Board of County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Well, good morning, everyone. I will now call to order the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners business meeting for July 9th, 2026. County Administrator Gary Schmue, do you please call the roll?

Yes, thank you, Chair, and good morning. First, our staff support today. Clerk to the board, Andrew Jiraki. County Council, Billy is out of the office today, so serving as Assistant County Council, Jeff Munns, and Commissioner Schrader is out of the office today. Roll call, Commissioner West. Here. Commissioner Helm.

Here.

Commissioner Savas. Present. Chair Roberts.

Here. Thank you, Gary. Would you please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? Again, good morning, everyone. And first up is public communication. Testimony is limited to three minutes per person. I just ask, as always, your comments be respectful and courteous. As a reminder, you can also email submissions for public communication at bcc at clackamas.us, and they'll be accepted as part of the public record. I'LL TAKE IN-PERSON TESTIMONY FIRST, AND I'LL TURN TO OUR CLERK, WHO HELPS MODERATE THE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. ANDREW.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THIS IS A REMINDER THAT IF YOU'RE ATTENDING THIS MEETING IN PERSON AND WISH TO COMMENT DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, TO PLEASE FIND A BLUE CARD AND DEPOSIT IN THE BOX THAT CAN BE FOUND BY THE CENTER DOORS. I WILL CALL ON YOU IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED. WHEN I REACH YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. FIRST, KYLA HILL. KYLA HILL, PLEASE COME FORWARD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. My name is Kyla Hill. I live in Milwaukee. In 2024, the board determined that Clackamas County no longer needed a dedicated diversity, equity, and inclusion department. I'm here today because I believe the opposite is true. My two sons are black and disabled. From 2016 to 2019, the North Clackamas School District illegally forced my youngest son into a segregated violent out-of-district behavioral placement against my wishes after I filed a civil rights complaint against the district. During those three years, he was repeatedly subjected to and or witnessed traumatic physical restraints. many of which were illegal and used solely for compliance. The horrific trauma from the physical restraints resulted in my son being placed in a DD foster home in Malala. Based upon independent neural stack testing, my son's IQ dropped from a 90 to a 68 during this period, reflecting the inadequate education he received during this restrictive setting. My son endured many instances of racism and ableism during his three years in the MRSD from 10th grade until he graduated last year. White MRSC students yelled racial slurs as they drove past my son's home on multiple occasions, resulting in the need to get the police involved to stop these incidents. After months of racial harassment by a group of white students that was never addressed by the MRSC staff, my son became involved in a fight with one of these students. The district called the police after the fight was over, resulting in my son's involvement with the juvenile justice system through a diversion program for the first time. The MRSD illegally refused to allow me to review bus video footage after an incident involving my son and the bus driver, which resulted in injury to my son in spite of FERPA and their own policy around video viewing of incidents. The district also refused to provide an incident report about the incident where abuse was suspected until five months after the bus incident. After my son sustained a serious knee injury and almost completely torn ACL while playing basketball, my son was required by the MRSD to continue to take PE against my wishes over two trimesters even though he didn't need it to graduate. Following ACL knee surgery, the MRSD failed to provide in-person homebound instruction for a full trimester as is required per SB 819. My son was falsely accused of drug use repeatedly while a student in the MRSD. School administrators targeted my son and his two black disabled foster brothers by spending hours reviewing surveillance footage from an elementary school playground across from their home, looking for them to do something wrong. Students who learned that discrimination is acceptable in school often carry these attitudes into adulthood as employees, supervisors, elected officials, and policymakers. The inequities tolerated in our schools today become the inequities experienced in our workplace tomorrow. I urge the board to recognize that discrimination continues to exist in Clackamas County and to begin addressing them by restoring a dedicated DEI department to our county. Our county cannot claim to value fairness, equality, and opportunity while these systemic inequities continue to exist. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. This is a final call. If you're attending this meeting in person, have not yet spoken, and wish to do so during general public communication, please fill out a blue card and deposit in the box found by the senators. Seeing no other members of the public physically present who wish to speak, Mr. Chair, I'll now move to those who are attending virtually. If you're attending this meeting virtually and wish to speak during general public communication, this is your opportunity to please raise your hand, and I will call on you in the order that I see. This is a final call. If you're attending this meeting virtually and wish to comment during general public communication, please raise your hand. Mr. Chair, as you know, the members of the public, either physically or virtually present, wish to comment today.

