Oregon Trails

An Occasional Newsletter

from

The Association of Oregon Counties

Legislature Convenes Tomorrow!

Hold on tight

January 31, 2012

Financial Impact Estimates of Health Transformation 

During the last legislative committee meeting Dr. Bruce Goldberg discussed the estimated financial impacts of health transformation. These estimates were compiled by Health Management Associates (HMA), an independent contractor hired by the Oregon Health Authority. 

Counties and Health Transformation

The Oregon Health Authority, at the request of AOC, has put together a one-pager explaining the impact on counties due to Health Transformation. This useful guide covers issues such as governance and service delivery and provides advice on how to move forward. Look for more material to come from AOC to assist you in the transition to Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO).

Oregon's First CCO?

Last week the members of the Douglas County Community Health Alliance announced the formation of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Membership of the Alliance includes Douglas County Mental Health and Greater Oregon Behavorial Health, Inc. (GOBHI) among many others. The Alliane has sent a letter of intent to the governor. A story on the effort recently ran in the Roseburg News Review.

Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services Contact Lists        

Have you ever had a question about human services and wondered who the appropriate contact was at OHA or DHS? We now have your answer. A list of OHA contacts and DHS contacts is available.

Consultants for the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) told the agency's board on Friday that sluggish returns will likely cause an increase in employer rates starting in 2013. System-wide, the fund returned only 2.2 percent in 2011, far below the 8 percent target that PERS has set for its investment earnings. The result will be increases from the 15.6 percent average that public employers are paying in the current period. While the local government pool has fared slightly better than the system-wide average, counties certainly have not been spared from dramatically increasing employer rates. While Friday's report was an unofficial estimate, a report on the PERS funded status will be presented at the July 2012 board meeting and employer rates for 2013-2015 will be set at the September meeting.

Contact Mike Eliason for more information.

The Oregon Water Resources Commission (WRC), meeting in Salem last Thursday and Friday, addressed two issues that have been well discussed in the AOC Water Policy Committee. First, Commissioner John Roberts reported on the WRC Revenue Subcommittee work to find funding options to the state general fund. The criteria they used for ideas were: those who benefit should pay, equity between user groups, fees tied to services provided and dedicate funds to the purpose for which they are collected. At this point they have three items to suggest: water right management fee, exempt well fee and expanding existing reimbursement authority. A water right management fee of $100/year per water right could raise $6 million, and fully support the watermaster corps, improve accuracy of water right ownership information, permit more stream gaging, and provide staffing needed to fulfill statutory mandates. An exempt well fee of $50/year could produce $7 million, and support scientific information needed to make allocation and availability decisions and permit more effective and timely management of groundwater resources. An expanded reimbursement authority could raise $100,000. The Commission decided to look at how the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) will contribute to funding needs and to resume the discussion later.

The second issue of particular interest to counties was the discussion of the draft IWRS, which is open for comments until March 15th. The comprehensive, integrated nature of the strategy is impressive, and received praise. The AOC Water Policy Committee intends to recommend comments for AOC on the IWRS before the deadline. AOC Policy Coordinator Gil Riddell addressed the Commission, offering appreciation for the close relationship between AOC and the Commission and Department, and stated that AOC is focused on recommended actions related to funding and place-based approaches. He added that to be most productive in implementation counties will need technical assistance and some financial resources to succeed at sub-basin water resource planning. The Commission praised the particpation in the IWRS Policy Advisory Group of Commissioner Dennis Doherty, who kept the stakeholder meetings on track and focused on the big picture.

Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Southern Lane/Northern Douglas Co.) is introducing legislation for the February session that seeks to clarify public meetings law in response to the Dumdi v. Handy opinion issued in Lane County Circuit Court last year. While that decision is only binding within the Lane County Circuit, it has been the source of confusion for many public bodies concerned about what is allowable communication between members of the public body. Sen. Prozanksi's legislation seeks to establish clarity on what constitutes "deliberation" and also address the issue of multiple meetings of the governing body when no quorum is present for any single meeting.

Contact Paul Snider or Mike Eliason for more information.

