Klamath County commissioners approve equipment purchase, grant awards, KCC substation and automation agreement

Klamath County commissioners on Oct. 14 approved a package of equipment purchases, grant agreements, a contract with Klamath Community College and several administrative contracts and recommendations during a roughly 20‑minute business meeting.

The board approved the purchase of an aerial bucket truck for the road department, accepted a state behavioral health deflection grant agreement for community corrections, authorized a multi‑year agreement placing a sheriff's office substation at Klamath Community College, approved an amendment to a public health financing IGA with the Oregon Health Authority, and signed a $3,500 licensing and cocreation agreement to automate animal control administrative processes. The board also approved a five‑year lease for the Keno library branch and voted to forward a draft deed transferring a well site to the city of Klamath Falls for review. Several liquor license recommendations were noted for the record.

Why it matters: together these actions move forward routine county operations — equipment replacement, public safety partnerships, public‑health funding, and administrative modernization — and include both new revenues and county expenditures that affect departmental budgets going forward.

Most important actions

• Road equipment purchase: The board approved purchasing an aerial bucket truck from Global Rental Company to replace an older unit. County Engineer Mike Zareczynski told the board the 2003 vehicle is increasingly difficult to maintain and the purchase was included in this year's budget. The motion recorded the fiscal impact as an expense of $175,830 from the road department equipment reserve budget. The motion carried unanimously.

• Behavioral health deflection grant (Agreement BHD‑27‑13): Aaron Hartman of Klamath County Community Corrections said the county was approved for the phase‑one proposal and that the state reduced funding for the program this cycle. "They significantly reduced the funding for behavioral health deflection," Hartman said, and the department will need to cover a larger share of the program costs with the hope the state will restore funds after a benchmark review. The board approved the agreement; the fiscal impact was recorded as revenue of $152,344 to the community corrections operating fund. The agreement term will run through Nov. 30, 2027, unless extended or terminated earlier.

• Klamath Community College substation (KCSO): The board approved a three‑year agreement to establish a Klamath County Sheriff's Office substation at Klamath Community College. Sheriff Mitchell explained the substation would be supervised by a 0.75 FTE sergeant designated as a law enforcement liaison (LEL) and that the sheriff's office would assign a full‑time sergeant to the role while using the remaining 0.25 FTE of that position to supervise school‑resource duties and patrol programs. The motion specified annual revenue of $138,427 to the sheriff's patrol division and covered an agreement term effective Jan. 2025 through Sept. 30, 2028. The motion carried unanimously.

• Public health IGA amendment (IGA 185817): Jennifer Little, public health director, asked the board to approve Amendment 3 to IGA 185817 with the Oregon Health Authority. Little said the amendment adds incentive funds the county earned for meeting public‑health modernization metrics and rolls forward public health infrastructure funds; the agreement remains effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. The board approved the amendment; the fiscal impact was recorded as increased grant revenue of $35,629.36 to subdepartment 4039 for fiscal year 2025–26.

• Licensing and cocreation agreement (animal control): The board approved a licensing and cocreation agreement with Harmony AI Inc. and Verge Consulting to create an intelligent automation hub for animal control administrative processes. The fiscal impact listed was a $3,500 expense from the general fund (non‑departmental). One commissioner requested a department check‑in on the program (suggested at 30/60/90 days); the board noted that plan and approved the agreement.

• Library lease renewal (Keno): The Klamath County Library director requested approval of a new five‑year lease with Keno Mercantile for the Keno branch at 15555 Highway 66. The lease term is Nov. 1, 2025 through Oct. 31, 2030 and the presenter stated the rent will increase after 10 years; the monthly rent was stated as $1,806. The board approved the lease.

• Draft deed to city (well site at Public Works Roadshop): Terry Wells, Klamath County Property Sales, presented a draft "quick clean" deed for a well site at the Public Works Roadshop and asked the board to forward the draft to the city of Klamath Falls for review. The board voted to send the draft deed to the city.

• Liquor license recommendations: The board noted for the record recommendations on one new license and multiple renewals verified by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC). The county's action was a recommendation only; the OLCC retains the licensing decision. The county recorded nominal revenue for processing these recommendations.

Other business and public comment

The meeting opened with employee service awards recognizing staff members for five‑, ten‑ and 20‑year tenures. During public comment, James Farmer identified himself as a Klamath County resident and pro‑Second Amendment activist and offered printed material for the record. Lucas Nisley, an OIT nursing student, asked for contact information from public health about lower‑than‑average adult vaccination rates in the county; staff said public health would follow up. A lay minister who identified only as Ren spoke about constitutional concerns related to federal immigration enforcement observed on a recent trip; those remarks were part of public comment and did not generate board action.

Chair and compliance note

A commissioner reported that county travel‑miles and other practices were reviewed with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and said the county's policies are being updated to align with the commission's guidance. The commissioner said some county budget and travel processes had been out of compliance and pledged to bring recommended policy changes to the board.

Votes at a glance

(Each item below was moved, seconded and approved by recorded voice vote where the record states "Chair votes aye; motion passes." Individual commissioner vote names were not provided in the meeting transcript.)

• Purchase bucket truck — expense $175,830 from road equipment reserve — approved. • Agreement BHD‑27‑13 (Behavioral Health Deflection) — revenue $152,344 — approved; county director said state funding was reduced and county will cover shortfall in near term. • KCC substation agreement (Sheriff/Klamath Community College) — revenue $138,427 per year; term Jan. 2025–Sept. 30, 2028 — approved. • IGA 185817 Amendment 3 (Oregon Health Authority/public health) — revenue increase $35,629.36 — approved. • Licensing and cocreation agreement (Harmony AI Inc./Verge Consulting) — expense $3,500 general fund — approved; board requested a check‑in schedule. • Liquor license recommendations (multiple businesses; OLCC verification) — noted for the record; county recommendation only. • Keno library lease (Keno Mercantile) — five‑year lease Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2030; monthly rent listed as $1,806 in presentation (see clarifying details) — approved. • Draft deed to city for well site at Public Works Roadshop — forwarded to city for review — approved.

Ending

The board adjourned at 1:20 p.m. and indicated staff will follow up with public health to respond to the student’s inquiry and with the sheriff and library staff on implementation details of the approved agreements.