUH employed — though what sort of work a 16-year-old would be doing after midnight was the subject of much conversation. A year later, after parental approval, I was issued the tannish “Senior License,” and I was off on the highways and byways. Renewal of that license involved sending money to Harrisburg, along with any change of address that might have occurred. That was it. Let’s fast forward to 2015 DQGP\UHQHZDOQRWL¿FDWLRQ that’s just arrived and the trust that the State of Oregon shows me. What used to be “send us a check and tell us where you live” has now morphed into a 10-part operation. Some of it — “send us a check” and “tell us where you live” is familiar, except that I’m now required to bring proof of my changed address and cannot be trusted to indicate any address change on the application. In fairness, two of the items — commercial driver license and veteran designation — are not requirements for a basic license, unless you are a CDL (which has a nice subset of other requirements) or a veteran who wants that designated on his license. I suppose one could also argue that the more extensive driver’s license application (Form 735-173) is not really a sign of distrust. But here’s where things Letters Policy THOMAS CREASING OFF THE BENCH Herald columnist really go off the rails: Valid proof of your identity and date of birth. Well, that’d be my driver’s license, right? That’s the document that works pretty much everywhere else in the state. Apparently, however, a State of Oregon- LVVXHG,'LVQRWVXI¿FLHQW ID for me to present to the State of Oregon. I guess it’s defective somehow. Instead of the obvious “show us your driver’s license,” you go to oregondmv.com for a list of “acceptable documents.” Despite the ODL having my name, address, picture and date of birth right there on it, it’s not acceptable, even though I’ve been in the Oregon DMV computer system as a resident here for the past 20+ years. Presuming there’s some overwhelming social concern to stop the scourge of “those people” obtaining Oregon driver’s licenses that requires me to produce, say, a passport — I did that the LAST time I renewed my license. Yet for some reason it is essential that I bring back the ID to get the ID that is not acceptable as ID for the ID I got last time. Got that? Yeah. Me neither. There are serious trust problems with a system that won’t accept its own issued ID as proof of what the ID is supposed to prove, and requires continued presentation of the same documents to renew the ID that the documents procured last time. That’s bureaucratic pettifoggery, which is the opposite of trust. I’m told that I should trust the State — but why should I trust a group that seems unable or unwilling to trust me — and is unable to trust its own documents? Next time, one of my favorite column types — editor taunting! But that’s just the opinion of an untrustable — if that’s really a word — guy. Share your more trustworthy opinions in response with letters to the editor or by email to hermistonherald offthebench@gmail.com. Names of the terminally shy will be withheld on request. — Thomas Creasing is a Hermiston resident, munici- pal court judge and Herald columnist The Hermiston Herald welcomes original letters for publication on public issues and public policies. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters may be mailed to the Hermiston Herald, 333 E. Main, Hermiston, OR, 97838; or emailed to editor@hermistonherald.com Preparing for the future T humbs up to the Hermiston School District for doing its due diligence when investigating the options for alleviating space issues anticipated next school year. The school district really did not leave any rock unturned before recommending the School Board lease an existing 24,000-square- foot building, formerly El Gran Chaparral grocery story, near the corner of Orchard Avenue and Northwest 11th Street, for no more than $1.05 per square foot per month, which amounts to about $300,000 per year from the general fund. The building will house about 70 to 80 district employees, from technology services employees to counselors, currently spread throughout the district at different facilities. Moving them into one, centralized location not only makes sense from DQHI¿FLHQF\VWDQGSRLQW JESSICA KELLER HERMISTON HERALD Editor it also frees up space in some of the existing district buildings to accommodate students. At Monday’s School Board meeting, Deputy Superintendent Wade Smith said it bothered him that district employees are using classroom space while the district is erecting modulars to house students. That is an understandable sentiment. Leasing the building from Double H LLC for administrators and support staff also makes VHQVHIURPD¿QDQFLDO and practical standpoint, too. As Smith pointed out, when researching different leasing possibilities in Hermiston and before being approached by Double H LLC representatives, GLVWULFWRI¿FLDOVOHDUQHG they would likely have to lease several buildings to suit the district’s needs as there were few to no facilities the size suitable to accommodating everybody who needed to move. As well, leasing costs on those buildings were much higher than $1.05 per square foot. Purchasing more modular units was also cost prohibitive. The district would have needed to purchase four more modular units to suit its needs at a cost of more than $1 million. As it is, the district only has $150,000 remaining in its fund for purchasing modular units. While people should be encouraged that the school district found a solution to its space needs next year, they should not put the matter out of their minds because it does not directly impact them. The School Board’s decision to lease the former grocery story is only a temporary solution to its space limitations. As Smith reiterated to the School Board Monday, future discussions about needing additional space to accommodate students are on the