Local News

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning made appointments to the Airport Advisory Board and Budget Committee -- but the most interesting developments in the meeting came during the public comment period.

The Board started off the session with the approval of a resolution that continues Josephine County's participation in the County Assessment Function Funding Assistance (CAFFA) Grant program. It's the 36th annual renewal of a grant from the state that helps offset the costs of assessing local properties for taxation.

The Commissioners also approved plat maps for two new housing developments in Josephine County -- Eden View and Lesisz Estates.

The Board then approved a resolution making seven appointments to the Josephine County Airports Advisory Board. Sean McGillivary, Ryan Marshall, Brett Hopper and Jason Emonds were appointed to four terms while Lena Traeger, Jamie Jones and Cameron Camp were appointed to two-year terms.

Three people were appointed to one-year terms on the Josephine County Budget Committee. They are Chad Hanson, Nathan Seable and Marc Kirby.

During Public Comment, four people chastised absent Commissioner Chris Barnett for making false claims about people being bused in to last Saturday's successful protest against the Trump administration. One man spoke in opposition to what he called "religious dogma espoused by the Board of Commissioners" while another man spoke in favor of the religious invocations at the start of weekly meetings.

There was also citizen comment supporting the Josephine Community Library District as well as a Williams man who asked the Board to "unbundle the Pipe Fork property from the Thompson Creek parcel and sell Pipe Fork to us."