[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6552161,"mediaKeyId","5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5","parentId",5130907,"title","Residents urge commissioners to honor library-support clause in county charter, ask for lease extension","audioSeconds",757,"startMs",2594000,"endMs",3351000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5&start=2594&end=3351","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5/thumbnail_2594000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6552161/Josephine-County/Oregon/Residents-urge-commissioners-to-honor-library-support-clause-in-county-charter-ask-for-lease-extension","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552161-e454aef25eae90a8e4e651c08b774c9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773661460&Signature=Ix2~RvOK9fAyIEzVq3kVCqWSJ2xa9HA5sa5SpgwdLGRAkavrU34ivMPG3FzahFOunLXTu8j91yLv0xzYjn37AVb7lx6k-BHef3~vwPBBpzzuGnkrw2BdBk6ltYmR5ZONpvrbZV86j6s67y932t7iPEPQo0cNtvK8F9bhfabAH2enTFBjNjhDmkVPkzJoSLi9-sXVzvqqjWWJlcj8djipkWs5eT-unvnheCC5BKb6aMMJnz3VA~NyS~nu6pBNRgnrESecD0DnJYhbskaK1oDHOFg4l~gqy4EBelYEdFw4BgQbkNl7JCmfYh5uqeR-fpXxTn3wLI4Zrhj5eOtAV4ZKaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Josephine County","date","2025-07-03T16:28:25Z","article","Several residents told Josephine County commissioners during public comment that the county must honor a library-support provision in the county charter and take near-term steps to secure library operations and a building site.

Michelle Templar, speaking for JOCO Citizens for Responsible Government, read language from the county charter specifying library support and asked the board to extend the Grants Pass library lease for at least five years at a rate that accounts for previously redirected levy funds and existing maintenance investments. “Quote, section 14.5, library support. The board shall provide for the support and maintenance of the main library and library branches, amended November 1992, end quote,” Templar read.

Templar and Nancy Lester, a Grants Pass resident and volunteer, stressed the library’s community role and provided usage statistics: Templar said the system sees “more than 10,000 items checked out on any given day” and volunteers logged “more than 21,000 hours” last year. Lester noted child poverty rates and described robust summer-reading participation: in the program’s first week 555 readers signed up and 77,500 minutes were recorded toward a 300,000-minute goal.

Lester urged the commissioners to conclude lease negotiations quickly and asked them to support interim terms that would allow the library foundation time to seek grants and donations for a new Grants Pass building. “So we’re depending on you, Chris, to conclude the lease negotiations quickly and all of you to approve the lease. And remember, a dollar a year for 5 years and the word feasibility,” Lester said.

Commissioner Barnett and other commissioners responded that negotiations and outreach have been ongoing and that county staff and commissioners are working to accelerate a lease extension or agreement. Barnett said he has been in contact with library leadership and issued a press release indicating cooperation to move the matter forward.

No formal board action on library funding or a lease extension was recorded at this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Weekly Business Session","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters asked Josephine County commissioners to uphold Section 14.5 of the county charter, extend the library lease for at least five years at a favorable rate, and allow time for fundraising and construction of a new Grants Pass library; commissioners said lease negotiations are underway.","taxTitle","Josephine County, Oregon","taxId",48731,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552166,"American Medical Response seeks 8% rate increase for Josephine County ambulance service; board did not act",30,2057000,2087000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5&start=2057&end=2087","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5/thumbnail_2057000.jpg","/articles/6552166/Josephine-County/Oregon/American-Medical-Response-seeks-8-rate-increase-for-Josephine-County-ambulance-service-board-did-not-act","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552166-f2c8eb53aa44d2d27a6cbba3661bd3d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773661460&Signature=kEfFxYTNrnkmxnfSr48xNmzovq2JcibcFq~fRyZa6OAUlUURChguA80EI0rJyGXY0HLp7q-OJbkNjkzmpAx0UOZI~nJZjPyOSvOlOC2~uR5NngHXSyWmPVXi6erOyplbEm3c115AjBzVpQpNHzP6UHI81gY2D7c9gou29AI41XYiotEnKNuVdOXZ1KBwApzyEsaJ43g7EPOri8ZLYRcqj23NRroiYGjO~lHwYhlRyr9FwJKCCqjWJimQTpDrbl1i4yTgKdpux~zsIDirkmiwmnV2admTuG1WlkVz58qv2LQtjKBf6tbFKsLfUTmmNsGOGoGshebsRQf2n2Df4XexpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","American Medical Response (AMR) representatives told the Josephine County Board of Commissioners they are seeking an 8% increase in ambulance rates and a mileage adjustment for services in the county.