All right. Thank you. I'll now close the public communication portion. I'll recess as the Board of Commissioners and convene as the Housing Authority Board and turn to Gary. What do you have?

Thank you. Next is the Housing Authority of Clackamas County Consent Agenda. Joining you online is Housing Resident Commissioner Anne Leenstra. Good morning, Commissioner Leenstra.

Good morning.

Thank you for being here. Andrew, would you please read the Consent Agenda?

Housing Authority Consent Agenda. Item A, approval of an infrastructure funding agreement with Clackamas Workforce Partnership for operation of the One Stop Center. Agreement value is $275.39 for one year. Funding is the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funds. No county general funds are involved.

B.

approval of an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement with Clackamas County for the coordinated delivery of housing and homeless services. Amendment value is $31,476,701.37 for a year. Total agreement value is $93,003,712.70 for five years. Funding is through state emergency order funds and a regional support of housing services measure funds. No county general funds are involved. That concludes the Housing Authority Consent Agenda.

Thank you. Any colleagues wish to remove any item from the consent agenda? Seeing none, may I have a motion?

I move. I move we approve the Housing Authority Consent Agenda as read. Second.

All right. Commissioner Ann Leach has moved to approve the HACC Consent Agenda. Commissioner Helm has seconded that. Any further discussion? Seeing none, clerk, you please call the poll. Commissioner Leenstra.

Aye.

Commissioner West. Aye. Commissioner Helm.

Aye.

Commissioner Savas. Aye. Mr. Chair. Aye. Motion passes 5-0, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. And thank you again, Ann Leenstra, for joining us all the time. You're welcome. All right. Thank you again. And I would now like to adjourn as a housing board and reconvene as Board of County Commissioners. Gary.

Thank you. Next is a public hearing. First reading of an ordinance for the removal of personnel portions of the county code for replacement with employee policies and procedures. There is no fiscal impact. No county general funds are involved. Jeff Munns, Assistant County Counsel, will present. Go ahead, please, Jeff.

Yes, thank you. You may recall last year, between HR and our office, they've been bringing forward amendments to the county code, which removes sections of 205 from the code and replacing it with employee practices and policies to implement those same programs here at the county for HR, and we are doing another one today. Removal of sections of 205, which I apologize for the very long packet, but it's the longest section of our county ordinance in Chapter 205. It removes provisions relating to classification and compensation, replaces those with EPP 70 and 71, which deals with things like pay administration, probationary period, compensation plans, status changes, layoff and seniority. Those are all things that are currently in our code and instead will be removed and replaced with these policies. We'll cover the same areas. And it's necessary to do this because laws change, cases in the courts come forward, and these provisions need to be up to date. So it's much easier to do so by policy and not have the effect of an ordinance so we can react to those things as we go along and have the proper administration of our classification compensation systems. Happy to answer any questions that you have.

All right. Any questions?

Seeing none, it's now...

Seeing no questions, I'll now open the public hearing on this item, and I'll ask Clerk to moderate that as well for us. Clerk?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If you're attending this meeting in person and wish to comment on this specific item, this is your opportunity to please fill out a blue card and deposit in the box found by the Senators. Seeing none, Mr. Chair, I'll move to those attending virtually. If you're attending this meeting virtually and wish to comment on this specific item, this is your opportunity to please raise your hand. Mr. Chair, I see no members of the public either physically or virtually present. I wish to comment on this specific item today.

All right. Thank you, Andrew. I'll now close the public hearing, check with my commissioners. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, is there a motion?

I move we read by title only.

Second. And there is a second. All right. Commissioner Helm is moved to read the ordinance by title only. Commissioner Savas is seconded to that. Any further discussion?

Seeing none, clerk, you please call the poll. Commissioner West. Aye. Commissioner Savas. Aye. Commissioner Helm.

Aye.

Mr. Chair. Aye. Motion passes four to zero.

Mr. Chair. All right. Clerk, will you now assign the ordinance number and read by title only for us?

Yes, Mr. Chair. The ordinance is numbered 08-2026, an ordinance amending Clackamas County Code Chapter 2.05, personnel policies and procedures for Clackamas County employees and declaring an emergency. That is the ordinance title, Mr. Chair.

All right, thank you. We'll hold the second required public hearing for this on July 23rd business meetings. With that being said, Gary, what do you have next? Thank you.