horizon. And modulars will only take the school district so far before they become impractical. First, according to Smith, the cost of one modular could pay the salaries of two teachers for one year. Second, a district full of modulars is not the image Hermiston should be comfortable with presenting to the rest of the state. If demonstrating a need is necessary to getting a bond passed, then, the way things are headed right now, the school district is well on its way to putting WKH¿QDOWRXFKHVRQLWV arguments. At some point in the not-so-distant future, a school bond will be necessary, and that’s something that will affect all Hermiston residents. — Jessica Keller is the editor of the Herm- iston Herald. She can be reached at jkeller@ hermistonherald.com LETTER TO THE EDITOR Municipal Court judge should be elected to cronyism, and I feel that they al- ready have a friend in mind for the position. The mayor states that the Editor, city will have more control over bud- I would like to respond to May- geting and management. I think the or Drotzmann’s commentary about public will have more control over Hermiston charter’s being carefully the position and remove them by the drafted. The public should know that next election. the authors of the charter were based Let’s look at past appointments of upon a Portland-based company who the City Council. We just got past an knows very little about our city, its ugly scene with our past chief of po- history and its culture besides what lice. He was arrogant and abusive to the mayor and city manager have KLVRI¿FHUVDQGZHORVWPDQ\JRRG provided. people because of him. What did It is funny that these two people the city do? Nothing for eight years. have less time living in Hermiston Then they started an investigation. combined than my older children, What was the result? A hefty sever- but, yet, they can speak volumes ance package for a badly appointed about my hometown of 50 years. police chief. Let’s take the elephant and consume Let’s look at the City Council’s it bite for bite. next appointment. The council ap- The mayor and manager have one pointed Mr. Anderson. What in his issue that is a burr in their saddle. time on City Council did Mr. An- They want to have the City Coun- derson do? Well, he consistently cil pick who would be our munici- went and wrote articles about Mr. pal judge. As you all know well, this Primmer and Mr. Kirwan when they has been the citizens’ constitutional were running for City Council and right since the beginning. The mayor, set a bad taste on the council with his manager and one vocal councilman statements against the candidates. have stated favor for ,this. I have In many, he stated illegal actions been at the City Council and have against Mr. Primmer especially. In heard it directly. addition, while on City Council, he The mayor states in the article was an attorney for several persons that the change in the charter is an who sued the city. Ask how much the attempt to align Hermiston with the city paid out in legal fees and judg- rest of the state. Does the data from ments with these two appointees? the League of Oregon Cities say that The city was hapless in their past this is the best way to go? They did managements of these appointed not say, but as citizens, it is for us to positions and should not be given make that determination, not people complete control and take away our who do not live here. Just because constitutional rights to vote the judge ZHDUHRQHRIWKHODVW¿YHLQWKHVWDWH in. When few people get great power, doesn’t make us wrong. In addition, corruption is not far behind. What a this can leave the door wide open slippery slope this would create. Just think if the city of Hermiston con- trols its judge, and then three county commissioners would like to appoint our circuit judges, and then the state will want to control who we have for our state circuit judges. It will be too late then, and socialism has ruined our democracy. 7KH ¿QDO SRLQW RI WKH PD\RU¶V comments is that the mayor and council’s most important task is to oversee the funds of the city. I’m sure the $30,000 crappy paint job on our water tower was money well spent, wasn’t it, Mr. Mayor? The city charter is over 60 years in age and has suited us well un- til recently. The charter needed to be changed so Mr. Drotzmann does not have to keep running every two years. I can see that, as it would be DQLQFRQYHQLHQFHIRUKLPDQG¿QDQ- cially more appealing. Yet, past may- ors have lived within these guide- lines. But I can live with a four-year term. You see Hermiston has been so wrong all these years, and we need the mayor, manager, City Council and a Portland consulting company to make it all right. Yes, Big Broth- er is right, and all is well, comrades. Don’t take the bait. Vote for your judge, and do not let anyone take that away from you, ever. PERRY W. HAWKINS HERMISTON — Editor’s Note: In the city char- ter measure on which residents will vote in May, the Municipal Court Judge position will remain an elect- ed position. In a separate amend- ment, voters will decide on whether the Judge should be appointed by the City Council. ELECTED OFFICIALS STATE District 29: Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Umatilla Co., 900 Court St. N.E., S-423, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986- 1729. 101 S.W. Third St., Pendleton, OR 97801 (541) 278-1396. E-mail: ssen.billhansell@state.or.us. District 30: Sen. Ted Ferrio- li, R-John Day; 900 Court St. N.E., S-223 Salem, OR 97301, 503-986- 1950. 750 W. Main, John Day, OR 97845, (541) 575-2321. E-mail: ferr- ioli.sen@state.or.us. District 58: Rep. Bob Jenson, R-Pendleton; 900 Court St. N.E., H-480, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986- 1458. 2126 N.W. 21st., Pendleton, OR 97801, (541) 276-2707. E-mail: rep.bobjenson@state.or.us. District 57: Rep. Greg Smith, R-Morrow, 900 Court St. N.E., H-280, Salem, OR 97301, 503-986-