Oregon Trails

An Occasional Newsletter

from

The Association of Oregon Counties

Dog Days

Like Hot Dogs

August 14, 2012

As expected, on August 2nd the Water Resources Commission approved the first Oregon Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS).  After a process of development that spanned three years and included direct county involvement, endorsement by 16 federal and state agencies and the Governor, and support from AOC and several other stakeholders, WRC took action, then celebrated with cake and "fresh, clean water."

The IWRS includes direction for important improvements over historical practice: Improving integration of water information into land use planning; local place-based integrated water resources planning; water development; treatment of invasive species; and funding feasibility studies at the community level for water conservation, storage, and reuse projects.

Implementation is where this effort will succeed or fail. Success will require the legislature to provide budget resources to the Water Resources Department to assist local place-based planning efforts, and county governing bodies to convene stakeholders in such efforts.

The Water Resources Commission agreed to proceed with a funding strategy to broaden its revenue base beyond its dependence on state general funds. The Commission was guided by ideas that those who benefit should pay, solutions should be equitable among water user groups, and fees should be dedicated to the purpose for which they are collected. The elements of the strategy:

• A water rights management fee of $100/year, with a cap for multiple ownerships; to net $5 million annually.
• Increased cost recovery for water rights transactions to 80 percent from fees (from the current 50 percent); to net $600,000.
• Expand existing authority to permit customers to pay the full cost of a water right transaction, thus decreasing processing time.

The Commission agreed that any new fees should sunset after five years for reevaluation. The Commission asked the Governor's Office, with the Water Resources Department, to engage stakeholders soon to review the funding options.

With implementation of the newly adopted Integrated Water Resources Strategy at hand, the Water Resources Department has proposed several budget packages as part of the new State Ten-Year Budget Plan. The packages will be reviewed for approval by either of two Project Funding ("Buying") Teams, Healthy Environment or Economy & Jobs.

Packages include: Place-based planning template development ($250,000 general funds); groundwater data collection and integration ($1.42 million general funds); surface water data collection and integration ($1.12 million general funds); funding of the water supply development program ($21 million bonds); and funding of the water development loan fund for the Umatilla Basin Project ($10 million bonds).

The Project Funding Teams are scheduled to rank the requests and make their recommendations on priorities to the Governor by mid-October.

The wolf management Environmental Assessment is now open for comment. Federal Wildlife Services is requesting public comments on its draft Environmental Assessment entitled "Wildlife Services Gray Wolf Damage Management in Oregon." The EA evaluates a proposed action and alternatives to assist the State, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and tribal governments with management of gray wolf conflicts throughout the State.

Comments are due by September 10th.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeing a qualified candidate to represent the public-at-large on the Fish Restoration and Enhancement Program Board. The application deadline is August 24, 2012.

The Program is funded by a surcharge on sport and commercial fishing licenses and commercial poundage fees. The Restoration and Emhancement Board reviews grant proposals from various organizations and agencies and recommends funding for fish restoration and enhancement projects thoughout the state.

Board members are appointed to four-year terms by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. The group meets three or four times a year in various communities around the state. Board members are volunteers but board related travel expenses are reimbursed. The seven-member Board is made up of three sport fishing representatives, three representatives from the salmon troll, gillnet and seafood processing industries and one public-at-large representative.

To obtain an application and/or learn more about the Restoration and Enhancement program, visit the R and E website. All applications must be postmarked or e-emailed by August 24 to be considered. Please contact the program coordinator at 503-947-6259 with any questions. 

The Oregon Health Authority announced that five new Coordinated Care Organizations will begin serving Oregon Health Plan members on September 1.  In total, there are 13 approved Coordinated Care Organizations serving 33 counties in the Oregon. By Sept. 1 more than 500,000 adults and children - the majority of Oregon Health Plan members - will have access to a CCO. These new CCOs include:

• Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization, LLC - All of Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties. Parts of Coos and Douglas counties.
• Eastern Oregon Community Care Organization - Baker, Malheur, Sherman, Union, Wallowa, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Morrow, Umatilla and Wheeler counties.
• Jackson County Coordinated Care Organization, LLC - Jackson County.
• PrimaryHealth of Josephine County, LLC - Josephine County and parts of Douglas and Jackson counties.
• Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative - Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.

OHP members will receive personal notification of their new Coordinated Care Organization, and they do not need to take any action. More information for members and providers can be found at health.oregon.gov.

