Quick & Easy Wasco County Update: Phase D of Lone Pine Development Approved, NCPHD to get new ADA ramp, MCEDD Awarded $25k from the County, Clean Audits, Donated Public Art and more
Meet the Wasco County Commissioners LEFT TO RIGHT: Steve Kramer, Scott Hege, Kathy Schwartz
By Cole Goodwin
Welcome to Quick & Easy Wasco County Commission Preview
Get the highlights from the recent Wasco County Commission Meeting without having to watch two and a half hours of public meetings.
The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on February 2nd, 2022.
Watch the meeting: Watch the Livestream here.
Read More: February 2nd, 2022 Agenda & Board Packet.
Submit public comments: Your County, Your Voice.
Agenda Highlights
Wasco County 2021 Audit Report
Transit Grant for Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
NCPHD Gets a New ADA Ramp for Annex A Ramp in Emergency Procurement
Planning Commission Appeal Hearing
Discussion Items
North Central Public Health District COVID-19 Update
Lone Pine Subdivision Phase D Granted Approval
$25K Addition to Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Budget
Gambling Prevention Services Agreement Mid-Columbia Center for Living, YouthThink, County
District Meetings
Wasco County 4-H Extension Service District Meeting
Wasco County Library Service District Meeting
Wasco County 2021 Audit Report
Video Time: 2:10:37
Wasco County presented and approved the results of its 2021 audit, which came back ‘clean.’
Transit Grant for Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
Video Time: 2:20:37
Wasco County Commissioners approved Mid-Columbia Economic Development District moving forward with applying for the 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Grant. The grant could support projects concerning operations, mobility management, purchased service, and preventative maintenance for transportation providers serving seniors and individuals with disabilities in rural areas.
NCPHD Gets a New ADA Ramp for Annex A Ramp in Emergency Procurement
Video Time: 2:31:23 (due to technical error, this part of the meeting is not available on video)
Wasco County Commissioners approved a $49,352 contract with Adam’s Construction to replace a North Central Public Health District ramp attached to Annex A at 419 E. Seventh St., The Dalles. The current ramp has fallen into extreme disrepair and is escalating in deterioration, resulting in NCPHD closing the ramp for safety reasons.
Planning Commission Appeal Hearing
Video Time: 28:08
Wasco County heard appeals but approved a request to build a new dwelling and agricultural structures to support proposed farm use on a 20.59-acre lot between Huskey Road and Quartz Drive in the Rocky Prairie subdivision, which sits a half a mile south of Mosier.
COVID-19 Update from North Central Public Health District
Video Time: 8:23
Shellie Campbell gave a COVID-19 update from NCPHD.
Commissioner Scott Hege asked Campbell when Wasco County might see a return to in-person meetings. Campbell said that they didn’t have an answer as to when in person meetings would return. However, Campbell shared that the Oregon Health Authority model showed that the number of hospitalizations was not likely to decrease again until March.
NCPHD said that there are currently fifty-two people hospitalized in Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam County and only six available hospital beds.
Lone Pine Subdivision Phase D Granted Approval
Video Time: 0:00
Wasco County Commissioners agreed to sign a Platt map to approve phase D of the Lone Pine Village Subdivision development. Phase D creates 16 new housing lots.
$25K Addition to Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Budget
Video Time: 3:31
Wasco County approved MCEDD’s request for an additional $25K from the County to fund additional work on projects such as the strategic planning for the Wasco County Fair Board and repairs to boat ramps at Pine Hollow Reservoir.
Gambling Prevention Services Agreement for Mid-Columbia Center for Living, YouthThink, Wasco County
Video Time: 22:16
Wasco County commissioners approved a MCCFL and YouthThink professional services contract agreement to provide gambling prevention services to Wasco County. The agreement will allow them to support their new hire in Sherman County and partner on creating messaging and doing advertising for gambling prevention.
Debby Jones from YouthThink thanked the commissioners for approving the agreement.
4-H Extension Service District Meeting
Video Time: 1:39:52
Orders of Business
The County appointed DeOra Patton to the Wasco County 4-H Extension Budget Committee.
The County reviewed the results of the 4-H extension audit, which was ‘clean’.
New Hires
Lea Lowe is 4-H Extensions new Outreach Coordinator.
4-H extension has hired Ashley Thompson as a Research Assistant, the position is 90% funded by the County.
4-H extension is in the process of hiring a Master Gardener and Community Horticulture Educator, which is a County funded position. Master Gardener classes will begin in two weeks.
4-H Robotics Had a Great January
The 4-H Robotics team had a very successful January. Team Irrelevant had a top 3 finish at the Sandy Tournament. Team System overload had a top team skills score of 240 points. And System Overload had a successful autonomous programming. Theo Sandoz, Angel Garcia, Makayla Williamson, and Abijah Patterson of team Irrelevant also competed in the North Marion tournament and won the Vex Robotics Championship trophy.
TDHS Robotics team shows off their Vex Robotics Championship trophy.
Upcoming Events and Programs
There will be an Oregon 4-H Virtual Career Fair Thursday, Feb. 10, 4:00- 5:30 p.m. Presenters from a variety of careers will highlight their professional journeys and passions in this online career fair via Zoom. The event is free and open to all youth but they must pre-register. Register at: http://BEAV.ES/UEZ.
Lauren Kramer is still working on a Cascadia subduction zone free online program training event. The event will have four modules that teach people how to prepare for the Cascadia event.
Educational programs for students and families are still underway, although several programs have had to make changes to adjust for covid requirements.
Wasco County Library Service District Meeting
Video Time: 1:548:20
Orders of Business
The County appointed DeOra Patton and Corliss Marsh to the Wasco County Library Budget Committee.
The County reviewed the results of the Wasco County Library audit which reportedly came back as ‘clean’.
Wasco County District Librarian Jeff Wavruneck also gave an update on the Wasco County library.
Local Metal Artist Alan Root has donated three sculptures to The Dalles Wasco County Library including Heron, Bouquet of Wrenches, and Expect the Unexpected…Embrace the Occasional Mystery - In a Word Teetering on the Brink of Unresolved Issues, Uncertainty and Chaos… Seek out the Balance and Harmony between Light and Dark Forces.” He is also the artist behind “Two Questions,” that resides near the entrance. All pieces are on display at The Dalles Public Library.
The Children’s wing of the library has continued to be extremely popular. Wavruneck shared the story of a young girl who had built a huge throne out of foam blocks and then had sat in it to read a book.
Wavruneck also shared that Dune has been checked out of the library thirty times in the last six months, which was considered to be very good circulation.
Hybrid zoom/in-person book clubs and programming continues to be a focus for the Library.
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