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Wasco County commissioners approve appointments, review finance report and hear updates on infrastructure, solar siting and C‑PACE
Summary
At its Feb. 18 meeting the Wasco County Board approved several volunteer appointments, received a January financial update and investment‑policy proposal, heard MCEDD’s prioritized project list and a state briefing on the Deschutes Solar preliminary application; the board also discussed adopting C‑PACE enabling documents and directed staff to return with a formal investment‑policy recommendation in June.
The Wasco County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 18 approved multiple advisory‑body appointments, accepted a mid‑year financial briefing and heard updates on regional economic development projects, the C‑PACE financing option and a major state energy siting application.
Appointments and votes: The board approved Order 26‑004 appointing James R. Foster to Planning Commission Position #7; Order 26‑010 appointing John Williams to the Public Transportation Advisory Committee; and Orders 26‑011, 26‑012 and 26‑013 appointing Tim Beatty, Taner Elliott and Breanna Wimber to the Wasco County Wolf Compensation Committee (some appointments were noted as contingent on the formal approval of the Wolf Depredation Compensation Committee). Each motion was moved and seconded by board members and passed unanimously.
Finance update and investments: Finance Director Mike Middleton told commissioners that the county’s fiscal position remains broadly stable: property tax collections are running about 90.4% of budget and investment earnings were about $525,823 (roughly 73% of the projection for the period). Middleton proposed amending the county’s investment policy to permit participation in the Oregon Local Government Intermediate Fund (OLGIF), a state‑run intermediate‑term pool that typically yields higher returns but is less liquid and may incur market losses in down years. The Board gave consensus to take the matter through the Oregon Short‑Term Fund Board review (anticipated in May) and to expect a formal recommendation and possible policy amendment in June.
Economic development and C‑PACE: Andrew Danies of the Mid‑Columbia Economic Development District presented the EDC’s prioritized 2026 Community Enhancement Projects list. Top items include water system upgrades in Maupin, Pine Grove, Tygh Valley and Wamic; Sixth Street Bridge replacement in The Dalles; broadband (QLife); and other rural infrastructure projects. Danies also briefed the board on the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C‑PACE) program, describing it as a private‑lender financing mechanism secured by a voluntary county benefit assessment lien that can fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, EV charging and seismic retrofits. MCEDD said it can draft administration guidelines and that application fees can cover county administrative costs.
Deschutes Solar update and public process: Kathleen Sloan of the Oregon Department of Energy described BrightNight’s preliminary application for the Deschutes Solar and battery storage project, a proposed 1,000‑MW solar facility and 4,000‑MWh battery system with a 14,000‑acre application boundary and a micrositing layout of 46 array clusters. ODOE said the application is incomplete and will seek additional information; the department stressed that official written comments to preserve contested‑case rights should be submitted during the Draft Proposed Order stage. Wasco County staff will host a local public session on March 4 to collect feedback the county can forward to ODOE.
Other business: The board authorized staff to bring a formal LGIF/OLGIF recommendation to the commissioners in June; approved a six‑month extension for Basalt Commons urban‑renewal timing; and approved a $100,000 Exterior Refresh Pilot to provide storefront grants of up to $7,500.
The meeting adjourned after routine consent actions and announcements.
