IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF GRANT

Access the court’s weekly Agenda and approved Minutes on the Commissioner’s page at www.gcoregonlive2.com

APRIL 8, 2015

Pursuant to notice made to the newspaper of general circulation throughout Grant County, the radio station, county website, 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, Dorothy Palmer, Billie Jo George, Jim Sproul, Marlene Greer, Gary Jacobson, Howard Geiger and Pastor Al Altnow. Commissioner Boyd Britton was in Washington DC attending a meeting of the National Board on Geographic Names. A Pledge of Allegiance was given to the United States flag. The invocation was given by Pastor Altnow.

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS.

The Budget Committee met yesterday from 1 to 4 pm and will meet next on April 13 from 1 to 4 pm.

Labhart attended an EOCCO board meeting in Pendleton on Monday. Tuesday he participated in Blue Mountain Hospital CEO candidate interviews. Today at 1:30 pm he will attend a Cycle Tourism meeting at the Squeeze Inn Restaurant. Friday he will attend the Emergency Preparedness presentation and chili feed at the LDS church from 5 – 7 pm. Next Monday Labhart will be in Salem for AOC Veterans and Legislative committee meetings and Tuesday he will participate in a CAC Chair phone conference. He announced that Malheur NF Supervisor Beverlin sent a letter to the Stock Growers Association stating that all grazing permittees will have total access to their allotments.

Myers provided information on this Friday’s emergency preparedness meeting which he will attend. He reported on the meeting he attended in Salem on Monday (with about 450 county representatives) concerning the roll-out of state funding for the Justice Reinvestment Program as an alternative to providing additional prison beds. Interviews for the new Veteran Service Officer are being arranged for Friday, April 17.

MINUTES. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to postpone review of the April 1 minutes until a full court is present next week.

CLAIMS. The court approved general and special claims and Extension District Warrant Nos.292-296

LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD. Last week when the court considered the application of Dave Sandersfeld to serve on the Library Advisory Board, Britton suggested the action be delayed one week to allow time to contact advisory board members. Earlier this week, Britton reported that he consulted with the board and it is recommended that Mr. Sandersfeld be appointed. MSP: Myers/Labhart — to appoint Dave Sandersfeld to a vacant term on the Library Advisory Board expiring June 30, 2017. The court took a break until the next scheduled business at 10:30 am.

During the break a large number of citizens began to arrive so the meeting was relocated to the Circuit Courtroom. The following citizens signed the attendance sheet: BM Eagle News Reporter Scotta Callister, Baker Co. Press News Reporter Brian Addison, Jim Sproul, Russ Young, Rusty Wyatt, Tim Nodine, Julie Bowling, Tim Nelson, Dave Nelson, Gary Langenfeld, Dave Hannibal, Dave Traylor, Byron Haberly, Gregg Haberly, Tad Houpt, Sam Palmer, Dorothy Palmer, Zach Williams, King Williams, Steve Parsons, JC Oliver, Elaine Smith, Mark Pengelley, Nicky and Cheryl Sprauve, Billie Moore, Debbie Bennett, Tim Rude, Lane Burton, Brenda Percy, Bob Phillips, Keith Schatz, Judy Kerr, Sherri Giffin, Pete Teague, Les McLeod, Roger McKinley, Terry George, Billie Jo George, Harley Allen, Mark Hansen, Brett Morris, Howard Gieger, Gary Jacobson, Marlene Greer, Ron Phillips, Bob and Judy Kerr, Ivan Mulder, Lon Davis, Bob Flath and Bob Lee.

10:30 am — Steve Beverlin, Audrey Matsumonis, Sara Bush and Pete Medina entered

ELK 16, BIG MOSQUITO. Malheur NF Supervisor Steve Beverlin was scheduled to present the County Court with draft decisions for the Elk 16 Landscape Restoration and Big Mosquito Forest Plan Amendment projects. He indicated that work has been done on these projects starting in 2011 and 2013. Beverlin provided the court with a large amount of written materials on the environmental assessment / forest-wide analysis and draft decision for both projects. Utilizing the material provided today, Beverlin gave an overall informational review of public involvement measures and the variety of action alternatives including specialty designated areas relative to the purpose and objective of these restoration projects. He said, as of today, the agency is in a 45-day objection process, which is why the decisions are only in draft form. Once approved by the Regional Office, a final decision on the EA can be signed. Beverlin reviewed and explained three public engagement processes offered on all proposed projects which includes a public scoping period, a 30-day comment period, and options for the 45-day objection period. During the review, Beverlin touched on public access issues associated with level 1 roads, road decommissioning, closed to open roads, and motorized loop opportunities. It was noted there would be no new road less or potential wilderness designation associated with these projects. There was discussion about the availability to review documents on the Forest Service website, at the Forest Service’s front desk, and at the office of the County Court. The Elk 16 project is expected to be implemented before September 30, 2015 and the Big Mosquito project next year. The court thanked Beverlin for his presentation.

PUBLIC COMMENT. An opportunity was given for the public to comment. Gary Jacobson said he was asked to pose questions by the Citizens for Public Access. A list of four questions was given to the court. Myers announced that questions would be addressed next week when a full court is present.

Jim Sproul reported he has an Initiative Petition signed by over 2,000 citizens asking why it seems the court has not addressed public access, as requested by the public, concerning Ordinance 2013-01. Myers replied that the court believes it is following the Ordinance, as is the Forest Service. He added, what we witnessed today is that process i.e. proposed access changes were presented to the court in accordance with the Ordinance. This is exactly what is called for in the Ordinance.

Howard Gieger asked why the court assigned out revision of the Forest Plan to Blue Mountain Forest Partners at a cost of $20,000. (Commissioner Britton had previously asked the court if he could contact BMFP to discuss his idea.) Myers said the court did not engage or pay BMFP in any way, so it is miss-information. Myers understood BMFP was not interested in taking on that task. Myers and Gieger talked about the county’s letter of support for salvaging all possible material from the South Fork Fire. Other public attendees talked about issues related to activities taken by the court, and other groups, on the South Fork Fire in an effort to improve forest health. Labhart explained that Grant and Harney counties broke away from the regional counties that joined together to revise the Blue Mountain Forest Plan. Comments were made about poor land line phone service in the Granite area. Mark Pengelley reported, after one and one-half months, he’s not received information requested from Steve Beverlin through the County Court. Myers said he would continue to engage with Mr. Beverlin regarding Pengelley’s request. Pengelley (one of two remaining members of the Public Access Advisory Board) expressed interest in reforming the board. He added that he has been meeting with the Blue Mountain Forest Partners. Myers said the court has not discussed taking further action to re-establish the advisory group. There is no obligation to do so because it is not one of those required by statute. Other questions and comments followed about the Grant County Public Forest Commission and written comments produced by the Forest Commission about the Forest Plan Revision and other forest issues. Labhart expressed appreciation for the forestry information, and support of forest resources issues provided by the Commission. It was pointed out the Public Forest Commission was created by the citizens through the initiative process and is not connected to county government. However, the court welcomes the Commission’s ongoing involvement with forestry issues. Some attendees expressed concern about the need for the court to take action to support Ordinance 2013-01 and to regularly communicate with the public about work being done to revision the Forest Plan.

11:55 am — Adjourned

Respectfully Submitted,

Mary R. Ferrioli

County Court Secretary