Union County delays final action on MERA master plan until February

The Union County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7 voted unanimously to postpone consideration of the county's MERA Master Plan until the Feb. 2026 meeting to allow additional review and public clarity. Commissioner Paul Anderes moved to defer the item and Commissioner Jake Seavert seconded; the motion carried.

Parks Coordinator Josh Ford told the board he and the MERA advisory committee had reviewed and revised sections of a previously incomplete plan, then advertised the full draft for 90 days of public comment. Ford said the plan's largest component is a forestry plan that was written by a local forester and funded through Wallowa Resources; the advisory committee approved the final draft and reviewed one public comment received during the comment period.

Commissioner Anderes said he had questions that would make the plan clearer for the public, and Commissioner Seavert said he wanted more time to examine the plan's before-and-after documentation of completed projects. The board thanked Ford and the advisory committee for their work. Ford also reported that parking permit sales from March to date have generated approximately $20,000 in revenue for county parks.

The postponement directs staff to return the MERA Master Plan for further review at the board's February meeting. The transcript records the advisory committee's use of a local forester and funding from Wallowa Resources; the transcript also refers to the forestry consultant by the initials "DK." The transcript does not record verbatim quotes from speakers on this agenda item.