10/30/2026 Board of Commissioners' Weekly Update

DST Safety

With Daylight Savings Time just around the corner, Sheriff Daniel has some quick safety messages ahead of the holiday weekend. See what he has to say on our Facebook page!

Watch the video.

Josephine County Recovery Court Receives $1 Million Grant

This week, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced $1 million in federal funding that will help support addiction recovery in Josephine County. The Josephine County Treatment Court program plans to use the funding to add more personnel to help provide better access to addiction recovery services and to improve the services already in use.

Read the full press release.

Board of Commissioners Weekly Summary

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners addressed a broad range of community and County matters this week involving solid waste enforcement, public infrastructure, victim services, forestry, law enforcement, airports, housing rehabilitation, Juvenile Justice, and long-term organizational planning. Commissioners also continued coordination with the City of Grants Pass and prepared to host a public presentation highlighting Josephine County's geological resources and potential opportunities involving critical minerals.

October 27

During the October 27 City/County Monthly Update, Commissioners met with a representative from the City of Grants Pass for a joint discussion focused largely on vehicle camping, illegal dumping, solid waste enforcement, and conditions at Devil's Slide.

A review of County-owned property did not identify a suitable location for a vehicle-camping area, and County Public Health staff advised against establishing a County-operated site at this time because of potential environmental, public-health, law-enforcement, staffing, and financial impacts. The concept was left open for possible future discussion rather than advanced.

The City and County also discussed illegal dumping and the need for continued enforcement and public education. County Solid Waste staff described recent successes identifying responsible parties through photographs, video, discarded mail, social media, and coordination with law enforcement. Commissioners recognized community cleanup efforts and discussed opportunities to expand tire-disposal programs and encourage responsible disposal practices throughout the County.

Discussion also focused on Devil's Slide, where field work indicated that many occupied camps are located on City of Grants Pass property outside city limits and therefore fall within County code-enforcement jurisdiction. The County will continue addressing solid-waste and hazardous-condition violations through its normal compliance process while coordinating with the City, Sheriff's Office, fire districts, DEQ, BLM, ODOT, neighborhood organizations, and volunteer cleanup groups. The Board encouraged development of a broader public-education effort addressing illegal dumping and community stewardship.

Later October 27, during the Administration Workshop, the Board unanimously approved an amendment providing a second year of funding for the District Attorney's Victim Assistance Program. The grant includes $325,156 in Victims of Crime Act funding and $122,205.41 in Criminal Fine Account funding and supports the program manager and victim advocates who assist residents with court proceedings, victims' rights, notifications, and other case-related needs.

Commissioners also approved payment of the County's 2027 National Association of Counties membership dues in the amount of $1,762. The Board agreed to continue membership for another year while placing greater emphasis on using available resources, information, grant opportunities, and other benefits provided through the national organization.

Forestry received unanimous approval for a contract with Rogue River Forestry LLC to plant approximately 173,500 conifer seedlings across 422 acres of County forestland during the fall 2026 and winter 2027 planting seasons. The estimated contract value is $79,488. County Forestry staff will perform quality-control inspections during planting and later conduct stocking surveys to evaluate seedling survival and contractor performance.

The Board also authorized the Sheriff's Office to purchase five 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicles for new patrol deputy positions approved in the current budget. The vehicles will cost $287,649.40, with approximately $130,000 additionally anticipated for law-enforcement upfitting and will be funded through the Sheriff's Equipment Reserve Fund.

Commissioners approved a separate adjustment within the Animal Control Fund, transferring $27,400 from contingency to address personnel costs associated with the recently completed collective bargaining agreement and higher-than-anticipated vehicle expenses. The Sheriff reported that Animal Control vehicles are accumulating substantially more mileage than initially projected as calls for service continue to increase.

A decision regarding portable radios for the newly added patrol deputies was deferred. The Board requested additional information about equipment compatibility, useful life, pricing, and how the purchase would fit within the County's broader regional emergency communications modernization effort before proceeding.

