Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

All right. Good morning, everybody. Okay, I'm going to open up this uh formal session of the Yam Hill County Board of Commissioners on March 19th at 10:00 a.m. And I'm going to ask uh Commissioner King to lead us in the plague salute nation with all. Thank you for that. Uh we're going to go on to C which is our calendar session. Is there any changes to count?

So the the one item I wanted to talk about is the joint work session with Dayton city council to talk about Dayton landing. I I know Carolina had sent out some emails trying to figure out dates and we did get feedback on May 4th. It sounded like May 4th was going to work, but I don't think it was for everyone. So, is that your birthday? It is my everybody. There you go. Yeah. Can we do it enough? That's uh the chair's birthday. If that's the only day, uh let's make sure we do that because this conversation has been waiting in the wings for quite a while. I think we can go to another one because you just uh

that's also their city council meeting day. So, I'm not sure we are they trying to do that right before it or I think we would go there because I think it's easier for them to convene than have their So, they want to do like an hour before they're Let's do that. Absolutely. I'm good with that. Happy birthday. Yeah. We'll bring cake Star Wars Day, too. Yeah. May 4th at uh Alen 5:30ish. So, their city council meeting starts at 6:30. So, it probably be 5:30 or 5.

Jeremy was reaching out and really wanting to get this on the calendar. Um, and so what I'll do is Carolina will work with uh their team and confirm the time and we'll get a calendar invite out and we'll get it on the joint calendar.

Okay. Um, just for everybody that's listening so there's no confusion, this is to continue the conversation and get some concrete uh direction on Dayton, the city of Dayton taking ownership of Dayton Landing from the county. The county owns Dayton Landing. So, um, that's why this has been a conversation for many years prior to me. Um, but I think we're finally starting to get to a point where we just need to have a joint work session and that's what we're trying to uh come to a date with. So, let's do that. Up next is going to be uh D is public comment. Uh, if you're here for just general public comment, go ahead and fill out a card or raise your hand. If you're online, raise your virtual hand. I see I see one virtual hand. There's nobody in the audience, so let's go ahead and promote. I can't see the name. Rebecca Wallace. As soon as you're there, Rebecca, go ahead and name address and uh go ahead with your comment.

There we go. Good morning, commissioners. Rebecca Wallace. I'm from Newberg, Oregon. And Oh. Oh, hang on. Hang on. We just now started hearing you. Go ahead and start over.

Okay. Rebecca Wallace, Newberg, Oregon. I'm within Yamh Hill County. I'm here today regarding transparency tied to the Yamhillis Wester Trail decision, which is before you again in the second reading. At your last meeting, it was clear that prepared remarks were being read during deliberation. And after that meeting, I requested those notes and Commissioner Kit Johnston provided his, Commissioner Mary Starret provided hers. However, Commissioner David uh King refused. In his response to me, he stated, and I quote, "They were just notes. I think I'll hold on to them." And that response matters because now instead of simple transparency, I'm being told that I can't have the notes casually, so I'm going to have to do a public records request and pay money for those. And I I just want to be clear about what that means. Two of our commissioners chose transparency, and one commissioner chose to withhold and shift the burden to the public. And this is that's not about access, that's about choice. And when materials are used to guide statements in an official public meeting and they're part of the then those belong to part of the public's business. It was really clear that Commissioner King was reading from from notes on on his computer. I was sitting in the front row. So requiring a formal request and payment when there's clearly ease of access creates an unnecessary barrier and sends the message that transparency is conditional. And when transparency becomes conditional, public trust erodess. So as you reconsider this decision today about the um the trail, you know, it it doesn't mean equal access um to information that each of the the commissioners have and and have given. So, I just want to make that clear that when when there's information that the public could get easily from commissioners and the commissioners have a choice to give

it over to them when it's public information. Um, that should be that should be priority for for the commissioners um to provide those things. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, seeing no more public comments, we're going to move on to department updates. There is none. F is work session. There is none, but we do have, um, we're going to have a date coming up here where we're going to have two at the same time, right? Yes. Next week, um, the 26th, there'll be two work sessions. One is, uh, going to be on transit. That's the ongoing fair discussion. Okay.

