Angie Ketscher, Tiny Pederson, and Lynda Haakenson of the former Harney County Youth Livestock Auction Committee attended the regular meeting of the Harney County Court on Oct. 17 to request that the court investigate why add-on money for the 2018 Harney County Fair was not disbursed to 4-H and FFA livestock auction participants.

In a letter addressed to the court, members of the former committee wrote, “On Sept. 10, 2018, a check was written for $24,130.57, and an add-on form was filled out and submitted to Triston Henke to be used in full for the 2018 4-H and FFA participants of the youth livestock auction. After the 4-H and FFA members received their checks in late September, the additional add-on money wasn’t included in the checks. The Harney County Youth Livestock Committee then received a call that our check had been received at Producers Livestock Auction without an add-on form. Producers then wrote a check back to our committee, and it was sent to the Harney County Treasurer. The Harney County Youth Livestock Auction Committee is requesting a full investigation on the mishandling of the add-on ($24,130.57).”

Ketscher explained, “We want to know why the money was not distributed to the children. The fair board was notified that that’s what we were going to do, so even if they didn’t get an add-on sheet, which I question, the money should still have been distributed, or one of us should have been called.”

Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens asked, “So [if] we answer the question of — Who stopped the payment? — what does that do for us?”

“It should tell you three [county court] that you have someone on that fair board who is not necessarily truthful,” Ketscher replied.

Harney County Judge Pete Runnels said, “I’ve been asking questions too. I will go further, put it in writing, and get it back to one of the three of you.”

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Harney County Senior and Community Services Center Executive Director Angela Lamborn discussed the Public Transportation Service Provider Project Template. Transportation projects include:

• match funds to expand the bus barn;

• a free deviated fixed route;

• signs to mark bus stops;

• match funds to purchase two four-wheel drive buses designed with added comfort for longer trips;

• updating and maintaining software for tablets used by dispatch;

• free door-to-door service for students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in a local school;

• adding bike racks to all of the buses; and

• advertising and brochure expansion to inform the public about available services.

“That takes us through 2021,” Lamborn said.

The projects will be funded by the 2017 transportation bill.

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh asked about the deviated fixed route, and Lamborn explained that drivers can deviate up to a quarter mile from the fixed route to drop limited-mobility riders off at their doorsteps.

Runnels noted that the door-to-door service for students is primarily intended for high schoolers who participate in after-school activities.

The court approved the Public Transportation Service Provider Project Template.

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Suzanne Settle of the Harney County Sheriff’s Office discussed an exercise that she and Harney County Emergency Manager Paul Gray participated in on Aug. 22.

The transnational exercise focused on responding to infrastructure damage to the electrical grid that would cause power outages either nationwide or worldwide.

“This year’s event was based on a cyberterrorism event,” Settle said. “It was available to anybody in the world, even at the civilian level.”

She explained that the exercise is set up like an online live-action-player game, and participants can sign up from their homes. She added that local organizations and individuals will be invited to take part next year, and it could count as a full-scale exercise.

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In other business, the court:

• received responses to its Request for Qualification from Cardno Inc. (Portland), Alta Science & Engineering Inc. (Boise, Idaho), and SHN (Klamath Falls) to pursue cleanup at three sites in Harney County.

“Whoever gets the offer would go out and find funding to do the cleanup,” Runnels said, adding that the selected company will look for grants, and there will be no cost to the county or landowner.

The court will review the responses and make a decision during its next meeting;

• discussed a residence on Dapple Grey Road that is encroaching into the Hines Logging Road right of way.

County Surveyor Kenny Delano explained that the northwest corner of the house is within 6 inches of the right of way, and the yard fence encroaches 20 feet into the right of way.

“The current right of way through this portion of the road is 150 feet wide, 75 feet on each side of the centerline. The purpose for the wide right of way is assumed to be for slopes and maintenance. However, when the property in question and Dapple Grey Road were developed, significant fill was placed that negated the slope on that side of the road,” Delano reported. “I would suggest a partial vacation of 25 feet of the southerly right of way. There would still be 50 feet of usable right of way. This would leave only a small portion of the landscaping in the right of way, which is not [a] serious encroachment issue.”

Harney County Planning Director Brandon McMullen noted that the matter has been discussed with the city of Hines, and the court agreed to move forward with the vacation process;

• held a work session to discuss proposed draft amendments to the Harney County Comprehensive Plan regarding public lands. The proposal includes adoption of land use goals and policies.

A public hearing was held Monday, Oct. 22;

• discussed water use requests;

• was addressed by Paul Hyland regarding road conditions near Embree Lane.

Hyland said Harney County Roads Supervisor Eric Drushella fixed the road near the bridge well, but some of the road is still washboard.

Drushella replied that the road is a cinder surface, and conditions will improve with moisture. He added that he’d love to put base rock on all of the roads, but he doesn’t have enough material;

• received correspondence from the Vale Bureau of Land Management regarding emergency stabilization and burned area rehabilitation actions as a result of the Big Grassy, Currey Canyon, and Jackies Butte fires;

• held an executive session to consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed.

After reconvening in regular session, the court agreed that the county will participate in the U.S. Forest Service appeal process and do all things necessary to coordinate legal strategy with other aligned counties. Owens was appointed as the county’s representative, and Dorroh was designated as the alternate;

• held a community public hearing in Crane Thursday, Oct. 18;

• encouraged the public to attend the Harney Basin Groundwater Study Information Sharing and Community Gathering Thursday, Oct. 25, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Central Hotel in Burns;

• encouraged participation in National Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 27.

“If you’ve got drugs in your house that you don’t want or need, get them out,” Runnels said, explaining that the goal of the biannual event is to help combat the opioid epidemic. “It’s a huge problem nationwide, in every community,” he added, noting that 913,000 pounds of drugs were returned nationwide last spring.

The next meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.