Thank you, Jeff. Next is the consent agenda for the Board of County Commissioners. Andrew, would you please read the consent agenda?

Consent agenda for the Board of County Commissioners. Item A, elected officials. One, approval of previous business meeting minutes for the Board of County Commissioners. Two, approval of an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon State Marine Board for two patrol boats. Amendment value is $250,000 for one year. Total agreement value is $1,007,000 and $56 for two years. Funding is the Oregon State Marine Board. No county general funds are involved. Three, approval of a grant application to the United States Department of Justice for sexual assault investigation training. Anticipated grant value is $500,000 for three years. Funding is the United States Department of Justice. No county general funds are involved. B, county administration, one. Approval of a work and financial plan with the United States Department of Agriculture animal and plant health inspection service for wildlife management services Agreement value is one hundred twenty four thousand seven hundred ninety one dollars for one year Funding is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Department of Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture and ninety one thousand five hundred dollars of budgeted County general funds see health housing human services one Approve of a local sub recipient grant agreement with Cascadia health for residential treatment services Agreement value is sixty eight thousand three hundred dollars for 18 months Funding is the Oregon Health Authority No County general funds are involved to approve of a grant agreement with the Oregon Health Authority for the development of community-based housing including at the recovery campus grant value is ten million dollars for one year and nine months and Funding is the Oregon Health Authority. No county general funds are involved. Three, approval of amendment to a subrecipient agreement with Oregon State University for parenting education programs. Amendment value is $113,000 for one year. Total agreement value is $211,000 for two years. Funding is the Oregon State University. No county general funds are involved. to the oregon department of human services for the ticket to work disability employment assistance program funding value to be determined upon award funding is through the oregon department of human Approval of personal services contract with MTR Western for operation of the last mile shuttle program Contract value is five million one hundred fifty thousand seven four dollars for five years Funding is through statewide transportation improvement funds. No County general funds are involved six approval of an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement with the Housing Authority of Clackamas County to transfer funds to the Housing Authority for the coordinated delivery of housing and homeless services. Amendment value is $31,476,701.37 for one year. Total agreement value is $93,003,712.70 for five years. Funding is through state emergency order funds and regional supportive housing services measure funds. No county general funds are involved. 7 approval amendment to an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Wilsonville for rent assistance Motel vouchers and other housing services a moon value is 249 thousand eight hundred dollars for one year total agreement value is seven hundred fifty six thousand nine hundred dollars for three years Funding is who supportive housing services measure funds. No County general funds are involved. I eight approval of pharmacy services agreement with the kroger company for use of fred meyer prescription drug dispensation locations agreement values two hundred thousand dollars for five years no county general funds are involved d technology services one approval amendment to a service level agreement with the city of happy valley for a new dark fiber connection from city hall to the police building Amendment value is $3,144 for one year. Total agreement value is $183,936 for 15 years. Funding is the Clackamas Broadband Exchange monthly cable lease revenue. No county general funds are involved. E, transportation development, one. Approval of grant application to the United States Department transportation for the Hackett Creek culverts replacement project Application value is seven million three hundred forty six thousand two hundred dollars for four years Funding is the United States Department transportation and a match of one million four hundred sixty nine thousand two hundred four dollars from the road fund New County general funds are involved Two, approval of infrastructure funding agreement with Clackamas Workforce Partnership for operation of the one-stop center. Agreement has no required contribution from the county and a duration of one year. Funding is through Federal Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act. No county general funds are involved. Mr. Chair, that concludes the Board of Commissioners' consent agenda.

Excuse me, and thank you, Andrew. Any colleagues wish to remove any items from the consent agenda? Seeing none, may I have a motion?

I move we approve the consent agenda.

Second.

All right, Commissioner Salvas is moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Commissioner Helm. Any further discussion? Seeing none clerk you please call the poll.

Commissioner West. Aye. Commissioner Savas. Aye. Commissioner Helm.

Aye.

Mr. Chair. Aye. Motion passes four to zero Mr. Chair.

All right thank you Andrew and Gary what's next?

