Baker County commissioners approve series of contracts and amendments; summary of votes

The Baker County Board of Commissioners voted on multiple contracts, bid awards and intergovernmental amendments during its Sept. 3, 2025 meeting, approving each by voice vote.

The actions passed at the meeting included routine approval of minutes and several formal agreements: the board signed a Cooperative Forest Road agreement with the county road master; accepted a $7,300 installation bid from Kingdom Built Contracting for a tourism kiosk in Sumter; approved an ODOT/CCNO 53.10 transportation contract (ODOT contract no. 35718) despite counsel's caveats about a pending federal injunction; amended the county's contract with Polly Rogers to add financial-statement preparation and extra audit years to catch up multi-year audit delays; and awarded the Baker County Emergency Operations Center construction contract at $2.3 million and authorized a notice to proceed dated Sept. 3, 2025. The board also approved a personal services contract with Early Bird Grant Writing Services LLC and ratified multiple Oregon Health Authority intergovernmental agreement amendments.

Votes were taken by voice with commissioners responding "aye" and motions carried. Where specific dollar amounts or contract numbers were presented in the packet, those figures were recorded in the motions and shown in official contract documents.

Key approved items at a glance
- Approval of minutes for the Aug. 20, 2025 session — motion carried by voice vote.
- Cooperative Forest Road agreement (Cooperative Forest Road agreement number 25-RO-11061600-192) — motion to sign approved.
- TLT kiosk installation: accepted Kingdom Built Contracting bid, $7,300 — motion approved.
- ODOT 53.10 / CCNO 53.10 contract (ODOT contract no. 35718) — motion to approve carried following counsel's explanation of legal risks tied to a temporary federal injunction.
- Amendment to agreement with Polly Rogers to add financial statement services and three additional audit years (extending audit work through 2025) — motion approved.
- Contract award for Baker County Emergency Operations Center construction to Corinne Eagle Howe Construction, $2,300,000; motion approved and facilities director authorized to issue notice to proceed (effective 09/03/2025).
- Personal services contract: Early Bird Grant Writing Services LLC (grant-writing services) — motion approved.
- Ratification of multiple Oregon Health Authority IGA amendments and other administrative amendments included in the packet — motions to ratify carried.

Formal outcomes were recorded in the meeting minutes and the county will complete signature paperwork or deliver contract copies to vendors as indicated.

Ending
The commissioners reserved several items for further administrative follow-up (for example: clarifying a contract date typo in the Cooperative Forest Road agreement and finalizing signatures), and directed staff to circulate signed copies as available.