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Commissioners agree to sign amended transportation advocacy letter; staff to add Federal Lands Access Program request
Summary
Board discussed a model transportation letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary circulated by NACO; commissioners instructed staff to add language supporting the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) and other federal programs, and a motion to sign the amended letter was made and seconded during the meeting
The Board of County Commissioners discussed a model transportation-advocacy letter Monday prepared with input from the National Association of Counties and staff, and commissioners directed staff to add a specific request supporting the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) to the draft before signing.
Commissioners and staff said FLAP funding is important to Deschutes County because the county maintains or participates in maintenance of roads that serve federal lands and recreation sites. County staff and Commissioner speakers noted examples of prior FLAP-funded work — Buckhorn, portions of 3 Creeks Road, chip seal on Cascade Lakes Highway and similar projects — and urged including FLAP language in the letter to the U.S. secretary of transportation.
Jeff Patterson and county staff produced a two-page version of the NACO form letter; commissioners suggested tightening language and adding a paragraph to reauthorize or extend FLAP and to reference other federal programs such as Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). The board reached consensus to include FLAP language and asked staff (Brenda/Bridal in the packet) to finalize a two-page letter.
Motion: During the discussion one commissioner said, "So I'm signing the amended letter," and another commissioner seconded. No roll-call vote appears in the transcript, but commissioners discussed forwarding the letter to congressional leadership in addition to the Secretary of Transportation. Staff said they would circulate a final PDF and coordinate signatures.
Next steps: Staff will insert an FLAP paragraph, finalize the two-page layout to meet packet deadlines, and return the finalized document for signatures and distribution to federal officials and congressional leaders as discussed.