Thank you next is county administrator update that's me I like to recognize our great employees for the work they do during this time today We'd like to recognize our team in the Department of Transportation and Development Engineering Group, which received an award from the Johnson Creek Watershed Council. The council is dedicated to promoting restoration and stewardship of healthy Johnson Creek Watershed. Recently, the council bestowed an award to the Clackamas County engineering team. This award honors those people and groups who are dedicated to watershed health, restoration projects, community engagement, and leadership in environmental stewardship. The award the county received was for significant contributions to protecting and restoring Johnson Creek and its watershed. This includes the installation of fish-friendly culverts, which allow for aquatic life to move up and downstream. So thank you to our engineering team and the Department of Transportation and Development who worked on this project. This is a worthy recognition, and we thank them for their service. That is my update for today. Thank you, Commissioners.

All right.

Next we have Commissioner – whoops.

Next we have Commissioner Communication, and I will start with Commissioner Salvas today.

All right. Thank you. It's been a busy week, and I know that on Tuesday we had a number of work sessions and gotten a lot of feedback since then. Next Tuesday, one that I'm looking forward to is talking and learning more about the Oregon property tax deferral system for senior citizens that qualify for the program. And for years, in my work with the AOC, Over the years this has been something that is like a parental issue not this per se but the more of the issue of property tax relief and This forgot what year this was actually approved by the state legislature and signed by the governor But this was the means to address that and but I don't think it has been Circulated to the and made aware by a lot of people that this system exists currently and I'm anxious to see if indeed the property tax deferral system might have more benefit for seniors that qualify than some of the other PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT OFFER A SLIGHT PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE BILLS OR SU I do know that we have, coming up in September and sooner, a number of requests for positions on our federal legislative agenda, transportation included. And I do know that there will be jurisdictions and agencies trying to work together to come up with a regional perspective or consensus on what that is. So we'll be talking about that. I'm just a little... We don't know what's going to happen on the federal side. We do know that the Federal Highway Trust Fund's in trouble financially. It hasn't had an increase, so therefore costs have gone up. It doesn't do very much. And I do know that's one element. Of course, we want to see our fair share come back to us because we all pay into the Federal Highway Trust Fund with our gas tax. There is a federal gas tax. And we always question whether or not we're a payer or a recipient. Are we ahead of the game or behind the game? And I usually that is that is seen or questioned or evaluated on a state-by-state basis, but not on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis. So Clackamas County being the smaller of the three counties in the metro region, I guess the question might be at some point when the state gets that fair share, at the federal level, is that dispersed equally across 36 counties and the number of cities in the state they're all paying in? Anxious to learn more about that. I'm not sure we will any time certain on that latter part, but I think it's important as we try to navigate the increase in transportation cost. This week, on Monday, I met with a work group on transit, hosted, convened by Metro. It was quite a discussion. Our goal has been for a long time, say our goal, our goal being Clackamas County, is to get better representation at the regional J-PAC table, the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation. That was the, I think in my opinion, the genesis for having that conversation, and I hopefully we can, that'll be a factor, but there's a lot of resistance towards getting a more equitable representation, it seems, at the table. than we currently have. So until we have a fair voice at the table, I don't think we're going to get the results we want. And that's just a mere 25 years of experience. Chair, I yield back.

All right. Thanks, Commissioner. Commissioner West.

Thank you. I want to start by recognizing a stellar staff member that went above and beyond during the holiday weekend. On July 3rd, that was the staff's holiday because we're closed on Friday, so they celebrate on the 3rd. I got a call, a frantic call from leadership and the higher-ups at the Waverly Club that they were having difficulty with the state of Oregon getting their pool updates approved in a timely manner. The state was difficult to deal with. The way it works, the state comes out, does the health inspection, looks at the upgrades, signs off on it, then we sign off as the county for the licensure to use the pool. We looked at that policy issue a while back about how we would handle that. They had 800 kids coming for Fourth of July celebration. They did everything they could to try to work in a timely manner with the state. They never had an issue with the county. The county was always willing to like do what they could to figure out how to get to yes and to help them have this event. The state drug their feet on the third the morning of the third is when the state finally signed off on these minor improvements that needed to be addressed. Some of them sound a little ridiculous and more like bureaucratic. gobbledygook than actually like things that were necessary to hold up a party. But anyways, in that agreement, our staff said, hey, make sure we're communicating. The state communicates with me because I will go out there that morning of and I will sign off on this so you guys can have your event. I'll work with you. The state failed to do that communication piece and said, oopsie, we never communicated that. Longer story short, I get a call while I'm in Philadelphia. Commissioner, can you help? Oh my gosh, this event's going to go off. I'm out of town with my grandkids and I don't know what to do. So I get on the phone for a couple hours trying to get a hold of somebody on the holiday weekend. Dan Johnson was fantastic and helped me navigate some of this, even though it's not within his department. We thought it was not going to be able to happen. We were told, no, there's no way to make it happen. We're getting dead in after dead in. The county cannot get off to do the sign off. Somehow, some way, Abby Powell was available and at the 11th hour made 800 kids happy at the Waverly Club on the holiday weekend. And so I'm sure she had to sacrifice some of her own holiday time to make that happen. But that's the kind of things we talk about when we say give them the pickle. As a culture in Clackamas County, if you've heard me talk about the culture we have here, it's how do we go above and beyond to make sure that our customers, the taxpayers, know that they're the boss and we're doing everything we can to provide phenomenal service. And I thought that we were gonna do the best we could, but we weren't gonna be able to deliver at the 11th hour on that final certification for that pool. But that little effort that Abby made impacted a lot of lives for the positive in Clackamas County, a lot of residents and happy kids. And so I want to make sure Abby knows that I appreciate the work that you did. This board appreciates that work that you did. And all of those kiddos and families are ecstatic also that you helped make their 4th of July special by just showing up in a way that many did not. And you made a happy ending to a difficult situation. I am really, really glad that Abby Powell is part of our team. I've never met Abby, but she sounds pretty rad to me. And I just want to say thank you to Abby Powell publicly because she is due some kudos. Yeah, very nice.

