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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-10-03 Work Session MinutesDeschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 -Fax (541) 385-3202 -www.deschutes.org MINUTES OF WORK SESSION DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3,2012 Present were Commissioners Anthony DeBone, Alan Unger and Tammy Baney. Also present were Erik Kropp, Interim County Administrator; and, for a portion of the meeting, Mark Pilliod, Laurie Craghead, Chris Bell and John Laherty, County Counsel; Ken Hales and Tanner Wark, Community Corrections; Yaju Dharmarajah, AFSCME Council 75 Representative; and Judy Dawson. Chair DeBone opened the meeting at 1:30 p.m. 1. Litigation Status Report Update (ORS 192.660(2)(h) -Pending or Threatened Litigation). No action was taken. 2. Step IV Grievance (ORS 192.660(2)(b) - a Personnel Issue). The Board came out ofexecutive session to take action, at 3:45 p.m. BANEY: Move that the Board concurs with decision of Step 3 of the Dawson grievance, and direct staff to prepare a written Order for Board signature based on that decision, with an added note regarding the timing of the scoring document and how it relates to the suspension and layoff. UNGER: Second. VOTE: BANEY: Yes. UNGER: Yes. DEBONE: Chair votes yes. Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Work Session Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Page 1 of5 Minutes of Board of Commissioners’ Work Session Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Page 2 of 5 3. Other Items. The Board went into Executive Session under ORS 192.660(2)(a), to consider employment of a County employee or official. After executive session at 4:50 p.m., further discussions occurred. Commissioner Baney said that it appears DHS and OHS funding may be cut $1.6 billion. This will be decided soon. ___________________________ Commissioner Unger stated that Senator Wyden is coming to the area next week to visit La Pine, view the fire areas around Sisters and talk about Forest Service issues. ___________________________ Chair DeBone stated that Oregon State has a fuels reduction and outreach program similar to Project Wildfire going on that day as well. ___________________________ Commissioner Unger said that COIC will be in La Pine to talk about transit issues. La Pine has not been involved in the process due to their scheduling issues so now it is a challenge. Chair DeBone stated that they expanded services with federal and state grant dollars, and now this is going away. The La Pine bus service and cab service were not successful or were stepping on each other. The County may have to participate to keep services viable in rural areas. Chair DeBone said in 1979 the La Pine Business Association got together, prior to the Chamber, to try to get economic development to happen. They have some pain about the County and the LIGI contract and the industrial land. He is trying to respond to local pressure in this regard. There were efforts to form a port and to become a city. He asked about registration of a nonprofit back then, but this was from 1984 to 1988. Mr. Kropp stated that he thought it was originally BLM land. Commissioner Baney asked if he thinks the right to the land goes back to the city residents or to LIGI. Much of this might be hearsay. There was no government entity in La Pine at the time. Minutes of Board of Commissioners’ Work Session Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Page 3 of 5 Commissioner Unger said that this has been done in other places , but in the big picture, of course they would want to own the property. Chair DeBone stated that this might be La Pine’s land and the County is holding onto it. However, there was no city then. Commissioner Unger feels it should be their land at some point but he is not sure how to get there. It is an asset of the whole county. Commissioner Baney said they gave the Little Deschutes Lodge land, park land, the Senior Center and other parcels. This can’t be done for just one group in the County. Commissioner Baney stated that they are a city now, and they need to do work for themselves. She is sensitive to directing staff to help in this type of situation. The County should not do the work if the city won’t. Mr. Kropp said they could direct staff to look at the options and present them. Chair DeBone is walking a fine line with the history of the area. If it is a County asset for all County residents, they are seeking a way to fund someone to handle economic development there. Commissioners Unger said that economic development and the city need to be separate. He wants to encourage this, but the City should ultimately be handling this property. It will keep the County out of their decision -making. Mr. Kropp said the money derived from the sale of this land can’t be used for what some people want. It is for the property specifically and not for planning or other economic development efforts. Chair DeBone said LIGI intends to close down by the end of the year. Commissioner Unger thinks they should have a room free so they can continue talking about this. Commissioner Baney stated that the County is felt to recommend a REDI model. She does not want the County to own this. The City has a tax base and the County can recommend but has to do that at arm’s length to avoid false expectations. The property can be marketed through a real estate broker like any other property. Mr. Kropp said the land and the value is generating too much discussion. He feels this will continue until the parties involved can no longer focus on the money. This needs to be separated. Minutes of Board of Commissioners’ Work Session Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Page 4 of 5 Chair DeBone stated that there is a lesson that needs to be learned. They need to be clear, the City is there, the land is a County asset, and the history does not matter. Commissioner Baney said that they need to plan what they are going to do and not rely on what has happened in the past. What was said or done before the contract no longer has any bearing. Chair DeBone feels this answer may be coming soon. He may contact Bob Lovlien, the attorney who wrote the original LIGI agreement. Commissioner Baney stated that this won’t change how the mo ney can be spent. Chair DeBone said the City is looking for help forming a three-year effort to take this on. He suggested a business registration fee as they did in Sisters but others did not like the idea of a tax. Commissioner Baney said that they appear to want public funds but not from themselves. They levied less than they had to and that could increase. Commissioner Baney said that the City needs to step up and take the heat off a Commissioner. The City is almost seven years old and they need to be taught how to take care of these things themselves eventually. Commissioner Unger asked who will oversee the land. Mr. Kropp said it could be Property & Facilities, EDCO or a local broker. The County does not have to do this. Commissioner Unger said that property should be developed whenever possible to create an economic engine, whether in Redmond or La Pine or elsewhere. This benefits all. Mr. Kropp said they may need these property funds for a future juvenile facility, which would benefit all County citizens. By then the land may be worth more than it is now. Being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m. DATED this (t16 Dayof Q~ 2012 for the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. Anthony DeBone, Chair cL-fAr-­ Alan Unger, Vice Chair ATTEST: Ta~ ~~ Recording Secretary Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Work Session Wednesday, October 3,2012 Page 5 of5 Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 -Fax (541) 385-3202 -wW'w.deschutes.org WORK SESSION AGENDA DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1:30 P.M., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3,2012 Executive Session: 1. Litigation Status Report Update (ORS 192.660(2)(h) -Pending or Threatened Litigation) -County Counsel 2. Step IV Grievance (ORS 192.660(2)(b) - a Personnel Issue) -Mark Pilliod 3. Other Items PLEASE NOTE: At any time during this meeting, an executive session could be called to address issues relating to ORS 192.660(2) (e), real property negotiations; ORS 192.660(2) (h), litigation; ORS 192.660(2)(d), labor negotiations; or ORS 192.660(2) (b), personnel issues. Meeting dates, times and discussion items are subject to change. 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