The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a slate of contracts, intergovernmental agreements and appointments at its July 3 formal session, including a contract amendment for additional cameras at the county jail, a detour agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation, and a low-rent lease for equipment on a county radio tower used by the University of Oregon’s Oregon Hazards Lab.

Board action highlights:

• Correctional facility PLC/VMS upgrade — The board approved Amendment No. 6 to the agreement with Siemens Industry (board order 19-504) to modify the PLC/VMS system at the Yamhill County Correctional Facility, add five cameras and increase the contract “not to exceed” amount by $46,244 to a new total of $1,951,288, effective upon full execution. The motion passed unanimously.

• Old Sheridan Road detour access — The board approved Intergovernmental Agreement No. 73000-00045054 among Yamhill County Public Works, the City of McMinnville and the Oregon Department of Transportation to grant ODOT access and use of Southwest Old Sheridan Road as a detour during construction, effective upon full execution through Dec. 31, 2027. The motion passed unanimously.

• Vocational rehabilitation agreement extension — The board approved Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 179210 between Yamhill County and the Oregon Department of Human Services for the vocational rehabilitation program (board order 23-091), extending the contract term to March 31, 2027. The motion passed unanimously.

• Oregon Hazards Lab lease on county tower — The board approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Oregon’s Oregon Hazards Lab (OHL) to allow installation of a microwave communication link on the High Haven radio tower. The first-year rental amount is $790.10, subject to annual adjustments, and the agreement runs through Oct. 31, 2029. County staff told the board the space was offered at a public-safety rate because the equipment will support OHL’s regional AI-based smoke-detection program. The motion passed unanimously.

• Letter of support for Newberg transportation plan grant — The board approved submitting a letter of support for the City of Newberg’s application for an Oregon Department of Transportation Transportation and Growth Management grant to comprehensively update Newberg’s transportation system plan. The motion passed unanimously.

• Consent agenda and appointments — The board approved a consent agenda that included surplus IT items and several appointments. The board noted approval of John Olsen and Chris Taikaro to the Parks Advisory Board; with those appointments the Parks Board will still have one vacancy and the county will hold interviews Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m. to fill the remaining seat. The board also approved appointment of Steven Fox, which the clerk said would fill a seat on a board referenced in the packet; the record did not specify the board name beyond the meeting remarks. The consent agenda passed unanimously.

All motions recorded at the July 3 meeting passed by unanimous voice vote unless otherwise noted in the minutes; commissioners signified approval by saying "aye." No motions failed or were tabled during the session.

County staff explained the Hazards Lab arrangement during the meeting, saying the lease allows OHL to install a microwave link that connects to a Saddle Mountain relay and supports the lab’s broader smoke-detection network. "It is essentially a public safety component because the AI smoke detection obviously has a benefit to Yamhill County residents as well as neighboring counties," a county staff speaker said during discussion.