Yay, Abby.

I think it's okay if I use her name right. I don't know what I'm allowed to say about stuff.

Too late now.

Too late. Hi, Abby. Good job. Good job. Update on SHS RPOC meetings. We had one yesterday. We're about to, we've had a lot of meetings trying to figure out what the group's KPIs are for the public's edification. Our POC is the oversight board that has been tasked with overseeing supportive housing services. So the SHS dollars that are going to help with homelessness and housing and services to help people get off the streets and into care and into housing. And so I represent this board for that effort. And regional leaders from metro cities, service providers, law enforcement all come together to talk about how we want to provide better oversight on those resources that provide those services. A couple updates, it's been slow going in my opinion. Still, we have been working on KPIs with no specifics with those KPIs for a number of meetings. I guess this is the urgency in which government operates. They think they're operating urgently, but we're still kind of stuck. I guess next meeting we're supposed to have specifics. We're pushing for smart goals. And quality improvement measures specifically to like how to improve the outcomes. One of the cases that I made yesterday was under CQI that we would directly have policies and oversight to how the finances are spent with nonprofit entities. that receive SHS dollars. I brought out the public misuse that has been reported all too rampantly. We just had Sunstone. We've had Home Forward and others with extensive amounts and large amounts of public dollars being misused. Using the CQI process to provide that framework and oversight that's ongoing. We shouldn't have a whistleblower be the reason why we learn about something. We should have internal controls that we're using. I know we have them in Clackamas County to make sure that if something isn't right, that it triggers a response and that we are showing to be really good stewards of public dollars. So there's reporting around like, what are the specific KPIs? How are we going to implement or talking about implementing, which I support the CQI efforts. bringing a strong business corporate sense to building in that accountability and improvement framework through the cquis i think that's a perfect place to address the financial misuse of sh dollars that has undermined the entire system and has made it that much more difficult to get these fundings renewed by the voters because rightfully so right now they don't have a lot of trust um but Now, I keep hearing in these meetings how Clackamas County is standing out about the rest. Well, in Clackamas County, we already have 10 of these 11 KPIs. We already do them, or we already do these quality control efforts. So that's a big effort. We also talked about outside environmental factors that are impacting SHS. What can we control and not control with SHS? But when the state says we have no more rent vouchers, what does that do to the SHS system? If we have federal funding and HUD that's locked up in lawsuits for political reasons or whatever, but we can't control that, but what is that direct impact with our... with our funding. We had this same issue that impacted SHS early on when Clackamas County chose not to spend money it didn't have. We knew the money was coming and other counties did decide to spend and they got a little bit in hot water, we didn't. But that lag in funding was an environmental pressure on the system that we had to account for. So being also aware of these environmental things that put pressure on SHS overall is something that we've looked closely at. We're supposed to have much more specific KPIs in the August meeting and then start to maybe roll out more specific policies going into the fall. I'll keep you guys up to date with that. I need those goals to be like, okay, cool, these are the issues that we're having, but How are we doing that? What's the percentage? What's the timeframe incrementally? We can't just have large, broad goals. The goals have to be very specific, measurable. They have to have attainable. They have to have incremental pathways to get to the bigger goal. And so trying to get that kind of honed in with, it's a little bit like herding cats a little bit, trying to get that honed in has been difficult. But that's the update with RPOC. We're still working actively on that. I'm still engaged quite a bit. And so those are Wednesday afternoons from 3 to 6. And so we just had one yesterday. So it's a good time for me to give the board and the public an update. If anybody wants to know anything else further what's going on, those meetings are public. I'm more than happy to answer anyone's questions.

