Crook County health director reviews updated Oregon Health Authority IGA, says fiscal changes reduce mid‑biennium reconciliations

Katie Quam, Crook County Health and Human Services director, told commissioners the county has been asked to approve a substantially revised intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Oregon Health Authority that alters how fiscal reconciliations will be handled. "One of the major changes in this contract is they're shifting it from... a biannual contract... they are not going to be doing that fiscal reconciliation in the middle of the biennium," Quam said, adding that the change should reduce mid‑biennium amendments and administrative work for county fiscal staff.

Quam said the department built anticipated fiscal changes into the FY27 budget, pointed to bridge funding for public health emergency preparedness while federal awards lag, and noted the county received an additional public health modernization payment of just over $22,000 for meeting benchmarks. "So much appreciation to my team," she said, referencing WIC caseload increases and other departmental accomplishments that produced the award.

Commissioners asked staff and county counsel to review the voluminous contract language; county counsel said the recorded changes appeared tolerable and that electronic packets made it easier to review long documents. No formal vote on the IGA occurred during the work session; staff will continue coordination with state officials and present any necessary contract actions at a future business meeting.