Harney County Home Health and Hospice Director Jodi McLean attended the Harney County Court meeting on Oct. 16 to discuss the future of the home health and hospice program.

In a letter to the editor published in the Oct. 9 edition of the Burns Times-Herald, McLean stated that, “Due to the county’s recent budget crisis, there is uncertainty that the agency will remain a Harney County-governed entity after this current budget cycle.”

During the county court meeting on Oct. 16, Harney County Judge Pete Runnels noted that the program’s billing system will be unable to handle Medicare as of Jan. 1, 2020.

“We don’t know what a new system would cost, but pretty much know we can’t afford it,” he said.

Runnels also noted that discussion regarding cancellation of the 2019 Denim & Diamonds Hospice Fundraiser Gala (which was scheduled for Oct. 19) began before the issue with the billing system was discovered, as the court was already unsure about the future of the home health and hospice program.

In a press release issued Oct. 17, Runnels explained that the county started talking to Harney District Hospital (HDH) about taking over the home health and hospice program.

“It is our goal to have no lapse in service for citizens needing in-home health services provided and also for hospice patients,” Runnels wrote. “We want to keep these services local both for the benefit of the patients and also for our staff. This has been a stellar program for Harney County, and a seamless transfer of services is our ultimate goal.”

During the meeting on Oct. 16, Runnels noted that he’s committed to preventing an interruption of service. He added that the program’s current employees would be guaranteed jobs.

“We might be targeting Jan. 1. We don’t know. It’s going to depend a lot on their billing and what they can do,” Runnels said.

He added, “Personally, I don’t think we put a price tag on this. We turn it over to the hospital.”

To administer the program, HDH would need the building that currently houses Harney County Home Health and Hospice, and the court discussed if it should sell, lease, or donate it to the hospital.

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh said she was relieved to hear that HDH is considering taking over the program.

“They’re local. They care. They can do continuation,” she said. “We want those services sustained without interruption and with a brighter financial footing than we can offer at the county for this. So, without knowing the details, I would be OK with giving them the building too.”

Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens said, “I too would support the hospital taking over if they protect the employees for a minimum of a year.”

He added that he’d like to lease the building to HDH for $1 for as long as the hospital maintains the home health and hospice program.

McLean said she was impressed after speaking with HDH Chief Executive Officer Dan Grigg, adding that he sounds passionate about the program and really wants to keep it in the community.

Dorroh stated that HDH would benefit from acquiring the program.

“All the awesome attributes that you and all your staff have and the passion and the love and keeping it patient-centered is infectious,” she told McLean.

“I think that it would be a really good fit, and I think that we could be a great resource to them,” McLean said. “Hopefully, things work out.”

In his press release, Runnels noted that the Harney County Public Health Department and High Country Health and Wellness Center are not part of this discussion. They will continue under county ownership.

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Mike Simpson, Training and Employment Consortium special projects coordinator, attended the meeting to discuss Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC).

OYCC offers both summer and year-round programs for local youth ages 15-21.

The year-round Community Stewardship Corps (CSC) program targets youth who are at-risk, economically challenged, and have one or more barriers to employment. Simpson reported that 100 percent of youth participating in the Harney County CSC program meet the “at-risk” definition. In addition to learning job skills, youth transitioning from the CSC program receive preemployment training, help searching for college scholarships and applying for student aid, and access to other resources.

All OYCC youth work with the Forest Service to complete projects such as fencing, restoring riparian areas, and maintaining wildlife water guzzlers.

The court approved the annual request of $12,500 to support OYCC. This financial support comes from the Commission on Children and Families fund, not the general fund.

Simpson noted that the Forest Service cut funding for the summer program, reducing it from 10 to eight weeks. Owens said he will follow up with the Forest Service.

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In other business, the court:

• received an update from Rep. Lynn Findley regarding the 2019 legislative session. Findley also noted that he filed for reelection;

• was addressed by Lynn McClintock and Herb Vloedman regarding the county budget shortfall.

“For five years, we provided services over average annual income, so we were at an unsustainable rate of providing services,” Owens explained. “We’ve taken services back down to match annual revenue.”

Owens added that the court will release a department-by-department breakdown showing how the $2.3 million was spent.

Dorroh noted that county departments “were operating in good faith thinking they had a different amount to budget toward;”

• was addressed by Mark Creighton who said he is “almost satisfied” after getting some information from Runnels.

At the previous county court meeting, Creighton asked the court about the 911 fund and personnel issues within the sheriff’s office.

During the county court meeting on May 8, Runnels explained that, when the county took over the 911 fund, it was so flush that the entities paying into it were given a break. However, the payments weren’t resumed soon enough, which created a deficit;

• held a public hearing to consider establishing the Harney County Workforce Housng Road Map 2019 as a supporting document to the Harney County Comprehensive Plan.

John Reponen spoke in favor of the proposal. Later, the court closed the hearing and agreed to adopt the road map and any of its future updates as supporting documents to the comprehensive plan;

• held an executive session to consider employment of a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent;

• held an executive session to conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to carry on labor negotiations;

• read Ordinance 2019-87, establishing videotaping of county court meetings, for the second time by title only and approved it.

Starting Nov. 6, county court meetings will be videotaped and posted on the county’s website (www.co.harney.or.us);

• approved Resolution 2019-28, establishing CenturyLink Tax Fund 646 for potential refund credit.

Runnels explained that CenturyLink is appealing its taxes. Thus, when the company’s tax payment comes in, it will be set aside;

• approved orders 1898, 4028, 749, 59309, and 36012, approving petition for county land sale.

Runnels explained that the county will sell these irregular parcels during a public auction;

• continued its conversation concerning imposing a transient room tax for Harney County. This discussion will be ongoing;

• received correspondence from the Vale District Bureau of Land Management regarding emergency stabilization actions as a result of a lightning-caused fire;

• discussed Public Notices of Water Use Requests;

• received the Malheur National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions for Fall 2019.

The next county court meeting will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6, in Runnels’ office at the courthouse. The subsequent meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 26.