Housing authority, county to review decades-old "pilot" payments after missing check

The county and the Umatilla County Housing Authority agreed to reconvene after the housing authority said it could not find a current written agreement explaining longstanding "pilot" payments in lieu of taxes.

Roger, representing the housing authority, told commissioners the authority expects to begin repaying a prior loan next year and said the pilot arrangement "was put in place, I believe, more than 25 30 years ago" and that the agreement appears not to have been updated. "We are going to be coming uh next year early next year we will start uh owing you back for that loan at 4% interest rate and then 8% this next the year after that and then it's supposed to be due within three at the end of that third third year," he said.

Jason Jensen, the county's incoming chief financial officer, asked whether the housing authority or its bookkeeper could provide a fragile signed agreement the bookkeeper described as dating to the 1940s. Jensen also asked for confirmation of any payment the authority said it had sent. County staff and the housing authority estimated the annual pilot payment has typically been between $28,000 and $32,000.

Commissioners asked the housing authority and county staff to assemble existing records, meet with Commissioner Timmons and county financial staff, and return to the board with documentation so they can either update or clarify the pilot arrangement. Roger agreed to coordinate and provide the materials requested.