At a Nov. 24 session, Harney County Court adopted Resolution 2025-27 to approve a supplemental budget and move several fund balances into a renamed jail capital improvement fund for a jail and 9-1-1 dispatch reorganization.

Under the adopted supplemental budget, the courthouse annex fund (renamed the jail capital improvement fund) will hold a $3,000,000 Oregon Judicial Department grant for court-related services. The court also transferred $300,000 from the 9-1-1 fund and moved $5,286,978 from the previous jail reserve into the consolidated fund; the combined balance will be appropriated largely to a capital-outlay line for the jail project. Commissioners discussed beginning fund balances, cash flow, and the need for clarity about revenues and expenditures before transfers; staff explained the moves and reported documentation on file with the county clerk.

The court also took a series of other formal actions in the same session. The court approved a court order (2025-08) to advertise the county-owned property at 497 South Kearny Ave. for public sale; staff explained state rules for minimum sale pricing and noted ongoing questions about distribution of surplus proceeds in light of recent court precedents. The court approved Resolution 2025-31 to name a private access road 'Lane 14 Lane' where four homes now share a single access and directed staff to notify affected residents and update addresses per county and state rules.

During the afternoon session the court authorized $40,000 from the Fairgrounds Reserve (Betty Morgan fund) to cover current Event Center needs and approved Resolution 2025-30, which moved $35,500 from the fair contingency line to the capital outlay line to address a contractor invoice. Commissioners and fair officials described unexpected infrastructure work (water, sewer and power) that increased project costs, and discussed donor fundraising and grant-writing as follow-up steps.

All motions noted in this summary were made, seconded and carried by voice votes with no recorded negative votes in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve agenda (voice vote): approved.
- Motion to approve 11/05/2025 minutes (voice vote): approved.
- Resolution 2025-28 (Home Health & Hospice appropriation, $5,000): moved and approved.
- Resolution 2025-31 (road naming: Lane 14 Lane): moved and approved.
- Court Order 2025-08 (authorize sale of 497 South Kearny Ave.): moved and approved.
- Resolution 2025-27 (adopt supplemental budget; jail capital consolidation): moved and approved.
- Authorization: $40,000 from Fairgrounds Reserve (Betty Morgan fund): moved and approved.
- Resolution 2025-30 (intra-fund transfer, Fair Fund: $35,500 from contingency to capital outlay): moved and approved.

Next steps noted by the court include advertising the land sale, notifying road residents of address changes, continuing coordination on the jail contract and insurance review, and pursuing grant and donor options for the Event Center.