Grant County’s Budget Committee held its first meetings to make difficult decisions to balance this year’s budget.

After Grant County Treasurer Julie Ellison said in the budget message that the only way the county could avoid perpetual shortfalls would be to cut positions, the committee heard from justice court, the sheriff’s office and revisited its predator control position.

Predator control

The committee deliberated on whether it should hire a full-time animal control officer after the county lost its federal animal control officer in December when Nick Lulay accepted a full-time position in Wallowa County.

In December, USDA Wildlife Services District Supervisor Shane Koyle asked the county if it could put in more than $35,000 it had previously contributed for the job. He said he could get a better quality applicant if they advertise it as a full-time position.

Budget Committee member Amy Kreger said, when she “steps aside” from her role as a committee member and looks at the program from a property owner’s position, it is a position that 100% benefits taxpaying property owners.

She said the county has a badger and coyote problem and that Lulay would come out and take care of them in the past.

“This is the one thing that every edge of the county benefits from,” she said. “Maybe one year they don’t need it, maybe one year they do.”

Koyle said he believes it looks good on USDA’s side that they could get funding. However, he said, that is a small portion. He said USDA also relies on funding from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and counties.

Bob Quinton, Budget Committee president, said the county is just getting into the budget and cannot promise anything yet.

Ellison asked rancher Jim Dovenburg if he had collected donations from any of the ranchers. He said he had in the past, but he can no longer do so.

Sheriff’s office

Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley said he could not speak to why full-time Deputy Dave Dobler had been patrolling the forest when the position was initially supposed to be a part-time job, budgeted at $14 per hour with no benefits. However, he said, Dobler puts in “yeoman’s work” into the job and should not be punished.

Dobler puts in 30 hours a week and, with benefits, earns roughly $50 per hour. Ellison said he is one of the most expensive deputies within the sheriff’s office.

McKinley said he would like to see $20,000 from the general fund be transferred to the forest patrol fund. McKinley said he would also like to see COVID-19 stimulus money put toward that fund to get back into the black.

Emergency Manager Paul Gray told the Eagle Friday that he proposed the county put $100,000 of COVID-19 stimulus money into the sheriff’s office to cover the office’s budget holes.

Additionally, McKinley said the Forest Service opened up $8,000 that was not expended in the previous year to kick into this year’s budget cycle.

McKinley said forest patrol is funded entirely through the Forest Service’s contract. However, he said, Secure Rural Schools Title III funds will also pay for forest patrol, but the hours cannot be charged to both the Forest Service and Title III.

He said part of the reason why there is such a shortfall within the sheriff’s office budget is that the office had not been billing Title III correctly for Dobler’s position. McKinley again emphasized that none of this was Dobler’s fault.

McKinley said he would like to get the hole fixed in this budget cycle because this occurred in the past cycles.

Justice Court

Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett said cutting a position in her office would inhibit the county’s ability to collect revenue from traffic tickets and other court fines. Quinton said the county is left paying out more than the county is bringing in.

“We’re back to paying $2,525 a month, and we’re collecting $1,600,” he said. “I’m not picking on you, but that seems to be the reoccurring theme when we look at all of these recurring budgets and general funds.”