Dave Matthews, identified as AMR’s operations manager, said the company is asking “for an 8% increase of our, rates, to help offset, the increased costs, of personnel and inflation,” and added the provider is seeking a mileage adjustment to help maintain and recruit paramedics in the area. Matthews said AMR’s current rates are the lowest in the surrounding area and that the company holds the county’s ambulance service area contract.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about competition and non-ambulance transport in the county. Matthews said AMR holds the emergency medical services service area contract that covers Josephine County and that other local companies provide non-ambulance transport such as ReadyRide and Meraki.

Commissioner Barnett used the discussion to highlight the publicly available Paramed subscription program as an example of local EMS-related consumer options and described it as a $55-per-household program: “Paramed is a great program. It offers every household regardless if you have insurance or not. For $55, it covers everybody in your household,” Barnett said.

The chair invited a motion to approve the proposed AMR rate increase later in the meeting, but no motion was made and no vote was recorded. The board moved on to other agenda items.

Next steps: No action was recorded at this meeting; AMR and county staff did not present an implemented ordinance or board order for a formal vote during the session.","American Medical Response told the Board of Commissioners it is requesting an 8% rate increase and a mileage adjustment to help recruit paramedics and offset personnel and inflationary costs; commissioners did not move to a vote at the meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552170,"Josephine County delegates airport lease-signing authority to airport manager; board approves order 2025-049",1335,2298000,3633000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5&start=2298&end=3633","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5130907-926e4f377ac70166ddfda0af61da51d5/thumbnail_2298000.jpg","/articles/6552170/Josephine-County/Oregon/Josephine-County-delegates-airport-lease-signing-authority-to-airport-manager-board-approves-order-2025-049","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552170-5637e125c32203a9a5e68587f97ae617/orig.mp4?Expires=1773661460&Signature=ePcRnVe5cl2zAz~F2BOPvDkAD5ON6WNQ7s2st~dCQJajkIQCG1eais9hVzFr4s3UCt6GHiioGSfq~D2-CQFhEMJG8bSnDrr-Mogf6Jnb2GYT-Jksg03jkrLUsoi-sYBqDNBrZRL8d-UXHoAb02k-FO8lgUpKyXYZn49jXZoTaN6KD-vttPhveUG3g203w6NvdZo4EC3JoSxN2Cd-1LnsYa26crBTs5ezz5Pro7vD4xn8RJk5AHzEYHwO-S9P4loquKQrV0BW-ByyL-z0yE9XTNMSPjc93V-kIT8xeKYMGOvSDPDI0Oib3kTT4wWbuDJnu7bILStu~sNlylhNYRyAKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Josephine County commissioners on Thursday approved Board Order 2025-049, delegating authority to the airport manager to execute routine lease agreements, memoranda of understanding and letters of authorization for Josephine County Airport.

The 3-0 vote came after Airport Manager Mister Cristofori told the board the county frequently receives time-sensitive agreements — including a Forest Service land-use authorization required before helicopters can be staged at the airport — that must be signed quickly to enable operations. “They’re not allowed to land a helicopter on the airport unless we have an agreement in place,” Cristofori said.

The order updates an earlier 2021 document (board order 2021-035) and, according to Cristofori and commissioners, restores an operational practice used by prior airport directors. Commissioners and the manager said the delegation is intended to streamline day-to-day operations, not to shift budgetary authority to the manager.

“Anything that was over $10,000 would have to come before the board anyway,” Commissioner Smith said during discussion, stressing that large expenditures and the board’s oversight remain unchanged.

Commissioners said the delegation will allow staff to execute routine items such as building-permit authorization letters (for applicants who are not the landowner), memoranda of understanding with agencies and similar revenue-generating agreements without waiting for the weekly meeting schedule. Cristofori gave examples including a building-permit application related to the airport runway extension project and an agreement to host Forest Service helicopters at the airport.

The board approved the motion by roll call: Commissioner Smith — yes; Commissioner Barnett — yes; Commissioner Black — yes. The order was described in the agenda as an amendment to board order 2021-035; the chair noted scrivener errors in the draft that would be corrected prior to finalization.

Several members of the public had raised concerns about concentrating decision-making at the manager level and about perceived conflicts of interest involving a commissioner and airport tenants. Commissioners responded that the change restores previously held manager authority, reiterated the $10,000 threshold for required board approval, and encouraged concerned residents to meet with airport staff for on-site briefings.

Next steps: the board said it will correct minor typographical errors in the final board order before providing the signed document for implementation.","The Board of Commissioners approved Board Order 2025-049 to delegate authority to sign routine lease and permit-related documents at Josephine County Airport to the airport manager, while retaining board approval for expenditures above $10,000.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents urge commissioners to honor library-support clause in county charter, ask for lease extension

American Medical Response seeks 8% rate increase for Josephine County ambulance service; board did not act

Josephine County delegates airport lease-signing authority to airport manager; board approves order 2025-049