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Commission authorizes chair to sign insurance contracts as needed for broadband grant compliance
Summary
County staff reported that state broadband grant terms require pollution and professional-liability insurance not currently carried by the county; commissioners authorized the county chair (or designee) to approve purchase of required policies up to staff-estimated amounts so the grant process can move forward.
County staff told commissioners June 15 that an Oregon Broadband Office grant requires insurance coverage the county does not currently carry: pollution liability and professional liability tied to grant-funded activities. The countys insurance broker, PAINWest, reported preliminary quotes of roughly $20,000 for pollution liability and about $10,000 for professional liability; staff emphasized those are early estimates and they are still shopping for best rates.
County counsel and the county administrative officer advised that the state has not waived those requirements and that the county must either purchase coverage or secure a subrecipient arrangement in which the subrecipient or a prime contractor carries the policies and names the county as an additional insured. The board discussed the options and the risk of delaying the grant process if staff cannot complete the procurement in time.
Commissioner motioned and the board authorized the county chair (or the county administrative officer as the chairs designee) to approve purchasing the required insurance if needed to keep the grant on schedule, subject to the final negotiated prices and county risk-management review. The motion passed by voice vote. Staff said they will try to shift insurer cost to the subrecipient (Blue Mountain) and to require vendors to carry the required coverage if possible, but asked authority to act quickly if the grant timeline requires county-side purchases.
