Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2019)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2019 LOCAL HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 Residents protest water rate hike By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Frustrations over water rates in Hermiston reached a boiling point Monday as dozens of residents showed up to the city council meet- ing to voice their complaints about an increase imple- mented in March. The public comment section of the meeting lasted more than an hour, with some citizens taking more than one turn at the microphone. “I have to pull extra shifts at work to pay my water bill, which means time away from my kids, time away from my family,” Kirt Hickey said. He said that information put out by the city ahead of the increase made it seem like he would be seeing a $20 a month increase, instead of jumping from $80 to close to $300. Others at the micro- phone also described seeing a spike in the past couple of months that was more than twice what they had previ- ously been paying. They said they felt lied to by the city. The rate restructure has residents paying a base rate of $30 per month plus 50 cents per 1,000 gallons of water up to 15,000 gal- lons, before the cost jumps to $3.50 per 1,000 gallons. City staff told commenters that estimates of how much their bill would increase had been based on an average over the course of the year, with the expectation that lawn irrigation would cause much bigger increases in the summer months compared to winter. Residents said that was small comfort to people who couldn’t make ends meet now. “Seniors are having to choose between medications or water,” Larry Smith told the council. One woman described cutting back to showering every other day, and hear- ing that her neighbors were showering together to save water. Others said they had stopped watering their lawns, creating a fi re hazard and nuisance. “I’ve been here my whole Staff photo by E.J. Harris Identifi cation tags of 20-year employees hang on a display during a celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Hermiston Walmart Distribution Center in April 2018. Staff photo by Jade McDowell A man speaks to the Hermiston city council Monday about frustrations with a March water rate increase. The audience for Monday’s meeting took up seats in the council chambers and spilled over into the lobby. life, went to school here, and I’ve never seen it look this bad,” Jesse Brazil said, referencing the number of brown lawns he was seeing around town. “I’m so mad about it.” City councilors told the crowd they sympathized with the struggles of higher rates, as they, too, were affected as residents of the city. Councilor Rod Har- din, recently retired, said he was adjusting to life on a fi xed income and the water rate increase had cut into his budget. City councilor Roy Bar- ron said he had needed to make adjustments in his household as well, and understood the feeling of frustration with increasing taxes and fees at a local, state and federal level. “You see yourself los- ing money here and losing money there and I’m sure the water was a tipping point,” he said. “People are say- ing, ‘Where is that money going?’ and the hard thing with (water) infrastructure is that it’s not always things people see.” Mayor David Drotzmann said the city’s public infra- structure committee spent two years compiling a list of all of the water and sewer projects the city needs to complete and found the city is “way behind.” The city is more than 100 years old, he said, and some of its water is still running through the original pipes put in a cen- tury ago. The increased water rates were not making a profi t for the city general fund, he said, but instead every penny is being funneled back into making sure the city continues to have safe and reliable water service. The city had to balance con- cerns about higher rates with concerns about being the “next Flint, Michigan,” he said. “We have some impend- ing problems,” he said. “We’re trying to prevent broken pipes, lead in our system.” Resident Sandra Hickey said she understood the con- cern about maintaining the system, but pointed out that as a homeowner when she wants to improve her home she saves up and fi xes a lit- tle at a time as she has the money. She said she wanted to see the city take a similar approach. “Most of us out here, when we go up stairs we go one at a time, we don’t jump to the top,” she said. Jackie Linton, the only citizen who commented when the city council voted for the rate increase in Octo- ber, told the rest of the group that she had seen the decay- ing pipes pulled out of the ground and brought to city council meetings, and had listened to the hours of dis- cussion in the meetings pre- ceding the vote. That had helped her understand the need. “This wasn’t done over- night, and it was open to the public,” Linton said. “I voiced my opinion at the time, just like everyone here could have done.” Drotzmann told the group that as the city gathers data