The Court reviewed the Consent Agenda. Item number 4 was removed.

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1 BE IT REMEMBERED THAT the Crook County Court met in a Court meeting scheduled for at 10:00 a.m. in the County meeting room located at 320 NE Court Street, Prineville, Oregon. In attendance were: County Judge Mike McCabe; County Commissioner Seth Crawford; County Counsel Jeff Wilson; Assistant County Counsel Eric Blaine and County Court Secretary Colleen Ferguson. Commissioner Ken Fahlgren was attending a Justice Reinvestment Summit in Aumsville Oregon and was unable to attend today s meeting. Members of the public signing the attendance log were: Rhonda Belanger, Crook County Corrections; Jerry and Darlene Harpster, Prineville; Rebekah Burkhardt, Sheriff s Office; Crook County Human Resources Deena Wegner; Slater Turner, U.S. Forest Service and Tory Kurtz, Ochoco National Forest. The media received notification of the Special meeting. Consent Agenda 1. Approve Order , In the matter of increased/decreased appropriations/ Public Health Preparedness and WIC 2. Approve Order , In the matter of increased appropriations; Grant Funds, Health Department 3. Approve Order , In the matter of amending the Crook County Policy Handbook in regard to FMLA/OFLA Employee Benefits during leave 4. Approve letter to St. Charles/PMH The Court reviewed the Consent Agenda. Item number 4 was removed. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve the Consent Agenda with the changes as discussed. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Darlene Harpster asked about item number 4 that was removed. County Counsel Jeff Wilson explained, and the Court went forward with item number 4. #4, Letter to St. Charles/Pioneer Memorial Hospital (PMH) Pioneer Memorial Hospital (PMH) is not owned by St. Charles. There is a lease agreement between St. Charles and PMH, operated by the PMH Board. The letter included in today s packet is to Jeanine A Gentry, CEO of St. Charles Madras and PMH. Now that St. Charles has officially opened the new hospital on Combs Flat Road, the Court is requesting the PMH Board delay any decision to list the former hospital property for sale until after December 15, This will allow Crook County to continue due diligence on issues that include determining the best long-term use of the facility, the amount of public support, financing options, bonding, land use regulations, and the short and long term costs of ownership. Crook County Court Page 1

2 Commissioner Crawford moved to approve signature of the letter to the PMH Board. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Forest Service, information on wild horse population, District Ranger Slater Turner and Rangeland Management Specialist Tory Kurtz District Ranger Slater Turner and Rangeland Management Specialist Tory Kurtz presented information on the Big Summit Wild Horse Herd. A briefing paper was provided to the Court. The Big Summit Territory Herd Management Plan is now more than 40 years old and needs revisions since many of the conditions have changed with a herd size that is almost triple the amount that was called for under the management direction. Ms. Kurtz presented the Short- Term/ Long-term Goals-Plan. The Ochoco National Forest is currently in what is hoped to be a three year planning process to develop a new Herd Management Plan, collecting data in the Big Summit Territory such as vegetation condition, riparian area assessments, winter forage productivity and wild horse herd data. The Ochoco National Forest is seeking broad public participation in the development of the new Herd Management Plan. A meeting will be held on November 17, 2015 to solicit feedback from the public on their concerns and interest on updating the Wildhorse Management Plan. The herd has tripled since the prescribed amount was set in 1975 and the boundaries are set by Congress. The public was invited to stop by the Ochoco National Forest Service facility and ask any questions they may have. Consider Wage Change Request for Parole and Probation Director HR Director Deena Wegner, Rebekah Burkhardt, Sheriff s Office and Rhonda Belanger, Parole and Probation Director were in Court to discuss with the Court a change in the wage for Ms. Belanger. Judge McCabe presented information regarding the request. Sheriff Hensley had come to meet with Judge McCabe regarding Rhonda Belanger. Ms. Belanger will be retiring April 1 or 15 th, Judge McCabe said Ms. Belanger is grossly underpaid. Parole and Probation in Sherman County with only 61 cases is paid $80,000 plus. It is important to keep Parole and Probation here in Crook County and not turn it over to the State and in order to do that we must get this salary up. Judge McCabe said he feels bad that Ms. Belanger has been here all this time and is not paid equal to her peers. Deena Wegner, HR Director, discussed advertising for the position at a higher salary or having a title change. She said there needs to be more conversation on this matter, and not break the County to get someone on board. Judge McCabe said the Sheriff is behind this all the way on this program. He would like to have Ms. Belanger make the amount he believes she should have been making during the few months Crook County Court Page 2

