OPINION
A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Improving downtown Be an active partner,
requires change in
vote yes for schools
I came to Hermiston in
laws and owners
1957 to teach science at
First, let me applaud any-
one who wants to improve
downtown Hermiston. Gen-
erations have tried. It can and
will happen only if new land-
lords/owners who share that
vision arrive on the scene.
The city has to step up,
like most cities/towns have
zoning laws where churches
can be or can’t. Currently,
look how much valuable real
estate is tied up by church-re-
lated businesses downtown.
Let’s face it, current
landords are renting just to
get rent without a thought
of downtown improvements
or the future. You’re only
as good as the people in
charge.
The issue of lack of park-
ing could be addressed if
behind the stores would be
for employees in a designat-
ed parking only — closer to
stores would be consumers
area only.
Lots of beautification and
lack of improvements again
aren’t going to happen with-
out city ordinances or land-
lords agreeing to them.
Some buildings don’t
have bathrooms for employ-
ees.
I’d love to read an article,
expose if you will, exposing
who the current landlords are
with their pictures. Change
might begin to happen if the
media wasn’t scared of back-
lash.
I hate to say it, but it just
might take a lot of funerals
for change to occur down-
town.
DON HANSEN
HERMISTON
the Hermiston Junior High.
I had intended to stay two
years. In those two years I
discovered Hermiston was
a safe and secure place to
raise children. It was also
a place where the parents
and patrons placed a high
value on education for their
children. The district was
noted for always passing
their annual operating bud-
gets. This was even more
impressive when you con-
sidered the fact that Herm-
iston was one of the poorest
school districts in the state.
Unfortunately, this low
tax base produced only
enough funding to make
capitol improvements that
met the minimum standards
for school buildings. They
were not expected to last.
This did not deter the dis-
trict from offering an edu-
cational system noted for
it’s excellence and because
of this people moved here.
As the buildings became
unsafe and expensive to
maintain the patrons saw fit
to construct buildings built
to a higher standard. This
was made possible because
the district had an improved
tax base.
As for this vote being an
end-all vote, it will not be.
The allure of good schools
will continue to entice fam-
ilies to move here. In recent
years Hermiston has been
one of the fastest growing
school districts in Oregon.
Keep in mind children
bring parents. Parents buy
homes. This adds to the tax
base. This should cause the
per capita assessment for
the capitol improvements to
decline going forward.
I do recognize that a
growing community pres-
ents special problems. I
would much prefer these
problems over the prob-
lems found in a dying com-
munity. I encourage you
to be an active partner in
this community by voting
yes for the upcoming bond
election.
CARLISLE HARRISON
HERMISTON
Tearing down
schools won’t help
Do not tear down our
schools, just add on.
Schools do not make bet-
ter (education) for our
children, it’s the teachers,
smaller classes.
Why tear down? We
need all the classrooms
now. We rent modulars
now, so don’t tear down
and charge us outrageous
taxes on our homes.
SHIRLEY SANDS
HERMISTON
STEVE AND JANET WILLIAMS
We must fund
education for our kids Growing city needs
The Hermiston School new schools to keep up
District and the Hermiston
HERMISTON
community faces a chal-
lenge of dealing with sig-
nificant growth in student
enrollment, a challenge that
most districts in Eastern
Oregon don’t have. For oth-
(Reg. $125)
• 2 T-Bones Steaks
• 2 Rib Steaks
• 2 New York Steaks
• 2 Top Sirloin
• 1 - 3-4 lb. Boneless
Chuck Roast
• 5 - 1 lb. Pkg Extra
Lean Ground Beef
I came to Hermiston in
July of 1991 as superin-
tendent of the Hermiston
School District. Our enroll-
ment was just over 3,800
students and the city pop-
MULTI-MEDIA SALES
ulation was 11,500. Since
that time, Hermiston has
become one of Oregon’s
fastest-growing areas. Our
school population now is
5,630, up 1,830 students;
and the city population is
17,700, up 6,200 residents.
While superintendent for
almost 10 years, we built
two additional schools,
Sandstone Middle School
and Desert View Elemen-
tary School, creating more
space for approximately
700 students. Since that
time and due to aged fa-
cilities, the district has de-
molished and rebuilt four
schools — Hermiston High
School, Armand Larive
Middle School, West Park
Elementary and Sunset Ele-
mentary — creating a small
amount of additional space.
However, we are still over-
crowded by approximately
800 students. Plus, the dis-
trict will continue to grow
at the rate of about 80-100
students per year in the fu-
ture. The growth we have
experienced in our city and
region is generally good
news, but it is also causing
growing pains. It is a little
like a family of nine living
in a house with one bath-
room and two bedrooms.
I realize that no one
enjoys paying more tax-
es. However, the need for
more school space is evi-
dent NOW, not to mention
the 80-100 student growth
we will continue to receive
each year. The new bond
will address this problem.
