Harney County to pursue county service district for wildlife services; court moves to solicit grant-writing/ investor assistance
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Summary
Commissioners instructed staff to consult county counsel about creating a county service district to fund wildlife services (predator control, pigeon management and infrastructure responses) and to issue an RFQ/RFP for grant-writing and for an Opportunity Zones investor incentive package. The proposed wildlife tax rate of 13¢ per $1,000 AV was discussed as roughly $100K/year.
Harney County Court voted Feb. 18 to pursue creation of a county service district under state statute to fund wildlife services after commissioners heard that the program cost about $94,500 last year and reserves used to support the program have been depleted.
Funding proposal: Commissioners discussed a sample tax rate of 13¢ per $1,000 of assessed value — an amount estimated in the briefing to raise roughly $100,000 annually (about $26 per year on a $200,000 property). Commissioners identified an alternative rate of 15.6¢ per $1,000 that would raise about $120,000. The court agreed to send the draft language to county counsel for legal review and to prepare ballot materials if the legal review supports the approach.
Grant-writing and economic development: Separately, commissioners debated contracting for grant-writing services and a broader economic development capacity (including an incentive package for capital investors needed for Opportunity Zones submissions). The court agreed to prioritize an RFQ/RFP that would seek firms able to (1) prepare an incentive package for investors and (2) assemble an Opportunity Zones nomination; commissioners set a rapid timeline to publish and solicit qualifications with the goal of selecting a contractor in mid-March if possible.
Why it matters: Wildlife services address predator control, pigeon hazards to school safety and infrastructure damage from beavers; commissioners emphasized the public-safety component and the difficulty of relying exclusively on declining internal reserves. The proposed county service district would place the funding question before voters and create a steady revenue stream dedicated to the program.
Next steps: County staff will forward the draft county-service-district language to county counsel, return with legal guidance and, if feasible, prepare ballot language and timelines for the next court meeting. The RFQ/RFP for grant-writing/OZ/incentive-package support will be drafted and published; responses are targeted for mid-March evaluation.