The Oregon Legislature's Joint Task Force on County Payments met on January 20th for its second meeting. The task force heard from DAS Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan who presented information about the pending loss of federal forest payments on Oregon county budgets and abilities to deliver services. Mr. Jordan, a former Clackamas County commissioner, is pulling together state agency personnel and experts to work on structural and possible legislative alternatives that could help counties weather the crisis.

The task force then heard from Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson on the efforts now underway in Washington, D.C. by Oregon's Congressional Delegation. Commissioner Robertson informed the legislators about a House bill that could change the way public lands are managed and how that would benefit both the forest land and the O&C counties.

Five representatives from various forest products interests also testified, outlining the frustrations their industry faces with continuous litigation and federal government inaction on substantive forest management. 

Legislators voiced their opinions as well. The task force faces a daunting task of trying to figure out how best to use scarce state resources to provide services that have in the past been provided more effectively and efficiently by Oregon counties. AOC is working closely with the task force and there could be some legislation in the 2012 session giving counties better tools to deal with the impending financial crisis. 

Please visit the task force Web site to see the various exhibits that were presented at the first two meetings. You can also listen to the archived audio recording of both meetings. 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting nominations for a seat on the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The seat is currently held by Dorothy Lowman and is Oregon's obligatory seat on the council. She is eligible for re-appointment to a second term.

Anyone interested in being considered or wishing to nominate someone must contact Cyreis Schmitt (541-867-4741) no later than February 16.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to manage fisheries from 3 to 200 miles offshore of the United States coastline. The Pacific Council is responsible for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. For more information please see the full announcement from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Non-Roadway Funding Working Group met on January 30, 2012. Its purpose is to develop recommendations for sustainable funding of non-roadway transportation, including rail, marine, aviation, transit, and on and off-road bicycle and pedestrian paths. The meeting focused on reviewing and analyzing potential funding mechanisms. The working group heard presentations that identified non-roadway investment needs amounting to $507 to $565 million. Lynn Peterson has asked for input from counties and cities on what barriers could be removed to get projects done, ideas on revenue sources, and what the high priorities are for non-roadway projects for counties. AOC is participating on the working group, and Tammy Baney is serving as the Oregon Transportation Commission's liaison to the working group. The AOC Transportation Steering Committee discussed the non-roadway funding with Lynn Peterson at its January 9th meeting and will continue to track this group closely.

The 2012 grant manual and new online grant application for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department was posted on January 27.

Eligible projects include acquisition, development, and rehabilitation. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, Metropolitan Service Districts, park and recreation districts, and port districts.

Technical assistance workshops are scheduled on February 21 in Bend and February 22 in Salem. A webinar is also planned - date TBA. Registration for workshops is required as space is limited. If you would like to attend a workshop please e-mail Michele Scalise, grant program coordinator, to register. Be sure to indicate which workshop you would like to attend, or if you would like to participate in the webinar.

Oregon lost a brilliant leader when Gail Achterman passed away on January 28 after battling pancreatic cancer. Gail connected with and understood deeply Oregon's natural resources, land use and transportation issues. She knew how to forge close partnerships with counties and develop resolutions to highly complex challenges. She applied her immense knowledge in her roles as natural resource policy advisor for Governor Goldschmidt, partner at Stoel Rives, founder of Deschutes River Conservancy, director of the Natural Resource Institute, and chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission. In the late 90s, Gail advised and represented the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties at a pivotal time in its history: during the development and adoption by the Board of Forestry of the "greatest permanent value" rule, which guides State forest management. She involved counties in the drafting of the state's transportation plan and frequently engaged with county officials to gain their insight. The Oregonian ran a tribute to Gail in Sunday's paper.

Her service will be held on Thursday, February  9, 2012 at 3pm: 

First Presbyterian Church - Sanctuary

1200 SW Alder Street

Portland, Oregon 97205

503-228-7331

A reception will follow at the Multnomah Athletic Club.

Multnomah Athletic Club

1849 SW Salmon St.

Portland, OR 97205

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Japanese Garden Society of Portland, Hoyt Arboretum Friends, the Deschutes River Conservancy, the Oregon State University Foundation for the Institute for Natural Resources or the Gail Achterman Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation.