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Clatsop County board reviews 2026–27 strategic-plan priorities amid budget pressures
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Summary
County staff presented a review of the 2021 strategic plan and proposed 2026–27 priorities tied to the budget, emphasizing behavioral-health services, a consolidated 9‑1‑1 effort, an EMS assessment, parks maintenance needs and infrastructure resiliency; the board was asked to return the list for final approval in May/June.
County staff on April 8 reviewed proposed 2026–27 strategic-plan priorities with the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, linking the list of projects to the county’s budget and a planned larger community-engagement update in 2027.
The presentation, delivered by Amanda (county staff), summarized work that began in 2019–20 and said the strategic plan has been used to align department work plans and budgeting. Amanda said the county will ask the next board to decide the scope of a broader community-engagement refresh in 2027.
The staff presentation and follow-up remarks from a senior county official highlighted several near‑ and medium‑term priorities the county intends to continue or accelerate: behavioral-health crisis stabilization and expanded access, continued work on a consolidated 9‑1‑1 system, an EMS assessment of the county’s ambulance franchise, targeted parks improvements and maintenance, and resiliency planning tied to coastal erosion and lifeline routes.
“[The strategic plan] has been used to guide what our priorities are,” a county official said, noting the plan’s role in department work plans and the budget. Amanda described the plan items as a mix of new builds and renovations — some projects are multi‑year efforts while others will feed directly into next year’s budget.
Staff called out a few specific items: a planned Westport Ferry Road construction start in September, continuing progress on childcare and shelter-bed capacity since 2020, an EMS assessment intended to evaluate franchise arrangements between the county, a private ambulance provider and local first responders, and a targeted parks update rather than a full master plan. On parks, staff proposed an in‑house assessment of current park assets and identified a potential staffing adjustment equal to about 0.41 full‑time equivalent (FTE) that would partially fund a park ranger position in the 2026–27 budget.
On emergency services, a county official described the ambulance system as an integrated franchise involving public first responders and a private provider and said the EMS assessment may produce recommendations that affect the county’s franchise ordinance and interagency operations.
Staff said housing-access work will continue and noted the county was recently named a regional coordinator for state-funded shelter rehousing services. Other ongoing priorities highlighted included rural broadband expansion, economic‑development follow‑through on a recently completed local analysis, and resiliency planning for key public infrastructure.
Board members asked clarifying questions and requested additional detail where appropriate. Staff said the package and a project tracker will return to the board for final review and likely approval in May or June.
The board took no formal vote on the strategic‑plan priorities at this meeting; staff will return with a recommendation for formal adoption.
