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Lake County work session covers road committee change, road vacation petition, grants and personnel policy
Summary
At its Feb. 18, 2025 work session the Lake County Board heard routine business: a Road Advisory Committee resignation and nomination, a petition to vacate County Road 4‑16B (1.33 miles), a request to convert sheriff fees ordinance to a fee schedule (hearings set for March), an Outback Strong funding amendment removing $6,612.57, and a proposed $50,000 State DOE grant application via LCRI.
The Lake County Board of Commissioners reviewed a series of administrative items during its Feb. 18 work session, including committee appointments, a road vacation petition, proposed changes to sheriff’s office fees, a mental‑health funding amendment, a personnel review policy, and a proposed State of Oregon Department of Energy grant application.
Road Superintendent Kevin Hock reported that Road Advisory Committee member Larry Maxwell had resigned and recommended Mark Wells as his replacement; Mr. Wells was present and was asked to submit a committee application. Hock also read a proposed order to vacate County Road 4‑16B and said the road measures 1.33 miles; he said maintenance schedules would be updated to assign maintenance elsewhere. Formal action on both items was deferred to the Regular Session.
Sheriff's Department Administrative Assistant Heather Eversole recommended revoking Ordinance 52.120 and adopting a simpler fee schedule by resolution because most sheriff’s fees are state‑mandated maximums; Commissioners' Assistant Tina Burneikis suggested hearings on March 5 and March 18 to consider the change. The minutes record that certain fees are set by state law and that hearings will be scheduled; no final action was taken during the work session.
Outback Strong CEO Heidi Martinez said a fourth amendment to the Oregon Health Authority 2024‑25 intergovernmental agreement removes $6,612.57 that had been budgeted for problem‑gambling services because the certified staff member left and a replacement is pursuing certification. She said Outback Strong’s six percent administrative fee is being placed in a contingency fund and that she is exploring contract support for human resources.
Business Director Nicki Alves presented a Manager Review Policy that would require annual performance reviews of department managers to be completed by the end of April to inform budgeting and salary decisions. Commissioners discussed documentation of staff behavior, whether review documentation would be shared (Alves said it would not), and the value of standardized review forms; several department heads said they already use review documentation in their departments.
Commissioner James Williams described a proposed State of Oregon Department of Energy standard grant (No. 25‑018) for $50,000 for Lake County Resources Initiative (LCRI) to compile an energy‑needs report for the county; LCRI intends to add $25,000 in county contingency funds to the project to help leverage infrastructure funding.
Liaison updates included a report from Vice‑Chair Barry Shullanberger about duplicated milepost numbers along Highway 140 that complicated a recent emergency response near Doherty Slide and a note that Green Debris funds could be pooled to add gates at the Roberta Road man camp. Commissioner Williams said he had sent a letter to the White House Department of Intergovernmental Affairs concerning layoffs at Bonneville Power.
Most of these items were left for action in Regular Session; the work session adjourned at 11:31 a.m.
