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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2015)
OPINION A4 HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 LETTERS HermistonHerald VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 29 -(66,&$.(//(5 EDITOR MNHOOHU#KHUPLVWRQKHUDOGFRP 541-564-4533 6$0%$5%(( 6($1+$57 .,0/$3/$17 JEANNE JEWETT SPORTS REPORTER sbarbee@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4542 OFFICE COORDINATOR NODSODQW#KHUPLVWRQKHUDOGFRP 541-564-4530 REPORTER smhart@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4534 MULTI-MEDIA CONSULTANT jjewett@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4531 To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: • call 541-567-6457 • e-mail info@hermistonherald.com • VWRSE\RXURI¿FHVDW(0DLQ6W • visit us online at: www.hermistonherald.com ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES 'HOLYHUHGE\FDUULHUDQGPDLO:HGQHVGD\VDQG6DWXUGD\V ,QVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV ......................................................................................... $42.65 2XWVLGH8PDWLOOD0RUURZFRXQWLHV ...................................................................................... $53.90 7KH+HUPLVWRQ+HUDOG8636,661LVSXEOLVKHGWZLFHZHHNO\DW+HUPLVWRQ +HUDOG(0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25)$;3HULRGLFDO SRVWDJHSDLGDW+HUPLVWRQ253RVWPDVWHUVHQGDGGUHVVFKDQJHVWR+HUPLVWRQ+HUDOG (0DLQ6W+HUPLVWRQ25 3ULQWHGRQ recycled $PHPEHURIWKH(20HGLD*URXS&RS\ULJKW newsprint Community support vital in senior center project Editor, The members of the Hermiston Senior Center Board and Site Selection Committee wish to thank all supporters of the new site for the Hermiston Senior Center soon to be located on property near Fourth Street and Aspen (east of Wal- Mart). A huge thank you goes especially to Mr. Larry Fetter, of Hermiston Parks and Recreation, for organiz- ing and leading the selection committee for three months of work touring other cen- ters, sorting various needs, ¿HOGLQJ VLWHV DQG ZRUN ing around schedules. Mr. Fetter’s work to obtain the Community Block Develop- ment Grant of $2 million for this wonderful new building for Hermiston seniors and future generations made this dream happen. Before the city of Herm- iston stepped up to partner with the Hermiston Senior Center, many thanks need to go to former Coun- ty Commissioner Dennis Doherty. He and his long- term planning commit- tee stepped up to help the Hermiston Senior Center ¿QG D QHZ KRPH LQ when the Umatilla Coun- ty Fairground property was sold to the Hermiston School District. Even though there were long discussions pro and con, the City Council voted 6-2 in favor of the Aspen site. Let’s come together now as senior center and city to support our new building. The Frank Harkenrider Cen- ter can be a future gathering site for seniors and all gen- erations of Hermiston. Thank you for your sup- port! tax payers, believe that they cannot afford any more taxes. In this group should be renters and shoppers. C) However, most people don’t think of the tax pass through. They think, “Let the homeowner pay the tax.” They are un- aware that the landowner and the merchant will raise rents and prices according- ly. D) Also in this group are knowledgeable peo- ple who are willing to pay the increases. E) Another group of voters are those who adamantly, respect- fully disagree with some of the apparent operational principles of BMCC. They do not agree with the pro- levy group that a “No Vote” has to mean a reduction in the quality of education or value to the community of BMCC. F) Of course, there is a very large group of well meaning (many of them we personally know and like) people who believe in a quality education for all at any cost. They trust the ed- ucators and board members to know what is best for the educational needs of the community. This trust includes how best these needs are to be met. We trust them. G) There are additional points of view. One of those points of view is talked about by D VLJQL¿FDQW QXPEHU RI northeast Oregon citizens but is not openly discussed in the press or the media. Another point of view is somewhat openly talked about, but not much, nor is it encouraged by the es- tablishment or the press. Let’s start with the sec- RQG RQH ¿UVW :KDW WKH needs are and how best these needs are met. “New comfortable buildings are one of the most import- ant assets of attraction for new students to BMCC.” I actually heard this almost word for word in one of the BMCC levy presenta- tions. Wow! How did we ever get Einstein, how did we ever get Harvard, MIT and Stanford? My grand- father taught at all three in WKHHDUO\V+HQHYHU mentioned the buildings. It was the quality of edu- cation that attracted their national attention. So why are we taking out a loan for deferred main- tenance? Why are we not using existing abandoned store