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DA and county administrators flag staffing needs; board hears grant, bridge and wildfire updates
Summary
Hood River County officials reported staffing shortages in the District Attorney’s office, reviewed grant and bridge funding updates, and discussed including wildfire-mitigation language in the county forestry plan.
District Attorney Mathew Ellis told the Hood River County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 21 that his office is experiencing “severe staffing concerns” and needs additional support staff for discovery and victim advocacy work. Ellis said the office is researching grant funding to help fill positions.
County Administrator Allison Williams summarized second-quarter departmental reports and highlighted a Columbia River Gorge suicide-assessment that will inform prevention work in the Health Department. Williams also noted an upcoming consultant briefing on the Odell housing plan and that FEMA flood-hazard map updates are scheduled.
Commissioner Arthur Babitz asked for clarity about prior discussions of a discovery clerk and the process for adding staffing requests to department budgets. Administrator Williams said staffing requests must go to Human Resources for costing and then to Budget & Finance for cumulative review before the budget committee considers them.
Commissioners gave brief reports. Babitz summarized the Hood River–White Salmon Bridge Authority’s status: of a $200 million INFRA grant award, $70 million was allocated for design work and the HRWSBA is awaiting design-approval decisions; a separate $500 million Bridge Investment Program request remains outstanding. Commissioner Muenzer reported local municipal changes in Cascade Locks and ongoing grant facilitation for Mt. Hood Town Hall solar work.
On wildfire mitigation, Chair Euwer and Commissioner Babitz urged that the county’s forestry-management planning include language and requests for funding to protect county-adjacent communities where national-forest treatment buffers meet private land. Administrator Williams suggested staff prepare a map and letter for the Board’s February meeting to request funding.
The board did not take formal action on staffing aside from discussing the budget process; no specific positions were approved in this discussion.