The Board met briefly in Executive Session regarding a real-property matter authorized for confidential consideration under Oregon law. After returning to open session, Commissioners directed staff to continue negotiations. No additional confidential details are included in this update.

The Board also unanimously reappointed Jean Ann Miles and Mark Jones to the Josephine Housing and Community Development Council and authorized staff to pursue a Critical Oregon Airport Relief grant for economic-development infrastructure at the Illinois Valley Airport. The proposed application would seek approximately $150,000 and initially focus on infrastructure needs supporting four of the airport's sixteen industrial lots. Any future grant acceptance or local-match commitment requiring Board approval will return for consideration.

Commissioners continued development of standardized Department Reports to the Board of County Commissioners, using the Board Office itself as the first test department. The proposed reporting process is intended to provide recurring information regarding department activities, performance, staffing, priorities, challenges, and future budget needs while also making more information available to the public.

Airport operations were also discussed as Commissioners reviewed a proposed 90-Day Airport Lease Modernization Program. Approximately 82 airport leases require some level of review or correction. The Board emphasized the need to move the work forward while recognizing that existing agreements, leasehold rights, rates, insurance requirements, and individual property histories require careful review. An adjusted implementation plan with proposed goals and timelines is expected to return to the Board.

October 28

At the October 28 Weekly Business Session, the Board held the required second public hearing to close out the County's 2024 Community Development Block Grant Home Repair & Rehabilitation Program. The program assisted 21 homes and 29 residents, all qualifying as low- or moderate-income households, and invested more than $420,000 in home repairs.

Work completed through the program included windows and doors, water wells, accessibility ramps, structural and seismic improvements, gutters, septic repairs and replacements, and 13 roof replacements. Nine of the homes assisted were manufactured homes located in mobile-home parks. Local contractors completed the work, and the County reported that a substantial waiting list already exists for the next grant cycle. Following the hearing, the Board unanimously approved close-out of the completed program.

Residents also brought several matters to the Board's attention during public comment, including concerns regarding operations, communication, the weather-reporting system, and wildlife access at the Grants Pass Airport. Commissioners indicated the airport concerns warranted follow-up and additional review.

The Board also approved Order No. 2026-061, canceling the regular Weekly Business Session scheduled for November 25 because a quorum of the Board will not be available in Josephine County that day.

Commissioners highlighted newly published Juvenile Justice program data and graphics intended to give residents a clearer understanding of the department's work beyond the County's 14-bed detention facility. The information includes community-service activity, the number of youth served through detention over the course of a year, and counseling, skill-building, and support services provided to youth throughout the community.

October 29

During the October 29 Legal Counsel Update, the Board received an update regarding the boundary of the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District. Legal Counsel reported that additional property-boundary discrepancies have been identified following prior court-directed corrections involving the Applegate Rural Fire Protection District. A professionally surveyed boundary description is now required before the County can complete the correction process. Legal Counsel is coordinating with the Rural Fire Protection District and expects the completed map and supporting materials to return to the Board in approximately one month.

October 30

On Friday, October 30, the Board is scheduled to host representatives from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) for a public General Discussion at 10:00 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Presentation materials prepared for the meeting highlight Josephine County's long history of mining and its geology as an area of interest for research into critical minerals, geologic hydrogen, and carbon storage. DOGAMI reports more than 1,600 documented sites in Josephine County associated with critical minerals and is conducting or pursuing several projects involving historic mine waste, chromite, nickel and cobalt resources, rare-earth-element potential, geologic mapping, and the County's extensive ultramafic rock formations.

Current DOGAMI work includes a mine-waste inventory and assessment in Josephine County, while additional state and federal research partnerships are exploring potential opportunities involving critical minerals and naturally occurring geologic hydrogen. The October 30 meeting is intended as an informational public discussion; any Board direction or action resulting from the presentation will be reported following the meeting.

Throughout the week, Commissioners continued working with County departments, local government partners, advisory groups, residents, and state and federal agencies on matters affecting public services, infrastructure, natural resources, housing, public safety, and long-term County operations.