Dale Matthews, Grants Pass, expressed his opinion of a Sheriff' s Office employee and her efforts at securing particular grant funding.

Transcription

1 WEEKLY BUSINESS SESSION August 15, 2012, 9: 00 a. m. Anne G. Basker Auditorium 604 N.W. Sixth Street, Grants Pass, OR APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT THE WEEKLY BUSINESS SESSION Present: Simon G. Hare. Chair; Don Reedy, Vice Chair; Harold Haugen, Commissioner; Kim Kashuba, Recorder These are meeting minutes only. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker' s exact words. For complete contents ofthe proceeding, please refer to the audio recording. Pursuant to notice through the media and in conformance with the Public Meeting Law, Simon G. Hare, Chair called the meeting to order at 9: 00 a. m. Items discussed were as follows: 1. REQUESTS/ COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS: Dale Matthews, Grants Pass, expressed his opinion of a Sheriff' s Office employee and her efforts at securing particular grant funding. Sheriff Gil Gilbertson, Josephine County, provided clarification of his Office' s efforts regarding that grant. The following citizens spoke in opposition to Agenda Item 2( e): Trenor Scott, Grants Pass; Larry Ford, Grants Pass; Jack Swift, Grants Pass; Margaret Goodwin, Grants Pass; Vivian Kirkpatrick-Pilger, Grants Pass; John Chambers, Murphy; Nick Norton, Grants Pass; Rycke Brown, Grants Pass ( also submitted Exhibit A); Bruce Pence, Josephine County; Judy Ahrens, Grants Pass; Robert Stumbo, Wolf Creek; David McCallister, Grants Pass; Sandi Cassanelli, Merlin; Kathy Swift, Grants Pass. Jim Frick, Grants Pass, urged the Board to accelerate the conduct of a timber survey so timber could be cut and sold to fund Public Safety. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS IN CONSIDERATION OF: a. Approval of November General Election Ballot Question( s) Commissioner Hare advised that the Board was considering placing four general advisory questions on the November ballot to solicit public input. Discussion ensued regarding the benefits of posing the questions to the public and the phrasing of them. Commissioner Haugen stated that the placement of any questions on the ballot was subject to their review and approval by County Legal Counsel. Commissioner Haugen made a motion to approve as Question No. 1, " County Criminal Justice System meet the needs of the community?" Does the current level of service by the Josephine seconded by Commissioner Reedy. vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. Upon roll call Commissioner Haugen made a motion to approve as Question No. 2, " Should Josephine County look into a sales tax?" seconded by Commissioner Reedy. Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Commissioner Reedy made a motion to approve as Question No. 3, " In your opinion, is the practice of forest management to produce timber revenue an appropriate funding sourcefor County Services?" seconded by Commissioner Hare. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes Commissioner Haugen made a motion to approve as Question No. 4, " Should the Josephine County Commissioners and the Grants Pass City Council look into the merging of the Police Department and the Sheriff' s Office?" seconded by Commissioner Reedy. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. b. Allocation of Secure Rural Schools Funding($ 4, 665, 283) Rosemary Padgett, CFO, referred to Exhibit B, explained the source of this funding and stated the proposed allocation would allow the County to have carry over funds. Commissioner Hare elaborated, stating the allocation was necessary for the County to maintain a status quo: otherwise it would experience another 50% reduction in County services during the next fiscal year. Discussion ensued regarding the lease of jail beds to the Federal Government and other alternate funding stream sources where Public Safety could obtain funding assistance. Various suggestions regarding allocation were discussed.

