Now that the contract with OSU has been signed by the county commissioners and OSU (after many delays), staff has being hired and programs are beginning. Frank Boothby was began as Community Relations and Program Manager on September 24th.

The library lease was approved and signed by both the commissioners and library representatives. 

As you are aware, federal funding for the SNAP-Ed program ends on Sept. 30, 2025. As we approach the end date of the program that has had such an impact for our community, I wanted to send a personal note as well as a few updates and resources.

Newly elected county commissioners, judges, and their high-level staff can better serve Josephine County by attending County College, a series of five monthly training sessions provided through the Association of Oregon Counties and OSU Extension Service. Running alternate years, the program, which began in 2006, offers comprehensive overviews of government ethics, public meetings, county finance, community development, health and human services, veterans, public safety, natural resources, economic development, transportation, and more. 

The library lease may be brought up in the September 23rd county commissioners admin meeting, according to a reliable source.

Recommendation:

Reinstate a Policy by Board Order or Resolution that requires an agenda item cover sheet for all major decisions and votes made by the Josephine County Board of County Commissioners.  The policy should require the meeting packet item cover sheet to include, at a minimum, a description of the item, a brief writeup of the background of the item, and most importantly a Fiscal Impact Statement.

Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) will not be endorsing either side of the recall currently going on in Josephine County. At CRG’s General Meeting Sept. 6, the membership voted not to endorse, but to advocate for honest and factual information as the recall petition circulates and those targeted provide their side of the story.

John West’s emails to the commissioners, shared in the Daily Courier, raised some interesting points - some in what he said, others in what he inferred, and still others in what he did not say. Those emails provided insight into those West identifies as the commissioners’ base.

A recall is a voter-driven process to remove an elected official from office before their term ends. In Oregon, the only way to do this is through a formal recall election, which begins when citizens gather enough verified signatures to trigger a special election.

Unlike employees, elected officials cannot be fired. A recall is the check-and-balance tool that gives voters the power to decide if an official has lost public confidence and should be replaced.