And then the second one is dog control. So, I anticipate that uh next week's formal is going to be a long one with those two works and a department update from the sheriff. Okay, perfect. Um, all right. That brings us to G, the consent agenda. Looks like we're getting caught up on some minutes. Um, I appreciate Kale and Bailey and Carolina for getting those in front of us. I know it is not them. It is definitely us trying to get time to at least for me to go through them and review them. Um, but thanks for your efforts into that and thanks for bugging me.

Um, I would move approval of the consent agenda. Is there uh any further discussion? None. None for me. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. That brings us to H, which is old business. H1 is consideration of approval of the second reading of an ordinance in the matter of amending the Yamh Hill County Transportation System Plan to remove the Yam Helis Westider Trail Project setting the effective date. Ken's got some um Scrier's errors that we need to make specific emotions for, so I'm going to let him take it over from here.

Okay. Um, apologies, but uh, Caleb was planning to do this, but he went home ill this morning. So, um, if it's again, if there's no objection to to do the second reading by title only, um, I have no objection. Okay. So, again, it's a it's in the matter of amending the Yam County Transportation System Plan to remove the Yamhelis Westsider trail project and setting an effective date. And do you have specific motions to address the scrier's errors?

Correct. And so um after the first reading there was some uh notes, some corrections that need to be made. Um so first the first motion um would be to move amending the title of the ordinance to read in the matter of amending the Yamh Hill County Transportation System Plan to remove the Yam Helis Westsider Trail Improvement setting the effective date. So moved. And do we have to do that for each one then? Yes. Okay. So moved. Is there any further discussion? None. None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed nay.

Nay. Motion passes with Commissioner St and Commissioner Johnston voting I and Commissioner King voting nay. And so then the second motion again it's a correction. It's a um a motion to amend exhibit A page 15 paragraph 3 under the goals statement sections to correct the misspelling of roads to reflect proper spelling. I would uh make a motion based on what uh you say so moved. So moved. Yeah. just I was out last week and so I'm still trying to like

get my energy back, but we'll we'll get through it. So moved. Is there any further discussion? I just want to say that this is this is not to do with the um material um um policy or the ordinance. It has to do with a correction. So yeah, it's correcting. And I just saw another one on here too with a whereas. But does that matter? Okay. Okay. Any further discussion? No. None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you.

Okay. And then the third motion um is um a motion to amend exhibit A page 15 paragraph 3 to correct the misspelling of the to reflect the proper spelling. So moved. Any further discussion? None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. And then I guess the last one um would actually be um the actual motion to adopt the ordinance as amended. Okay. So moved on that. Uh any further discussion? None. None.

All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed nay. Nay. Motion passes with Commissioner Starret voting I. Okay. Commissioner Johnson voting I and Commissioner King voting nay. Jody, do you want to add anything while we're here? No. You're trying to ask. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Jody. Thank you, Jody.

Um, with that, I'd like to make a couple points. Um, this is something that we've been working on for a few months now and um, I do have a meeting coming up with the city of Carlton to discuss what it looks like for them to take ownership of their section um, and for them to um, do what they believe should be done uh, within the city of limits of Carlton. Um, a couple important things on this is no matter who's at this dis um the farm impact study to be able to get a conditional use to be able to build this trail is a very very very high hurdle that we will um probably never see come to fruition. Uh along those lines, we have about 10 years left to re repay a grant loan that was given to us to purchase this. It is my intention to make sure that it doesn't cost the county $1.7 million and to come up with a plan to pay back that grant loan. The first phase to that will be what we can do to transfer any debt obligation from that uh grant to the city of Carlton for them uh to build uh some form of a trail within their section. Uh so far ODOT seems to be amicable with that. Uh the second uh which I'm I'm not saying anything new. This was all gone over when we first um brought up the removal of the Amhills from the TSP. But the second would be um seeing the appetite from ODOT to receive any right of rail corridor that borders Highway 47 and using that as further debt relief to the grant obligation for them to retain that as a utility corridor. On top of that, the last thing that I'd like to mention because there still is quite a bit of misinformation running around out there and I don't blame

