IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF GRANT JUNE 11, 2014

Pursuant to notice made to the newspaper of general circulation throughout Grant County, the radio station in Grant County and e-mail distribution list, a regular meeting of the County Court was held at the County Courthouse in Canyon City OR.

9:00 am — Call to Order. Present were Judge Scott W. Myers, Commissioner Chris B. Labhart, Secretary Mary Ferrioli, Jim Sproul, Amy Stiner, Joanne Keerins, and Pastor Levi Manitsas. Commissioner Boyd Britton was excused to attend an ODOT Connect Oregon 5 project funding meeting in Portland. A Pledge of Allegiance was given to the United States flag. The invocation was given by Pastor Manitsas.

CLAIMS. The court had approved claims and Extension District Warrant Nos. 161 through 171. Tagged claims were for Conflict of Interest — A+ Striping (repaint handicapped parking spaces) and Boyd Britton Welding (steel door removal Courthouse 2nd floor).

AGENDA. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to accept the agenda as presented

ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Labhart drove the VA van to Boise last Thursday, attended an LCAC meeting in John Day last Wednesday, and participated in the New Hope for Eastern Oregon Animals parade of dogs at 62 days on Saturday. Monday he participated in an AOC Veterans Committee meeting by phone and attended a SBHC meeting in John Day. Tomorrow he will drive the VA Van to Boise and attend the Library Advisory Board meeting. Next Tuesday Labhart is attending an Oregon Tourism Commission meeting and Eastern Oregon Visitors Associations meeting at the airport.

Myers attended the Airport Commission meeting Monday evening and the Safety Committee meeting Tuesday morning. He did not attend the subsequent Safety Inspection at the Library. Tomorrow he’ll be out of the office until 4 pm, when he meets with Hermann Financial about county health insurance rates. Friday he’ll be out to prepare for a family wedding.

MINUTES. MSP: Labhart/Myers — to approve the June 4 minutes with the opportunity for Commissioner Britton’s review upon his return.

PUBLIC COMMENT. Jim Sproul spoke with the court on last week’s discussion about posting signs restricting ATV use on Forest Roads, and future court discussion on this subject expected to occur with Forest Service representatives next month. He also talked about the county’s 2013 Ordinance Pertaining to Public Road Closures.

9:20 am – News Reporter Scotta Callister and Phil St. Clair entered

PROPERTY LEASES. The court reviewed and signed Commercial Property Lease Agreements for the extended use of county property located at 323 S. Humbolt Street, Canyon City by C-2 Utility Contractors and at 530 E. Main in John Day by Grant County Food Bank, Blue Mountains Forest Partners and the Training & Employment Consortium. MSP: Labhart/Myers – to sign the extended Commercial Property Lease with C-2 Utility Contractors. MSP: Myers/

Labhart — to circulate for signature the extended Commercial Property Lease with Grant County Food Bank. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to sign the extended Commercial Property Lease with Blue Mountains Forest Partners. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to sign the extended Commercial Property Lease with the Training & Employment Consortium.

WATERSHED COUNCIL. Upper South Fork John Day Watershed Council representatives Amy Stiner, Joanne Keerins, and Phil St. Clair gave an informational presentation on the Watershed Council and its recent boundary expansion. A map was displayed showing boundaries from the headwaters of the South Fork to the South Fork Falls which have expanded from 182,188 acres to include the entire South Fork Watershed, and a portion of the Upper Main Stem John Day River, totaling 537,708 acres. This expansion was necessary to be eligible for further Council Capacity Support funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Stiner identified the Council’s active and alternate board members and provided a list of the Council’s supporting agencies and developing partnerships. Detailed information was given on a variety of projects which was followed by discussion on associated watershed enhancement, resource restoration and weed control activities.

10:05 am – Treasurer Kathy Smith entered

BUDGET HEARING. At 10:00 am the court opened a public hearing on the 2014-2015 Grant County Extension & 4H Service District proposed budget. Since the District Budget Officer was not yet present, Labhart asked to leave the public hearing open during the General Orders.

At 10:45 am — after General Orders – District Budget Officer Shanna Northway arrived and the hearing resumed. Northway and the court discussed Form LB-31 for the District that describes Detailed Expenditures, Resources and Requirements, and Other Resources for next fiscal year. Yesterday she met with County Budget Officer Kathy Smith when it was discovered transfers would need to change to reflect figures that had not been updated over the past few years. It was noted that available Cash on Hand changed because budgeting had been done on “budgeted” numbers rather than “actual” numbers. Northway said, on the expenditure side, the audit was the only thing that changed. She added that changes would be made each year to catch up due to previous transfers not being made.The budget hearing was closed. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to approve and adopt Resolution 14-20 Adopting the Annual Budget, Levying Taxes and Making Appropriations to the General Fund and Reserve Fund for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 for Grant County Extension and 4J Service District.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE FACILITY. Based on the lowest qualified bid submitted, the court reviewed and signed a Contract for Goods and Services with Alpine Alarm, Communications & Construction in the amount of $8,718.00 to provide fire protection system re-installation services at the Criminal Justice Facility. Since the existing system (installed in 1997) failed, periodic manual inspections and are being done. The project would change out the control panel, remote annunciators, smoke detectors, heat detectors, pull stations, monitor modules, horn strobes, strobes, and HVAC relay. The permit, installation, programming and training are included.

