The Columbia County Board of Commissioners approved a package of agreements, contracts and amendments on June 25, 2025 that included multiple ambulance service franchise agreements and an intergovernmental financing agreement with the Oregon Health Authority.

As listed on the consent agenda and moved as part of the agreements item (C73-2025 through C77-2025 and others), the board approved franchise agreements for ambulance services covering the county's ambulance service areas with the following agencies: Columbia River Fire & Rescue (Area 3 and Area 4), Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire Protection District (Area 6), Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District (Area 5), Scappoose Rural Fire District (Area 2), and Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District (reimbursement order). The meeting materials referenced order numbers and agreement codes for each franchise and reimbursement action.

The board also approved C82-2025, a 2025-2027 intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Oregon Health Authority for financing public health services and authorized the chair to sign. Other items approved in the agreements block included a primary funding agreement with Circular Action Alliance Oregon LLC for distribution of funds and an amendment to a USDA grant agreement (Amendment 3) related to wildlife services.

Riley Baker, general services director, presented the draft permit and hold-harmless materials for a separate item regarding the City of St. Helens' Fourth of July event; that item was approved in discussion and is recorded separately.

Why this matters: franchise agreements determine which fire districts provide ambulance services in designated service areas and include operational and financial responsibilities for emergency medical response. The IGA with the Oregon Health Authority governs public-health financing for 2025-2027.

Votes and implementation: these agreements were approved on the consent agenda or in the agreements block; the meeting record shows motions and voice votes of "Aye" and the chair confirmed approval. Specific contractual start dates and detailed financial terms were not read into the public record at length during the meeting; those details are expected to be in the finalized contracts and orders filed with county records.