Great.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Helm.

Yeah, so I want to thank chair Roberts and my fellow commissioners We missed you on Tuesday Commissioner West for our discussion Tuesday on the issue about data centers I brought it to the Commission because it's an issue we need to stay ahead of and We need to fully understand and not have ourselves or our residents here in Clackamas County blindsided like they were out in Washington County. While I understand the major evolution taking place in technology, we all use it, but we must ensure our environment and our taxpayers are not bearing the burden. I applaud the Public Utility Commission for their action recently to raise the utility costs for these large industrial-sized data centers to protect all of our rate payers. Right now, we have no ordinances on the books, none right now. This is why I'm trying to strategically get a handle on this. that we as a commission can have a say on anything that might come our way and make sure our residents' voices are heard. And I'm hopeful we can draft something with robust public input so that if they come knocking at our door, we have a well-deliberated process in place that puts our residents' needs first.

Great.

Back to you, Chair.

Can I take you back on your comment? Sure. I look forward to having this public conversation. I know it's bubbling to the surface across the region. We have not had that robust conversation. And so I don't currently personally have a policy position one way or the other right now. I just know we're going to have to address it. and so that means we're going to have to have frank conversations with the public these aren't executive session type conversations these are raw conversations that we need to have and i hope we hear from the public because i need to learn what what they want what the community wants and um i applaud commissioner helm for bringing this forward just to start the conversation i think that's where we're at that's what i hear from you commissioner helm and so i know that there's a lot of angst and um A lot of feelings around this in the region. But in Oregon, we're really good at figuring out some public policy, the process, while protecting and being good stewards of the environment and local resources. We have a long storied history of being skilled at that. And I know that's in our DNA in Clackamas County. And I just want to thank you for bringing the thought-provoking question forward. And I look forward to engaging in that dialogue with the board.

Thank you. And just to kind of follow up on that too, I do appreciate you bringing that forward. I think that one of the things that we really have seen on the national level at NACO, we were recently back at D.C., and that's one of the benefits of really going to NACO is to hear the challenges across the United States and this issue and then trying to get ahead of it. So we're not just reactive, we're being proactive. And so Lots of conversations going on the national level, and I think we also want to hear from the public about it. And so it's just one of those conversations that I think there's views on both sides, and our job is to kind of listen and do what we can to set a healthy future in no matter what direction we go. Thank you again. I just had a couple comments. I mean, Diane Hillman and I had to go up to the mountain for a meeting, but every time I drive up there, I have to say how gorgeous it is. We're very fortunate to have Mount Hood in our county, and it was, anyway, a great meeting up there, but a beautiful area to visit. The other issue, I just want to follow up with kind of what Commissioner Savas had said about the senior tax issue. And I know the legislature has had discussion about this, and it really hasn't gone anywhere, but I actually loved the idea. And it was... For certain age seniors, instead of adding the 3% increase typically every year, that there would be a freeze. And because seniors are on that fixed income and that therefore they could be able to keep up, maybe keep their home and a lot of things. So I think they were also looking at what that financial impact would be and, you know, just think with the rising cost of so many things I think would be an amazing opportunity to kind of help support our seniors so Appreciate bringing that conversation forward. I'm looking forward to it as well Also had some conversations about some neighborhood livability issues meeting with some folks and really kind of working on that and then The other thing which I know we're all going to have more conversations about is what do we do about the public safety levy? And I know Gary and I have had conversations and meeting with a number of different people as to trying to get their input. Is it something we should go forward or not? It is critically important whatever decision we make as to how do we move forward financially on this issue because it is a challenge and I think it also can be pretty devastating if they have to close jail beds. So I think we're looking at every available option, having lots of conversations, ongoing conversations about this. I know the board's going to have more here soon. We're going to have to wrestle that to kind of figure out what is the best direction and look forward to those conversations. So those are really just kind of the quick highlights. If there's any, give my board any other chance. Go ahead.

