Deschutes County budget grows with federal relief aid; several big projects on the way

From roundabout on Hwy. 20 in Tumalo to exploring proposed North County campus

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County has released its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022. The total proposed budget, including county service districts, is $634,746,104, which represents an increase of 23 percent increase from last year’s adopted budget.

Changes from last year are largely being driven by the addition of $38 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and $41 million in capital investments, according to a county news release Thursday, which continues in full below.

The county’s total proposed operating budget, which best reflects the county’s actual spending, as it excludes contingency, unappropriated balances and internal transactions, is $338.4 million. After compensating for changes in capital projects, debt service costs and the addition of ARPA funding, the increase is 3.8 percent from the prior year.

“Deschutes County continues to grow and that growth is translating to a need, in certain areas, to expand staff and programming to meet increasing service demands,” said County Administrator Tom Anderson. “We are looking critically at the ways we can most efficiently meet the needs of our communities through capital investment and strategic operational expansion.”

The county’s Budget Committee will review the proposed budget during the week of June 1. A full schedule is available online at www.deschutes.org/meetings.

Highlights from the County’s proposed budget include:

• The Road Department is proposing to spend $29.6 million on capital projects, including reconstructing Hunnell Road from Loco Road to Tumalo Road, paving Rickard Road from Groff Road to US-20 and funding construction of a roundabout at US-20, Cook Ave. and O.B. Riley Road in Tumalo through a partnership with ODOT.
   
• The Department of Solid Waste plans to spend $14.5 million to modernize the Negus Transfer Station in Redmond and $5 million to construct the next cell at Knott Landfill to allow for additional disposal capacity.
   
• Health Services continues to play a critical role in the community’s response to COVID-19. The department’s proposed budget includes a variety of federal, state and local funds to support continued COVID-19 monitoring and response.
   
• The County plans to explore the development of a North County campus in Redmond, which would provide space for the Health Services Department and other County services.
   
• The Board of County Commissioners will determine a framework to spend more than $38 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Based on federal guidelines, recipients may spend ARPA resources to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger, more equitable economy as the country recovers including expenditures to support the public health response, address the negative economic impacts of the public health emergency, support impacted businesses and invest in key infrastructure projects.
   
• Deschutes 9-1-1 plans to continue implementation of a long-term plan to support enhanced coverage of the district’s radio system through system programming changes and new radio site additions.
   
• In the past year, Community Development's permit volumes have increased 10 to 30 percent across all categories compared to the prior year. Due to sustained and increasing demand for services, the department is requesting additional staff to meet increasing demand related to permitting and construction.

To view the County’s proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget, visit: www.deschutes.org/budget.

Budget hearings, which will be held at the Deschutes Services Center in Bend, will be live-streamed online at www.deschutes.org/meetings.