anybody for it. It's just I think it's the nature of the beast on how dividing this conversation has been over the years. um within the next few weeks I'd like to uh propose and we either do it as uh a group or I can do it as an individual but I do believe we need to do a public outreach town hall style of the projects that we've added into the TSP and start getting feedback on those projects. I think the biggest project that would be like for like for this is going to be a project going out Meadow Lake Road onto Panther Creek Road for the new uh mountain bike park that's going in. It's almost 25 miles. It's funded. Um we um it was signed in a few months ago by President Trump for the funding to BLM for 3.1 million. So it will um come to fruition. Um, I'm I'll track that with Yamh Hill Cycle Yamh Hill County to see the progress on that. Um, I think it's something that we need to try to support the best we can because I think this project will be a good uh a good way for this community to come together on something that could come to fruition. Um, that being said, there's other projects in this county that aren't transportation, I understand, but they are parks related projects that I think would go right into getting us the need for, and I think all of us can agree that there's need for outdoor recreation and trails in our community. Um, I know they're on single properties, but we have great properties, uh, Whitesson as an example, 93 acres that can be developed with trails on it that already has a conditional use permit that both Ken's in this room have fought very, very hard to get. Um, which we obviously know is a very, very huge hurdle to get a conditional use permit. We need to follow through on that. Um, circling back to the Panther Creek uh and and and

Me project, public works has in the next four years over a million dollars in a specific bike and pedestrian fund within the right-of-way of a Yamhill County road. So, that project has funding to do some form of a bicycle safety upgrade within the right of way of a county road. So, there's lots of options that can come to fruition and I want us to start focusing on those and so it'll be my mission to uh within the next few weeks start advertising for uh some community outreach on the projects that um I believe we should start focusing on. So, with that being said, do you do either of you have something that you want to add?

Go ahead. Uh the only thing I would I would say and thank you chair for that because there's been a lot of emotion and I've been you know following this and involved in it since uh since 2012 and this has been actually since for 12 years. This has been going on for 14 years. What I would like to point out is while there's a lot of emotion tied to this because we all acknowledge we want recreation projects, we have to acknowledge um what the state's land use laws prescribe and it says that something like this has to be for instance um available for picnicking and we know that picnicking cannot occur where um where there is spraying going on. So, I would just encourage anyone who is thinking that this is political, that it's politically motivated, that you look at the findings um that were written by a land use attorney and and look at the findings and see if there's anything in there that you would find fault with that is in fact based. It's not emotionbased. It's a fact. Each one of these ties back to RS 215296, which the county has never been able to get over that hurdle. I also would like to just ask if there's anything in the findings that you felt was in error or um unsubstantiated or not fact-based because I think that's going to go a long way for people to understand what it is we're doing here today. The county tried for many years to get this project done. The land use board of appeals said, "You're not it's not passing muster." And it just kept costing us more and more money and more and more people filling these rooms and being angry and blaming commissioners. I just say that there are projects on the table that we can look at and get done and we need to move ahead, I think, and do that. So, I appreciate the work that went into this and the fact that it's time to uh it's time to move on.

Yeah, I think I've said what I needed to say. um back when this was first in front of us. Um I would just add, you know, that I appreciate the private groups like Cyclam Hill County that did the work on their own to put in for funding uh with the senators and get get money and build the trails themselves and clean up those areas from people that don't treat that BLM land with any sort of respect. and um appreciate that and I think that it would be great of us to partner with them and um other groups but also as the chair had said to um build out our other um parklands that we have um that are either vacant or not haven't been accessible or um are becoming more accessible and and really dive into what's possible. I I don't know that a million dollars is quite enough to put bike lanes for I don't know what is that like four miles on Meadow Lake, but every mile counts. So, let's think just keep keep working on it.

