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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 12, 2007 County in crisis Poorer road maintenance, fewer jail beds among visible effects of county cuts By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Less supervision of misdemeanor offenders and more potholes in roads are some of the many consequences — in addition to the much-publicized closure of libraries — residents can expect after Jackson County lays off 10 percent of its workforce in June. Out of 1,072 full-time workers, the county expects to lose more than 100 employees to help alleviate a $23 million shortfall. The bulk of the layoffs, 80 full-time positions, will come from the closing all 15 libraries in the county on April 6. The county roads department could lose as many as 25 positions, resulting in poorer maintenance of roads. The roads department has left 11 positions vacant over the past two years through attrition in anticipation of the cutbacks. Community justice could lose 10 positions, which would mean less supervision of misdemeanor offenders. These are just some of the cutbacks that have been contemplated as the county braces for the loss of $23 million next fiscal year after Congress failed to renew the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Advertisement "And we're not necessarily all the way done yet," warned County Administrator Danny Jordan. He said the financial blow to some departments has been lessened by a larger infusion of state money. For instance, community justice will receive $300,000 from the Oregon Youth Authority and the sheriff's department could get the bulk of $1.4 million in public safety money earmarked for the county in the governor's budget. Some of the changes won't necessarily translate into jobs lost locally. Jordan said the county will no longer rent out space from prisons elsewhere in the state, which will reduce the number of beds for prisoners by about 70. This will save $1.8 million out of the sheriff's department's annual budget, but could mean more prisoners are released early. Commissioner C.W. Smith said the cutbacks show the county is committed to maintaining public safety while trying to preserve community programs as much as possible, such as those benefitting veterans, the Community Health Clinic and La Clinica de Valle, which also receive money from federal and state sources. He said libraries also are weighing heavily on the minds of commissioners. "We have to protect a public investment," he said, referring to the $38.9 million voters approved for the library system, as well as books, computers and other materials at the branches. The county will set aside about $1 million to mothball the library system, but maintain it so that branches could reopen quickly if voters approve a levy in May or some other funding source is found in the next year, he said. Smith said while libraries are important, other programs such as public safety have a higher priority. "I'm tired of the single-minded nature of some of the folks that say it is just the libraries," he said. The county roads department, which has 125 employees, will lose $4 million, representing about 30 percent of its revenues. "There are going to be more potholes," said Paul Korbulic, director of county roads and parks. "There is no doubt about that." There will be less grading, graveling, clearing ditches and rebuilding shoulders. Clearing vegetation that improves motorists' ability to see down roads also will be reduced. Road striping and fog lines will be repainted less frequently. "If a person lives on a gravel road, they are going to see less grading of that gravel road," said Korbulic. Materials that abate dust on gravel roads also will be applied less frequently, and Korbulic said the county is considering asking residents to pay a larger share for that service. Korbulic said the road department receives its money primarily from the federal timber dollars and from gas tax revenue, which has remained fairly flat in recent years. One position will be eliminated in the parks department, which is significant in a department of nine employees. Among the hardest-hit groups will be historical societies, which will lose $740,000. The Southern Oregon Historical Society will lose the lion's share, $565,000, representing a 44 percent cut in its $1 million budget. Enders said he hasn't yet determined the extent of the cutbacks at his organization. The Jackson County Expo will see a $177,000 hit. Director Chris Borovansky said it shouldn't affect staff levels, but it probably will lead to requests for additional donors and sponsors. "We're in a better position than most others," he said. "We have the luxury of generating more revenues." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or [email protected] . Exploring solutions Everything from taxes to timber harvests would be on the table as part of a citizen-led effort to find solutions to the budget crisis, Jackson County commissioners resolved Thursday as they grappled with the closure of all 15 library branches on April 6. Board of Commissioners Chairman C.W. Smith said the county needs to analyze a number of suggestions offered by the community so far, including an income tax, sales tax, gas tax or tax on aggregate mined in the county. In addition, commissioners hope counties can garner support from Congress, the environmental community and the state to allow more harvesting of timber locally to make up for the loss of federal money. Smith received support from other commissioners to create a task force made up of as many as 15 community leaders to explore ways out of the budget predicament caused by the failure of Congress to renew the Secure Rural Schools and Self Determination Act, which pumped $23 million into the county's coffers annually. "If we're going to get a long-term and permanent solution, we've got to involve the community," said Smith. Former Ashland Mayor Cathy Shaw suggested earlier this week that commissioners put before voters a 1 percent income tax countywide to end the reliance on federal timber subsidies to fund libraries, sheriff's patrols, roads and other services. Shaw said the tax would generate $30 million annually for the county. The commissioners will hold a public hearing on library closures at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31 at the Jackson County Courthouse auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford. Commissioner Jack Walker said he would prefer the county focus more on finding a way to harvest more timber in local forests. "We need to stop only looking at additional taxes," he said. He said he remembers a time when the county didn't collect property taxes for about seven years because so much was collected from timber receipts. He said one suggestion that could be tendered to Congress is to continue the timber payments for another six years on the condition that counties use the time to find a way to operate without federal money. "This is going to be the final bridge," said Walker. But he said that whatever deal is worked out to give counties more control of timber harvesting, it will need agreement among environmentalists, the timber industry and state. But Commissioner Dave Gilmour said extra money from timber isn't enough to help the county build roads and provide other services needed to handle the explosion of growth locally. Former Medford Mayor Lindsay Berryman, who was named as one possible member of the task force, said she was part of a similar county group in the '90s but that it didn't amount to much. "You spend eight or nine months recommending this stuff, and they end up not following the recommendations," she said. Berryman said she would be more apt to work on a specific project or measure that would lead to reopening the libraries. As to becoming a member of the task force, Berryman said, "I would be willing to hear them out, but I feel somewhat reluctant." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476 or [email protected] . Timber fund loss may result in release of more misdemeanants &byline;By Meg Landers &byline2;Mail Tribune County budget cuts may mean the five new patrol officers added to Medford's police force will have nowhere to house the people they've arrested for misdemeanor crimes. To help alleviate the loss of $23 million in federal money, Jackson County will no longer rent out space from prisons elsewhere in the state, reducing its capacity by about 70 beds starting this spring. The loss will increase the number of people released from the county jail, said Medford acting Police Chief Randy Schoen, and it's "certainly a possibility" that Medford could experience a higher crime rate because of it. Schoen, speaking before the Medford City Council Thursday, said county programs such as search and rescue, mental health and sobering services plan to maintain current operation levels, however. "There are some dark clouds on the horizon but the sky is not falling," he said. Medford recently funded five new officers in the police department with a $2.60 public safety fee appearing on residents' utility bills starting this month. County Administrator Danny Jordan said the loss in jail beds likely will result in more releases of prisoners who've committed misdemeanors. "Most of that will affect pre-trial offenders," Jordan said. There will not be a reduction of beds in the main county jail, which has a capacity of 230, he said. In addition, the county hopes to offset the loss of rented beds by making greater use of the Talent work center, which has about 150 beds. Schoen said the police department will work closely with the county jail staff so that repeat offenders and the most serious offenders are not released. Schoen said the county also is planning to nearly eliminate probation for misdemeanors, such as criminal mischief. "They're saying the really bad guys, we're not going to quit supervising them," he said. Schoen added he was optimistic. "We have some challenging hard times but we can work through them," he said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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