Added as a late agenda item to tomorrow’s BOC meeting, surface use rights on approximately 400 acres of county forest will be discussed as a possible site for chromite strip mining by ORC (Oregon Resources). ORC parent company, IDM International, an Australian firm is struggling to restructure debt and raise operating cash and a lease on county land may be used to collateralize loans to foreign banks. Commissioner Fred Messerle has stated publicly that “we have an obligation to the mining company” although the company is already the beneficiary of millions in tax abatement. ORC has indirectly contributed to Messerle’s campaign for commissioner through the CCAP PAC and he may be using the imperial we when talking about obligations.

Coos County is not in the bail out business and the company may be in such dire straights has to be beyond rescue. Nevertheless, the board can convey public property if they deem it in the public’s best interest so I encourage concerned citizens to specifically ask the board to explain their analysis, provide a spreadsheet or otherwise prove how they arrived at any decision.