[0:00] Uh, good morning everybody. It's
Wednesday, August 19th at 9:00 a.m.
[0:04] Justin, would you lead us in the pledge
of allegiance?
[0:09] I
>> allegiance to the flag of the United
[0:11] States of America and to the republic
for which it stands, one nation under
[0:16] God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[0:24] » All right. Uh, any public comment before
we get started?
[0:42] There we go. Commissioners, for the
record, Justin Alderman, managing editor
[0:46] at the Primeville Review. Um, just
because this has been a matter I know
[0:51] you guys have spoke um publicly during
meetings on, I felt it was uh um
[0:56] appropriate to at least raise this
question. um during a meeting. Uh and
[1:00] since you guys have a late schedule, I
figured you could spare a couple
[1:03] minutes. Um but I did just want to ask
if the commissioners uh would want to
[1:07] address ongoing concerns regarding your
efforts um to seek information on some
[1:14] controversy involving uh the vector
control district. Um obviously it's a
[1:18] supple special district but as I think
we know and has been the continuing uh
[1:23] reality since uh you started your
efforts in December uh you do have
[1:26] oversight authority and uh bear I I
imagine some responsibility in uh the
[1:32] affairs of the vector control district.
Um, we our publication became aware that
[1:36] your county manager once again sent a
letter on August 7th to the vector
[1:42] control district after it again for
apparently the third time has ignored
[1:46] requests um from the board of
commissioners. Um, so I just didn't know
[1:50] and wanted to see if you uh wanted to
provide us and and the public maybe just
[1:55] your general thoughts and comments on
where we're at the process and and the
[1:59] fact that you it seems shocking. Not
only are we having difficulties getting
[2:02] information and records and repeatedly
having to petition the district attorney
[2:05] for records, uh, but it's shocking that
a board of county commissioners over 8
[2:09] months has basically gotten nothing
under this public body that you have
[2:13] oversight and and again bear some of
that responsibility. So, we felt it is
[2:17] appropriate to make sure you had an
opportunity to provide some comment and
[2:20] maybe share your current position and
feelings uh with the public. Thank you.
[2:25] » Sure. Uh, Will and I talked uh
yesterday. Um, can we speak about next
[2:29] week?
>> Yeah.
[2:32] » So, I think uh I I asked Will to put
something on the agenda for next week to
[2:37] uh talk to the rest of the board about
uh I think it's time to request a third
[2:43] party go in to uh just do a deep dive in
all their stuff. Uh I think I've been
[2:49] pretty clear throughout the process. I
think for the meat of their job of
[2:54] getting rid of
um mosquitoes, they do a really well
[2:59] really good job, but they have a lot of
work to do on the nuts and bolts of the
[3:04] organization and public records and and
you know interacting with different
[3:09] government and the press and public and
different people. And so I think we've
[3:16] given them ample chances to
independently work on that. And I'd like
[3:20] to see uh a third party go in there and
uh just do a deep dive and and help them
[3:26] to understand the processes that they're
missing.
[3:33] » Commissioner Herick, did you have any
>> I just agree. I agree with Seth, I
[3:37] guess. So I'm not going to be redundant,
but yes.
[3:40] » Thank you.
[3:44] » Did you have a question?
>> Well, I
[3:46] » you got to come to the mic and tell your
name and rank and serial number. right
[3:50] now. It's
>> how old I am.
[3:53] » No, I mean,
>> we don't need your age.
[3:55] » We don't need to know. We don't need to
know you're 25 years old.
[3:57] » Thank you very much. 45, actually. Um,
hi, I'm uh Lori and Maximum and I live
[4:04] up at Iron Horse. Um, I just had a
question about um I was driving to work
[4:10] yesterday morning and they still have
that elk crossing sign there. And a
[4:15] couple weeks ago I was driving into work
and um where that new brick building is
[4:23] that the new solar farm has, they've
just built that new kind of brick
[4:26] building there on the left. It was
shortly past that, maybe, you know,
[4:30] eighth of a mile or so, there was a
group of elk, um, kind of back on the
[4:35] left hand side of the road. I don't
know, maybe five, six, seven of them.
