News From Association of Oregon Counties

Salem - It appears highly likely that Governor Kitzhaber will call a special session of the Oregon Legislature, perhaps sometime after Labor Day. The governor wants to take care of what he sees as unfinished business with additional PERS reforms and modest revenue generating measures. However, nothing is set in stone and the situation is fluid.

Nonetheless, there is plenty to report even though the legislature isn't in session right now. We have a NACo report, some news out of Washington, D.C. and a few odds and ends from around our great state.

Spend a week in Texas and y'all will know why this is a sight for sore and hot eyes.

U.S. House Advances Forest Bill

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources voted Wednesday to send H.R. 1526 to the floor of the full House. In a parliamentary procedure known as a "mark up," the committee considered a number of amendments to the legislation proposed by U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-WA, the committee chair. The bill deals primarily with federal forest management, but contains a section that would impact O&C forests (Title III). The bill also contains a section calling for the reauthorization of federal forest payments (Title V), but at the 2010 level and with the elimination of the formula that dictated the payments in 2012.

House floor action on the bill could come as early as September. The ranking minority member of the committee, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR, says once the bill clears the House, it opens the door for an earnest dialogue with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, chaired by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR. Congressman DeFazio has been working closely with U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-OR, and U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-OR, on the O&C section and is hopeful the House action will generate some positive movement in the Senate.

Umatilla National Forest Tour

A recent tour of Umatilla National Forest displayed the urgent need for increase in pace and scale of federal forest management.

Last week, the Northeast Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry hosted a tour of the Umatilla National Forest and a site of nearby wood processing infrastructure, the Boise Cascade Elgin Complex. The discussions included a description of the Wallowa County Integrated Biomass Energy Campus, in development for eight years and designed to capture value from low-value biomass.

Attendees included many of those directly involved in the state's effort to increase the pace and scale of dry-side national forest management, acknowledged as dangerously overstocked and subject to catastrophic fire and insect events: Commissioners Mike Hayward (Wallowa), Mark Davidson (Union), and Mark Bennett (Baker); U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Kent Connaughton; State Forester Doug Decker; Board of Forestry members Tom Insko, Nils Christoffersen, Gary Springer, Cindy Williams, and Tom Imeson; Tom Tuchmann representing the Governor's Office; and various stakeholders.

Quite simply, the stress on processing infrastructure is lack of supply from nearby national forests, forests which badly need active management to return to historic, resilient conditions. The U.S. Forest Service calculates that in the forests of the Blue Mountains alone, active restoration is needed on 1,252,071 acres outside wilderness and roadless areas, i.e., 34 percent of the acreage. Collaborative groups are at work to reach agreement on site specific management, but have found more success in dry portions of the landscape than in "moist" stands in northern Umatilla National Forest. These are difficult discussions that test the limits of the consensus standard of agreement.

The legislature in its 2013 session provided direction to pursue the increase in pace and scale of management, including how counties can engage funding federal projects, and appropriated $2.885 million for support. Similarly, the Board of Forestry formed a Federal Forest Subcommittee, intended to coordinate development of recommendations and actions with the Governor's Office and to engage with Oregon's Congressional Delegation.

AOC commends the work of judges and commissioners on the dry side who have devoted themselves to the urgently needed improvement of the federal forest landscape and economic and social conditions of their communities.

AOC Summer Summit: People, Places and Politics

AOC Summer Summit August 11-13 at Spirit Mountain Resort

Make plans now to attend the AOC Summer Summit to explore People, Places and Politics with county colleagues. AOC President Mary Stern has selected Spirit Mountain Resort in Grande Ronde, Polk County for this year's summer confab.

You'll hear from experts, pundits and those on the ground. They will question if government should act more like a business, offer advice on getting a levy passed, discuss successful use of Regional Solutions and foresee the future of county courthouses. AOC has also invited members of the Oregon Legislature and Congress to give you updates on what happened at the 2013 legislative session and what is happening in Washington, DC.

