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County government relations team outlines legislative tracking tools and coordination with cities, associations
Summary
Washington County government relations staff described their weekly 'Friday memo' and bill-tracker reports for commissioners and said they will strengthen coordination with department staff, city government-relations personnel and associations during the 2025 legislative session.
At the Jan. 16 supplemental roundtable, Washington County's government relations team described the internal tools and external coordination it will use during the 2025 legislative session and asked commissioners how they prefer to be informed about staff and commissioner contacts with state legislators.
Erin Doyle and county staff said the county will continue a weekly 'Friday memo' and an attached bill-tracking report that prioritizes bills affecting Washington County. The tools are intended to surface "needs to know" items rather than every bill filed; commissioners were told staff will escalate high-priority items and share written testimony and talking points prepared for association or departmental testimony.
Doyle described coordination venues that the county uses to align with local governments and associations — including weekly meetings with Metro, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC), and other county lobbyists — and an intergovernmental calendar that departments can use to note meetings and presentations to city councils and partner entities. The team said those tools would be used to avoid duplication, ensure staff testifying for the county adhere to board policy, and to build regional support for priority county projects where appropriate.
Commissioners asked for transparency around commissioner-led contacts with elected officials. Doyle and commissioners agreed that the government's relations office should be informed when individual commissioners plan to meet or speak with state or federal delegations so staff can provide appropriate talking points and logistical support. Commissioners also asked that a "power mapping" or committee-assignment list be provided to them so they can match county priorities to delegation committee roles when an opportunity arises.
Next steps: The government relations team will continue weekly reports during the session, provide talking points and written testimony when the county or staff appears before committees, and make the intergovernmental calendar more available to departments and commissioners. Commissioners were reminded that the county's lobbyists and AOC are additional resources for association-led testimony and that Van Scoyoc will assist with federal advocacy.
