BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS'

REGULAR MEETING (CONTINUED)

May 21, 2003

1:30 p.m.

Commissioners' Conference Room

APPROVED 2/8/06

 

Commissioner Peter Sorenson presided with Commissioners Bobby Green, Sr., Tom Lininger and Anna Morrison present. Bill Dwyer was excused.  County Administrator Bill Van Vactor, County Counsel Teresa Wilson and Recording Secretary Melissa Zimmer were also present.

 

13. PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

a. SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING/Ordinance No. 4-03/In the Matter of Amending Chapter 2 of Lane Code to Dedicate a Retiree Medical Benefit Trust Fund (LC 2.500). (NBA & PM 5/7/03)

 

Van Vactor recalled that until 1997, Lane County made promises to employees that they would be provided with health insurance for themselves until they were eligible for Medicare.  He indicated with rising medical costs, Lane County didn’t have enough money to cover that expense.  He said they hired an actuary who did an analysis and stated that Lane County has to collect 5% of payroll until 2015. The recommendation was an ordinance to set up a retirement trust fund so they could meet that obligation. He indicated that the fund would be built up and then it would trail off.

 

Commissioner Sorenson opened the Public Hearing.  There being no one signed up to speak, he closed the Public Hearing.

 

MOTION:  to adopt Ordinance No. 4-03.

 

Green MOVED, Morrison SECONDED.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: 4-0.

 

14. COMMISSIONERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

None.

 

15. CORRESPONDENCE TO THE BOARD

 

a. Letter from LandWatch Lane County of 5/6/03 - Robert Emmons

 

1) Letter from Jeff Towery to Robert Emmons.

 

2) Letter from James A. Mann, LLC, to Kent Howe, LMD.

 

3) Letter from Stephen L. Vorhes, Assistant County Counsel, to Robert Emmons.

 

4) Chronology of Robert Emmons' Correspondence.

 

Lininger thought there were important issues raised with the letters.  He understood some of the concerns of Emmons but didn’t think discussing the matter was the best way to handle it.  He thought the Board should direct this to Land Management.

 

Green thought it was not the appropriate arena for the discussion of the letters.  He thought Emmons could take the matter to the Attorney General.

 

Morrison thought some of the land use compliance issues from the past were not always dealt with appropriately.  She believed Emmons was on the task force group and he knew this matter was coming back to the Board regarding enforcement. She was not interested in having a discussion; she thought the matters would be addressed in their own time.  She thought there were other land use issues that were more severe than these.

 

Sorenson thought the issue raised by Land Watch about the compliance action on Barry Stein was important.   He wanted an update on that action.  He indicted Lane County didn’t follow mandatory language.  He wanted Land Management to give an update on this matter.

 

Lininger thought the outside interest groups should present their concerns to the Board and then the Board could decide what they want to do.  He wanted to look at the Barry Stein property and the director’s discretion to get more attention.

 

Morrison noted there had been land use compliance issues that were outstanding for more than 17 years.  She thought there were more environmental sensitive issues than this.  She thought this wasn’t very important in comparison to others.  She added half of these were in her district.  She didn’t want to add these to Land Management’s workload.

 

Sorenson indicated there would be follow-up from the agenda team to be brought back to board.

 

Lininger wanted to look at limits of discretionary authority by the Land Management director.

 

16. OTHER BUSINESS

 

None.

 

There being no further business, Commissioner Sorenson recessed the meeting into Executive Session at 2:00 p.m.

 

 

 

Melissa Zimmer

Recording Secretary