The following are the unapproved minutes from the Harney County Court meeting held April 20. The minutes were edited for clarity and length. 

Harney County Planning Director Brandon McMullen updated the Harney County Court regarding special zoning needed for the Crystal Crane Hot Springs expansion.

The process requires at least two hearings and notices for such hearings. The first hearing was held in front of the Planning Commission on March 23. After that hearing, the commission suggested making a proposal to the County Court for rezoning. 

The rezone will cover just over 130 total acres.

McMullen handed the baton over to Crystal Crane Hot Springs’ owner, Dan Kryger, and Kryger’s representative, Stan Foster, for a presentation about the planned expansion. 

Foster began by explaining that this would be a 20-year project. Obtaining the special zoning will allow the project to continue over the years without having to get approval from the Planning Commission and the County Court for every phase. 

Foster said the Krygers view this as a collaborative approach between themselves and the county, with the best intentions for Harney County regarding employment and economic development.

McMullen added that, for the plan to be effective, adoption of an ordinance will be required. McMullen will draft an ordinance for the court if the proposal is approved. 

Kryger presented the plans on a display board. He explained what Crystal Crane plans to accomplish right away and discussed the next phases of the planned expansion.

Several neighbors were in attendance, and they showed their support for the proposed expansion. They noted that, with this expansion, more money will come into the county. If it is not approved, an opportunity would be lost for employment and economic growth. 

After listening to the presentation and the positive comments made by the neighbors, the court made a motion to approve the special zoning.

Harney County Commissioner Kristen Shelman moved to approve the rezoning. Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh seconded the motion, and it passed.

McMullen was directed to draft an ordinance, which will be presented to the court at the next meeting.

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In other business:

• the court, along with Deanna Atwell (human resources), acknowledged and thanked Todd Higgins for his 20 years of service to the Harney County Road Department;

• the court discussed Order 2022-5 in the matter of vacating streets located in Drewsey: the alley between lots 300, 400, 500, and 600.

This order, which was previously signed by the court, contains some inaccurate verbiage. The order was corrected and reviewed by the attorney. Now, it needs to be resigned by the court.

Shelman asked Roadmaster Eric Drushella whether the utility easement was addressed in the order. Drushella explained that there are no existing utility easements on this alley vacation. He added that new utility easements cannot be added after the vacation.

Harney County Judge Pete Runnels moved to approve resigning the order with the corrections. Shelman seconded the motion, and it passed;

• the court discussed Order 2022-6 in the matter of vacating streets located in Crane: Allen Avenue (from Crane Venator Road to 5th Street) and 4th Street (from Vista Avenue to Allen Avenue).

This order had the same issue as the previous order. The corrections were made and reviewed by the attorney. Shelman moved to approve the corrected order and resign it. Dorroh seconded the motion, and it passed;

• Treasurer Bobbi Jo Heaney proposed changing the name of the Harney County Indirect Cost Rate Policy. 

She said the verbiage of “indirect cost” causes confusion every year with the state grant writers, and she suggested renaming it to Harney County Administrative Cost Policy.

The court agreed and directed Heany to change the word document. Heany will present the revision to the court for signatures during the next meeting;

• Runnels explained that the county is tasked with approving the nomination of four positions on the Steens Mountain Advisory Council (SMAC). The court received nominations for the two positions that are available now. 

One nomination was for Michael Fox, a private landowner in Harney County. The other was for Runnels, the council’s current commercial recreation permit holder. If approved, this will be Runnels’ second, and Fox’s first, term on the SMAC.

The court must send a letter, along with these nominations, to the Bureau of Land Management for approval.

Runnels added a statement on his letter that there’s a conflict of interest in him approving his own nomination. 

Shelman moved to approve the nominations, and Dorroh seconded the motion. The motion was approved, with Runnels declaring conflict on his own nomination.

Dorroh asked whether the SMAC has been active.

Runnels said there hasn’t been much action for the past two years. He explained that there’s a hang up in Washington, D.C. on the nomination process, and there hasn’t been a full quorum in more than two years.

There were some work sessions, but no real work on the agenda items. Some road items were considered, and there’s been discussion regarding who is responsible for fence building.

Four other nominations are going through the process in other places. 

The good news is that the SMAC is closer to a full body than it has been in the past few years;

• Runnels read the Move the Border follow-up letter aloud to the court.

The letter, which is addressed to Sen. Lynn Findley and Rep. Mark Owens, follows up on the Move the Border ballot measure that was approved by the citizens of Harney County during the last election. 

The two required meetings were held, and now the court is seeking answers to some of the questions they received regarding the effects of moving the Oregon-Idaho state border.

Shelman moved to accept the letter, and Dorroh seconded the motion. The letter was approved for signature;

• Dorroh said a couple of people told her that there’s a rumor that the county purchased property to build a shelter for people without a fixed residence. 

Neither Runnels nor Shelman has heard anything;

• a meeting was held regarding the procurement of the Lincoln Building for the Community Justice Center & Jail Project. 

The next Harney County Court meeting will be held Wednesday, May 4, at 10:30 a.m. at the courthouse. During this meeting, the court will decided whether to bid on the Lincoln property to be used for the Community Justice Center & Jail Project.