2 Weekly Business Session August 15, 2012 Page 2 Commissioner Reedy made a motion to approve the use of Secure Rural Schools Funding to add 49 jail beds for the next two years, and to hire a. 50 FTE part-time deputyfor Court security. Motion died for lack of second. Commissioner Haugen made a motion to approve the use of Secure Rural Schools Funding to repay the loan from Public Works' Road Fund and to save the balance for carryover into next year. Motion died for lack of second. Commissioner Hare made a motion to carry over $ 3, 920, 888 to FY , in order to maintain the current service level in the Criminal Justice System. Commissioner Haugen stated he would not support that motion. Commissioner Reedy suggested that the County needed to sustain the current level of service in the Criminal Justice System and this would provide an opportunity to search for an alternative revenue stream. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 2-1; Commissioner Haugen no, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. Commissioner Hare moved to table the remainder of the allocations until next week so the Board could examine the issues, seconded by Commissioner Haugen. Commissioner Haugen stated he seconded this motion for discussion purposes, citing a past Jail Study regarding the County' s jail bed needs. He also questioned the Sheriff' s quote of 49 beds needed and asked how the agencies would go about filling them. Commissioner Reedy stated tha t all Criminal Justice System agencies had been heard from, they had a system between them, and he saw no reason to table the remainder of the allocations. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 2-1; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy no, and Commissioner Hare- yes. c. Approval of Resolution In the Matter of the FFY 2012 Elections for National Forest Related Safety- Net Payments d. Approval of Resolution In the Matter of the FFY 2012 Elections for O& C Land Related Safety- Net Payments Rosemary Padgett, CFO, explained the purpose and effect of Resolutions and , stating the Board needed to pass these Resolutions in order to receive funding. Commissioner Reedy made a motion to approve Resolutions and seconded by Commissioner Haugen. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner HauQen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare yes. One original of each Resolution tendered for recording e. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU) Between The Oregon State Office; Salem, Eugene, Roseburg, Coos Bay and Medford Districts; and Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District of the Bureau of Land Management and Josephine County, as a Cooperating Agency for Revision of the Resource Management Plans and Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Western Oregon Bureau of Land Management Districts and Resource Area Commissioner Haugen advocated continuing this matter until August 29 to provide the Board an opportunity to examine his proposed revisions and the County' s Coordination Plan. Commissioner Hare expressed his commiseration with the public' s frustration regarding Federal management of O& C Lands and discussed the Coordination Plans of Josephine and Jackson Counties. Commissioner HauQen made a motion to table approval of the Memorandum until August 29, 2012, seconded by Commissioner Reedy. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. f. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding( MOU) with Southern Oregon Clean Energy Alliance( SOCEA) Commissioner Hare explained the purpose and effect of the MOU, clarifying that despite certain public comments, this Board could not obligate future Boards of Commissioners to any decision, there was no financial obligation to the County by having a formal understanding with SOCEA; the County in fact had been a member for years. Commissioner Reedy stated that SOCEA was an organization that promoted retrofitting businesses and residences with solar power to reduce the load on the power grid. Commissioner Haugen stated he would not support a motion for approval. Commissioner Reedy made a motion to approve the MOU, seconded by Commissioner Hare with a formal Amendment to the Motion to include Striking Paragraph 4. 5 from the MOU. Commissioner Reedy seconded the Amendment. Commissioner Haugen reiterated that he would not support the document as a whole. Upon roll call vote, the Amendment passed 2-1; Commissioner HauQen no, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare - yes. Commissioner Haugen further stated that he would not support the Motion because even though Josephine County would be represented, the memorandum stated it would be part of one unified body. Upon roll call vote, the motion as Amended passed 2-1; Commissioner Haugen no, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes.

3 Weekly Business Session August 15, 2012 Page 3 One original Memorandum of Understanding as modified returned to SOCEA for full execution. 3. CONSENT CALENDAR: a. Approval of Minutes (Draft minutes are available for viewing in the Board' s Office) County Administration Workshop July 26, 2012 General Discussion July 26, 2012 General Discussion July 31, 2012 Weekly Business Session August 1, 2012 County Administration Workshop August 2, 2012 General Discussion August 2, 2012 General Discussion August 7, 2012 b. Approval of Order No , In the Matter of Declaring County- Owned Personal Property Not in Use for County Purposes as Surplus; and Report and Recommendation c. Approval of Monument Drive Asphalt Overlay Project No ($ 96,250) d. Approval of Illinois Valley Baptist Church Lease Amendment# 3 e. Approval of Options Crisis Resolution Center and Ramsey Place Reserve Reimbursement Request($ 9, 755) Commissioner Hare stated all items had been addressed at a previous Administration Workshop. Commissioner Haugen made a motion to approve Consent Calendar Items 3( a) through ( e) as listed, seconded by Commissioner Reedy. Upon roll call vote, motion passed 3-0; Commissioner Haugen yes, Commissioner Reedy yes, and Commissioner Hare- yes. 4. OTHER: ( ORS ( 1) "... notice shall include a list of the principal subjects anticipated to be considered at the meeting, but this requirement shall not limit the ability ofa governing body to consider additional subjects. ") None reported. 5. MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Hare discussed items the Board would address on upcoming agendas. Weekly Business Ses ' n was adjourned at 11: 33 a.m. Kim Kashuba, Recorder Entered into record: Exhibit A," Wildfire Danger in Grants Pass," by Rycke Brown Exhibit B, Josephine County SRS 2012 Proposed Allocations, by Rosemary Padgett

