During the Harney County Court meeting on June 5, Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens discussed a proposed resolution that would amend Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act (PILT) funding.

Passed by Congress in 1976, PILT provides payments to local units of government containing certain federally owned lands (federal entitlement acreage).

However, Owens provided a handout, which states that, “Counties, boroughs, townships, and parishes with large federal entitlement acreage and small populations have monetary caps within the PILT formula that place them in an unfavorable position in relation to the majority of all other counties.”

Harney County is one of the nation’s 37 counties that receive less than the minimum funding level.

The handout states that, “To achieve fairness and equality, there needs to be a minimum payment based on an acre of land,” and it suggests a payment of $0.38 per acre.

The maximum payment to counties would not be adjusted, and the current population threshold would remain at 50,000. However, a minimum payment of $0.38 per acre would increase the total PILT payment by $30.8 million for fiscal year 2018.

The amendment would mostly benefit Alaskan counties, which would collectively receive $24.9 million of the increased payments. Only 20 counties within the lower 48 states would see higher payments. The proposed amendment would not negatively impact any county.

For fiscal year 2018, a payment of at least $0.38 per acre would increase Harney County’s PILT funding by $569,326.13 (51 percent), bringing the total to $1,694,593.13.

The court agreed to support Owens’ efforts to carry the resolution forward. He will take it to the Association of Oregon Counties for approval and then to the National Association of Counties. The next step will be to garner support from senators.

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh asked whether our congressional delegation is likely to support it.

Owens replied, “If we worked with Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada senators, we’d have a critical mass. I think we’d have some opportunity.”

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Owens provided an update on the lawsuit that three environmental groups filed against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the Hammonds’ allotment.

“The judge ruled a temporary restraining order. Thus, [from] my understanding, ceasing grazing on that as of June 7,” Owens said. “I believe that’s an attack on our agriculture and grazing community.”

He added that the county will work with the BLM to determine how it can assist with the lawsuit.

During the previous county court meeting (held May 22), the court agreed that this litigation could adversely impact the whole agricultural industry, and stated that it will join industry leaders if they become an intervener.

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

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The court discussed sending a letter to Angie Ketscher requesting that proceeds from the 4-H sale at the 2017 Harney County Fair be allocated to the Fat Stock Sale Fund. The letter states that a check for $24,131.57 was issued and cashed, but the money wasn’t turned over to the fund.

During the county court meeting on Sept. 19, 2018, Runnels explained that 4 percent of 4-H and FFA auction sales would be put into the fund and used to sustain local youth livestock programs.

“It goes back to the kids so they can continue to have this sale each year,” Runnels explained during the June 5, 2019, meeting.

“The money was for kids not kid,” former Interim Fair Manager Rick Paul said. “The difference being that it was not [intended] to go back to individual kids, but was always to be spent for the benefit of all the kids.”

Owens noted that Ketscher asked him to call her, and the court agreed to postpone sending the letter.

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In other business, the court:

• learned from Dorroh that about 20 people attended the Oregon Construction Contractors Board training that was held in Burns on June 3.

She said, “I think that was a good thing for our community;”

• learned from Harney County Judge Pete Runnels that the Oregon Department of Transportation Public Transportation Advisory Committee held a meeting in Burns on June 3;

• learned from Dorroh that the Harney County Library will hold three focus group sessions to gather information for its strategic planning.

There will be two sessions on June 26 at the Historic Central Hotel. The first will be from 9-11 a.m., and the second will be from 1-3 p.m. The final session will be held June 27 from 9-11 a.m. at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center. The same topics will be discussed at each session;

• approved a county court order distributing revenue from the sale of county-owned land to the tax districts.

Owens noted that the school districts will receive zero net benefit because local funding is withheld from the amount that’s paid by the state.

“We’re one of the few states in the nation that still have that model,” Owens said. “We should try to lobby against that so our schools actually see a benefit;”

• upon recommendation by Harney County Assessor/Tax Collector Ted Tiller and Harney County District Attorney Joseph Lucas, approved a court order in the matter of canceling personal property taxes in the amount of $262.72, which are deemed uncollectable per Oregon Revised Statute 311.790;

• discussed Public Notices of Water Use Requests;

• received correspondence from the Vale BLM, which states that inventory and monitoring will be conducted to inform Oregon/Washington Standards and Guidelines for the Cow Lakes project area;

• held an executive session to conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to carry on labor negotiations. No action was taken;

• will hold a public hearing to approve the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 June 12 at 3:30 p.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse. The hearing to adopt the budget and levy tax and cater will be held in Runnels’ office June 19 at 1:30 p.m.;

• will hold a public hearing to discuss vacation of Crane’s Main Avenue, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Donaldson Avenue, and Leland Street July 3 at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office.

The next meeting of the Harney County Court will be held Wednesday, June 19, at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.