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Commissioners approve routine payables, contracts and an ordinance; several items continued for clarification
Summary
The Umatilla County commissioners approved multiple payables and procurement items including an EMPG grant correction, in-car camera and AED purchases for the sheriff, laptop replacements, elections mailing services and adoption of Ordinance 2026-04; the Solid Waste franchise rate request and an outdoor boxing event were continued for more information.
The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners on May 20 approved a series of routine payables, procurement requests and an ordinance, and postponed consideration of a solid-waste franchise rate increase and a proposed temporary outdoor boxing event while asking staff and applicants for additional information.
The board approved a corrected EMPG grant agreement (grant 25-529) with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management after staff said the previously circulated document included a typographical error that doubled the listed grant-match amount. "This one has the correct amount," staff said; a motion to approve passed.
The board approved sheriff’s office purchases that included a Motorola in-car camera system for approximately $47,620 and the purchase of 15 automated external defibrillators for $20,594.70. County health staff received authorization to replace five laptops at a cost of about $9,119, not to exceed $9,600, with funding from program replacement accounts.
Elections staff requested and the board approved a payable of $8,640.44 to a mailing vendor for ballot insertion and return-envelope work; staff reported unofficial ballot return at just over 30% with some upward movement expected in the following days. The board ratified a $14,040 payable to Jennis Marketing LLC for fair entertainment marketing.
On code updates, the board held a public hearing on and adopted Ordinance 2026-04 updating the county’s public contracting code (staff materials referenced chapters 36/38). The travel reimbursement (per diem) policy was also adopted after a commissioner successfully amended the motion to add a sentence clarifying that reimbursement may be denied if an employee fails to follow required processes and obtain approvals.
Several items were postponed for follow-up: the planning division’s request to approve a one-time outdoor boxing event called "Dust and Gloves" was continued until the applicant provides written acknowledgements from contiguous property owners (including a neighbor to the south proposed for overflow parking) and confirms coordination with the sheriff’s office and any required city permits. The Solid Waste franchise renewal request from Pendleton Sanitary Services seeking a 3% rate increase was continued so a franchise representative can explain certain fees (notably a lane/mileage/outside-city fee) and the franchise fee schedule differences across the county.
The board also approved a payable to the Columbia Development Authority for $40,157.97.
All approvals recorded at the meeting were carried by voice vote where commissioners responded "I" to indicate approval; items continued were scheduled for later meetings or when the appropriate representative can attend.