[4:38] And it it got me thinking now, is this
going to be their where they think
[4:43] they're crossing now? I just have never
really gotten an answer on where are the
[4:47] elks crossing now? They obviously
haven't disappeared, but I mean they
[4:51] kind of have, but was a new route
created for them or or what's going on
[4:57] with them?
So, back oh gosh, I don't know how many
[5:01] years before you, Will, they tried to do
a wildlife plan in Crook County and it
[5:07] got all the way up to the finality of it
and unfortunately OD uh FNW vetoed it.
[5:14] So, we have a very antiquated
wildlife map for our county and that is
[5:21] one of the things that they're trying to
do with this goal five and they're
[5:24] having the planning meetings and trying
to update. That is one of the things
[5:28] they're trying to do is to get that
wildlife done. So yes, there were elk
[5:32] that went through where the elk sign is
that we did take into consideration with
[5:37] the solar farms migration that we knew
of. But again, without anything firmly
[5:42] written down, it's pretty hard to just
say, hey, elk go through there. So that
[5:48] is one of the reasons that goal five is
very dearly needed and why we're going
[5:54] to be working on it and that will be a
really important aspect of it. Um,
[5:59] » but they don't know. They don't read
signs. They go where they want. And you
[6:02] also have
>> Well, I know that, but I'm saying people
[6:05] that are driving. I've seen that sign
for 20 years. And now it's like, well,
[6:08] why is it even there, you know?
>> But you also have to understand we've
[6:11] had fires. So now you're going to see a
totally different migration pattern just
[6:16] because that Yeah. That this is way
before the fires began that this has
[6:21] been going on. Um, so what needs to
happen to bring to attention that with
[6:27] this next solar farm that's getting
ready to go up? I mean, now, you know,
[6:32] there's a group of elk there now. Are
they thinking, well, maybe this is where
[6:35] we'll go? Well, no, now we're going to
wipe that one out for him, too. I mean,
[6:38] who's taking into consideration?
>> That should have been taken into
[6:40] consideration in the staff report and
ODF andW should have weighed in on it.
[6:45] So, if that has been passed and it's
done, that should be if you go back to
[6:49] that staff report, that should all have
been taken into consideration. I can't
[6:52] tell you off the cuff what what was
done, but yeah.
[6:55] » Right. Right. So, I guess bottom line,
they're just on their own kind of. I
[7:03] mean, there's not a whole lot we can't
obviously about the solar farms. So, and
[7:06] bring their lives back. Well, not really
because that was part So when you do a
[7:11] staff report and you do an application,
you have all the various agencies weigh
[7:16] in and ODFNW would have been an
important aspect of that because they
[7:21] would have taken into that
consideration. There is a problem in the
[7:25] fact that we didn't solidify that
wildlife map. I'm not going to say there
[7:29] isn't, but that should have been. And so
if we looked up that solar farm, we
[7:34] looked up that staff report, that would
have all been taken care of and there
[7:38] would have been a mitigation. Some of
the mitigation that was done on some of
[7:42] the solar farms was money that went to
Aspen Valley Ranch that preserved
[7:48] property and developed water for mu
deer. I know that was part of it. Some
[7:53] of the mitigation was with the
prongghorn. We did ramps so if they were
[7:57] in the solar farm, they would be able to
escape. I can't tell you all the
[8:00] different mitigations, but each solar
farm was taken separately and was done
[8:05] and it was done under the advice of
ODFNW.
[8:09] » Okay.
So, it's done. There's nothing any
[8:14] » I'd have to look up the staff report to
tell you. But if that solar farm is
[8:18] approved, it was taken into
consideration. And yes, there was a
[8:21] mitigation.
>> I guess I'm I'm just curious when this
[8:23] was all going on. Where's all the animal
lovers out there? I mean, were there to
[8:28] me this is like a big red, wow, this is
huge. Were there not people out there
[8:33] that were questioning?
