The Marion County Board of Commissioners meets Wednesday to consider funding for the county’s health department and sheriff’s office to monitor people with pending criminal cases who are working on restoring their ability to aid and assist in their own defense.
Commissioners will consider an agreement where Marion County Health and Human Services would pay the Marion County Sheriff’s Office $290,000 through June 2024 for that work, which would include making sure those awaiting prosecution are complying with their release order, participating in recommended treatment programs, maintaining approved housing and following the law. The agencies would also help those people attend court hearings and connect them them to services including housing, mental health and substance abuse treatment.
There will also be a public hearing Wednesday to consider adopting the first supplemental budget for fiscal year 2022-23. Commissioners would then vote on the supplemental budget, which would add about $22.83 million to the county’s existing budget. The proposal comes after several county departments requested larger budgets due to unforeseen circumstances, including increased costs of materials and services as well as new positions in the health department due to additional funding received for its mobile crisis, aid and assist, and intellectual and developmental services programs, according to the agenda item. The new budget would total about $715.5 million.
The board will also consider awarding $533,000 of federal funding to Soaring Heights Recovery Homes to purchase a Keizer property at 1381 Mandarin St. N.E. The nonprofit operates two homes where 13 adults can stay for up to 18 months to help them transition out of homelessness and reunite with their families. Residents are required to find employment, participate in recovery-based activities and random drug testing, according to the organization’s website.
They will consider awarding about $217,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Salem to help pay for operation of its new east Salem branch, a clubhouse at 3805 Lancaster Drive N.E. The land for the site is the former homestead of developer Larry and Jeanette Epping, donated by their children.
Commissioners will consider adding $500,000 to a contract with Dr. Caroline Castillo to continue serving as the county’s public health medical director through 2024. Castillo contracted with the county in December 2021 and spent much of the past summer preparing for a local monkeypox outbreak. The new contract would total $700,000.
The board will consider spending about $150,000 to renew the services of CVE Technologies Group, Inc., which provides software maintenance updates, hardware replacement and technical support for the county.
They will also consider a $175,000 agreement with the state Department of Transportation to continue maintaining traffic signals, flashing beacons, street lights and other electrical installations in Marion County through June 2027.
Commissioners will consider appointing Cari Sessums to the Local Alcohol and Drug Planning Committee.
The board will consider reappointing Kent Inman as the Marion County surveyor.
They will also consider appointing Becky Delurey as a fair board member and Greg Martin as a key volunteer of the Marion County Fair Board.
Meeting details: The commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Senator Hearing Room at 555 Court Street N.E. Anyone can sign up to give public comment in-person at the meeting. The meeting is streamed live on YouTube.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
