Coos County elects Sweet as chair, approves grants, hires and IGA with Bandon School District

Commissioner John Sweet was elected chair and Commissioner Farmer was elected vice chair at the Coos County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 7, 2025. The board also approved several personnel actions, equipment disposals and funding agreements, and set a public hearing on an annexation petition for Jan. 30, 2025.

The decisions affect staffing at county health and public safety programs, emergency-management funding and collection of a new construction excise tax in the Bandon School District.

Commissioner Sweet opened the election discussion by describing the board's long-standing practice of rotating the chairmanship, saying, "I move that we continue...with a rotation of the chair position," and later offering a simplified motion to elect himself chair and Commissioner Farmer vice chair. The motion passed on a voice vote.

On personnel and staffing the board approved posting a Mental Health Associate to Lead position for Coos Health & Wellness' adult outpatient team (pay grade 451), following review by the AFSCME union. The motion to post and fill the position passed on a voice vote.

The board declared a list of Parks Department items surplus and authorized their disposal via public auction, including a 1988 V-hull aluminum boat and a tandem-axle trailer. Parks director Craig described the boat as a 20-foot inboard/outboard that had been transferred from Klamath County Marine Patrol. The motion passed on a voice vote.

The board accepted an Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) grant totaling $82,018 to subsidize roughly half of an emergency-management position. The board authorized the chair to sign the grant agreement; the motion passed on a voice vote.

Under a separate action the board authorized purchase of one vehicle for the sheriff's office through a marijuana grant, not to exceed $60,000; the request covered purchase only (outfitting would be handled separately). The motion passed on a voice vote.

The board approved hiring Noel Wright as animal shelter operator at step 3. The motion passed on a voice vote.

The board approved payment of three invoices totaling $11,082.87 to complete equipment installation on a radio tower in Bandon; the payment will use levy funds. The motion passed on a voice vote.

County Counsel presented an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Coos County and the Bandon School District for the county to collect and remit the school district's construction excise tax. County Counsel said the school district establishes the tax by resolution pursuant to state law and the county administers building permits and tax collection. Commissioner comments clarified the tax applies only to new construction inside the school district and noted rates discussed by staff: $1.63 per square foot for residential construction and $0.82 per square foot for nonresidential construction. After discussion the board approved the IGA and authorized the chair to sign. The motion passed on a voice vote.

The board also approved an order (Order 2501001L) setting a public annexation hearing for Jan. 30, 2025, at 10 a.m., following receipt of a petition from landowners seeking annexation into the Lakeside Rural Fire Protection District. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Election of chair and vice chair: John Sweet elected chair; Commissioner Farmer elected vice chair — passed (voice vote). - Approve posting/filling Mental Health Associate to Lead (Coos Health & Wellness) — passed (voice vote). - Declare Parks equipment surplus and authorize auction (includes 1988 V-hull boat, trailer, hand tools) — passed (voice vote). - Accept OEM grant $82,018 for emergency management position and authorize chair to sign — passed (voice vote). - Authorize purchase of sheriff vehicle not to exceed $60,000 (marijuana grant funds) — passed (voice vote). - Approve hiring Noel Wright, animal shelter operator at step 3 — passed (voice vote). - Approve payment of three invoices totaling $11,082.87 for Bandon radio tower installation — passed (voice vote). - Approve IGA with Bandon School District for collection/remittance of construction excise tax and authorize chair to sign — passed (voice vote). - Approve Order 2501001L setting annexation hearing (Lakeside) — passed (voice vote).

The board conducted the remainder of routine consent-calendar business and scheduled a work session to assign commissioner liaison responsibilities for Thursday, Jan. 9 at 2:30 p.m.

Ending: The board adjourned after citizen comments and commissioner reports.