Oregon Emergency Board allocates $10M for public defender crisis
The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board committee approved the allocation of $10 million in general funds toward the Public Defense Service Commission, which continues to struggle with an “unprecedented” crisis. A shortage of public defenders across the state has left hundreds of people accused of crimes with no legal representation. In Multnomah County alone, about 300 cases have been dismissed due to the shortage. The one-time funding increase requires the commission to provide the state Senate president and speaker of the Oregon House a written report detailing how the commission will use the $10 million to resolve the shortage of court-provided attorneys. It also directs the commission to report on the crisis to the Join Committee on Ways on Means no later than Jan. 31. (Dianne Lugo/Statesman Journal)
Multnomah County commissioners poised to defy Wheeler
The Multnomah County Commission is preparing to defy Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and approve spending $33.6 million in homeless assistance funds without committing to support six large sanctioned campsites approved by the Portland City Council. Although the City Council allocated $27 million for those sites on Nov. 30, Wheeler said they will not succeed in ending unsanctioned camping unless the county also commits $21 million. Wheeler has reportedly asked commissioners to delay the vote until January after Chair Deborah Kafoury’s term ends. Kafoury doesn’t support the city’s plan. Wheeler also recently told the City Club of Portland that if the county does not commit some of its money to the campsites, it is “no longer a partner of ours.” (Jim Redden/Portland Tribune)
ODOT salt program aims to keep Northeast Oregon roads safer
After a pilot program in Southern Oregon showed promising results, the Oregon Department of Transportation has increasingly turned toward using rock salt in Northeast Oregon to reduce the ice and snow on roads there. It’s too early to tell how effective it’s been, but officials are hopeful given that, during the pilot projects, the number of crashes in the Interstate 5 test area dropped 27%, and the number on Highway 95 fell 23%. Robin Berheim, interim manager of ODOT’s District 13 in the region, says that while salt can be effective it’s also wise for drivers to slow down. “(Salt) is another tool in the toolbox,” she said. “It is not a miracle cure.” (Dick Mason/The Observer)
Ashland council’s health benefits are illegal, city attorney says
At an Ashland City Council last week, the mayor and city councilors learned that they would not have their health care benefits reinstated without a public vote because, according to the city’s acting attorney, they are deemed to be an illegal form of compensation. “We have found no record as to how or why the introduction of health benefits — which have occurred since 1954 and 1966 — were accomplished or justified,” said Doug McGeary, the city’s acting attorney. (Morgan Rothborne/Mail Tribune)
Deschutes County hopes to turn landfill methane into energy
The decomposing waste in Deschutes County’s Knott Landfill could soon be harnessed to help power the local energy grid. Between 45% and 60% of landfill gas is made of methane, constantly vented from the landfill. Currently, that methane is not put to any use. Instead, it’s burned off, which emits harmful carbon dioxide into the air. Deschutes County wants to change that. “We’re going to take the landfill gas, run it through a process to clean it, and then that methane would be distributed into the local gas distribution network,” said Chad Centola, director of the county’s solid waste department. (Anna Kaminski/The Bulletin)
