Commission: County in 'fragile' state

County leaders discuss goals and hardship during annual address

By Matthew Graham

The Clackamas Review, Mar 4, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

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Despite innovations to save money while still providing adequate service, Clackamas County is still struggling to create jobs and enhance public safety in what county commissioners called a “fragile” state of the county.

“The state of the county is fragile,” said County Chairwoman Lynn Peterson during the state of the county address last week, which for the first time was done in an interactive format. “For many, times are not good. Though we have preserved the quality of life that we all value in Clackamas County, we must focus on the mission, which is providing the best services for the best possible value.”

Peterson, in last week’s annual state of the county address, said that things like switching to a four-day work week in the county, which saved more than $450,000, and putting assessor’s records online allowed the county to save money in the recession without significantly cutting services. Other initiatives, such as the passage of the library and extension taxing districts, have actually allowed some services to improve.

And the county has seen help from elsewhere; it has been allocated more than $19 million in federal stimulus funds and $120 million in similar funds from the state. She said that allows the county to maintain jobs and begin projects, like the Sunrise Corridor project that would improve freight mobility through the industrial area near Highway 212 east of Interstate 205.

And she said this year’s opening of the MAX Green Line is the first step in connecting the county with the region’s transportation system, with another line to Milwaukie and streetcar to Lake Oswego also in the works.

Looking ahead, Peterson said the commission would focus on just four goals in 2010 to try to improve the county’s position. The goals include creating a multi-year strategic plan; focusing on thoughtfully implementing the urban and rural reserves decisions reached regionally last week; focusing on enhancing public safety services; and looking at how the county provides urban and rural services.

She said reaching decisions on urban and rural reserves – which indicate where the region wants to grow over the next 50 years – would allow businesses and agricultural operations to plan and grow, while a strategic plan would allow the county to focus on long-term goals and initiatives.

“Yes, the state of the county is fragile and we have set big goals to get us through,” Peterson said. “While we are all personally experiencing a pretty rough ride right now, please consider the words of John F. Kennedy: ‘Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.’ In other words, rest assured that better times lie ahead with this team and this engaged citizenry.”

The county also fielded questions from the audience, both in person, via video feed and through email. Commissioner Ann Lininger said the county has implemented other services to help businesses, such as expedited planning processes and subsidies through things like waived fees. Asked how the county is nurturing the arts community she stressed that arts and heritage are important, but also said that during this recession they must balance the desire for a robust arts community with providing for the needs of people who may have lost their jobs or are otherwise struggling.

Commissioner Jim Bernard, when asked about public safety improvements, said improvements were being made to accommodate more inmates at the jail, but said the county is also looking at programs to keep those offenders out of jail in the first place. He mentioned things like drug and alcohol counseling and services to help recently released convicts find jobs.