Wasco County Commissioners Update: Kathy Schwartz to serve on City/County Coordinated Homeless Service Advisory Committee

Meet the Wasco County Commissioners: Steve Kramer, Scott Hege and Chair Kathy Schwartz

Welcome to Quick & Easy Wasco County Commission Update

Stay updated on County issues without having to to sit through two hours of meetings.

The Wasco County Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on May 4th, 2022. 

Watch the meeting: Watch Livestream here.
Read More: May 4th, 2022 Agenda & Board Packet.
Submit public comments: Your County, Your Voice.

The Agenda Break Down

Commission Chair Kathy Schwartz to Serve on House Bill 4123 City/County Coordinated Homeless Service Advisory Committee

Video Time: 1:18:40

Kenny LaPoint, Executive Director of Mid-Columbia Community Action Council sent Commissioner Schwartz a letter asking if she would serve on the H.B. 4123 City/County Coordinated Homeless Service Advisory Committee. Commissioner Schwartz said she would be happy to serve on the committee. 

Mid-Columbia Center for Living Request for Services

Video Time: 0:00

Commissioners discussed Mid-Columbia Center for Living’s request for ongoing support with internet technology, human resources, fiscal, and executive leadership services. 

Commissioners raised questions about Mid-Columbia Center for Living’s financial solvency and the County’s ability to provide MCCFl with services due to understaffing. Commissioners also discussed the need for mental health services in Wasco County. 

Commissioners eventually landed on directing staff to draft the service agreements proposed by MCCFL due to the necessity of having accessible mental health services in Wasco County but warned that County staff were getting stretched thin due to staffing shortages caused by the pandemic. Commissioners also agreed to draft a letter thanking County staff for their hard work and hanging in there despite difficulties brought on by the pandemic. 

MId-Columbia Center for Living requests:

• Internet Technology services over a multiyear duration. (A service agreement has already executed) 

• A Human Resources Services Agreement to extend the current arrangement for part time HR Director support to MCCFL team for the next 6 months and then re-evaluate business need. 

• Fiscal Services Agreement (proposed) to extend the current arrangement for part time  Finance Director for fiscal year 22-23 with a 6-month re-evaluation of business need.

• Executive Leadership Services Agreement (proposed) for part-time loaned executive  support for fiscal year 22-23 with a 6-month re-evaluation of business need.

MCCFL also requested that Wasco County prepare a proposed cost structure for the three proposed areas outlined above, since the IT Services Agreement is already approved. 

“We anticipate the need for finance and HR support to remain at .5 full time equivalent (FTE) levels  each, and we hope to receive 1.0 FTE level of executive leadership support. Executive leadership services would likely be split between two leaders: Molly Rogers (approximately .75 FTE) and Tyler Stone (approximately .25 FTE).” reads the MCCFL Memo.

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Update on 2022-2027 Economic Development Strategy 

Video Time: 26:43

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District presented an update to the Wasco County Commissioners which includes a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis of the local economy, a covid-19 impact report, as well as proposed future goals and action strategies.

Commissioners discussed the presentation at length.

Wasco County 4-H and Extension Service District Meeting

Video Time: 1:13:19

4-H and OSU Extension Service will be asked to approve the Strategic Investment Community Service Fee Intergovernmental Agreement, which will allocate 1.4% of service fee dollars from Google’s new data center project to Wasco County 4-H and Extension. Commissioner Hege estimated that the IGA agreement would award about $34,000 a year to Wasco County 4-H and Extension.

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