fronts? Why are we building a permanent classroom that will deteri- orate for classes that will EHQH¿WDVSHFL¿FLQGXVWU\ when that industry could provide trailers or modu- lar classrooms with com- pletely up-to-date training equipment and replace them as needed? Why is WKLV PLOOLRQ HDUO\ HGX cation, birth to kindergar- ten teacher-training center not added in to the new Pendleton early education behemoth? The last point: Another group of voters are those who adamantly, respect- fully disagree with some of the apparent operational principles of BMCC. Has DQ\ RQH RYHU QRWLFHG that a sign of our times is the breakdown of the family and its subsequent consequences? Many of us have noticed. We ancients are old enough to feel our guilt for this societal con- dition. Believe me, hip- py-ism and free love are not good for society. Many in our generation want the consequences of our sins corrected or healed. We do not want BMCC in the maternity ward at the birth of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We do not want to pay teachers substituting for the moth- HUVLQWKH¿UVWPRQWKVRI DFKLOG¶VOLIH7KH$SULO HGLWLRQ RI WKH (DVW Oregonian had a front page article that brings this all together. It is entitled “Re- lief nursery grapples with funding shortfall, Children overcome lives of uncer- tainty, stress and poverty.” The United Way contri- EXWLRQV KDYH VLJQL¿FDQWO\ shrunk in recent years. We “heartless” folks, as some would call us, believe that the Pioneer Relief Nursery in Pendleton is a worthy, good representative of an agency for a needed solu- tion to a real societal prob- lem. It deserves to be sup- ported by the community. It is not government’s job to solve that problem. It is not government’s job to continue to manage family life and child rearing. It is not government’s job to raise children from birth in a cookie cutter envi- URQPHQW -XVW EHFDXVH ZH let governments do these things doesn’t mean that we should not stand up and say “STOP” going down this path. We also need to get our so-called col- lective, responsible heads out of the sand and come up with healthy solutions. Not pass the buck to gov- ernment. IRENE MILLER, CHAIRWOMAN, AND SENIOR CENTER BOARD AND SITE SELECTION COMMIT- TEE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR View panhandlers in a different light lished two ways of judge se- lection. The federal system provides for appointment Editor, for life with selection by Hermiston and Umatilla the president and approval citizens and city councils of the Senate. The found- have been concerned with ing fathers who drafted the the people populating their various state constitutions street corners and parking provided for selection of lots asking for handouts. judges by popular vote. By Both have responded to these two means of selec- address this situation. I tion, checks and balances would like to comment on between the legislative, ex- this situation by paraphras- ecutive and judicial branch- ing David R. Hawkins’ re- es was maintained. The in- sponse toward to this situ- dependence of the judiciary ation in his book, “Power was preserved by keeping it VS Force.” I call my para- IUHH IURP LQÀXHQFH RU GH phrasing, “Stages of ways pendence on the other two to look at these folk.” branches of government. 7KH ¿UVW VWDJH PLJKW The federal and state con- see these people as dirty, stitutions set the terms and disgusting and disgraceful. TXDOL¿FDWLRQV RI MXGJHV They are to blame for their These two systems of judi- condition. They probably cial selection have served are lazy or drug and alcohol our country well since its addicts. They don’t want inception. food, clothing or a chance Appointment of judges to work. They just want by the governmental legis- money to spend on drugs lative body with that same and alcohol. body setting terms and In the second stage they TXDOL¿FDWLRQVDWLWVZKLPLV might be seen as threaten- an aberration in our democ- ing; a menace; they might racy. It is not a mainstream be violent. They could be method of judicial selection seen as a danger to them- and occurs only with city selves and others. They are governments. This type of embarrassing to us and our appointment leaves judg- community. HV VXEMHFW WR WKH LQÀXHQFH In the third stage these and pressure of the body or folk could be seen as OK, administrator that selects maybe even interesting. them. The independence They could be seen as in- needed to make objective triguing: He might have an decisions furthering the interesting story to share interest of justice can be with us. We may never un- compounded by the huge derstand why he is there. role the city manager plays ,Q WKH IRXUWK DQG ¿QDO in most municipal govern- stage they begin to look not ments. Most often, the city only interesting, but friend- council consists of part- ly — and lovable. Maybe time, elected volunteers they have just become free who rely very heavily on of