3 before she retires. Judge McCabe said we will not be able to replace Ms. Belanger, but do want to keep the Parole and Probation in the County. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve an employee wage change for Ms. Belanger from a category 19 step 12 to category 20 step 12 until her retirement. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve advertising the position of Parole and Probation Director at category 1 step 1 through category 20 step 12, depending on experience. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Consider approval of new position, District Attorney s Office Judge McCabe said the matter of a new position in the DA office had been discussed at the Crook County Work session with Crook County District Attorney Dina Vitolins. Ms. Vitolins will become the next Oregon District Attorney President and will need to travel to Salem frequently beginning in February. Also, due to a crime lab issue, substantial extra work has been added to the DA s office because every case processed since 2003 in Bend has to be reviewed. Ms. Vitolins and Deputy DA Brennaman are the two that have to review the cases. Ms. Vitolins discussed different sources of revenue that would fund this position and the duties of the position. She is also looking into trying to have an Intern in the position. Further discussion was held regarding the crime lab matter that is now a State wide matter. She discussed the costs of the case reviews and the State wanting to transfer the costs to the County. Ms. Vitolins does not want the costs to go to the County. The costs would result in at least $134,000 per year for the Grand Jury recordation. Deena Wegner, County HR, said the District Attorney office has funding. The only concern is the sick leave change coming into effect in January Ms. Vitolins provided information regarding difficult cases the District Attorney s has been involved in recently. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve the Temporary Part-Time position requested by the District Attorney, an Attorney or Law Student for the District Attorney Office. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Crook County Court Page 3

4 Community Renewable Energy Association (CREA) Ordinance 284, In the matter of authorizing the County to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement creating the Community Renewable Energy Association (CREA), an Association to promote, foster and advance Community Based Renewable Energy and Declaring an Emergency, 1 st and 2 nd reading, vote Judge McCabe presented information regarding the Community Renewable Energy Association (CREA). This organization is made up of a group of Central and Easter Oregon Counties to find the west way for alternative energy. The cost is $100 to join CREA and a county can pull out of the organization at any time. This is a resource for both wind farm and solar energy. Commissioner Crawford moved to read Ordinance 284 by title only twice and declare an emergency that will make the ordinance effective upon approval. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Judge McCabe read Ordinance 284 by Title only for the first time. Judge McCabe read Ordinance 284 by Title only for the second time. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve final approval of Ordinance 284 and approving the emergency. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Ordinance 284 is in effect immediately. REMOVED 9.Discussion/ Professional Services contract with A. Andrew Parks, CPA & GEL Oregon Inc. REMOVED Signing final subdivision plat, Howlett Subdivision Planning Director Bill Zelenka presented information regarding the four lot final plat of the Howlett Subdivision. The Planning Commission has signed everything in order, and the plat is now ready for Court signature. Commissioner Crawford moved to approve signature of the final subdivision plat for Howlett Subdivision. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. Crook County Court Page 4

5 Wildlands fuel reduction agreement Information was provided regarding the three million dollar grant awarded to Deschutes, Crook and Klamath counties with a one million dollar match. This involves an Intergovernmental Agreement with Deschutes County due to the money going to and through Deschutes County out to Crook, Deschutes and Klamath counties. Judge McCabe provided information on the fuel reduction project and pool of contractors that will be involved. Work will be done out in the Juniper Canyon, Ochoco West and other areas. Crook County will get one million dollars of the grant. Commissioner Crawford moved to sign the Wildlands Fuel reduction agreement as presented. Judge McCabe seconded the motion. The vote was 2-0, motion carried. There being no additional scheduled business requiring action before the Court today, Judge McCabe adjourned the County Court meeting. Respectfully submitted, Colleen Ferguson Colleen Ferguson Crook County Court Secretary Crook County Court Page 5