Commissioners learn about juvenile intervention projects

ALBANY — Linn County’s youth summer intervention program is underway, Rob Perkins, supervising probation officer with the Linn County Juvenile Department told the Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning.

Perkins said there are two groups of boys and two groups of girls. He said the county’s two Intervention Specialists have been working with 214 young people during the school year.

Of those, 208 have not been referred to the Juvenile Department by the courts. The goal of the intervention program is to assist the young people before their actions get to that level.

Perkins said numerous positive impact programs are planned this summer including educational experiences at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, working with underwater robotics, tackling the Oregon State University Challenge Course, cooking classes, hiking and more.

“There will be a variety of experiences,” Perkins said. “These are great opportunities and positive experiences.”

Perkins said that in May, the Tier 1 work crew completed 152 hours of community service in six project days and the Tier 2 group completed 280 hours in 14 project days.

In May, there were 37 young people from Linn County held for 62 days, average almost seven days stay each. There were seven young people from Benton County averaging almost seven days stay and six young people from Lincoln County averaging 10 days stay.

The Juvenile Department received 101 referrals in May.

In other business, the commissioners:

• On a 2-1 vote, adopted an ordinance amending the Linn County development code, setting a 1-mile setback for new large chicken Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. The setback does not apply to other livestock. The county held a Public Hearing about the issue June 18.
• Were informed by Fair & Expo Center director Kris Barnes that the total income for FY 2023-24 should exceed $1.2 million, some $200,000 more than budgeted, but expenses were also up. He has also filled three positions that were held open for almost two years due to retirements. He said fair staff are busy gearing up for the annual Linn County Fair. The 4-H Fair will start on July 15 and the county fair will run July 18-20. The popular 4-H and FFA auction will be held on Saturday July 20.
• Accepted a grant for $94,112 from the Oregon Business Development Department to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Linn County Fair.
• Approved an Information Technologies Services contract with SilverSky which hosts the county’s email program. The company is going to move data to a Microsoft-based platform. Cost is $6,843.70 per month and a one-time charge of $8,445.
• Appointed Lynn Tylczak and Reagan Knopp to the Linn County Parks and Recreation Commission.
• Adopted the 2024-25 budget of $242,245,473, of which the General Fund is $52,921,483. The General Fund tax rate will be $1.2736 per $1,000 of property tax assessment and the Law Enforcement tax levy is $2.98 per $1,000 of property assessment.
• Adopted the 4-H and Extension Service District tax rate of seven cents per $1,000 of property assessment.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.