I think I mean the reason I bring it up, it's more of the point of looking at projects where we don't have to go after grant funding. sitting there ready to rock and roll and then kind of address the conditional use permit, address those hurdles to, you know, hopefully those projects make them that much closer to the finish line and come to fruition. But I appreciate the comments. Yeah, I mean I and and I disagree. I think we should be going after grant funding wherever we can get it in order to build these. I absolutely did not say that we shouldn't go after grant funding. So, thank you for that. All right. Um, chair. Yes. Before we get too far from the Dodie, we're good. You're shaking your head now. So, you you saw my email.

I did. Um, trying to respond quickly, but no, it's fine. It's already in there. Okay. All right. Thank you. Never mind. Okay, cool. Never a good sign when Jod shake. No. No. Don't let her raise her hand either. Watching you. Oh, yeah.

All right. Um H1 is done. I is other business. There is none. That brings us to J. Public hearings. J1 is an appeal of the planning director's approval of a request for the construction and operation of a church. The church has a congregation of approximately 220 people and will hold services on Sunday morning and a smaller youth service Wednesday evening with approximately 50 attendees. Applicant is Jahalum Christian Fellowship represented by Keith Desms. This is on tax lot number 3206-04900 and we're continuing this from February 19th, 2026 at the point of staff recommendations. And at this point, I'm going to I guess I should gabble it in. Uh opening it at 10:21. Okay. Uh staff finds that the request is consistent with the conditional use uh criteria listed in section 1202.0. 02 of the Amh Hill County zoning ordinance and recommends approval with the conditions presented in the staff report along with additional conditions agreed upon by both the applicant and appellant. Uh I also want to mention I really do appreciate both the applicant and appellant working together uh to reach a compromise. I like to think of that as being the the land the Yamh Hill County way of doing land use. Um and so recommend approval with those 22 conditions. I can read them uh if the board requests.

I don't think we need to hear them unless you guys want to hear them. I think since the appel kind of have come to an agreement, I think we're good. So I I would make a motion uh to approve based on staff recommendations with the what' you say 20 or 21 22 22 22 conditions. Is there any further discussion? None. None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you very much and thank you all for uh coming today. Thank you. With that, we're going to move on to our announcements. Commissioner King, forgot about that part.

All right. Um, spring break starting up this week. Um, know my kids are anxious for nice break and and hopefully this nice weather sticks around for it. Uh, I got to attend with Commissioner Johnson the first part of a family place lunchon. They're um I think several of these um nonprofits are really trying to do a smaller targeted um way of to for fundraising, smaller groups of people and really and target. So um I I had to leave um early for that for our WAMIT Workforce Partnership Board meeting. I think you stuck around and

Yeah, I did the opposite. Yeah, we we kind of went like this, which was good. We um I like that being able to do stuff like that. And u in in that meeting uh I think you were there for most of the action items. I think maybe we did one or two, but I think I got the important stuff. Yep.

Yeah. Uh but mostly an audit review uh that the board did and then a conversation about um redistricting the lines um for our our workforce partnership there and the discussion of maybe Benton County, maybe Clackmus County, maybe nothing, maybe all of them. Um it's be interesting to see where that lands. Obviously very different counties uh Clackmus as opposed to Yamhill and just where we fit in in in that conversation and what would be best best partners for Yhill County I think is something that I look forward to talking to and about. Um a small update few weeks back I mentioned uh PCC and um gentleman having a a hard time with the amount of taxes being paid and the services being uh provided. He's meeting uh with President Robin Baker of George Fox to potentially try to see if they can take it over from them. Obviously there has to be um appetite for that with PCC. They're in a strike right now. I don't think that's moving anywhere very fast, but uh I told you I'd try to keep you guys updated on on what was moving along with that. Um met with a a team for a creative project uh to spotlight some significant rent burden in Newberg, BM Hill County. Um and and really just trying to to tell a story about what that looks like. um you know somewhere around 50 I don't remember the exact number off the top of my head but uh 50% of Oregonians are have some form of rent burden in their you know day-to-day life so I'm excited to get to work on that with them ran into had some smaller conversations with Russell and Deb asked if they can

get on the agenda for next week for pro proclamation for the kickoff of child abuse awareness month um so I think they're going try to reach out and come next week um the 26th I think that is and or the 2nd but I think they were hoping to get it just before. So um Newber City Council raised their water rates by about 5% um for 27 and addition and an additional 5% um for 28. So they went ahead and went through with that. So, um, yeah, I think that that's it's things are going up in Newberg. And that's I'll leave it there, Commissioner Stewart.

