Wilkins prepares to join Gilliam Co. Court on July 17

Grant Wilkins is preparing to join the Gilliam County Court as County Commissioner next week.

Wilkins won the election for the position in May with more than 68% of the vote. Normally, Wilkins would start his term in January.

But the seat for Gilliam Co. Commissioner has sat vacant since the special recall election ousted former Commissioner Pat Shannon on April 30.

Judge Cris Patnode offered the appointment to Wilkins during the June 26 court session, but Wilkins asked for more time to prepare, and said that he is still working full-time for Portland General Electric (PGE).

Wilkins said that he would be ready by the July 17 county court session, which will be held in Arlington.

There are several pressing items before the court, including passing the 2024-25 budget.

During the session on June 26, Judge Patnode and Commissioner Leah Watkins worked through a long list of agenda items – many of which had been delayed since the last county court meeting on April 10.

In the interim period, Commissioner Watkins worked to ensure that county staff were paid and prevented the furloughing of county employees.

Also during this time, the county hired Brooklynn Griffith as the Finance Director.

After Judge Patnode was appointed by Governor Tina Kotek last month, she began working with county staff and Commissioner Watkins on top priorities. Judge Patnode was appointed on June 5 and sworn in on June 11.

Together, Judge Patnode and Commissioner Watkins ticked through agenda items on June 26. Those items included credit card and signing authorizations for county staff members, including Brooklynn Griffith and Rachel Boyer – the former Finance Director who has continued to work for the county as a contractor during the time of transition.

The court also renewed and revised an intergovernmental agreement with the South Gilliam Health District for the Gilliam County Public Health Department and its services.

The court also approved of a road use agreement with Leaning Juniper Wind Power II, a site near Arlington that was purchased by Amazon. The court also approved of a right-of way with Saddle Butte Wind, LLC.

In addition, the court approved of a financial plan with the US Dept. of Agriculture APHIS and Wildlife Services, which oversees livestock predation, crop losses, property damage.

The court also approved of an IGA with the Condon School District and the Gilliam Co. Library for library services. The court also amended a grant given to the Condon School District.

The court also approved of the Broadband Technical Assistance Program (BTAP) grant agreement. A grant for $150,000 was awarded through the federal government to help rural areas access broadband internet services. The funding will be used to pay a consulting firm, which will be requesting tens-of-millions of dollars for broadband in the north end of the county.

In new business, the court discussed adoption of salary schedules, declared Sheriff's dept. vehicles as surplus, approved Pillar Consulting proposal for Gilliam Co. Fairground and Events Project, and discussed operational and special projects grants.

The court approved a request from Mike Durfey with the Gilliam County Weed Dept. to buy a drone and trailer. The drone will be used to identify invasive weeds and to spray them as well. Durfey told the court that the drone could also be a revenue maker for the county, as area landowners could contract for weeds to be sprayed. There were also discussions of the drone's use for search and rescue and other emergency services priorities.

The session wrapped with the appointment discussion of Grant Wilkins, who said he understands that "this is a full-time job," though on paper, the County Commissioner position is part-time.

Beyond the immediate needs of the county, there are other issues that the court will have to address. These include economic development priorities.

Gilliam County was poised to join the Mid Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) but that change is now in question. Jessica Metta, the Executive Director at MCEDD, told the Times-Journal that Gilliam County's effort to join the district is on hold, "due to the political changes in Gilliam County and staffing changes at MCEDD."

Gilliam County has been in the Greater Eastern Oregon Development District (GEODC) for several years. With developments in the Columbia River Gorge, the previous county court saw MCEDD as a better vehicle for economic development. The change was approved by both governors in Oregon and Washington, and by all other member counties in the district.

The court will also have to decide if it will continue to use the Port of Arlington as the county's economic development driver. The Port has worked to build workforce housing and to create infrastructure for development projects. After years of a fraught relationship, the Gilliam Co. Court and Port of Arlington emerged as strong partners over the past two years. The Port has a lot of irons in the fire, and how the county court interacts with the Port will be significant for the county.

For over a year, there has been talk of a data build by the Arlington Airport. The Port, the City of Arlington, and the Gilliam County Court signed non-disclosure agreements (NDA) – so there is no official word on what the project is or its scope.

The court will also work to address childcare and early childhood education services. In Arlington, the daycare facility was forced to close due to licensure issues. While in Condon, the Early Learning Center is preparing for a large expansion and is pushing to expand services and access.