Wasco County Approves Smoke Mitigation Grant, Red Cross Month Proclamation, and Building Codes Amendment
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 of the recent Wasco County Commission Meeting without having to sit through a long meeting.
The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on March 2nd, 2022.
Watch the meeting: Watch Livestream here.
Read More: March 2nd, 2022 Agenda & Board Packet.
Submit public comments: Your County, Your Voice.
Agenda Highlights
Smoke Mitigation Grant Agreement and IGA
Safe Routes to School Grant
Red Cross Proclamation
Building Codes Amendment
Upcoming March 16th Meeting to be In-person
Smoke Mitigation Management Grant Agreements
Video Time: 19:45
Wasco County Commissioners approved a DEQ Smoke Management Community Planning Grant Agreement #046-22 and the intergovernmental agreement between Wasco County and Oregon State University Extension Services for implementation of said grant.
Background Information
Oregon DEQ has approved a grant application for $80,000 to support the development of Community Response Plans for communicating about smoke from prescribed fire, agricultural burning, home woodstove and pile burning, wildfire, and other smoke sources
In addition to the Community Response Plan grant, the project team has also received.
$10,000 from the OHSU Knight Cancer Foundation awarded to the Healthy Community Collective which will fund the purchase of 10 air quality monitors that will be installed at orchard sites across Wasco and Hood River counties.
$104,610 from Oregon DEQ awarded to Hood River Soil &Water Conservation District to support implementation of mitigation strategies and pilot projects for smoke reduction including: treating fuels, utilizing woody biomass, air curtain burning, defensible space initiatives, and chipping of orchard and forest waste. HRSWCD applied for this grant and will carry out the work in partnership with Extension and many other local partners.
In concert, these three grants will help to transform the way the OSU monitors, communicates about, and mitigates smoke from wildfire and prescribed fire in the region. This will improve human and environmental health in the Columbia River Gorge.
Safe Routes to School Grant
Video Time: 01:27
Kara Flath, Chief Financial Officer at North Wasco County School District 21 requested a Safe Routes to School Grant support letter from the County. The County agreed to draft a letter supporting School District 21’s grant application. The Grant would provide funds to hire a Safe Routes to School Coordinator position.
Red Cross Proclamation
Video Time: 12:56
Wasco County Commissioners delivered a proclamation declaring March American Red Cross Month throughout Wasco County.
“I’m very proud to be able to proclaim March American Red Cross Month,” said Kathy Schwartz.
The Proclamation
In times of crisis, people in Wasco County come together to care for one another. This humanitarian spirit is part of the foundation of our community and is exemplified by American Red Cross Cascades Region volunteers and donors.
In 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, turning her steadfast dedication for helping others into a bold mission of preventing and alleviating people’s suffering. Today, more than 140 years later, we honor the kindness and generosity of Red Cross volunteers here in Wasco County, who continue to carry out Clara’s lifesaving legacy. They join the millions of people across the United States who volunteer, give blood, donate financially or learn vital life-preserving skills through the Red Cross.
In the Cascades Region, serving Oregon and SW Washington, the contributions of more than 2,500 local Red Cross volunteers give hope to the most vulnerable in their darkest hours. The Red Cross does so by providing more than 1,600 emergency overnight shelter stays, along with food and comfort for families devastated by more than 680 local disasters, like home fires. Through the generosity of those donating more than 182,000 units of essential blood for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. Or by supporting service members and veterans an average of eight times a day, along with their families and caregivers through the unique challenges of military life. And by helping to save the lives of others with first aid, CPR and other skills; or delivering international humanitarian aid.
Their work to prevent and alleviate human suffering is vital to strengthening our community’s resilience. We dedicate this month of March to all those who continue to advance the noble legacy of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who lived by her words, “You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.” We ask others to join in this commitment to give back in our community.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Wasco County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim March 2022 as Red Cross Month and encourage all citizens of Wasco County to reach out and support its humanitarian mission.
Building Codes Amendment
Video Time: 12:25
Wasco County Commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement amendment extending cooperative building codes services with the State Building Codes Division through March 1st, 2027.
Background Information
In September of 2020, Wasco County entered into a 6-month agreement (included in packet) with State Building Codes Division for back-up services. This agreement was extended by a year in March of 2021 through IGA 90g000359 Amendment #1. This Amendment extends that agreement through March 1, 2027, updates contact information and adds a not to exceed amount of $25,000.
Upcoming Meetings
Mask mandates will be lifted on March 12th in Oregon. The Wasco County Commissioners next meeting will be on March 16th, 2022 and will be a hybrid in person and virtual meeting.
