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County raises wildlife‑services costs, wolf conflicts and options for funding
Summary
Commissioners and representatives discussed that Harney County covers the majority of wildlife‑services costs (speaker cited ~80%), concerns about increasing wolf‑livestock conflicts, outreach to NRCS and Grant County for funding for a preventive specialist, and legal limits on creating a predator control special district until state action; no county vote taken.
Harney County Court heard extended correspondence Dec. 3 about wildlife‑services funding and rising wolf‑livestock conflicts.
Representative Bobby Levy presented a draft letter to the Eastern Oregon Counties Association expressing concern that counties absorb the bulk of wildlife‑services costs; Levy said Harney County covers roughly 80% of the local bill and that the remainder derives from state and federal funding streams. He and other members described demand and cost pressures tied to wolf‑livestock depredations and said they were pursuing federal and inter‑county funding arrangements to support prevention and nonlethal measures.
Levy reported he had contacted Harney County NRCS and that Grant County funds a preventive, nonlethal specialist through NRCS and lottery funds; county members said they would pursue outreach to see if similar funding streams could be accessed. The court discussed the option of creating a predator control special district financed by local property owners; members said the statutory authority to form such a special district had previously been allowed but had since lapsed (sunset) and would require legislative action before it could be used again — speakers indicated the earliest feasible legislative change could be in 2027.
The Wolf Advisory Committee reported low applicant numbers for a recent advertised opening and elected Michael Dellman as its new chair. The court set up further staff review (including meetings to review wildlife‑services personnel hours and budgeting) and did not take formal county action on funding changes at the Dec. 3 session.