Thank you. Uh, I think a lot of us or several of us wrote a letter of support for Juliet's house that we uh, wound up. Yes. Said thank you for Okay. Yeah. No, they were very appreciative. And I want to say thank you to Bailey um, who has gotten these things done. we get really really quick. We need it today type of thing.

Yeah. Bailey and Bailey gets it done. So, thank you for that. Appreciate that. CCO board of directors meeting. We had an update on the OA mandate mandated citizens advisory committee. talked about some of the gaps and barriers and how the um the citizens advisory committee looks at overseeing these various health improvement plan metrics which is access to health care emergency preparedness food how the housing infants and youth. We had a legislative update on the Oregon Health Authority uh budget rebalance talked about what the legislative priorities are going to be moving forward. address the CCO's financial constraints. Lots of CCOs are seeing feeling the pinch and uh we have had our CCO um 14 years as our CCO administrator of Medicaid services and the OP and financially we are doing better than most. Uh let's see um had uh more communication with OCS and developer who's working with uh NRS on the moderate income revolving loan. There are two projects, one in McMinnville, one in Newberg. That's going to make it easier and more affordable to actually own a home. And that's going to require the county being involved, the cities being involved. And what's great about this is it's not a nonprofit uh connection. It is through uh actual builders. So, that's that's good. Um went over to Provoking Hope and Diane Reynolds and her team are always really gracious. They are on the front lines. the um the place was really busy, which is good news because you have people looking at that as the hub for all things recovery. There was a woman in there who had a brand new baby who is, you know, working on her recovery, but she's got the support of provoking hope. So, I was I was very um very grateful to see that and I want to thank them very much. uh conversations with Stratus Village on clarifying a policy

that involves the county and also last night representative um deal had a uh a forum for candidates and talked a little bit about the gas tax. So hopefully we're going to be able to uh make sure that uh that doesn't happen. So thank you for your part in gathering signatures chair. Absolutely. That's it.

Okay. Thank you. Um, I missed most of last week. Uh, but Monday I was back at it again in a limited capacity. Um, managed to make Sheridan City Council meeting. Uh, very nice change of going to 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. And it was a short meeting on top of that. So, got out of there. I think we're out of there by like 7:10 or so. So, that was nice. Um, Tuesday was able to make a family place lunchon with Commissioner King and others. Um, it's always nice to see the support that uh that group gives to our young families in the area. And fun fact, they uh gave away over 200,000 diapers last year. That is a lot of diapers. And I think Brian Love at Newber, he has like a competition going.

Oh yeah, he's he does a diaper job. He's he's competitive. Anyway, great on those guys to help support our younger families in the area that um that need it. their uh Jod's hand is up. I don't know if it's something urgent or got something, Jody. I was gonna wait. My turn. Oh, okay.

Um right after I was able to catch our Wamut Workforce Partnership discussion. Um we're looking at the consolidation because we're trying to cut admin costs between all the workforce groups in the state. And so that's where the kind of the redistricting is starting to come in because we want to try to consolidate and save money because we have less and less funds to work with. So, we're just trying to stay ahead of it and start the conversation now. Um, also Tuesday night was Dundy City Council meeting. It was also short. Um, they're engaging in conversations with Macwater and Light, which I think is good and productive, uh, to see if it's a viable option for them to be a part of the regional water system with McMinnville Water and Light. Um I did uh have an opportunity to speak before the council and so I gave them a quick update on where we're at with construction project and where we're at with moving um consolidation of departments of county into the new government services building. Um last night was parks board meeting uh and discussed adopt a park again. Um Carla Chambers is going to uh take that on to do a little bit outreach with some neighboring counties that have already an adopt a park program and see what theirs look like if there's any opportunity to be able to cut and paste and just step one up in in our county. And I think it'd be great. Um, uh, they touched on a treasure, some form of a treasure hunt this year, um, to kind of advertise and draw attention to our parks and get people to, uh, use them on a more regular basis. Um, there is, as a reminder, there's going to be a Jim Colbert uh, bench dedication tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at uh, Ed Grrenfell Park. Is Ed Grrenfell, correct? Yeah, Ed Grrenfell Park. Uh, so please come out for that if you have time. Um this morning I had parkway committee