Registration is now open on the AOC website.

The fees are the same as last year:

participant: $175 (two dinners, lunch, receptions and meeting materials) and

guest: $125 (meals & receptions only)

For hotel reservations, call Spirit Mountain at 1-800-760-7977. The AOC room block closed on July 11, 2013. Reservations made now will be on a room-available basis and at the prevailing rate.

Questions? Contact Cara Fischer or 503.585.8351.

NACo Annual Conference

Fort Worth, Texas - The 2013 NACo Conference is history. Tillamook County Commissioner Tim Josi was elected to the NACo Executive Committee as the Western Region Representative. Tim's efforts to be NACo 2nd Vice President came up a little short. Tim ran an ethical, honest and straight forward campaign and he and his campaign staff should be very proud as should all Oregon counties. Tim released a statement shortly after the NACo election and AOC sent out a news release on his new role with NACo. We have the statement and release here.

Texans put their hats on a Lone Star and display them in the lobby of the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Jon Oshel Honored

AOC Road Program Manager Jon Oshel was recognized for Outstanding Service at the July 17, 2013 meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC).

The OTC, and ODOT Director Matt Garrett, praised Jon for his contributions to Oregon's transportation system. OTC Chair Pat Egan noted that over the years, Jon provided excellent leadership by strengthening the partnership between counties and ODOT. He presented information regarding county roads to the OTC and informed them about the condition and issues concerning county roads.

Chair Egan and Director Garrett cited the many awards and recognition that Jon received and his service on countless technical advisory committees and studies. Jon was a key Oregon contributor in the passage of several federal transportation reauthorization measures including TEA-21, SAFETEA-LU and MAP-21.

Jon has announced his retirement, which will be sometime in August, as soon as he cleans all the hard hats and safety vests out of his office. Emily Ackland has been appointed to succeed Jon as Manager of the Road Program.

Congratulations Jon! Best wishes for a well earned retirement.

OTC Chair Pat Egan, Jon Oshel, AOC Executive Director Mike McArthur and ODOT Director Matt Garrett at July's OTC meeting

NACo Transportation Resolutions

Back to Fort Worth for a moment; AOC was successful in amending the NACo resolution on the Future of the Federal Surface Transportation Program. The two amendments advocated by Oregon deal with allowing more flexibility for setting priorities for bridge funding and urging there no longer be a local match requirement for the Federal Lands Access Program.

Although the federal transportation act was reauthorized last year by Congress, it expires in another year. Given the complexity of the federal program, Oregon and NACo are gearing up now to lay the groundwork for provisions favorable to counties in the next federal reauthorization. AOC will continue its successful partnership with ODOT and the League of Oregon Cities to push for provisions and funding that will benefit both the state and local governments.

Connect Oregon V

With the approval of Senate Bill 5533, the 2013 Oregon Legislature approved a fifth round of ConnectOregon funding in the amount of $42 million.

While the ConnectOregon program remains mostly the same as it was in previous rounds, there are a few changes for ConnectOregon V. ConnectOregon staff will be working over the next few months to update program materials and rules.

ConnectOregon IV has $42 million available for projects.
Bicycle and pedestrian projects have been added to the modes eligible for funding. The Oregon Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (OBPAC) will be responsible for evaluating bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Grant recipients will be required to develop and report on performance measures for their project.
Certain eligibility restrictions will apply to railroads located solely within Linn and Benton counties which may charge landowners fees for easements.
Approved projects will have a portion of their funds withheld until project completion (4 percent) and final submission of performance measurement reports (1 percent).
Rules will be updated and posted on the ConnectOregon website within the next few months.

For more information, visit the ConnectOregon webpage.

House Bill 2562

Legislation that helped fix issues justice courts had with a priority payment established by the state in 2011 has taken effect, revamping a county payment system funding corrections and alcohol and drug programs.

