Josephine County commissioners are facing pressure to make a timely decision on a mining lease application that could generate significant revenue for local law enforcement programs. During the Weekly Business Session on September 19, 2025, Jay Meredith, representing American Mineral Research, urged the commissioners to act on the long-pending application from May 2020 before the September 30 deadline.

Meredith emphasized the financial implications of their decision, stating that failure to approve the lease could result in over $20 million in damages and a loss of potential revenue between $8 million and $10 million from the 76-acre property. He reminded the commissioners of their past commitments to utilize the county's timber and mineral resources, highlighting a disconnect between their campaign promises and current inaction.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by Meredith's mention of upcoming discussions with Congressman Bentz, indicating that advocacy for local mineral resources could become more challenging if the county does not demonstrate interest in development. He called on each commissioner to reflect on their previous support for the project and questioned why no motion was made during the meeting to advance the application.

As the meeting concluded, the commissioners were given the opportunity to respond, with the community keenly awaiting their decision on this critical issue that could impact both local revenue and resource management in Josephine County. The outcome of this situation will be closely monitored as the September 30 deadline approaches.