meeting. Uh we did finally get our invite finalized to the US Department of Transportation. So that is done and to them and in their hands. So I'm very excited to see what that leads to. Um they did get the steel beam set uh over uh on phase 2A on Highway 219 Newberg Dundee uh construction. um over the next few months you're going to start seeing some new signals kind of come up in that area. So progress is going well. Um kind of a nice uh update is um if you remember quite a few months ago we were held up on that phase 2A with funding and there was some uh grants that we received uh from the federal government. They were coming up to some deadlines that they had to be obligated and spent. Um, we got through that, but the main hurdle to that was the CWC and the project labor agreements that went with that. We no longer have to abide by the project labor agreements. So, every project from here on out, the courts ruled them unconstitutional and um it's going to help us a lot. I mean that uh phase 2A when when we when the stipulation was on that for that we had to bid it out with the project labor agreement in place it shrank from uh five people interested in bidding on that to just one that bidded on it and it ended up costing us the projection about 15% more on that project because of that PLA not to mention the delay in time which time is also money so that's a a huge win for ODOT to not to have to bid those out with that PLA in place anymore. Um they still kind of give an update uh with uh the feds on the mega grant process. It sounds like it's going to come out late April which will put due dates around July. We're still keeping an eye on it for uh if whether it's the county springboard group, the tribes some somewhere somehow uh an initiation from an entity for that grant process. Um, I think you'll see if we if some of

that does come to fruition, it's going to cost uh some decent money to put that grant application together. Uh, uh, springboard is already, uh, committed to some of that funding. Once we get a good number, then probably I'll come back before you guys, which will probably land right about budget season two, and discuss if we need to add to that kitty a little bit to get that ball rolling. Ballpark,

100 grand is the ballpark. Um, but don't hold me to that. Stuff changes all the time, but it's about 100 grand. And my commitment to that is when we do spend that about h 100red grand on that grant application, I want it to be um easily updatable because this will be long and drawn out. When we're asking for $410 million uh dollars from the federal government, I want that application to be able to to turn on a dime and be updated. So I don't want it to be just a 100 grand wasted for one application. It's going to be or for one grant opportunity. It's going to be for multiple grant opportunities over multiple years.

Is there any interest uh or has have there been discussions and buyin uh from our partners? Yes, everybody is very excited about this. Uh springboard was the first one to come to the table and be like what do we need to do? Um I feel I feel like we'll have it the conversations during um budget committee meetings, but I feel like the county can put in a decent chunk of that. Um and then um somebody needs to reach out to the tribe still and see what their appetite is, but they have in the past. I don't see why they wouldn't in the future. McMinnville's committed to this. Newberg's committed to this.

The chambers are committed to this. MEDP's committed. there's a lots of support for this, especially with now that new traction with the uh federal administration and knowing where we're at with that. So, I I feel very good about it. I think all of those partners have skin in the game already. Yeah. Not

I have not heard anybody that is against this project. So, that's um very promising for all these different aspects that are going to go into it. Um, and I'll keep you updated on that invite. Um, and see what kind of feedback we get on it. Um, tonight's fair board meeting is at 5:30. Um, we have ambassador interviews over the next couple weeks. There was six applications that were turned in. So, I'm now since my daughter's not applying, she applied for two years in a row. So, I'm back on the committee now to be able to choose. So, that's going to be fun. Um, how many do you pick? Is it four of them?