House Bill 2562 passed this past session and was signed by Gov. John Kitzhaber earlier this week.The bill addressed issues that were raised by cities and counties after House Bill 2712 passed in the 2011 session which created a $60 priority payment on traffic tickets.That caused many municipal and justice courts to close around the state.

HB 2562 reverses some of the changes, creating a $45 priority payment to the state to fund police training and victims services.For fully paid tickets, $16 will be sent to the county to fund corrections and alcohol and drug programs.

Counties who have circuit courts that process tickets will continue to receive payments under the old system.

The bill passed with wide support at the legislature and was backed by AOC, the Oregon Justices of the Peace Association, Oregon State Sheriffs Association, and the Oregon Association of Community Corrections Directors.

On Site Septic Workgroup

AOC and DEQ hosted the first in a series of meetings for the On Site Septic workgroup.Two bills introduced in the 2013 legislative session were the product of the Government Efficiency task force but it was determined that they needed some more refinement.

The workgroup is looking at several issues around the "hybrid" system of onsite septic work.Several issues were identified including the stringent supervisory requirements for qualified individuals doing soil inspections in rural communities, the problems with the "hybrid" model of having counties handle onsite septic work in the majority of the state but DEQ handling the duties in several counties and the use of private contractors doing soil and pre-cover inspection work.

The workgroup will continue to meet every other Tuesday until finalizing a report sometime in October. For more questions contact AOC staff Mark Nystrom.

New State Foreclosure Progam

A new State foreclosure prevention program will be launched in 33 Oregon Counties. The "Home Rescue Program" will provide assistance to Oregon Homeowners in two ways - through monthly mortgage payments (up to $20,000 or 12 monthly payments), and reinstatement payments to bring mortgages current (up to $10,000). On August 28th the program will be statewide by expanding to include Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.

Homeowners can apply for the program online by visiting www.OregonHomeownerHelp.org. The website features instructional videos, frequently asked questions, and an eligibility questionnaire to help interested homeowners learn more about the program and application process.To qualify, applicants must be able to demonstrate at least a 10 percent reduction in current income compared to 2011 or 2012, and meet other eligibility criteria. A limited number of applications will be accepted for the program, with new opportunities available every two weeks, at noon. More information about the application process can be found at www.OregonHomeownerHelp.org.

The program aims to provide assistance to approximately 2,500 homeowners across the state. The program is funded by the United State Treasury's "Hardest Hit Fund", which allocated $220 million to Oregon in 2010 to administer foreclosure prevention programs.

Oregon Housing and Community Services administer the Hardest Hit Funds through the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative (OHSI). To date, OHIS has provided more than $93 million in assistance to more than 7,500 homeowners. Performance reports for OHSI can be found online at www.OregonHomeownerHelp.org.

OHSI customer service can be reached via email at HomeownerHelp@hcs.state.or.us or phone, 503.986.2025. OHSI partners with many local housing nonprofits throughout the state for program delivery. For immediate housing help, homeowners should find the nearest housing counselor, by visiting www.OregonHomeownerSupport.gov

Some Encouraging Economic News

The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has some data that shows Oregon's economy is continuing to recover from the Great Recession. Makes for interesting reading.

Lincoln County Uses LOCAP Successfully

Lincoln County is the first AOC member to utilize the Local Oregon Capital Assets Program (LOCAP). The county was in the LOCAP pool that closed on July 30, 2013. The county issued $3,100,000 of certificates of participation to finance a variety of capital projects, including assessment & taxation software, simulcast communications installation, improvements to the Lincoln County Health and Human Services and Extension District buildings and property acquisition.

