Executive Director Hannah Hinman and Harney County Program Coordinator Maggie Thompson attended the Harney County Court meeting on May 22 to provide an update regarding Grant-Harney County CASA.

According to the program’s website, “CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASAs are highly trained community volunteers who are appointed by the court to cases of child abuse and neglect. As a party to the case, they act as the eyes and ears of the court. CASAs meet with the children on their case and independently gather information from others who are involved in the child’s life. The CASA then reports back to the court about the status of the case and the well-being of the child, and makes recommendations to the court for the best interests of the child.”

In addition to advocating for children in court, CASA volunteers help ensure that children’s educational, medical, mental health, and other needs are being met.

“In the last year, I feel like we’ve had a lot of progress,” Thompson said. “I feel like my position has helped our program a lot.”

She reported that, in Harney County alone, there are 10 active CASAs serving 19 children, which is about 41 percent of the 46 children who are currently in care.

“That’s a lot better than where we were at last year at this time,” she said.

Thompson added that two people signed up to attend the CASA training on June 12, and efforts to recruit additional volunteers are ongoing.

Harney County Judge Pete Runnels asked, “How many cases does a typical CASA handle?”

Thompson replied that CASAs usually mange one case at a time, but each case can include a whole set of siblings.

“I think our ratio is about 2.5 kids per CASA, and usually it’s one case,” Hinman said.

Thompson said, ideally, each child would have his/her own advocate, but the distribution of CASAs is based on the number of volunteers.

Hinman reported that Thompson is building relationships with community schools and organizations. She added that Grant-Harney County CASA partnered with an Usborne consultant to give books to every child in care in Grant and Harney counties.

For her senior project, a student at Grant Union High School is filling duffel bags with comfort items for children coming into care.

“We partnered with SELCO [Community] Credit Union here to provide the sponsorship for that,” Hinman said, adding that the bags will be stocked at Department of Human Services offices in Grant and Harney counties soon.

She also noted that:

• Grant-Harney County CASA received a small grant to create video outreach material;

• the program’s board will undergo a governance review and participate in a strategic planning session this summer. Michelle Friedrichson and LaDene Hurd are the board members from Harney County;

• fundraising efforts will be increased and diversified;

• the program received marijuana tax revenue from the Grant County Court; and

• the program requested increased funding from the state.

Additional information regarding Grant-Harney County CASA can be found online at https://www.grantharneycasa.org

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During the supplemental budget hearing, the court reviewed Resolution 2019-16 in the matter of adopting a supplemental budget and making appropriations. The resolution transfers a total of $475,000 ($25,000 from PERS Reserve 217; $20,000 from Voting Equipment Reserve 229; $170,000 from HBH Operating Reserve 230; $100,000 from Hospice Reserve 256; and $160,000 from Information Systems Reserve 328) into the general fund.

The resolution explains that a change in financial planning is required to address “an occurrence or condition that was not ascertained when preparing the original budget for the current year or current budget period.”

In a letter published in the May 1 edition of the Burns Times-Herald, the court explained that, “Beginning in 2018, the county judge and treasurer discovered that for many years — five years at a minimum, but possibly longer — the budget process each year had proceeded based on a significantly overstated beginning-fund balance. That meant that the county passed budgets that exceeded yearly revenue.”

During the county court meeting on April 23, Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens said the court’s goal is to end this fiscal year (July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019) with a $0 ending-fund balance, so it can proceed with budgeting for the next fiscal year (July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020).

During the meeting on May 22, Owens reported that, with the $475,000 transfer, the general fund balance should be slightly above $0, and the court won’t have to take out an operating loan to complete this fiscal year.

“An operating loan, if taken out this year, would have had to be budgeted and paid in full next year,” Owens said, adding that court would have to cut an additional $475,000 dollars out of next year’s budget.

Harney County Treasurer Bobbi Jo Heany noted that the money in each of the aforementioned reserve funds was transfered from the general fund in 2013 “in the thought at the time that they had the excess funds to do so.”

Owens said, “I think we’re all frustrated that this has occurred and that we have to do this.” However, he added, “If we couldn’t do this, the budget cuts that we would have to have done would cause irrevocable harm to our county. So I’m thankful that, in 2013, the previous county court had the funds to set aside that we can now take back.”

There being no additional discussion, the court approved Resolution 2019-16 and adjourned the hearing.

The next budget meetings will be held from 1-5 p.m. June 4 and June 5 in Runnels’ office at the courthouse. The meetings are open to the public.

A public hearing to approve the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 will be held June 12 at 3:30 p.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.

•••

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh reported that the Harney County Workforce Housing Road Map 2019 is complete.

“That is an aspirational resource and reference document that addresses the state of workforce housing in Harney County and strategies and actions to encourage development of moderate to upper-wage housing in our area,” she said.

Dorroh explained that housing was identified as an economic-development challenge in Harney County, as key employers reported that they can’t recruit doctors, administrators, and upper-level management positions because candidates can’t find suitable housing.

“Basically, it’s a framework for the community to move forward on things as fast or slow as we choose to do it,” Dorroh said regarding the document. “If you just let it sit on a shelf, it doesn’t do much except be a reference document for this point in time.”

•••

In other business, the court:

• learned from Dorroh that the Oregon Construction Contractors Board offered a free course on laws, regulations, and business practices in Burns June 3;

• learned from Runnels that the Public Transportation Advisory Committee met in Burns June 3;

• appointed Bettina Bowman to the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization Local Community Advisory Council;

• upon recommendation by Harney County Roads Supervisor Eric Drushella, the court approved Brian Richardson’s application for an approach off Crane-Venator Lane in Crane;

• set a public hearing to discuss vacation of Main Avenue, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Donaldson Avenue, and Leland Street in Crane.

During the county court meeting on April 10, Owens explained that the Crane school districts asked the county to vacate right of ways that go through school grounds. Runnels added that some of these streets are platted, but don’t exist on the ground.

The hearing will be held July 3 at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse;

• discussed Public Notices of Water Use Requests;

• received Rimrock Recycling’s 2018 report;

• received correspondence from the Burns Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the Spay Feasibility and On-Range Outcomes Environmental Assessment;

• learned from Owens that three environmental groups filed suit against the BLM regarding the Hammonds’ allotment.

The court agreed that the impact of this litigation could adversely impact the whole agricultural industry. If industry leaders decide to become an intervener, the court will join them.

Owens noted that Caroline Lobdell would provide legal assistance at no cost to the county.

“If there is [an] attack on BLM on grazing allotments period, in this county, we would be there,” Runnels said;

• held an executive session to review and evaluate the employment-related performance of the chief executive officer of any public body, a public officer, employee, or staff member who did not request an open hearing.

No action was taken.

The next meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, June 5, at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.