[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-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],{"_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",6496105,"mediaKeyId","5782800-4963c28e75e490b55ee9ce850acf157d","parentId",5782800,"title","Residents press Josephine County commissioners for fiscal-impact statements; library lease and mining application draw concern","audioSeconds",330,"startMs",1860000,"endMs",2190000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782800-4963c28e75e490b55ee9ce850acf157d&start=1860&end=2190","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782800-4963c28e75e490b55ee9ce850acf157d/thumbnail_1860000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6496105/Josephine-County/Oregon/Residents-press-Josephine-County-commissioners-for-fiscal-impact-statements-library-lease-and-mining-application-draw-concern","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496105-c9e465f59e5a32c83aa70cc00d91f6f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770914053&Signature=CvvyAXxWleudjF76uafdwMfByL5UMRh6oU6Q0mMhXPFsR5LMVXMfaZpVH8LZtNV9y5R9SFPwfbc5dn~hn-I-lZgpJF12hyk-kf1ozvXegnpa4n74BIKbnx-jg9b-KkwKTRZLPfI-gm1pj357ngDyb1kKU0JKK9EDlFJ-Y-sP~jeCeo1mRku-wqlmnik6AVd7JUDaWQPydCiLPZAYzpi4Xfv4YKraZSF6Gj3WRtWEZ-GxkHSDxhlrBibb4cz3Ttlac6LoP5v9Y~gDDEyCCN2l7ICt1~0Z613Io9LTx9YlmEBleXTB9uTRI5FJwRZ4JlFoSB6V5nYJbe8bLR63uD29rQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Josephine County","date","2025-09-19T05:56:28Z","article","Speakers at the Josephine County Board of Commissioners meeting urged greater fiscal transparency, raised operational concerns about a proposed library lease's 30-day termination-for-convenience clause, and asked the board to act on a mining-lease application for county-owned land.

Mark Jones, representing JOCO Citizens for Responsible Government, proposed that the board “implement a new policy by board order or resolution that requires an agenda item cover sheet for all major decisions and votes” and that the cover sheet include “a fiscal impact statement” detailing estimated costs and revenues. Jones said the county used to require such a statement and that other jurisdictions still do.

Nancy Lester, a Grants Pass resident, described the practical challenges a 30-day termination-for-convenience clause could impose on the Josephine County Library. Citing the library’s physical collection, she estimated the system contains about 108,000 books and said, “that’s what your termination for convenience clause with 30 day notice would require,” describing how moving and storing that many items would be complex and costly. Lester urged the board to “complete the good faith negotiation of the library lease without this unreasonable 30 day termination clause for your convenience.”

An email read into the record from Jay Meredith asked the board to act on a pending mining-lease application for American Mineral Research by Sept. 30, and asserted the property could generate “8,000,000 to 10,000,000 in revenues from this single 76 acre property.” The email said the County Mining Advisory Committee (MAC) had unanimously approved the applications; the board did not take formal action on the mining lease at the meeting.

Other public commenters addressed the county recall effort, meeting decorum and security, and accusations about outside groups influencing local petitions. Matt Spurlock, who identified himself as chair of Rogue Invisible, called a document distributed by two commissioners “a smear piece” and said that his group had no role in the recall petitions the document described.

Commissioner Barnett provided a brief update on a community cleanup application submitted to the railroad and partners, describing it as a collaborative effort involving U-turn for Christ, Goodwill and Park Watch. The board’s legal counsel and staff are continuing work on the library lease; Commissioner Barnett said the lease draft would be placed on an administrative workshop agenda for discussion next week.

No formal motions were made during the public-comments portion to adopt the recommendation for fiscal-impact statements, to change the library lease termination clause, or to approve the mining lease. The board did accept public comment and set the library lease for future review.

Why this matters: fiscal-impact statements give elected officials and the public clearer information on the short- and long-term budgetary effects of board actions. The library-lease termination clause, if enacted as written, would impose a short timeline on relocating or storing a large public collection if the county exercised the clause for convenience.

