Hermiston Herald   11/02/2010

Radio bond may pass, holds slim margin

The bond to fund the Umatilla Morrow Radio & Data District is passing by a slim majority. Election results from the two counties are still unofficial.

In Umatilla County, about 620 more voters supported the bond. At 9:38 p.m. the county listed 7,044 yes votes (52.31 percent) and 6,423 no votes (47.69 percent).

In Morrow County, a similarly slim lead was leaning toward the positive, by about 260 votes. Yes votes accounted for 1,536 (54.66 percent) and no votes accounted for 1,274 (45.34 percent).

The bond is at a rate of 17 cent per $1,000 property valuation. It will fund upkeep of a radio system built and originally funded by the federal government through the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.