Washington County salary commission orients members, elects chair and vice chair; sets tight June deadline

The Washington County Salary Commission elected Mohammed Faisal Azim as chair and Madiha Ahmadjad as vice chair during an orientation meeting on May 1, where county counsel and staff briefed members on applicable ethics rules, public-records obligations and the expedited deadline for the commission's work.

Adriana Ortega, Labor and Employment County Counsel in the Office of County Counsel, told the commission that Oregon ethics laws treat volunteers on public bodies as public officials and bar using the office "for personal gain," and she reminded members of a $50 limit on acceptable gifts. Ortega also reviewed public meetings and public-records laws, telling members that communications about county business — including on personal devices if they relate to commission work — may be subject to public-records requests.

The orientation explained the commission's task and schedule. Clerk Kevin Moss and consultant facilitator Tony Tabura outlined a proposed timetable of weekly meetings in May and an intention to present a final recommendation before the county's budget decisions this month. Commission members were told the commission's work must be…