The good news is, as home
owners, we pay only about
48 percent of the schools’
bond levy. Businesses and
utilities pay 52 percent.
Businesses do not create
students. Residents do. So
this is a pretty attractive
deal for homeowners. Also,
as our area continues to
grow with more residents
and businesses, the tax
rate will be lowered each
year since more people and
businesses will be included
to pay the bond, thus lower-
ing individual tax bills over
time.
In closing, each one of
our Hermiston students
gets one chance at 13 years
of education in our district.
A quality experience can
make all the difference for
their future success. Good
schools with good teach-
ers in uncrowded, quality
classroom spaces are criti-
cal ingredients for achieve-
ment and success.
I strongly urge you to
support the Hermiston
School District bond levy.
DR. JER D. PRATTON
LIVING WELL: BETTER
CHOICES, BETTER HEALTH
Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure, heart
disease, arthritis or another long-term health condition? Find
practical ways to living well by making a step-by-step plan to
improve your health...and your life. 6 weekly FREE classes,
open to patients, caregivers/support person or both. Pre-
registration required.
6 weekly sessions
Great work environment.
Super awesome team.
Good pay. Retirement plan.
Weekends off. Interested?
LET US MEAT
YOUR NEEDS
BOX INCLUDES:
er school districts, their ma-
jor challenge is determining
how to continue to provide
a quality educational ex-
perience when the fund-
ing of their general fund
is reduced because of their
declining enrollment. For
Hermiston, the challenge is
providing adequate class-
room space for all of the
students that enter the halls
of our schools. Of these two
challenges, we much prefer
dealing with the challenge
of growth rather than deal-
ing with budget cuts.
The community contin-
ues to grow bringing more
students in to our school
system. The proposed bond
will provide for improved
safety for our students and
also provide the classroom
space to educate our stu-
dents.
Please join us in vot-
ing Yes on the Hermiston
School Bond in the May
16th election. The educa-
tion of the youth of our
community must continue
to be a focus for us all and
is something we must all
commit to funding.
East Oregonian has an
opening for multi-media sales.
No multi-media experience?
That’s fine, as long as you
understand the importance
of customer service, working
hard and a desire to
enjoy your job.
Could this be you?
Send resume and letter of
interest to
EO Media Group
PO Box 2048
Salem, OR 97308-2048
by fax to 503-371-2935 or
e-mail hr@eomediagroup.com
Base wage plus commissions,
benefits and mileage
reimbursement. Benefits
include Paid Time Off (PTO),
insurances and a 401(k)/Roth
401(k) retirement plan.
541.567.2011
Starting April 6 • 2:30-5:00pm
Must pre-register, call 541-667-3509
HEALTHY FRIDAYS
FREE health screenings & health coaching: Blood
pressure checks, weigh-ins, body mass
index, cholesterol and glucose.
First Friday of every month
8am-11am
GSMC Conference Center 7 (by Education Dept)
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!
FREE blood pressure checks at Hermiston and
Stanfield Senior Centers. One in three adults has
high blood pressure, we encourage everyone to
know their numbers. Open to everyone!
11:00am - 12:00pm
Third Wednesday of each month
STANFIELD SENIOR CENTER
Fourth Thursday of each month
HERMISTON SENIOR CENTER
Information or to register
call (541) 667-3509
or email
healthinfo@gshealth.org
www.gshealth.org
253 W. Hermiston Ave.
Hermiston
$
WHY ADVERTISE IN THE EAST OREGONIAN AND HERMISTON HERALD CLASSIFIED SECTION?
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. CHOOSE A PROVEN SOURCE FOR
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
You should be advertising in these tough economic times.
“ We are a regional transportation company with drivers and vehicles stationed in six cities. We occasionally run
classifi ed help wanted ads in various publications in the northwest when we have driver openings. Sometimes
our classifi ed ad draws very few results (depending on the time of year) so we must repeat the ad. This recently
occurred with a week long ad we ran in the East Oregonian.
Our classifi ed ad representative, Dayle S. expressed concern about the lack of success in our ad and asked our
permission to enhance the ad to garner a better response. She revamped the ad which we were very impressed
with. The response to her revamped ad was dramatic and we are SO SO impressed with the unsolicited service
Dayle provided.
Transportation
Solutions
Out of all the publications we advertise in, this was the fi rst time an ad representative took the time to assist us
with a more eff ective ad. Anytime we need a classifi ed ad in the East Oregonian, we will require that Dayle is the
one who places our ad. Of the six cities we advertise in, Dayle with the East Oregonian is the very best classifi ed
ad consultant we have ever worked with.
”
Myron H., Transportation Solutions
To advertise in the most powerful local media
available, call Dayle or Terri at 1-800-962-2819 .
Dayle Stinson
Terri Briggs