There was standing room only in the courthouse conference room as the county commissioners convened an administrative workshop Friday afternoon that featured a full agenda including a conversation on the formation process for creating the law enforcement taxing district.

A public hearing is set for next Friday, January 18th at 9:00 a.m. in the Anne Basker auditorium. At the end of that meeting most of the work to place the district on the May ballot must be complete to the point of setting a rate to be asked for and outlining the level of service to be provided.

The district would not include rural patrols or the city of Cave Junction, although it appears that city could join the process if it chooses to before the 18th. The county attorney stated there are lots of gray areas here but following the 18th, should Cave Junction desire to join the district it would have to file a petition after the district is formed.

Numbers are still being generated but the Securing Our Safety committee has submitted preliminary numbers with nine different variations ranging from an additional $1.30 to $1.41 per thousand.

Sheriff Gilbertson stated the .76 cents estimated to fund the jail plus civil and court security was not adequate.

The option of a two to four year levy was mentioned as an option just because of the tight deadline that must be met to get the district on the May ballot.

Opponents of the taxing district have been scheduled for a talk show on KAJO 1270 a.m. next Tuesday morning at 9:35.