Marijuana enforcement deputy in Deschutes County budget plan

Deschutes County on Wednesday released its proposed $456.8 million budget for Fiscal Year 2019, including several road and safety projects, creation of a crisis stabilization and sober center and a new sheriff’s deputy dedicated to enforcing marijuana regulations, in coordination with the city of Bend.

The county’s Budget Committee, which includes commissioners Tammy Baney, Tony DeBone and Phil Henderson and three appointed members, Bill Anderson, Bruce Barrett, and Mike Maier, will review the proposed budget during budget hearings, which will begin on Tuesday, May 29 at 9 a.m. and conclude on Friday, June 1. The public is welcome to attend, although testimony will not be allowed.

A public hearing and final budget deliberations are scheduled for Monday, June 18, at 10 a.m. Budget meetings, the public hearing, and final deliberations will be held at the Deschutes Services Center building, which is located at 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend.

The proposed budget allocates resources to programs and services that support the goals and objectives that the Board of Commissioners has established:

· Safe communities

· Healthy people

· Economic vitality

· Efficient service delivery

Highlights from the county’s proposed budget include:

Capital Projects: Several significant capital projects are included in the Fiscal Year 2019 proposed budget:

· The Deschutes County Road Department is proposing to spend $3.7 million to continue work on improvements to the Old Bend-Redmond Highway corridor and Deschutes Market Road to improve traffic flow and safety between Bend and Redmond.

· The Road Department is also budgeting for projects that will address safety issues at the Burgess Road / Day Road intersection in La Pine and partner with ODOT on a refinement plan to evaluate solutions for the Hwy. 20 / O.B. Riley Road and Cook Avenue intersection in Tumalo.

9-1-1 Service District: The 9-1-1 Service District is proposing completion of a new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) project to provide first responders critical information in the field.

Community Development Department: Central Oregon’s strong housing and construction markets continue to drive increased permitting in our Community Development Department. The department is proposing to add staff strategically in FY2019 to maintain quality service levels, including permit and inspection response times.

Solid Waste / Fair & Expo : Both the Department of Solid Waste and Deschutes County Fair & Expo are continuing strategic planning processes to prepare for potential future expansion and development.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office: The Sheriff’s budget includes a new deputy that would focus on enforcement of marijuana regulations in coordination with the City of Bend Police Department.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office/Health Services: The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Deschutes County Health Services, other law enforcement agencies and external partners, is proposing the creation of a Crisis Stabilization and Sober Center in Bend to better address the needs of citizens in crisis who have been referred to law enforcement.

Additional Budget Information:

The county’s total proposed budget for FY 2019, which includes County Service Districts (and transfers of funds between departments), is $456,834,418.

The county’s total proposed operating budget, which represents capital, personnel, materials and services costs, is $203,825,297.

The proposed FY 2019 budget supports 1,117 full-time employees, a decrease of 5.8 positions from 2018. Proposed new positions in the Road Department, Community Development, Community Justice and Solid Waste are offset by a proposed reduction of primarily unfilled positions in the Health Services Department.

To view Deschutes County’s proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget, visit: https://www.deschutes.org/finance/page/county-budget-information