City of Boardman to end planning IGA; Gilliam County considers hiring or contracting alternatives

Gilliam County Court discussed Feb. 4 how to replace planning services after the City of Boardman notified the county it will terminate the intergovernmental agreement providing planning support, effective June 30.

Boardman planning staff (Stephanie Case) and Carla McClain explained the decision was driven by workload and an upcoming retirement; Boardman said it will continue to provide services through the end of the fiscal year and work with Gilliam County on a transition. Stephanie Case and Carla McClain said recruiting experienced planners in Eastern Oregon is difficult, particularly for principal‑level roles.

Commissioners discussed several options: (1) recruit and hire an in‑house principal planner (noted as difficult because of regional shortages), (2) contract with another county or a private consultant, (3) share a higher‑level regional planner to oversee multi‑county planning while maintaining a local point of contact in Arlington or Condon for day‑to‑day matters, or (4) create an internal administrative position that could be trained to handle routine planning tasks while backstopping with external technical support.

Boardman staff offered to continue services through June and to assist with posting job notices and coordinating outreach. The court directed staff to pursue multiple options concurrently, reach out to interested contractors who had already contacted the county, advertise on planning listservs and AOC (Association of Oregon Counties) channels, and return with proposals at the next meeting.

No formal action was taken at the Feb. 4 meeting; commissioners said they will present options and timelines at the Feb. 18 meeting.