>> I think that's one of the biggest
[8:37] problems with the process, right? Uh
people don't really get excited until
[8:42] after they see it go up because I would
have loved to have the input that I've
[8:48] gotten from the community since in
meetings when the decisions were being
[8:52] made and and fortunately or
unfortunately
[8:56] that's how the Oregon lands use process
works. Once you have an approval, you
[9:01] have an approval, which I I see value to
a lot of things in that because you need
[9:06] to have certainty in in all aspects of
land use, not just solar, but
[9:11] whatever you're doing, if you're
building a house and then you pour a,
[9:15] you know, a foundation and then they
come back, well, I don't want a house
[9:18] here. And you go, well, you know, I've
already paid for a contractor to do all
[9:21] this. So, you need to have certainty,
but it's very difficult. And I I think
[9:26] we work very hard to get as many people
here as possible to input, but unless
[9:32] people come and talk about their issues,
it's it's very difficult for us as
[9:36] elected officials to just say,
>> you know, we need the public to be part
[9:42] of that process. And and during that
time, people weren't passionate about
[9:46] it.
>> Nobody showed up.
[9:47] » Nobody showed up. Zero people in the
meetings.
[9:51] » Were you advertising on the front page
of the newspaper? And we were we maybe
[9:55] not the front page, but we were we were
making it very clear that these things
[9:59] were going on.
>> Okay.
[10:00] » On a on a consistent basis. And we have
agendas that we send out to hundreds.
[10:05] What do you think?
>> How many What do you think? Is it even a
[10:09] thousand? Maybe thousand.
>> So in the classified ad part, if you
[10:12] look, it will say there's a planning
commission meeting coming up. I I get
[10:16] it. I get what you're saying. and we do
notify the property owners and we do
[10:21] take into consideration large parcels
and so we go above the state law to get
[10:26] those people but in 2019 nobody cared
nobody showed up you did that and I
[10:33] always say it wrong that ESSE is that it
is that
[10:36] » analysis
>> okay so whatever the analysis was and on
[10:39] social there was no one here so we did
we did we did the best that we could
[10:46] » with what we had because there's boxes
to check and again on wildlife. Yes,
[10:52] that was taken into consideration and
ODFNW was present and we did what we
[10:56] could do
>> within the state laws that we're allowed
[10:59] to that's the other thing is we aren't
allowed to really go outside of I guess
[11:04] will could probably talk better to this
but I don't want to misspeak but you
[11:09] know there's a process in land use
that's complicated but very well spelled
[11:14] out that you have to follow
in order to approve or deny something.
[11:21] And
>> so without public being here,
[11:23] » yeah,
>> you can't you don't like it. That isn't
[11:27] a reason. You have to have reason for
pro and reason for negative. And so
[11:32] again, if just because I say I don't
like them is not that's not it's what's
[11:37] presented to you and what's presented to
you if it checks the box and it matches
[11:42] all that and it matches the and you do
the mitigation that you can you are you
[11:47] have to go through otherwise what
happens is it's appealed and it goes to
[11:51] luba and it would be deni or it would be
passed through you would be because you
[11:56] just can't do that. This isn't a
personality contest. This is a pres
[12:00] presentation of business facts
basically,
[12:02] » right? Was there um so there wasn't a
group of animal activists out there that
[12:08] got involved?
>> There was nobody here.
[12:10] » Nobody.
>> Nobody.
[12:13] » Okay. Well, to me that means that gets
to the point that things need to get on
[12:19] the newspaper. I'm sorry. I know that
everyone's on the internet, but a lot of
[12:23] people aren't. I grab the newspaper
every single week. And um and I'm not,
[12:29] you know, there's a lot of people, a lot
of older people that live in this
[12:32] community
>> and I just don't do the whole social
[12:35] internet thing. I'm too old for it and
I'm not going to start it now. And um so
[12:40] I just, you know, that's kind of
unfortunate that that happened because I
[12:44] I just don't think that the
communication could have been done a
[12:49] little bit differently to grab some
attention from others. So um that's my
[12:53] comment. Are there any other pending um
permits out there for more solar farms
[13:00] that you guys are looking at or that
you're aware of?
