COMMISSIONERS FIND FAULT WITH MANDATORY MINIMUMS, MEASURE 49

The Curry County Commissioners held their Wednesday, December 17 meeting in
front a scant group of listeners to address a variety of topics, a recent
controversial one and a sure fire political hot button issue for the
November 2008 election.

The Commissioners approved a letter, under the advise of County Counsel
Jerry Herbage that will be going out to those with unresolved Measure 37
claims. The letter informs claim holders about the changed in the state law
after the passage of Measure 49 and advises them of possible courses of
action. Herbage said the letter will be sent to people who filed claims
outside of urban growth boundary.

"We're going to send a letter out to people and let them know what the
process is. Only 90 days and you have to choose. There isn't much we can do
right now. We have to wait until they write all of the rules," said Schafer.

"The writer of the legislation couldn't explain what was in there himself,"
said Schafer.

Mandatory minimums

Commissioner Schafer informed the audience about Initiative 40, which is
scheduled to be on the 2008 ballot.

Initiative 40 compensates counties to increase prosecution of these
property crimes, auto theft, drug offenses, and burglary by funding
pretrial incarceration costs at county jails, until the offender can be
prosecuted. If and when convicted, the inmate would be transferred to a
state prison.

"If someone has a meth lab and they go to jail, they're out in 48 hours."
Measure 40 tries to change that," Schafer said.

"Unfortunately the change is for three years. They go to prison. That means
the state has to build at least 2 more prisons."

Schafer said that the district attorney's association is concerned about
Kevin Mannix's initiative, particularly with respect to plea bargaining.

"The DAs aren't allowed plea bargain. If they don't give them the full
amount, the counties get no money for pre-trial incarceration."

"While the thought is good, but the way it is written it is huge for counties."

Schafer said that the mandatory minimums ballot measure came up at the last
Association of Oregon Counties meeting.

"It was a huge topic--very scary."

Schafer said that the Oregon legislature is going to try to negotiate with
Mannix to try to "lessen" the severity of these penalties.

Schafer said that she was concerned about this and other ballot measures.

"They did a poll, and 60% were voting yes. Like a lot of initiatives, this
was not well thought out," Schafer said.

"I'm going to be watching this one."

Other business

Georgeanne Greene, the Curry Public Health Administrator said she was
awarded a school base planning grant, one of six awarded in the state.

"My part was to sign my name. Two of the staff members were just hot that
they needed this," Greene said.

The grant will be used in the Brookings schools and will be ready by March,
in time to do inoculations. Linda Morgan and Mary Frodderman wrote the
$30,000 grant.

Joanne Washauer received an award for her management of Curry Public Transit.

"We couldn't say enough about the job you've done," Nowlin said.

"A lot of things have happened with the embezzlement, but they turned
things around."

Commissioner Marlyn Schafer reported that she was elected to the board of
the Association of Oregon Counties, a first for someone from the southern
coast.

After the major storm that hit the Oregon coast, Commissioner Schafer
expressed her sympathy for Tillamook County.

"We didn't get the rain like they did in Tillamook County. In Vernonia,
there were 200 houses that were not repairable and over 400 that had major
damage."

Schafer said that in Tillamook County, farmers and ranchers are
experiencing a shortage of hay for cattle, a supply that was lost during
the heavy wind and rain.

"Tillamook County, that's the cow country. The hay is lost. "

"If you have extra hay, call the Department of Agriculture, they are trying
to coordinate efforts."

Appointments

The Commissioners appointed Nancy Counts, Bruce Newman, Michael Murphy, and
Tom Perry to the Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC). The
Commissioners also announced four vacancies on the Curry County Public
Health Advisory Board, three vacancies on the Committee for Citizen
Involvement, one vacancy on the RSVP Advisory Council, the County
Commission on Children and Families and the Mountain Drive Special Road
District.

Notable administrative actions

Increased the FTE status to full-time for Debbie Crumley, Administrative
Secretary at the Assessor's office.

Transferred Lacey Nading from Department Specialist II in the Public Health
Department to a Cartographic Technician in the Assessor's Office.

Increased the pay of Dr. Thomas Pitchford, Public Health Officer from 37.50
to 50 per hour.

Approved a one-year extension of commercial lease for Curry County Home
Health and Hospice at their Wharf Street location in Brookings.