4 C17.. 4") Wildfire Danger in Grants Pass Speech to the Grants Pass City Council, 8/ 15/ 12. Video of the meeting is available at: Honorable Councilors, Mayor, and Manager: Yesterday, I took an early- morning drive to verify reports that the weeds covering the lot behind Burger King had not been cut. I took pictures. on 7th Street were grown back, dried out, and That' s where the fire started last year that burned up the hill into a little patch of forest and had to be put out with helicopter water drops, a forest fire in our city. Outside the City, if a fire starts on a property, the owner of the property is liable for up to $ 100,000. But after that fire, we didn' t hear anything from the City or the Courier about who owns that property where it started, its cause, how it spread, or how much it cost to put it out. City Council and staff did hear from me about how it started and why it spread: because the City had not enforced its code against mature and seeding weeds. It appears that it' s a large property and the fire stayed on it, nearly burning out the residents. And yet, the City has done nothing to prevent a repetition of that fire, or to prevent another like it. The other day, we had a garage fire on Rogue River Highway that caught a 75- foot pine on fire, which rained embers all over the neighborhood and caused spot fires. The pine was only a few feet from the garage, but the weeds that were apparently around it helped it catch and then spread the fire down a steep slope to 3 Boys Towing' s fence, where their gravel stopped it. If our code had been enforced on that property and the surrounding neighborhood, the pine might have burned, but the fire would not have spread far or caused spot fires in dry grass, because there would have been no dry grass. Our police have their hands tied on lesser crimes of theft and violence; the only power they have is citations since the levy failed. Give them a job where warnings and citations are the only proper response: enforcing our nuisance codes against weeds and litter. Such citations take no prosecutors or jail space, and most residents will respond to warnings and not need to be cited. Their department is called Public Safety, and combines police and firemen, and yet fire danger is almost completely ignored. Cutting the weeds on a lot here does not decrease fire danger much; our code needs to be enforced on everyone. Please get our officers out of their cars, walking our neighborhoods, telling people to clean up their act. Rycke Brown, Natural Gardener rycke@gardener.com

5 Big Fire Caused by City' s Neglect Speech to Grants Pass City Council, 9/ 15/ 2011; replayed on RVTV Channel 14; schedule at roguetv.org. Video available at: Index.aspx?page=1449 Grants Pass had a big " brush fire" right off one of its main drags, 7th Street, last week, with flames up to 75 feet tall. It burned about 3 acres before being brought under control by means normally used on forest fires: a helicopter with a water bucket. We may never know what sparked the blaze, but it is obvious what caused the property to burn: non-enforcement of our nuisance code and poor enforcement of our safety hazard code. As the fire was being put out, one could see 3-4 foot tall dry weeds beyond the fences of threatened 7`t' Street businesses. The property behind them has been neglected and allowed to become a fire hazard. Enforcing our nuisance code, which forbids allowing weeds to mature or go to seed, would prevent any fire hazard from developing. But that provision has been unenforced for at least two decades. Our safety code calls for abatement of properties that become a safety hazard. A decade ago, firemen made sure that weeds were at least cut before Memorial Day, but that job was given to Community Service Officers a few years ago, and they only respond to complaints. With zero enforcement against mature and seeding weeds, there are too few CSOs to keep up with the resulting safety hazards, even if they enforced against them on sight. City management and police say that police are too highly trained and paid to enforce nuisance codes. But enforcing the laws, even city ordinances, is the job of police. They say that they have to prioritize to enforcing against real crime. Allowing one's property to become a nuisance or a safety hazard to one's neighbors is a real crime; that' s why we wrote laws to prevent it. They say people should talk to their neighbors. The Courier ran a story on August 9t', " Authorities still ponder reasons for Ohio killings," that illustrated how dangerous asking one's neighbor to clean up his property can be; a man killed seven people, including his neighbors, when they asked him to clean his place up. Such dangerous work is a job for police. Grants Pass is the seat of Josephine County. This Board has an interest in preventing safety hazards within the city as well as without. We now have more fire prevention in our forests these days than we do in town. Thus we have a brush fire in town, right off the main drag. Please talk to the City about using police to enforce all of its nuisance code, and abating the hazards that have resulted from its non- enforcement. Published at AssociatedContent.com. To easily follow Rycke's writings, send her an Rycke Brown, Natural Gardener rycke@gardener.com

