Klamath County commissioners approve AI server and multiple public-works contracts, set nuisance-ordinance hearings

Klamath County commissioners on May 5 authorized several contracts and administrative steps, including the purchase of a server for a county AI assistant project, a fuels-reduction contract, and large road-construction and chip-seal procurements.

The board authorized an $18,979.99 quote from ISC Group for a server to support the Harmony AI project, after IT staff reported the lowest alternative vendor could not honor its earlier price because of a DRAM shortage. "Klamath County has been working with a local company called Harmony on a project to provide an AI assistant that can answer basic questions about the county's departments," said Matthew Severns, who identified himself as with the county IT department.

Public works presented and the board approved a $57,817 contract with GE Forestry and Fire LLC for fuels reduction around Spence Mountain trailheads, using a Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) grant to masticate and remove vegetation on about 40 acres and along two miles of interior roads. The county also accepted a procurement for 2026 chip-seal materials and services, authorizing a $1,670,465.50 expenditure from the federal road account to cover about 115 miles of chip sealing, and awarded a $2,886,393.15 contract to Rocky Mountain Construction for the county's ACP construction and miscellaneous concrete work project.

The board read into the record a previously approved grant application for participation in the county assessment function funding program (CAPA), noting the application lists $3,172,823 in appropriated budget numbers across participating departments and had required earlier authorization to meet a 05/01/2026 deadline.

On land-use procedure, the board approved a resolution to set two public hearing dates on proposed ordinance 3609 to amend Klamath County Code section 401.020 (nuisance control). The changes the county described would allow fitted car covers for certain vehicles, limit enforcement for dead or decaying trees to public-safety hazards, and replace the current 500-foot vegetation standard with an acreage- and hazard-based approach outside the urban growth boundary. Hearings were set for 05/19/2026 and 06/02/2026, both at 1:15 p.m.

The board also appointed Clayton Butler Jr. to the Chiloquin Vector Control District Board and recognized county employees for years of service.

Votes at a glance - IT server (ISC Group): motion to accept $18,979.99 quote — passed (unanimous). - Spence Mountain fuels project (GE Forestry and Fire LLC): $57,817 — passed (unanimous). - 2026 chip-seal procurement (Howell Bina and Espalt): $1,670,465.50 — passed (unanimous). - ACP construction and concrete work (Rocky Mountain Construction): $2,886,393.15 — passed (unanimous). - Resolution setting hearings for proposed ordinance 3609: hearings set for 05/19/2026 and 06/02/2026 — passed (unanimous). - Appointment of Clayton Butler Jr. to Chiloquin Vector Control District Board: motion passed (unanimous).

Why it matters The package of approvals advances work on county roads and wildfire fuel reduction ahead of summer, commits discrete county funds to technology infrastructure for an AI-driven public information tool, and opens public comment opportunities on proposed nuisance-code revisions that could change how the county enforces vehicle, vegetation and tree-related nuisance rules outside the urban growth boundary.

What’s next Public hearings on the proposed nuisance ordinance are scheduled for 05/19/2026 and 06/02/2026 at 1:15 p.m.; procurement and contracting steps described at the meeting will move into implementation and vendor scheduling. The board also will formally adopt the recently passed budget at a subsequent step, as discussed during commissioner reports.