Local residents requested transparency on parcel and process details for a split parcel near the airport (parcel referenced as Parcel 35-06-22D-200 in public comment) and asked for public disclosure of approvals and intended uses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Weekly Business Session","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers urged reinstating fiscal-impact statements for agenda items and raised concerns about a proposed library lease's 30-day termination-for-convenience clause and a pending mining lease.","taxTitle","Josephine County, Oregon","taxId",48731,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6496110,"Josephine County opts into Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement; county to receive roughly $1.08 million over 15 years",0,856000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782800-4963c28e75e490b55ee9ce850acf157d&start=856&end=856","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782800-4963c28e75e490b55ee9ce850acf157d/thumbnail_856000.jpg","/articles/6496110/Josephine-County/Oregon/Josephine-County-opts-into-Purdue-Pharma-bankruptcy-settlement-county-to-receive-roughly-108-million-over-15-years","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496110-2ec0449dd297b5c6094c02ac667a3aa1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770914053&Signature=jXSmm-krihyKuHTW3tWPDRC9C-wI0E3WGFg1CSLMrs3p~knuRfCDTjR7OVXSz3JtfCgdcpU~BhHBhgbNNjlYoybpDvmavpVpGy6HoAoY0NSBvtKxjVY948JSRqjSIBb5517wMnctv8Okj9qiuITuWS52HTpHY3KpHRgLa4ERe1VWKsHfwJAmeZnI9bEqa9k9SHihwtGAc7VKu9xszqrfRq9SLoiRSnb6e~hKrMK6Xbj5aSNjzvV6cIvicV6J3cn-NEv6WurpMsmyvI9m9IG16UCTq9YHIq0l53xwRQvixcfjcQs1e7UIvXTZiryiFiAVgmAwDtgnJoijc6ZpY3hmGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to opt into a proposed nationwide settlement related to Purdue Pharma and to approve Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy plan.

Wally Hicks, legal counsel to the county, told the board a proposed settlement with Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family “contemplates that the Sacklers will be paying an aggregate of $6,500,000,000 in 16 payments over 15 years, including 1,500,000,000 on the settlement's effective date.” Hicks said the county's share from the direct settlement component would translate to roughly $1,080,000 over the course of the 16 payments in 15 years.

The settlement money is separate from amounts that may be paid from the Purdue estate, Hicks said. He also described the participation process: eligible subdivisions within each participating state decide whether to take part in the direct settlement while votes are solicited concurrently on Purdue's bankruptcy plan. Hicks noted that Josephine County previously opted to be a litigating subdivision in early opioid litigation, which gives it the option to vote on the bankruptcy plan.

Hicks told the board the county has already received funds from earlier opioid-related settlements: about $2.3 million has accumulated in the county's receipt account, of which $484,000 has been spent and allocated, leaving approximately $1.8 million on hand and a projected $3.4 million still to come in from other settlements.

Commissioner Smith moved to enter the county into the proposed Purdue settlement and to approve the proposed Purdue bankruptcy plan; Commissioner Barnett seconded. At roll call, Commissioners Smith, Barnett and Black each voted yes and the motion carried 3-0.

Votes at a glance

- Opt into proposed Purdue Pharma settlement and approve Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan — Motion by Commissioner Smith; second by Commissioner Barnett; vote: Smith yes, Barnett yes, Black yes; outcome: approved (3-0).
- Appoint commissioners as representatives to the Josephine County Solid Waste Agency — Motion by Commissioner Barnett; second by Commissioner Smith; vote: Smith yes, Barnett yes, Black yes; outcome: approved (3-0).
- Approve consent calendar (minutes and board journal) — Motion by Commissioner Smith; second recorded; vote: Smith yes, Barnett yes, Black yes; outcome: approved (3-0).

Why this matters: opioid-related settlements can provide long-term, restricted and unrestricted funds for county programs, including public health and treatment services. The county's decision to participate commits Josephine County to the settlement process and to voting for Purdue's bankruptcy plan as a litigating subdivision.

Board members and county staff did not adopt a detailed spending plan for the new funds at the meeting. Hicks and the commissioners emphasized that settlement payments will be received over many years and that additional estate payments may be available on the settlement’s effective date.

Clarifying details provided at the meeting included the $6.5 billion aggregate figure for Sackler payments, the $1.5 billion payment on the effective date, the county’s projected roughly $1.08 million share from the settlement’s direct component, the $2.3 million already in the county receipt account, $484,000 previously spent/allocated, and approximately $1.8 million on hand.","The Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 to opt into a proposed nationwide settlement tied to Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy. County legal counsel said the settlement would send about $1.08 million to the county over 15 years, in addition to other funds already received.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents press Josephine County commissioners for fiscal-impact statements; library lease and mining application draw concern

Josephine County opts into Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement; county to receive roughly $1.08 million over 15 years