Due to the current budget shortfall, Harney County’s general fund for fiscal year 2019-2020 (July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020) is projected to begin with a balance of $0 to $50,000.

To address the deficit, the Harney County Court approved Resolution 2019-17 during its meeting on June 19. The resolution approves a short-term, inter-fund loan from Road Department Operating Reserve Fund 250 to General Fund 101. The principal amount of the loan may be up to $1.5 million, and no interest will be charged. The loan will be disbursed effective July 1, 2019, and must be paid in full on or before Dec. 31, 2019. Loan funds will be disbursed as needed, but must be repaid in one payment.

“Basically, this is the funds that the county operates on from July 1 until taxes come in in November,” Harney County Judge Pete Runnels explained, adding that he doesn’t think the full $1.5 million will be needed.

Harney County Roads Supervisor Eric Drushella noted that the county court and road department worked together to establish the reserve fund a number of years ago.

“It wasn’t just the road department. It was the county court that aided in that and made that happen,” he said.

“It was good foresight in the past from the commissioners and roads supervisor,” Runnels added. “We hope to touch [the fund] as little as we have to to get this turned around.”

Originally planned for June 19, the court rescheduled the public hearing to adopt the budget and levy and categorize tax for Thursday, June 27, at 8 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.

Budget documents can be found on the county’s website at https://www.co.harney.or.us

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Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens reported that the court attends a lot of meetings regarding natural resource issues, but doesn’t discuss them much. He added that few constituents attend the meetings, and the court would like to receive more input from them. Thus, the court is working to form a natural resource advisory committee. The court would report the issues to committee members and seek advice from them.

Harney County Commissioner Patty Dorroh noted that this model has worked well in other counties.

Owens suggested that the committee meet no more than once a month, during a set date in the evening so that working people can participate. Committee members would apply for positions and serve set terms.

The court discussed the type of representation that it’d like to see on the committee. Suggestions included people with grazing allotments, surface water users, groundwater users, people in the timber and mining industries, members of the Burns Paiute Tribe, environmental organizations, and the public at large.

Owens asserted that committee members should reside or have a base address in Harney County, and Dorroh noted that the public would be welcome to attend the meetings and join the conversation. Representatives from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center would also be encouraged to attend.

The court will start a formal application process, develop an ordinance, and begin advertising the positions.

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Runnels reported that the Harney County Youth Livestock Committee turned over $24,131.57 to the Harney County 4-H Association.

In a letter addressed to the association, Angie Ketscher and Karen Moon explained that the livestock committee was formed in 2018 to receive funds from the Harney County Stockgrowers to continue supporting the 4-H and FFA Youth Livestock Auction at the Harney County Fair.

“Since the committee has resigned from working with the current fair board and is no longer functioning, the funds that the committee has received must be distributed in accordance with our nonprofit status and stated use as in our Articles of Incorporation,” the letter states. “The purpose of these funds is to continue to provide support for Harney County youth in gaining knowledge of raising and producing livestock projects to acceptable market standards, and to support a local event that allows these projects to provide a realistic auction experience for the participants to sell their projects as if in the ‘real world.’”

The letter adds that the funds are granted under the following conditions:

• The entity receiving the funds must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and funds must be expended only according to the purpose listed above.

• If taxes are ever due, they will be paid through the funds donated.

• These funds will never be placed in the hands of the Harney County Fair Board.

• The dollars are to be split two-thirds to 4-H participants and one-third to FFA participants.

• The 4-H extension agent and FFA advisors from Burns and Crane shall have final say on how the dollars are expended.

• A member of the former livestock committee needs to be informed when funds are expended.

Extension Agent Shana Withee agreed to these terms.

Runnels and Owens thanked all involved parties for resolving this matter.

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Dorroh reported that the dates of the Harney County Library Advisory Board’s focus groups were changed to:

• Tuesday, June 25, from 1-3 p.m. at the Senior Center;

• Thursday, June 27, from 9-11 a.m. at the Central Hotel; and

• Thursday, June 27, from 1-3 p.m. at the Central Hotel.

Community input will assist the library with its long-range planning.

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In other business, the court:

• approved the Harney County Indirect Cost Rate Policy.

With this policy in place, each county department and fund (outside of the general fund) will be charged a set rate for administrative expenses such as human resources, payroll, accounts payable, and treasury and banking services.

The court will review and approve the policy during its annual budget process;

• learned from Lynn McClintock that the High Desert Park and Recreation District is kicking off a campaign called CPR (Community Pool Revitalization), which is raising funds to remodel the High Desert Swimming Pool;

• tabled Buck and Linda Taylor’s land sale request;

• discussed whether it should file an objection to the Rattlesnake Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project Environmental Assessment. Instead of submitting a formal objection, Owens will email the court’s concerns to Malheur National Forest Supervisor Craig Trulock and invite him to attend an afternoon work session;

• upon recommendation by Drushella, approved Robert and Kathy Lytle’s application for an approach off Lane 9;

• discussed Public Notices of Water Use Requests.

Owens reiterated that water is owned by the state and managed by the Oregon Water Resources Department. It is not owned or managed by the county;

• received correspondence regarding the Steens Mountain Travel Management Plan case.

Rhonda Karges of the Burns BLM reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Travel Management Plan needs to be remanded back to the Interior Board of Land Appeals.

“It’s a do-over,” she said;

• received correspondence from the Burns BLM regarding its plan to install a new single-vault toilet at the tent camping site in Fish Lake Campground on Steens Mountain;

• only received one bid for the bus barn at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center.

The center’s executive director, Angela Lamborn, requested that the court reject the bid and re-advertise the opportunity.

The court agreed to reject the unopened bid and return it to the bidder. Additional bids will be sought and opened on July 3;

• discussed recording videos of county court meetings.

Harney County Clerk Derrin (Dag) Robinson noted that, per Oregon law, copies of the videos would have to be maintained for at least one year after the meeting.

Robinson and the court discussed options for storing the videos, the pros and cons of live streaming versus delayed recordings, and obtaining the necessary equipment.

Robinson will research the matter and report back to the court;

• learned from Dorroh that the regional Coordinated Care Organization advisory council is meeting in Burns on Wednesday, June 26.

• learned from Dorroh that she plans to present the Harney County Workforce Housing Road Map to the Burns Paiute Tribe and cities of Burns and Hines this summer;

• will hold a public hearing to discuss vacation of Crane’s Main Avenue, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Donaldson Avenue, and Leland Street during the next county court meeting.

The next county court meeting will be held Wednesday, July 3, at 10 a.m. in Runnels’ office at the courthouse.