in the coming months, the council could look at that information and consider any adjustments that might be needed. In the meantime, he encouraged residents to take conservation measures and work on fi xing leaks that may be costing them hun- dreds of dollars a month. He said the city’s water app had alerted him to a leak in his line and that fi xing it had already saved him $160 in the fi rst month. He thanked everyone who showed up to share their experience with the rate increase. “Keep holding us accountable,” he said. Walmart adding 100 jobs to Hermiston distribution center By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Walmart announced Monday that it will be hir- ing 100 additional asso- ciates to fi ll orders at its Hermiston distribution center. Interested candidates for the new positions were encouraged to attend a hiring event at the facil- ity on Tuesday, and some were given on-the-spot offers. Those who were not able to make it to the hiring event can still turn in an application online at careers.walmart.com. Wages start at $17.15 an hour but can go up to $18.85 for shift work and weekends. Benefi ts for full-time employees include medical, vision and dental as well as access to Walmart’s program that offers access to online col- lege classes for $1 per day. The Hermiston center, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in the com- munity last year, serves 106 Walmart stores in the Pacifi c Northwest. At that time the company announced that $54 bil- lion in goods had passed through the center, and company executives touted it as one of the com- pany’s most productive distribution centers in the country. With close to 1,000 associates working at the distribution center in Hermiston and hundreds at stores in Hermiston and in Pendleton, Walmart is already one of the larg- est employers in Umatilla County. The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. www.eomediagroup.com Awnings · Patio/Sun Shades Pergolas ·Patio Covers · Solar Shades Solar Screens & More! Ask about our Monthly Specials! 509-308-1354 Hermiston School Board appoints new member FREE ESTIMATES! www.nwshadeco.com By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER The Hermiston School Board appointed a new member to its ranks this week. The board selected Bryan Medelez of Hermiston after the resignation of board member Dave Smith earlier this month. Smith said he left the board to focus on the expansion of his business, O So Kleen. “It’s easier to be elected than appointed,” said board chair Karen Sherman, fol- lowing the candidate interviews. Perry Hawkins, Tim Turner, Nazario Rivera, and Zaira Sanchez were the other candidates up for the Medelez will be able to run position. for the position then for a The fi ve applicants were chance to fi ll the remain- interviewed by the board, ing term of offi ce until June before second vice 2023. chair, Ginny Hol- Medelez is the thus, nominated director of opera- Medelez. tions at his family’s “No matter what trucking business, happens,” Sher- Medelez Inc. and man said prior to BJK Transport. the appointment, Born and raised Medelez “the four other peo- in Hermiston, he ple in the room need now has three chil- to consider running for dren of his own. His two election.” sons currently attend Rocky Vice board chair Josh Heights Elementary. Goller agreed, reminding the Medelez expressed applicants that before he was excitement over the new elected, he had run unsuc- bond proposal, which, if cessfully in the past. passed, would in part pay to Elections for the board replace Rocky Heights. position will be held in May. “I really think they deserve an up-to-date facil- ity. Not just my children, but the other children that go there and future children who will go there,” he said. After graduating from Hermiston High School, Medelez attended Oregon State University and even- tually went on to complete his master’s degree in busi- ness administration through Eastern Oregon University’s off-campus program. He previously served as vice chair on the Hispanic Advisory Committee, and on the board of directors for the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce. Medelez also coaches youth football and wrestling in the Hermiston area. 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick 99336 BOX INCLUDES: License #188965 (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 541.567.2011 253 W. Hermiston Ave. Hermiston PET OF THE W EEK Suzie is an energetic 1 year old lab, possibly mixed with golden retriever. Great with kids, dog, cats. Loves water. Not good in a crate. Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM Eugenio Mannucci, DVM, cVMA • Jana von Borstel, DVM, cVMA Small and Large Animal Care Mon: 8-6 Tue - Fri: 8-5 Sat: 8-12 Emergency Service 541.567.1138 80489 Hwy 395 N Hermiston www.oregontrailvet.com MEET ! E I Z SU PLACE YOUR AD HERE! Contact Audra at 541.564.4538 Today! If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application. If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838