Harney County Court approves three budget adjustments, favors modified-cash audit; hears briefings on water rules, radar site and wolves

Harney County Court on May 21 approved three budget resolutions and an intra‑fund transfer, signaled a countywide preference for a modified‑cash audit presentation, and spent much of its meeting briefing the public on several policy issues — from Oregon Water Resources Department rulemaking to a draft county wolf resolution and a U.S. Air Force environmental review of a proposed radar site.

The court approved the funding adjustments by voice vote after staff and the departments involved described the unexpected revenues and expense needs. The court also directed the treasurer to work with the county auditor to move the county’s annual financial statements from a pure cash presentation to a modified‑cash presentation that discloses noncurrent liabilities and capital assets in the statement of net position.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025‑10 (Home Health & Hospice appropriation): Approved. The court increased revenues and materials & supplies for Fund 251 by $50,500 to reflect higher Medicare revenue and expenses tied to an influx of patients for Harney County Home Health & Hospice. Matt Cole, director of Home Health & Hospice, attended the meeting to answer questions.

- Resolution 2025‑09 (BLM contract intra‑fund transfer, Fund 020): Approved. The court transferred $540 from the administration category to personal services to cover higher personnel costs (noted as dental/health cost differences for an employee) within the BLM contract fund.

- Resolution 2025‑11 (Public Health / Rural Health Clinic appropriation, Fund 245): Approved. The court increased revenue and the materials & supplies line by $66,025 after Harney County Public Health received additional, unanticipated grant and immunization funding; staff said the adjustment should carry the program through the end of the fiscal year.

- MOU with Oregon State University (strategic plan): Approved. The court authorized Commissioner Frank to sign a memorandum of understanding under which OSU Extension will provide strategic‑planning facilitation services pro bono, including at least one in‑person session that OSU scheduled for early July.

How the court handled the county audit presentation

For transparency and public clarity the court discussed whether Harney County should present its annual financial statements on a pure cash basis or on a modified cash basis (modified cash adds capital assets and long‑term liabilities to the statement of net position while keeping current transactions on a cash basis). Treasurer Heaney summarized discussions with the county’s auditor, John Russell, and with the Oregon Secretary of State’s audit division.

Treasurer Heaney said, “We’re not out of compliance in any way,” and reported that the state audit manager told her presentation style is a matter of preference. Russell, the county’s auditor, told the treasurer he can prepare footnotes that disclose long‑term liabilities and capital‑asset tables under a cash presentation or produce a modified‑cash statement that shows those items in the statement of net position.

After discussion about public readability and potential misinterpretation (for example, how capital assets can inflate the bottom‑line net position number even though those assets are not liquid cash), the court expressed a consensus preference — recorded for the minutes — that the county should adopt a modified‑cash audit presentation and have the treasurer coordinate with the auditor to implement it.

Discussion highlights: water rulemaking and local impacts

Commissioners spent significant time briefing the public on Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) Division 5 rulemaking (the RACK rule process). The court reminded residents that public comment opens June 2 and closes Aug. 7 and urged constructive, specific comments rather than general objections. The court and Natural Resource Advisory Committee members said the rules could affect irrigated agriculture in Harney County, with a referenced possibility of up to a 35% reduction in irrigation in some long‑term scenarios; staff warned that such reductions would have knock‑on effects for property values, tax rolls and the county economy.

Court members encouraged residents to use county and NRAC resources to prepare comments and noted interest in outreach workshops and more public education.

USAF radar site NEPA scoping and local questions

The court reported it had received notice of a National Environmental Policy Act scoping and public comment period for a proposed U.S. Air Force over‑the‑horizon radar receiver site near Whitehorse Road (described in public materials as a roughly 4,900‑acre footprint on existing public land). Court members said early scoping materials were limited and that the county will post documents and links at the courthouse and on the county Facebook page. Comments and questions the court recommended residents consider include potential effects on grazing allotments, wild‑horse herd management areas, migratory birds and the implications of a land withdrawal and transfer to the Department of Defense.

Wolf‑management resolution and multijurisdictional effort

Commissioner Frank described a draft county resolution seeking congressional action to delist the gray wolf in portions of eastern Oregon (a draft framed largely as a request for delisting and for increased state/federal support for livestock protection). The court said several eastern Oregon counties are discussing coordinated language and potential joint action. Court members noted that local wildlife services staff provide significant direct service (and that counties often cover most of the local costs), and they said the draft asks state and federal partners to help with resources and reimbursement where counties have responded to acute depredations.

Home health, public health and operational questions

On Resolution 2025‑10, Matt Cole, identified in the meeting as director of Harney County Home Health & Hospice, told the court the program has seen an influx of patients — including referrals from outside Harney County as other local agencies have reduced services — raising both therapy needs (occupational and physical therapy) and supply costs. Cole and a billing specialist attended to answer questions about service trends and staffing; Cole said the agency has hired a full‑time occupational therapist and is pursuing county vehicles for staff who now use personal cars on visits.

On Resolution 2025‑11, staff explained the county’s public health / rural health clinic received additional grant and immunization funding that was not part of the adopted 2024‑25 budget and that the resolution will reallocate appropriation to cover expected end‑of‑year costs.

Other business

- The court authorized the county to pursue a strategic planning partnership with Oregon State University; OSU agreed to provide facilitation and at least two in‑person sessions pro bono. The court set a July 2 session and agreed to adjust the county court calendar so department heads can participate (the first session was scheduled for afternoon/evening to accommodate staff availability).

- Flood recovery and long‑term recovery: The court updated the public on flood recovery work. It said the governor had signed individual and public assistance requests, and the county continues to pursue federal Small Business Administration support and other funding. A long‑term recovery group will operate under a local nonprofit hub to speed distribution of donated funds and assistance; the court said preliminary funds had been raised and that the nonprofit hub would set eligibility criteria and board review processes.

What happened next

Court minutes show each motion was called, seconded and approved by voice vote; when no member voiced opposition the chair declared the motions carried. The treasurer will coordinate with the county auditor to implement the modified‑cash presentation and to add explanatory notes or tables to improve public clarity.

Meeting context and next steps

The meeting included substantive discussion with department staff present for multiple agenda items. The court scheduled a work session on the county’s mental‑health contract and set internal steps to distribute OWRD and USAF scoping information to residents. County staff and commissioners encouraged public participation in upcoming comment periods and said they will post informational materials and links online and at the courthouse.

Ending

The meeting concluded with scheduling and procedural items; the court adjourned after confirming no further public comment and setting follow‑ups on the items above.