6 3 was Josephine County 5= 1-2_ SRS 2012 Proposed Funding Allocations Maintain status quo for FY and FY ( two year period) FY FY Current Funding FY Beg Fund Balance C/ O 2, 920, PW Road dollars 425, DA Forfeiture 227, Sheriff Forfeiture 100, Sheriff Medical ( not in Budget) 136, One time Revenue to be Replaced 3, 809, Add inflation of 3% for FY % 114, FY Carryover Needed for Status Quo 3, 923, Available SRS 2012 Federal Monies( estimated) 4, 665, Funds Available after Carryover Requirement Met 741, Available Per Year( 2 fiscal years) 370, $ 370, ISF 10% at Fund level 37, $ 37, Available Per Year( 2 fiscal years) 333, $ 333, Sheriff Reduction in Staff- Police Office Assistant** $ 49, $ 59, Available Per Year( 2 fiscal years) 383, $ 393, Increase Jail Capacity- 19 beds estimated 234, $ 305, Monies Available 149, $ 87, Increase Jail Capacity- 10 additional beds ( 29) 13, $ 16, Monies Available 135, $ 70, Increase Jail Capacity- 10 additional beds( 39) 25, $ 30, Monies Available 110, $ 39, Increase Jail Capacity- 10 additional beds( 49) 28, $ 34, Monies Available 82, $ 4, Added at 4 pm 08/ 14/ 12 S:\ FIN\ ALL\ BUDGET DOCS\ 12_ 13 Budget File\ SRS 2012 Funding Possible Budget changes\ SRS 2012 Funds Allocation

7 Josephine County SRS 2012 Sheriff Proposal Increase Jail Bed Increase Proposal- 10 Month Budget Ten Inmates Inmates Costs View- Implement Sept 1 Month Cost Annual Cost assumes 3% incr.) Annual Food Budget 360,000 Medical Budget for Inmates 446,000 Operating Supplies 20, FY 140 Beds- Minus Staff Costs 826, 000 FY Annual Food Budget 186, ,400 Medical Budget for Inmates- Contract 228, ,000 Operating Supplies 4, 200 5, FY Budget- 10 month view 418, ,400 Food Budget At$ per meal 213, , 783 Medical Budget for Inmates- Contract 236, ,211 Hospitalization- not covered by CONMED 12,500 15, 450 Operating Supplies 5, 000 6, 180 Salary for 1 Female Deputy- 10 months 66,200 83, 327 TOTAL COST FOR 79 INMATES 652, , TOTAL INCREASE COST FROM , , , 100 Food Budget At$ per meal 213, , 886 Medical Budget for Inmates- Contract 240, , 464 Hospitalization- not covered by CONMED 20, , 750 Operating Supplies 5, 800 7, 210 Salary for 1 Female Deputy- 10 months 66,200 83, 327 TOTAL COST FOR 89 INMATES 666, ,030 Comparison to 19 beds TOTAL INCREASE COST FROM , ,630 13, 500 Food Budget At$ per meal 229, , 353 Medical Budget for Inmates- Contract 244, ,717 Hospitalization- not covered by CONMED 25,000 30,900 Operating Supplies 6,700 8, 240 Salary for 1 Female Deputy- 10 months 66, , 327 TOTAL COST FOR 99 INMATES 691, , TOTAL INCREASE COST FROM , , , 600 Food Budget At$ per meal 247, ,425 Medical Budget for Inmates- Contract 249, , 073 Hospitalization- not covered by CONMED 29,200 36,050 Operating Supplies 7, 500 9, 270 Salary for 1 Female Deputy- 10 months 66, , 327 TOTAL COST FOR 109 INMATES 719, , TOTAL INCREASE COST FROM , ,138 66, 600 S:\ FIN\ ALL\ BUDGET DOCS\ 12_ 13 Budget File\ SRS 2012 Funding Possible Budget changes\ Inmate Cost Analysis finance review RP- CC b. xlsx