MSP: Myers/Labhart – to sign the Contract with Alpine Alarm, Communications & Construction in the amount of $8,718.00 for re-installation of the fire protection system. Treasurer Kathy Smith noted that this expense would be paid from next year’s budget.

BUDGET RESOLUTIONS. The court reviewed and signed Resolution 14-18 Making Transfer from Contingency, Road Fund, to Personal Services in the amount of $50,000.00 to hire additional fulltime employees not in the original budget and Resolution 14-19 Making Transfer from Contingency, Mental Health Fund, to Personal Services in the amount of $1,000.00 to cover the higher group insurance percentage amount than budgeted due to wage changes in the maintenance position. MSP: Labhart/Myers — to circulate Resolutions 14-18 and 14-19 for signature as presented.

CUSTODIAN JOB DESCRIPTION. Based on a previous recommendation by the Personnel Manager, the court considered approving a minor adjustment to the Custodian job description, increasing the weight lifting limit to 40 lbs. MSP: Labhart/Myers — to amend the Custodian job description as recommended by the Personnel Manager.

TRANSFER STATION. The court considered Department of Environmental Quality’s recent offer to share in the cost of purchasing a replacement bailer for the Transfer Station, if the county can contribute $15,000.00 (instead of the $12,500.00 suggested earlier). The total cost to replace the bailer has been estimated at $25,000.00. Discussion followed about money being available in the Equipment Reserve Fund for this purpose. Commissioner Britton had been asked about this idea earlier and said it was fine. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to put forth $15,000.00 from the Equipment Reserve Fund to cooperate with DEQ toward the $25,000.00 purchase of a replacement bailer. Some discussion followed about the county’s responsibility for glass recycling and opportunities to recycle glass containers through Prairie City Recyclers each month on the third Saturday.

10:20 am — Tammy Wheeler and Shannon Springer entered

COURT FACILITIES / ELEVATOR, WINDOWS, HVAC. Circuit Court Administrator / Court Facilities Committee representative Tammy Wheeler gave an update on the Court Facilities Committee and recommended moving forward with installing an elevator. Discussion took place about legal counsel’s opinion, in that our current contract with Ferguson Surveying & Engineering applies only to road projects. Wheeler and the court talked about putting together a Request for Qualifications for structural engineering services. She’s still waiting on the exact state funding available for the elevator, based on the county’s prioritization. Wheeler was confident we would receive funding because she understood Grant County was in a top position. She said, if funding were received this budget year, we would need to have the project completed by June 2015. Wheeler thought it may be best to focus on the next funding cycle. The county recently submitted a Courthouse Facility Questionnaire to the Oregon Department of Justice requesting funds for the Courthouse in FY15-17. An estimated cost for the elevator has been identified as $225.000.00 and window replacement as $200,000.00.

Myers did not know how much advance notice the elevator company may need before the project proceeds. It was noted that an engineer was needed to make the appropriate decision about the best location and specifications for elevator. Myers believed the county would need to know the location of the elevator before window replacement begins. Wheeler said Judge Cramer and the Security Committee have agreed some Court Security Fund money could be used for window replacement. Myers agreed. Wheeler asked for permission to develop an RFQ for a structural engineer for the elevator — to put us into a ready position when funds are available. Clarification was made about the elevator being our first priority. And, without knowing the funding needed for the elevator, the window / HVAC project would take second place. Labhart understood that AOC has indicated full funding for the elevator would most likely be available for Grant County. Myers pointed out — as long as it is in the same calendar year — it doesn’t matter which project (windows or HVAC) starts first. However, to qualify for savings on the windows — we must be able to show OTEC that our main source of heat is electric.

Jim Sproul pointed out that our Courthouse has the same footprint as the Harney County Courthouse, and their elevator was installed in one of the stairwells many years ago. He said the blueprint already exists and interior installation would be far more cost effective. Wheeler felt those were all good points, and ones Judge Cramer has made to Wheeler. Shannon Springer, who has helped people in the Chair Lift, talked about the very negative experience for the individuals involved. She stressed the importance of moving forward with an elevator for the benefit of the public who regularly need to access the upper and lower floors. Myers thought that having to use the Chair Lift was disrespectful to the general public and Courthouse employees.

Labhart suggested that further discussion on windows and HVAC take place next week with the full court. It was the consensus of the court to begin the process for an RFQ for engineering services for an elevator. Wheeler offered to provide the County Court with information on the architectural plans that were used in Harney County.

11:00 am — Adjourned

Respectfully Submitted,

Mary R. Ferrioli

County Court Secretary

To access County Court Minutes from 2009 to present go to the County Commissioners page at www.gcoregonlive2.com.