Umatilla County commissioners approve conference funding, contracts, vehicle purchases and multiple grants

Umatilla County commissioners on Feb. 5 approved a package of motions that included funding for a regional child-abuse training conference, vehicle replacements for Community Corrections, renewal of a sheriff's training-and-policy subscription, contracts for behavioral-health services in the jail and multiple facility improvement contracts and grants.

The actions were taken in a series of separate votes during the board meeting. Key decisions included authorization of the George Murdoch Eastern Oregon Regional Child Abuse Conference expenditures, approval to purchase two Dodge Durango vehicles for Community Corrections, renewal of the sheriff's Lexipol subscription and acceptance of a regional emergency-management equipment grant. The board also adopted two budget transfer orders to appropriate funds for capital outlay.

The board also approved procurement and facilities items for county buildings and the fairgrounds (electrical wiring and stair installation at the fair building, and ceiling repairs in Courtrooms 1 and 2), accepted a maintenance agreement for county election equipment, and authorized a contract with Community Counseling Services to deliver opioid-disorder treatment services in the jail. Several board-appointed positions and grant payments — including payments to local watershed and soil-and-water districts and a livestock-commission distribution tied to the fair sale — were approved.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes for Jan. 2 and Jan. 15, 2025 — approved. - George Murdoch Eastern Oregon Regional Child Abuse Conference: authorize expenditures in a projected range of $53,000–$75,000 (for speakers and food) — approved. - Purchase two Dodge Durango vehicles for Community Corrections from Enterprise Fleet Management for $97,484.06 — approved. - Renew sheriff's Lexipol subscription (policy manual and daily training bulletin) for $8,118.13 — approved. - Authorize contract with Community Counseling Services for opioid-disorder treatment in the jail and sign letter of support — approved. - Accept emergency-management OCAP grant and authorize signature to accept equipment grant — approved. - Approve low bid from Copper Creek Electric ($7,750) to wire an OSU extension classroom at the fair building — approved. - Approve installation of an aluminum staircase at the fair building mezzanine — approved. - Approve courtroom ceiling repairs (Nerve Construction) — approved. - Elections tally-system maintenance and software agreement — approved ($262.53 noted). - Adopt comment letter to the Land Conservation and Development Commission on Eastern Oregon solar rulemaking (House Bill 3409 rulemaking) — approved; the letter requests voluntary county participation and raises concerns about agricultural mitigation and battery storage treatment. - Approve hospital authority board appointments and Adams Community Benefit Plan Board appointment(s) — approved. - Approve Helix-related grants and a $40,000 improvement grant to Helix City Hall/Library — approved. - Approve two customary annual payments (Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council and Soil and Water Conservation District) of $10,000 each — approved. - Approve payment to Umatilla County Livestock Commission (4% commission on youth livestock sale) — approved ($114,539.77 reported). - Approve county contribution to Pendleton regional lobbying costs for the fiscal year — approved ($12,000 reported). - Adopt budget order transfers: decrease materials & services $2,000,000 / increase capital outlay $2,000,000; and increase capital outlay $500,000 / decrease contingency $500,000 — both approved. - Appoint compensation review committee members for elected-official compensation review — approved.

Procedural and follow-up items included setting the second reading for the Harris Park camping-fee change on Feb. 19, 2025, and scheduling two March board meetings to different dates to accommodate timing conflicts.

The minutes, motions and procurement items were taken individually; where the transcript recorded only a voice vote, the record shows the motion as approved. The meeting record did not always capture individual roll-call tallies for every vote.