By David Jennings
On November 26th the Coos County Board of Commissioners (BOC) adopted a planning process to respond to anticipated future reductions in County revenue. This process is outlined in a document written by Commissioner Melissa Cribbins titled “Financial Contingency Planning”. Except when noted, all quotes in this article are from this document.
The First step in the planning process is “Engage in Oregon’s Kitchen Table Exercise to Gain Initial Stakeholder Input: Projected Completion Date March 1, 2014.” This exercise was developed by the College of Urban & Public Affairs at Portland State University. The College website describes Kitchen Table as “a unique experiment in civil engagement”-it is a survey and face to face and on-line “conversations”.
In 2012 the Kitchen Table was used to survey Curry County residents regarding their County government. The survey respondents were self-selected and the responses did not seem to represent Curry County as a whole. A plurality of Curry respondents (34%) describes themselves as liberal or very liberal. A plurality (38%) also identified themselves as Democrats. However, Curry is a conservative County. In 2012 Curry voters voted Republican in every partisan race from President down through state representative.
The Kitchen Table survey also reported that 7l% of Curry respondents “would consider additional taxes to provide County services”. However, in 2013 Curry voters twice defeated property tax levies to fund the Sheriff’s Office.
Returning to the Coos County survey, the Cribbins document states the BOC will “propose key questions on policy and governance issues that call for citizen input”. Then the Kitchen Table advisory board “a group of civic leaders representing diverse community perspectives” will work “with the leaders proposing the questions as well as public opinion researchers to create in-depth and non-spun questionnaires that measure the public’s opinions, attitudes, ideas, beliefs & values”.
The Coos Kitchen Table will include both an on-line survey and “where possible” face to face meetings. After completion the results of what Ms. Cribbins calls “the consultations” will be made public. The second step in the planning process is “Determine the Parameters of Financial Contingency Planning: Projected completion date May 1, 2014”. The BOC county staff or a committee will determine these parameters. The third step is “Create Draft Financial Contingency Plan: Projected completion date June 1, 2014”.
The Fourth step is “Gather Public Input on Draft Financial Contingency Plan: Projected Completion date September 1, 2014”. The County will “gather staff input” and hold Town Halls “in every city in the county” to review the draft Financial Contingency Plan. The Fifth step is “Incorporate Comments and Present Final Financial Contingency Plan to Commissioners for Adoption: Projected completion date November 1, 2014”.
Two of the three County Commission positions, those of John Sweet and Melissa Cribbins are up for election next year. Like the County Administrator question in 2012 County Financial Planning could be a hot issue in the 2 Commissioner races. It should be an interesting election.
David Jennings worked for 28.5 years as a Juvenile Detention Counselor in the Coos County Juvenile Department. During his years with the County he also served in a variety of offices with the AFSCME Courthouse Union including President, Chief Steward and Bargaining Team member.
