Madras code officers report county camps, abandoned RVs and vehicle removals; request continued county funding

Madras code enforcement officers updated Jefferson County elected officials Feb. 5 on recent encampment activity, abandoned vehicles and cleanup costs, and asked the county to continue a joint county-city funding arrangement for code enforcement work that covers county lands outside Madras city limits.

Will Abershoff, Madras city administrator, introduced Dwayne and Eric, the city’s code officers, who described several categories of homelessness-related impacts the city and county encounter: established camps on county land, displaced people who seek shelter on private property and in sheds, abandoned recreational vehicles that later become occupied, and localized hoarding and overgrowth that pose safety and environmental concerns.

Dwayne said outcomes vary with camp types: some sites are relatively organized, with collected trash and propane bottles kept together, while others are disorderly and present hazards. He noted wilderness or bluff sites where camps return days after removal and described encounters that range from cooperative to confrontational. He urged a coordinated response and noted the cost of cleanup operations. "There were four 20-yard dumpsters to clean up that one area," he said, and estimated about $400 per dumpster for disposal in that example.

Madras staff asked the county to continue its $700-per-week contribution to support the shared code-enforcement officers; the city also covers salary and some cleanup costs. City staff said the joint team has helped move some people into treatment and housing: they cited 11 people who accepted assistance and enrolled in programs after staff intervention. But staff also said resource limits and the presence of private property and federal lands complicate enforcement and long-term solutions.

Sheriff Jason Pollock joined the discussion and urged officers to identify specific public-vs-private locations and provide detailed coordinates; he said deputies can assist with trespass enforcement when occupants are on private property and noted criminal remedies exist for repeat trespassers. Commissioners stressed the need for a broader, cross-jurisdictional approach involving public health, behavioral-health partners and federal land managers, and said county staff would work with the city to prepare a proposal that defines service scope, cost and measurable outcomes.

No immediate county vote was taken Feb. 5. Commissioners asked staff to draft an extension proposal and a scope of services for consideration; several commissioners said they want a larger regional work session with partners to align responsibilities and enforcement options.