our expectations. We the city manager for advice might see them as joyful, and direction. with wisdom we have not Changing the Hermiston yet seen or a serenity that city charter to allow for the comes from an indifference selection of the municipal to our societal norms. judge by the council runs I am not saying the re- a risk of allowing political sponse our communities ambitions and motivations have taken is wrong, I am to interfere with the effec- just asking that we are open tive and independent oper- to viewing these folk in a ation of municipal court. different light. And in that To date, the city of Herm- light temper our response iston has not established to include a humane option DQ\ TXDOL¿FDWLRQV IRU WKH for the people who stand in municipal judge. The pro- our parking lots and on our posed charter change does street corners. QRW FRQWDLQ DQ\ TXDOL¿ BOYD D. SHARP cations for the municipal UMATILLA judge. That means that the council can set and change, at any time, both Council WKHTXDOL¿FDWLRQVDQGWHUP of the municipal judge. appointment How the court operates, of judge is who serves as judge and the length of time the undemocratic judge serves will be de- Editor, termined by the council, In this great country, KHDYLO\ LQÀXHQFHG E\ WKH our founding fathers estab- city manager, and subject posal they will be able to further expand the pro- gram offerings available to enhance the education for our current local work force and create new and expanded career opportu- nities in this fast growing ¿HOG -XVW OLNH PRVW ZRUN force areas, technology is rapidly expanding and we need to provide opportu- nities here locally to learn these new technologies to WILLIAM J. KUHN help retain our kids and KUHN LAW OFFICES jobs locally. There is a rea- HERMISTON son Hermiston is the larg- est community in the east- ern Oregon, because of its BMCC bond progressive approach to the future through expand- passage will allow ed opportunities in busi- region to progress ness and education. We Editor, have another opportunity I write this letter to the to demonstrate our desire public personally. I am a to progress and stay at the tremendous advocate for forefront of economic de- local community colleges velopment and education. DQG WKHLU EHQH¿WV WKH\ Please join me in support- provide our community. I ing BMCC’s bond initia- grew up in Yakima, Wash- tive. Let’s provide addi- ington, and was unable to tional, local, educational afford moving away and opportunities for our kids paying the higher fees of- and the kids of the future. ten associated with state Vote YES for the institutions or private BMCC bond! DR. DAVE DROTZMANN schools. I attended two HERMISTON years at Yakima Valley Community College and received my associates’ degree. I was able to live People should elect at home and work part municipal judge time allowing me very Editor, little debt. I could then One of the Hermiston afford to further my edu- commented cation at a secondary edu- councilors cation system allowing me city councilors should to graduate with my bach- pick the municipal court elor’s degree with very lit- judge because they were better informed, or some- tle debt. My children have been thing of that ilk. It is tru- able to take advantage of ly a slippery slope when the Eastern Promise pro- an elected government gram allowing them to RI¿FLDO LV GHOXGHG LQWR take college level classes believing his/her constit- while attending Hermis- uents are low-information ton High School. Herm- voters. I urge Hermiston voters iston is fortunate to have a fantastic community WR YRWH QR RQ DQG college in its back yard, maintain the right to vote in Blue Mountain Com- on our municipal court PXQLW\ &ROOHJH judge. FRED HULING students from the Herm- HERMISTON iston area take advantage RI FODVVHV RIIHUHG E\ BMCC at the Eastern Or- egon Higher Education Buildings don’t mean Center and Columbia Hall quality education in Hermiston. In addition, Editor, like my children, anoth- How a voter choos- er 262 Hermiston High School students earned HV WR YRWH RQ WKH ³ FROOHJH FUHGLWV DW BMCC Bond Levy” will BMCC through the East- be made from the point of ern Promise program. This view of the Voter. Those has saved me and many views may include: A) No local families thousands matter what the facts are, some voters have decided of dollars. We all understand the to vote for the levy. They value agriculture is to our do not want any more in- economic engine locally. formation. B) Some vot- With BMCC’s bond pro- ers, who are also property to change at any time. If this is what Hermiston cit- izens see as best for them, then they should vote for the charter change on their vote-by-mail ballot. If Hermiston’s citizens want to keep the democratic, time-honored way of ju- dicial selection, as estab- lished by Oregon’s found- ing fathers, vote no on the municipal judge charter change. LARRY AND JEAN NYE ATHENA