Well, that's a great question. I think the committee is going to decide out of the six if we're going to still stick with four um or if we're going to pair it down. It really honestly depends on how great the applicants are. So, but so far we've been knocking it out of the park with all the applicants have been like great. Last year I was a I was a judge and and there were so many I don't know how many I think I think it was 12. There were 12 and there and virtually every one of them um was stellar. Yeah. I know your daughter was on there, but uh yeah, they were all really amazing. Yeah.

Um and which leads into the first parade coming up is going to be Alien Days, uh May 16th at noon. So, I'm really trying trying to gear up. Uh we'll get our slate of ambassadors. Um we're already starting to work on the graphics for the postcards that we hand out because Aliens Day Praise has so many out of town people that come to it. It is a great advertising tool for our fair. So, we went we printed up uh a few thousand postcard flyers last year and we ran out partway through the parade. Yeah, because we're just there's so many people that wanted them. But yeah,

we're planning ahead for this one. And with that, unless Ken or now Jody wants to ask, I do have a couple updates, but Jod's had her hand up and waiting patiently. So, my turn. I just wanted to tell Commissioner Johnston, Chair Johnston, that it's good to see you back and healthy and you gave us all a scare. So, that's all I wanted to say. And you worked too much, sir. You should have taken more time. Hey, my wife let me out of the house Monday and so I was there's no going back after that. So, blame her. You know, your meeting was so short last week because Chair Johnston was in the hospital coming out of the hospital and wasn't here to give five pages of what he did the past week. So bad. Those days are over apparently.

Yeah, thank you for that, Ken.

All right. Um, just really quick, thank you Jod for joining on short notice. Um, you know, we had some illness and so thank you for um being so responsive and joining us this morning um to help us out. So, I really appreciate it. Um, as far as some uh other updates, just an update where we're at budget process right now. So um version 10 which is the initial budgets that all the departments and I you know um have been working on for the last since January um are in and I'm about ready to roll it into version 20 which will be the version that's going to be presented to the budget committee um and just we have notices that are will the first round of notices will be going out this Friday um for the upcoming budget committee which is budget committee week kicks off on uh April 20th and so um a lot of work has gone in. There's going to be a lot of discussions during budget week because there's some challenges within that budget and um and some of it, you know, most of it isn't own things like dog control and and some of those items. Um so I anticipate uh it's going to be a um a pretty lengthy budget week. So, but uh appreciate all the work of all the departments and everybody who's been uh working on the budgets and and then our budget team in particular uh Mike and Tara um helping me working behind the scenes and getting that ready to go. So, uh first version of the budget I you know we're hoping as part of the notice we're going to have that posted um to our website here in the coming weeks once we finalize and get all the reports kind of put together. So, it'll be available for public view prior to the budget committee week. Um, and it'll be posted to our website when we get that uh proposed budget ready to go.

Fantastic. Um, so that's going well. Um, did the one thing I Commissioner Starret and I did a walk through yesterday with Director Manfren at over at the um the GSB building uh through the HHS. Now that they've, you know, they're pretty much

settled. I think 98% I think director Manfren was the last one that was hasn't moved into her office yet, but uh it was nice to do a walk through and see everybody settling in um into the new space and construction's proceeding. you know, um it's going really well and again uh can't say enough kudos to Don Farley and the rest of our project team, but in particular, Don's our our lead uh for the county working with Hawworth and and with Sarah Architects and making this happen and he's doing an outstanding job. Yes, he is.

And uh also, you know, kudos to Hawworth. They're they're doing a great job with this project. Um couldn't be more pleased with how work's proceeding with that. Um yeah, and then the the last item is just uh this week we had our first negotiations um kickoff with uh ASME. Uh we also have on the calendar for two other CBAs uh detention workers and DDAS is also starting here in the next week or two. Um and uh probably be looking to schedule an executive session with the board to talk about bargaining authority here in the next couple weeks. kind of want to exchange some of the usually we get a lot of the non-economic proposals we start exchanging earlier in the process and once we get closer to the economics we'll want to get a date on the calendar to come and talk to the board. So

cool. But otherwise it's just a it's a really busy time right now. We got a lot of things happening. Yep. Looking forward to it. All right. Well, if there's nothing further, I will call this meeting closed at 10:41. And thank you.