The AOC Veterans Services Subcommittee, chaired by Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel, will hold its first meeting on September 5th in Portland. The group will spell out their mission at the meeting but it is expected that the subcommittee will have both short term and long term goals around A) making sure that CVSOs are properly funded for the long term and B) services for veterans are coordinated around the state. The subcommittee will weigh in on the 2013 legislative session and meet on an on-going basis. For more information about the subcommittee contact AOC staff, Mark Nystrom.

Commissioner McKeel answered an Oregonian reporter's questions about her work with veterans in a recent interview. 

The Early Learning Council created a number of workgroups to get the fine detail work done. These workgroups include:

• Kindergarten Readiness
• Data Systems
• Screening
• Childcare
• Accountability Hubs

These workgroups are meeting regularly to fulfil the requirements laid out by the legislature in 2012. The 2012 legislature specified a number of deadlines for reports to the Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) and interim committees in order to keep the ELC moving forward. A number of these deadlines are rapidly approaching. The workgroups and ELC will file a number of reports during the September Interim dates. These reports include:

• "describing the unique complexities of providing early childhood special education and early intervention services and make recommendations..."
• "describing a comprehensive children's budget for adequately funding early childhood education,"
• "describing the availability, resources and functions of persons who act as family support managers," and
• In addition, the Youth Development Council must submit a report that summarizes existing social services and existing juvenile justice programs and services.

The next Governance Forum meeting will be held September 14th from 1-4 pm at the Local Government Center in Salem. The Governance Forum was set up years ago to have policy level discussions between commissioners/judges and department leaders at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)/Department of Human Services (DHS). 

The upcoming meeting will include a round table discussion on the development of CCOs and a discussion of the progress of the Early Learning Council. Several key staff members from OHA will be on hand to provide information and answer questions regarding the newly formed CCOs.

Additionally, Duke Shepard from the Governor's office will be on hand to discuss the ELC and the development of the accountability hubs. This will be an excellent opportunity to talk about your human services concerns. Please contact AOC's Mark Nystrom with any questions.

Just a quick update to let you know that before it left for the August recess, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee voted to report the tax extension package (Production Tax Credit extension included) favorably by a vote of 19-5 (Senator Ron Wyden, D-OR was a yes vote).

Governor Kitzhaber has appointed Jackson County Commissioner Don Skundrick to the state's Infrastructure Finance Authority Board. The IFA Board helps communities improve public health and safety through infrastructure improvements. Commissioner Skundrick will serve a four-year term. He was recommended by AOC. Click here for more on the story.  Congratulations to Commissioner Skundrick!

The Infrastructure Finance Authority (IFA) of Business Oregon provides funding for critical infrastructure needed to support business and community development statewide. The IFA manages several different state- or federally-funded programs that provide grant and loan funds to eligible municipal entities. The programs include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund or Water/Wastewater Financing Program.

The IFA needs your help to better understand the training needs of staff and elected officials of Oregon's communities related to our programs. Please take 15 minutes to participate in the IFA's survey about training needs, using the Web link below.

.http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5BN9DLL

Please complete the survey by August 17, 2012. If you know someone you think would have input about IFA's training, please share this link with them and invite them to participate in the survey.

The 2011 updated Oregon Agriculture Facts and Figures and Oregon Ag Facts Junior Edition brochures have arrived! These brochures feature the 2011 Oregon Agricultural production values of Oregon's top commodities and exports. The junior edition includes activities to help educate younger consumers about Oregon Agriculture. If you would like printed copies to use for a fair, classroom, or outreach event this summer, please contact the intern in the ODA information office. 

LGPI Annual Conference - Oregon Garden Resort, Silverton, August 21-23.  Registration still available.

Oregon Business Development Department/Fair Housing Council of Oregon will present three fair housing workshops in 2012. Registration and agenda information will be out soon.

Pendleton, Oregon - August 20, 2012 (10am-4pm)

Medford, Oregon - September 11, 2012 (10am-4pm)

Portland, Oregon - October 2, 2012 (8:30am-5pm)

(NOTE: The Portland session is longer due to a bus tour that will be included.)  For more information or questions please contact Gloria Zacharias by email or phone (503) 986-0132,

3CMA (City/County Communications and Marketing Association) Annual Conference, Portland, September 5-7, 2012

Oregon Planning Institute Conference 2012, September 12 - 14, University of Oregon. Planning Commissioner Training offered on Saturday, September 15th.