[13:04] » Nothing that I'm aware of that is on the
board's agenda. I'd need to double check
[13:08] with our community development
department to see if you have anything.
[13:11] » Yeah, I'd just be curious.
>> Now, are you on the planning commission
[13:14] agenda, too? Because there's do we send
out the planning to both or you should
[13:20] be getting those two. So, they should be
coming to your emails of upcoming things
[13:24] on the planning.
>> Yeah.
[13:28] » Um, is that the city of Prineville?
>> No, that would be the county planning.
[13:32] » Oh. Oh. Oh, okay. I wasn't aware that
there were two different I go to the
[13:36] city of Prineville
planning,
[13:39] » but that's only things that are within
city limits. When you're talking outside
[13:43] limit, you're talking Crook County
Planning Commission.
[13:45] » Okay.
>> That's a different body.
[13:47] » Okay. And they have meetings.
>> Like I say, that's what I say. It is in
[13:50] the news. It is back in the classified.
It'll say what's going on. If you look
[13:55] if you start looking, you're going to
start seeing it
[13:57] » and and yes, it's a different entity,
but if you if if they're sent out, I I
[14:02] mean, I was a planning commissioner, so
obviously I got them, but yeah, they
[14:08] have
>> check and make sure. Can you double
[14:10] check and make sure?
>> I get I get all your stuff.
[14:13] » Yeah.
>> Yeah, we can make sure you're on the
[14:16] planning side. It sounds like that's
kind of where I need to maybe
[14:20] » that's more
being proactive.
[14:23] » Yes, exactly.
>> Instead of reactive.
[14:25] » That is your that would be your your
parcels because you're outside of that
[14:29] city limit line.
>> That's great. Thank you. That is great
[14:32] information. I appreciate it.
>> No problem at all. We appreciate you
[14:35] coming every day.
>> Yeah.
[14:38] » All right. Anybody online from the
public that would like to public
[14:43] publicly input
[14:47] By the way, Commissioner, I have to also
remind people how they get unmuted.
[14:53] » We have to unmute them.
>> Well, I know, but when you say anybody
[14:56] wants to comment, I don't think people
always know how and it's not super easy
[14:59] if you're mobile.
>> Um, just as a FYI,
[15:02] » I agree with you.
>> Is so should we have them do we have
[15:05] them raise a hand? Raise your hand
sometimes
[15:08] » or comment in the chat.
>> You have two options.
[15:15] Okay, great. Um, we will move on to the
consent agenda.
[15:20] » Okay, I make a motion to approve the
consent agenda as presented.
[15:26] » I second.
>> Okay.
[15:28] » Any discussion?
>> No. Everything is clear and that
[15:31] everyone should understand the order
number 2026-37
[15:35] of the distribution of the funds. So,
no, no discussion.
[15:41] All those in favor
>> I
[15:43] » prophet I
>> discussion
[15:48] » what
I
[15:51] » I don't think there is any discussion
that's good [laughter]
[15:54] » I mean should I just say it
>> say discussion
[15:57] » discussion none scheduled
>> none [laughter]
[16:02] discuss okay
>> manager's report this one thank you
[16:09] » and I really don't have anything at all.
I guess I mean the only thing I guess I
[16:14] do have is no appointed me to be a
second vice president on the payments
[16:21] for public lands. So evidently I must
have done a good job for SRS and PILT.
[16:25] So there you go.
>> Perfect. Uh on September or sorry August
[16:33] 27th from 2 to 4 p.m. uh Congressman
Cliff Ben will be in town talking about
[16:39] uh firefighting techniques, prevention
and postfire recovery
[16:45] and resources for that recovery. Um, and
so hopefully we can get as many people
[16:50] there that have been uh had losses and
want to talk about um possible
[16:56] prevention like managing our forests and
different things so that he can take
[17:00] that back to Washington DC and uh you
know try and try and improve some of
[17:05] that stuff
>> and it will be at Barnes.
