- Meeting Adjourned: A Josephine County Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Monday, December 15th, at 1:30 p.m., was immediately adjourned at 1:31 p.m.
- Lack of Quorum: Only Board Chair Chris Barnett was present. Commissioner Ron Smith was absent, and one seat is currently vacant. It is unclear how Chris Barnett was elected as Board Chair.
- Legal Requirement: Oregon public meetings law requires a quorum of two members of the three-member board to be present to conduct county business.
- Vacant Seat: The board remains hampered by a vacant seat after former Chair Andreas Blech resigned earlier this month, prior to a recall election.
- Replacement Process Stalled: The board cannot deliberate or act, including appointing a replacement commissioner, until the quorum issue is resolved.
- The county is currently accepting applications for the open seat.
- Commissioner’s Intent: Commissioner Ron Smith has previously indicated an intent to recuse himself from the appointment process, adding complication to the situation.
- Barnett has questioned if this recusal is officially recorded, and county legal counsel has not provided a public clarification.
- Potential Legal Solution: Assistant County Counsel Leah Harper has noted that if a quorum cannot be achieved due to vacancies, the authority to appoint a replacement may transfer to a temporary board of other elected county officials under Oregon law.
- Uncertain Future: Additional meetings are scheduled, but it is uncertain if enough commissioners will attend for county business to proceed.
Conclusion:
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is currently paralyzed due to a vacant seat and the subsequent lack of a legal quorum, preventing the two remaining members from conducting any official county business, including the critical task of appointing a replacement commissioner to resolve the crisis. The community is eagerly awaiting for their elected officials to do the job they were elected to do. It is time put set aside these these differences to ensure the community and it’s business is put first. The primary task at this point is to ensure the vacant commissioner seat is filled in a responsible, yet timely manner to ensure the community’s business can move forward.
