Josephine County commissioners approve paid administrative leave after executive session

The Josephine County Board of County Commissioners voted on June 23, 2026 to issue a paid administrative leave letter after meeting in executive session under ORS 192.660(2)(b), (f) and (h). Commissioner Gary L. Richardson moved "to proceed with issuing a Paid Administration Leave Letter as discussed in our Executive Session," and Commissioner Colene M. Martin seconded the motion. Chair Ron A. Smith called for the roll call.

The open-session minutes record the roll call as "Commissioner Richardson – Yes, Commissioner Martin – Yes, and Commissioner Smith – Yes." The same line of the minutes also states, inconsistently, "Motion carried 2-1." The executive-session minutes are filed separately and are confidential under state law; the public minutes do not disclose the subject matter of those deliberations.

The record shows the executive session was called at 2:33 p.m. and is recorded as adjourning at 3:23 p.m.; the continued open-session entry lists the meeting adjournment at 3:21 p.m. The minutes therefore contain conflicting times for adjournment and an inconsistent vote tally; the public record as written preserves both entries, and the county has not provided a reconciliation in these minutes.

The minutes name Sean Ray, Esq., as legal counsel present during the executive session and note Chris Bristol of the Daily Courier as in attendance. The document header indicates these minutes were approved by the board on July 1, 2026.

Because the executive-session discussion and supporting records are confidential under ORS 192.660, the public minutes limit disclosure to the statutory citation, attendance and the formal action taken. The record does not provide additional substantive details about the reasons for or terms of the paid administrative leave.