Commissioners press federal partners on land payments and push for Highway 97 safety improvements

Commissioner DeGroot told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on April 14 that his recent work has focused on strengthening engagement with federal partners, saying the federal government now owns "just under 60 percent of Klamath County" and has not been a consistent or reliable landowner or taxpayer. He said the county has pressed for better federal cooperation and that officials have made "significant progress" in the prior week, urging residents to watch for further developments.

Commissioner Minty reviewed ongoing efforts to improve safety on Highway 97, saying a recent catastrophic multi-vehicle accident underscored the need for meaningful safety improvements. He credited an ER nurse at Sky Lakes with helping spark a small coalition of commissioners along the corridor and noted the trauma first responders face, citing a conversation with longtime emergency responder Dwayne Holster. Minty also described a recent cybersecurity incident in which his social media accounts were hacked and said the episode served as a reminder for basic protections such as logging out and updating passwords.

Both reports were delivered during the commissioners’ report portion of the meeting; no formal action or vote was recorded on these updates. The remarks consisted of status updates and calls for continued engagement with state, federal and agency partners.