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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 2020)
NEWS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3 Man shot in Safeway parking lot in Hermiston HERMISTON HERALD A Hermiston man was shot Friday afternoon, Aug. 21 in the Safeway parking lot in Hermiston. Julian Zapien, 27, was airlifted from Good Shepherd Medical Cen- ter in Hermiston on Aug. 21 and remained in criti- cal condition as of Mon- day, Aug. 24, Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmis- ton said. The shooting, which occurred shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 21, hap- pened outside the west entrance of Safeway, 990 S. Highway 395, in the store’s parking lot. Initial reports indicate Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Multiple police offi cers responded to a shooting in Hermiston on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, according to a press release from the Hermiston Police Department. Zapien got into an alterca- tion with a couple of males in a vehicle directly in front of the west entrance to the grocery store. At some point, a press release stated, a shot or shots were fi red from inside the vehi- cle, striking him in the stomach area. Edmiston said that it appeared the parties knew each other and there was no indication that the inci- dent was connected to the protests that happened nearby later that night. A social media post by police stated that a 17-year-old male had also been identifi ed as one of the parties involved, and police were still working to identify the third person. Edmiston said on Aug. 24 that police have state- ments from witnesses at the scene and are working on obtaining search war- rants to further their inves- tigation, including a war- rant to search the vehicle that was allegedly used by the shooter, which police have impounded. “We hope to get a little clearer understanding of what transpired,” he said. Hermiston police have been assisted by Ore- gon State Police, Umatilla Police Department, Pend- leton Police Department, and the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce, according to the press release. City gives away free taxi rides City votes to restructure water treatment plant debt to encourage use of program By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR The Hermiston City Council voted to save tax- payers $1.4 million during their Monday, Aug. 24, meeting by approving a refi - nance of loans taken out to pay for the city’s recycled water treatment plant. The city entered into two Clean Water State Revolv- ing Fund Loan Agreements totaling about $15.5 million in 2010. City manager Byron Smith said as the city pre- pares to sell bonds to pay for a new city hall, he asked the fi nance department to look at what other debt they could save money on by rolling a refi nance into the bonds being issued for the city hall project. According to Smith, the restructure of the water loans will provide an esti- mated $880,000 in net pres- ent value savings over the life of the bonds and approx- imately $1.4 million in gross interest savings, without extending the timeline for paying the debt back. Mayor David Drotzmann pointed out that debt for the treatment plant has been a signifi cant factor in the city’s need to increase water and sewer rates in recent years, meaning money saved on that debt could help lessen future rate increases. “Why wouldn’t we want to save the taxpayers $1.4 million?” he asked. Also on Aug. 24, the council approved the annex- ation of 13.8 acres of land into the city, helping clear the way for a planned 31-home subdivision. The property is located on the south side of South- west Desert Sky Drive and west of South First Street. According to city planner Clint Spencer, developer Jeff Newman is planning to build a 31-lot single fam- ily home subdivision there, on lots of between one-third and one-half acre. During the Aug. 24 meet- ing, the council denied a request from area resident Kelly Nobles to change its accessory dwelling unit code to allow for sin- gle-wide mobile homes to be used as accessory dwell- ings to a larger home on The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com ager Mark Morgan told the council the program had been underutilized, West Umatilla County and the city has so far only residents can get 40 free spent $35,000 since Octo- taxi rides if they try out ber 2019 even though it the city of Hermiston’s still has $246,000 avail- West-End On-Demand able through June 2021. Ride Cooperative by the He said he hoped giv- end of 2020. ing away four free cards On Monday, Aug. 24, would encourage more the Hermiston City Coun- people to try out the pro- cil approved the initiative gram, which would then to encourage give the city more people to a stron- sign up. “ ... THIS WILL HELP REDUCE ger applica- The WORC tion when it A BARRIER TO CONNECTING program was reapplies for more funds. created in WORKERS WITH THEIR JOBS.” “ T h i s October 2019 Mark Morgan, Hermiston assistant city manager program is to expand essentially options for to get people area residents to get transportation to and Through purchasing to experience the program, from work. the vouchers, the rider get familiar with it and If residents of the pays one-third of the cost become long-term users Hermiston, Stanfi eld or of the ride while the city of the program,” he said. Umatilla ZIP codes bring subsidizes the other two- “... Prior to the pandemic a pay stub in to city hall, thirds using money for and associated unemploy- they can purchase a card public transportation that ment rate, one of biggest stamped with the address it receives from the state’s challenges heard from our of their workplace that will public transit payroll tax. employers was just simply grant them 10 taxi rides to The rider’s cost for a access to workforce and so or from that address. Hermiston-to-Hermiston this will help reduce a bar- rier to connecting workers Depending on how card is $25 for 10 rides. much they paid for the Assistant city man- with their jobs.” By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Staff photo by Ben Lonergan The Hermiston City Council voted to refi nance loans taken out to pay for the city of Hermiston’s wastewater treatment plant. “WHY WOULDN’T WE WANT TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS $1.4 MILLION?” Hermiston Mayor David Drotzmann the same lot. Currently, the city only allows single-wide mobile homes inside mobile home parks. The denial followed the planning commission’s recommendation. Nobles, who lives in Umatilla, told the council he has some properties in Hermiston where he wants to create additional afford- able rentals by placing a mobile home on large lots where another home already exists. “I can probably get a dou- ble-wide in there but if I put a single-wide I have room to put some parking off street that’s not required ... there’ll be a little more room in the footprint,” he said. Councilors agreed with the planning commission, however, that the change could allow for unsightly trailers that bring down the look of their neighborhoods. “We sometimes have poor images of single-wide trailers that look broken down and in bad shape and I don’t think that’s what Mr. Nobles would do, but that is the potential that the plan- ning commission was wor- ried about,” Drotzmann said. Smith also received a one-year renewal of his city manager’s contract on Aug. 24 after the council met in executive session for his yearly performance review. Smith has worked for the city for six years now, and extension of the date was the only amendment to the con- tract this year. “It’s been a pleasure to work with you ... I think we’ve accomplished some excellent things,” Drotz- mann said. card, the other end of their journey can be any- where within the allow- able radius. On the cheapest card, for example, a person could get a ride from their workplace inside Herm- iston city limits to any other address in Hermis- ton. More expensive cards allow for rides between cities. “I wear my mask for you, your family, all our families, our communities. We are in this together.” “Uso mi cubrebocas para ti, tu familia, todas nuestras familias, nuestras comunidades. Estamos en esto juntos.” OFFICER ERICA SANDOVAL HERMISTON CITY POLICE Resume Workshop VIRTUAL WORKSHOP Date: August 27 Time: 1:00pm Cost: Free Please contact KaeLyn Lindsay to get the information to join online. 541-571-7771 Do you need help building a resume? Would you like to attend a FREE workshop to help you create a resume that employers want to see? Community Counseling Solutions is holding a resume workshop for you to learn all the necessary tools to build a professional resume to give to employers. This workshop is open to anyone who is interested. All that is necessary to attend is a device you are able to call in with and eager attitude to learn. Providing dynamic, progressive and diverse support to improve the well-being of our communities. Dr. Dave Drotzmann and Dr. Kollan Arritt would like to welcome a new associate, a graduate from Indiana University practicing full scope optometry, specializing in Pediatrics. • Wear a mask in public • Avoid indoor gatherings • Stay 6 feet away from others • Wash your hands frequently Help Reopen Umatilla County 1160 W. Elm Ave., Hermiston • 541-567-6623 • www.lvseyedoc.com Wearing a mask saves jobs and saves lives
