Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Jan 13th Highlights.

Budget policies discussed
The board of commissioners discussed proposed budget policies for the upcoming 2010-2011 fiscal year. The policies, which are reviewed and updated each year, guide the board and county staff in crafting each year’s budget. The board is set to adopt the new policies at its Jan. 27 meeting.

Assistant County Manager Nicole Williams explained that this year’s policies contain only a few revisions from last year’s. They are: completing the shift for funding of the Juvenile Detention Center ? $300,000 in the 2010-11 year ? out of the he county’s Special Projects Fund and into the General Fund, and a similar shift for the $200,000 annual payment for rental of beds in the Tillamook County Jail.
Key provisions of the policies that department directors are to follow when preparing their proposed budgets include: adding no new positions unless specifically approved by the board of commissioners; holding materials and services expenses to current year’s levels; pursuing revenue sources to the fullest extent possible; and county will not “back-fill” shortfalls in state or federal funding with county revenue.
Finance Director Mike Robison told the board that the county has realized a number of cost savings and new revenue sources and should be able to maintain all services and reserve funds for the next two fiscal years. After that, however, the projected budget outlook grows worse, thanks in large part to the drop in state forest revenue from more than $3 million in the 2008-09 year to a projected $1.3 million next year. Since most timber revenue goes into the Special Projects fund for capital expenses, that will limit the money available for equipment purchases and improvement projects, Robison said.

Land use rules updated
The board approved a series of minor wording changes to the county’s Land and Water Development and Use Ordinance, the zoning document governing most development in the unincorporated county.
The language revisions, aimed at correcting typos, updating obsolete references to other codes and other changes, are being done in preparation for a more comprehensive revision of ordinance to be tackled by the county planning office.
The board approved the revisions with the exception of two involving variance provisions that had raised concerns among some property owners in Arch Cape, and directed planning staff to address those items separately.

Other Business
In other business the board:
· Approved contracts with three agencies providing mental health, developmental disability and substance abuse services to the county for the period July 2009 to June 2011. The agreements are with Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, Columbia Community Mental Health and LifeWorks NW. The services are funded with state revenue.
· Approved a supplemental budget for the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office to fund a new vehicle for the county’s Drug Task Force and support for the City of Seaside’s contribution to the program and account for unanticipated revenue including an extra $18,000 in state drug forfeiture revenue, plus a grant awarded to the four-county regional drug task force that will net Clatsop County up to $229,534 over two years.
· Heard a presentation from Clatsop Community Action on the agency’s Project Homeless Connect, an event planned for Jan. 28 at Calvary Assembly of God Church in Warrenton that will provide food and personal supplies, medical services, employment information and other assistance to local homeless citizens.
· Approved a boundary line adjustment for two lots in the county’s North Coast Business Park to correct an error made by engineers from the land buyer and developer, North Coast Retail LLC. One of the lots is the site for a proposed new Goodwill retail store.