Can I, one more, I have to give a plug, because when I did drive up to the mountain yesterday, and this reminded me of this, because the Highway 26 is lined with chairs in Sandy.

Oh, right.

And so I forgot, it's Sandy Mountain Festival. The parade is this evening at 7 o'clock, but they start like two or three days ahead, putting all their... chairs. There's hundreds, hundreds of chairs out on the highway. And I want to put a plug in because I've been to this festival and it's so wonderful. So, and correct me if I'm saying the name of the park wrong, but Mining Park is a beautiful wooded park and that's where all the vendors are and food and live music and there's a car show. And anyway, it starts this evening. So I want to put in a plug for my friends up in Sandy to go attend this festival. It's a really fun event.

It was pretty shocking as we're driving up there. We drove separately, but as I'm driving up there, there's chairs already set out. That was yesterday. So everybody's reserving their spot, which I thought was pretty neat, actually. So do you have a comment?

I just want to just two things. I want to understand clearly on Tuesday whether it's a property tax relief for seniors or it's a property tax freeze or it's a deferral. What actually helps them financially the most? Because percentages... don't always tell a story. They sound interesting, but sometimes if the deferral yields more benefit, then I think we need to see that so that we are advocating. If we're advocating for something different, it's on the basis of what's in the best interest of those senior citizens that are struggling. I'd also like to understand the criteria. As I'm holding the packet, has all of that information and the tax assessor is prepared to answer those questions. I'm always worried and concerned about how the materials are prepared. And lastly, Chair Roberts, I appreciate our conversation on Tuesday morning regarding the levy. I was hoping that here it is, it's July 9th, that we would have more progress on that in discussion. And I would say, mutually and in concert with the sheriff And I just got notice yesterday that the filing deadline for measures is next month It's like 30 days away 30 40 days away. So if we're gonna do something we need to do it fast. Yeah And I'm just hoping again. We can do it cooperatively. Um That's all I have.

Yeah pretty sure it was On the property tax

Are we... What policy is it being tied to? I guess is the big question because are we mirroring a policy that already exists somewhere else to tie to it so we know the impact or... I guess a...

Yeah, happy to respond. There is a property tax in the state of Oregon. There's a property tax deferral program that people are not aware of. So I want to learn and educate so that our public knows that it's out there, and I want to know and learn what it does. Okay. And so I think that's number one. Is that to help inform policy advocacy? Not only us, but our constituency, because I'm learning that Most people don't even know it even exists. And if we can help our senior citizens today by messaging that, let's say it's a great program Tuesday. I think maybe we get PGA to maybe the next CLACO or whatever it may be, at least broadcast out those that, you know, if you qualify, here are the benefits and let them know. I don't. But there again, before I advocate for it strongly like that, I want to understand what it is. So I'm hoping we can all educate ourselves on Tuesday.

It would be interesting to take something like Maine's policy and to say, okay, beyond just the deferral program that we have, which just kind of can bury a family, is my understanding. is to say, here's a policy that's been successful in working in a similar state, size, demographics. Well, they have the largest senior population per capita in the nation, actually, in Maine. And they put forward a pretty innovative tax freeze for seniors, anybody over the age of 65. And then maybe that can help inform what we advocate for at the state level with some of this information to like, Yes to what yes, and then how can we take that one step further to put that as part of our work with PGA to work in the legislative session about where we think it would bring additional relief to our seniors or expand on that. And we have a model already that we don't have to totally reinvent the wheel out of Maine.

Is that stuff that staff will be bringing us on the Maine model?

You've asked for this, and it's next Tuesday, an update by the assessor on what currently exists from the state program, and then from there you can decide what you'd like to do with that.

I know, but is there a way to take data where we're at now, and if we did something like Maine statewide, what would be the impact to Clackamas County? Is there a way to project a little bit to help inform policy, I guess is what I'm trying to say. That's what I want to know, too. You did not ask for that.

Before, you're asking for it now, and the materials are already submitted. So you can ask to next Tuesday. You can direct staff if you want that further information. Okay.

Yeah, that's a fair question. Ask the question and put it on the table.

We hear about it all the time, right? Well, then, okay, let's get a better picture about what that would look like. Yeah.

All right. With that, on behalf of the board, thanks for joining us today, and this meeting is officially adjourned. Thank you.