County sells $1+ million worth of standing trees

By SCOTT JORGENSEN
IVN Staff Writer

Six timber sales, which eventually will add $1,050,801 to the county’s coffers, were approved by Josephine County commissioners during their meeting in Grants Pass Wednesday, May 30.

All six sales were awarded White City-based Murphy Co., which beat 14 other bidders during an oral auction in April. The county board voted 2-0 in favor, as Commissioner Jim Raffenburg is away vacationing.

The sales are for county-owned properties at Cove Creek, Hampshire Hill, Range Change, Farmer’s Gulch, Stratton and Post Mountain.

Forestry Program Supervisor Vic Harris said that 25 percent of the payment will be made prior to any harvesting, with an additional 25 percent to be paid in one year. The other 50 percent of the payment will be made within the next three years.

Harris said that the county owns 30,000 acres of timber. Approximately 25,000 of those acres are harvestable, and produce between 3 million and 4 million board feet per year.

The county board also adopted an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGO) with Oregon Dept. of Human Services (DHS) regarding a program to monitor the county’s public drinking water.

The IGO is an extension of an existing two-year contract, said Belle Shepherd, interim Public Health Division manager.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has passed new guidelines for the state, which require counties to regulate their drinking water systems, Shepherd said.

Approximately 150 water systems in the county currently are monitored. The new IGO will increase that number by 74. An additional employee will be needed for the increased water system monitoring, Shepherd said. The worker will be cross-trained for other duties within the Public Health Division.

Under the agreement, which will expire June 30, 2009, the state will provide additional funds for the increased mandates. The county will receive $254,548, up from the $127,278 it had previously received. Shepherd said that the increased state support will cover any additional costs incurred by the program’s expansion.