Lincoln County moved forward with a July 16, 2013 pricing in the midst of a tumultuous market. Interest rates had been climbing following comments by the Federal Open Market Committee that it may slow down the purchase of agency mortgage-backed securities and longer-term Treasury securities. The committee would do this in an effort to keep long-term interest rates low to spur economic growth as the economy begins to improve. According to Wedbush Securities' Katie Schwab who staffs the LOCAP, "the county timed its pricing well as rates have since climbed another 20 basis points, or .2 percent, for a 20-year maturity!"

Wayne Belmont, Lincoln County legal counsel told AOC that he found the LOCAP team contained the right mix of professional services, understanding of local government borrowing needs and financial savvy to make their financing experience a great success. "The process was fast and efficient, plus full of safeguards at appropriate decision points," said Belmont. He added, "that's really needed in this volatile municipal financing market and allowed us to consider the best course of action right up to the final decision to proceed. I would highly recommend the LOCAP team."

Finance Director Janice Riessbeck echoed Belmont's comments. "Wedbush Securities' guidance and knowledge made the county's process move quickly and easily. The Wedbush team kept us all on task and informed. The overall costs of borrowing were also very reasonable, and if there had been additional participants, the costs would have been even less. I think this is a wonderful tool for municipal financing in our very busy environment." Riessbeck, while employed by city of Newport had twice used LOCAP through the League of Oregon Cities.

Counties interested in funding capital projects should contact Cara Fischer cfischer@aocweb.org at AOC or the LOCAP underwriter, Katie Schwab Katie.Schwab@Wedbush.com at Wedbush Securities, 503.471.6798, for an application. Schwab and her colleagues are now working on the autumn 2013 pool.

Morrow County Courthouse Upgrade

Heppner - A 225-ton crane gently lifted the clock and bell tower from the Morrow County Courthouse early last week. Engineers had determined that the tower had deteriorated and needed repair. The original plan was for a helicopter to lift the tower from the historic structure but helicopter companies worried that it would disintegrate in the prop wash. So a bid went out for a crane to lift the tower and lower it for transport to get the needed repairs.

The crane was set up in the lower parking lot behind the Courthouse and the work proceeded. Morrow County Judge Terry Tallman, an accomplished photographer and County Personnel Director Karen Wolff have set up a Facebook page showing the progress of the project. Your Oregon Trails staff urges you to go to Facebook and like the Morrow County page.

The project to repair the Courthouse, the clock and bell is estimated to be more than $300,000.The clock is being repaired separately from the bell.The bell weighs more than 3,000 pounds. Once the repair work is done, the process involving the crane will be reversed.The Courthouse had to close down for the initial lift and will again when the reverse crane lift is performed. As you can imagine, the Courthouse faceLIFT is the talk of Morrow County!

Time for repairs in Morrow County

Random Shots And Thoughts

Candidate Tim Josi and Campaign Manager Laura Cleland

NACo Delegates at General Business Meeting

We've posted a few more photos from the NACo Conference on our Facebook Page.

NACo Drug Discount Program

NACo Discount Drug Program

Plan for LGPI Conference

LGPI 2013

Places To Go, Things To Do, Great Opportunities

The Oregon Recreation and Park Association is holding its annual conference September 15 to 17 at the Resort at the Mountain in Welches. "Camp ORPA" as it is billed is open to AOC members who are not ORPA members at the ORPA member registration rate. For more information visit the ORPA website.

August Underway

August is a month when a lot of folks take vacation time. If you are one of them, please enjoy. But for those of you who are going to be around, check with your U.S. Senator's offices and your Congressional representatives to find out where and when they will be holding town halls or other events during the long August Congressional recess. Drop in and offer the Oregon county perspective on the issues impacting counties. Do the same with your state reps and senators, especially if there is going to be a special session in September. There's plenty to talk about and our legislators need to hear from you!

Please feel free to submit your story ideas, announcements, recipes, photos and job changes to your Oregon Trails staff for inclusion in the next riveting edition.

See you next week - your Oregon Trails staff,

Laura Cleland & Eric Schmidt

Association of Oregon Counties

503-585-8351

Have a great week.