Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Audio Transcripts For July 13, 2011 Clatsop County Board Of Commissioners Work Session And Regular Meetings








Meeting Highlights

Wetlands deal approved
The board approved an agreement with the North Coast Land Conservancy for the transfer of 41 acres of county-owned wetlands property in Warrenton to the conservation organization.
The property, adjacent to Oceanview Cemetery, is being set aside for preservation for mitigation of four acres of wetlands that will be impacted by the construction of the Ensign Lane extension in the county’s North Coast Business Park in Warrenton. Under wetlands regulations, the county must set aside 10 acres for every one impacted acre.
The Ensign Lane extension is a vital component of the county’s Phase 2 development plan for the business park.
The agreement includes transfer of the property to NCLC through quitclaim deed, covenants and restrictions, and payment of $20,500 from the county for NCLC’s costs of managing the property. The payment will come out of the Industrial Revolving Fund, which holds the $8.6 million proceeds from the 2009 sale of 75 acres of the business park to North Coast Retail LLC.

Strategic plan reviewed
The board held a work session with the Clatsop County Planning Commission to discuss collaboration between the two bodies, as well as to hear a presentation from County Manager Duane Cole on the proposed new Strategic Plan.
Chair Dirk Rohne welcomed the five recently appointed Planning Commission members and expressed appreciation to them for volunteering to serve the county. He indicated that the expertise and skills offered by this commission will be a great benefit to the county.
Planning Commission Chair Bruce Francis indicated he is honored to serve the county and looks forward to enhancing the communications between the board and commission. He reported that the first meeting of this Planning Commission was very informative and deliberative, and that the panel will base its decisions on the law, advise of county counsel and the county staff.
The Strategic Plan will contain a list of major county projects envisioned for the next 10 years. According to Cole, it will allow the county to prioritize the projects and estimate their cost in dollars and staff time while allowing flexibility in planning and launching the work.
The plan will be forwarded to the planning commission in a month or two for the group’s review, then presented to the public in the fall. The plan will go before the board of commissioners for its review and adoption in early 2012.
The board and planning commission discussed holding joint meetings as often as once each quarter to discuss long-range planning and review the relationship. The planning commissioners expressed support and interest in working with the Board on the development of the strategic plan.

Other business
In other business the board:
· Approved a contract with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission for acceptance of a $107,531 grant to fund enhanced mental health services for participants in local Drug Court, Family Drug Court and Treatment Court. The board also approved a $143,375 contract (the state grant plus 25-percent county match) with Choices Counseling to provide the services.
· Approved an annual agreement with the Oregon State Marine Board for the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office to provide boating safety and marine law enforcement patrols. The agreement includes $163,700 in state funding, the same amount from the 2010-11 fiscal year.
· Approved a 3.6-percent cost-of-living salary adjustment for unrepresented, casual and exempt county employees and employees of the 4-H Extension Service Special District.


Tom Bennett
Community Relations Coordinator
(503) 325-1000 Ext. 1312

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