[17:08] » Thank you. Barnes Elementary.
[17:12] All right. Um
[17:16] uh that wraps up the commissioner
updates. Uh
[17:20] oh. Uh
have you joined county college yet?
[17:24] » Yeah.
>> Okay. Well, uh we also have uh county
[17:28] college uh is starting next two weeks
from now on uh Wednesday the 2nd.
[17:35] And we're really excited. We have some
really good applicants for the thing,
[17:39] but we could always use more if there's
uh anybody online or in the room that
[17:43] would be interested and please share it
with friends and neighbors and we'd like
[17:47] to really get as many people there as
possible.
[17:50] » Feel like a second.
>> Yes.
[17:52] » Yeah, we had to tweak it because we had
a a big uh meeting come up for the power
[17:57] lines. I guess that'd be another good
one to bring up that we have a Pacific.
[18:03] » It was the third. It got bounced back to
the second.
[18:11] » Okay.
>> If you miss one, you just won't be able
[18:15] to become the uh uh you know,
validictorian.
[18:22] » But besides that, you're fine.
[laughter]
[18:27] » Is it a Zoom? Can you zoom into
>> I don't think it's
[18:29] » We don't have Zoom opportunity.
>> That's okay.
[18:35] It's from It's It's me and Will talking.
So, you hear enough of us talking, so
[18:39] you should be
>> And I just real That's my daughter's
[18:42] birthday. [clears throat]
>> Well, it's just me talking.
[18:44] » Might just be. [laughter]
>> So, see, even Will's going to be
[18:51] » Yeah. Me and Brianna will take care of
it.
[18:55] [laughter]
[19:00] » Yeah. And so, you'll have all the
information. You can go back. Okay.
[19:10] » The county board of commissioners.
[19:14] » The county board of commissioners will
now meet in executive session under OS
[19:17] 1926602E
to conduct deliberations purchase
[19:21] designated by the governing body to
negotiate real property transactions.
[19:25] Representatives of the news media
designated staff shall be allowed to
[19:28] attend the executive session. All the
members of the audience are asked to
[19:30] leave the representatives of the news
media specifically directed none
[19:33] reported on any deliberations during the
executive session except to state the
[19:36] general sub the sessions previously
announced. No decision may be made in
[19:40] executive session. At the end of the
executive session, return to open
[19:42] session. Welcome the audience back into
the room. The K County Board of
[19:45] Commissioners will now leave executive
session under RS1926602E
[19:50] [clears throat] to conduct deliberations
with persons designated by the governing
[19:53] body to negotiate real property
transactions. Representatives of the
[19:57] news media and designated staff were
allowed to attend the executive session.
[20:01] All other me all other members of the
audience are asked to leave the room.
[20:04] Representatives of the news media
specifically directed not to report in
[20:08] any deliberations during the executive
session except to state the general
[20:11] subject of the session as previously
announced. No decision was made in
[20:15] executive session. We will we have now
returned to open session and welcome the
[20:18] audience back into the room.
[20:24] » [clears throat]
[20:27] » Commissioners, what I think I heard in
the inductive session is that no
[20:30] decisions to be made today. Uh we'll
gather more information and bring this
[20:34] back for future deliberations.
>> Okay,
[20:37] » sounds good.
Um
[20:43] » motion to adjurnn.
>> Motion to adjourn.
[20:45] » I make a motion to adjurnn.
>> Second.
[20:49] » Really screws up my cadence when there's
only two of us. No, it it does kind of
[20:54] doesn't it kind of almost doesn't seem
right, but just be thankful there's not
[20:57] five of us. So there you go.
>> Sure. Okay. Uh
[21:01] » all those in fa or any discussion?
>> We don't need to discuss this.
[21:04] » All those in favor I Okay.