Lane County Offers Deflection Program Stats Through New Online Tool -05/20/25

Lane County’s Deflection Program launched a new way for Lane County residents to see how the program is doing: an online data dashboard.

“It is really important to everyone who works on the program to be open about how it’s working for our community,” said Deflection Program Coordinator Clint Riley. “We have been pleased with the partnership among law enforcement agencies, our peer navigators, and the treatment providers – we’re getting a chance to help people get on a better path and change their lives for the better.”

The new dashboard, which is updated once per day if new information is available, tracks the total number of program participants, successful program completions, referrals by agency and ZIP code, and other demographics.

“The dashboard is designed to provide the community a nearly real-time update on the Lane County Deflections Program’s efforts to reduce substance abuse in our communities and to disclose the County’s use of precious taxpayer dollars with transparency,” said Lane County District Attorney Chris Parosa.

In Lane County, if a person is eligible for deflection and has indicated interest, the responding officer has the option to call on a peer navigator to connect with the person. The peer navigator will enroll them in the program, which includes case management and tracking. If the deflection program is successfully completed, the charges will not be filed. If the program is not completed, the charges may be filed, and the case will proceed through the criminal justice system.

In Lane County, people may be eligible for deflection on the following charges if drug use is suspected as a contributing element:

• Unlawful possession of any criminal-level controlled substance
• Criminal Trespass 2
• Disorderly Conduct 2
• Criminal Mischief 3
• Theft 3
• Interfering with a police officer
• Use of a controlled substance on public transit or trains
• Frequenting a place where controlled substances are used

Those who are involved in a non-deflection-eligible investigation, have previous domestic violence or sex crime convictions, those who may be a danger to the peer navigators, or those with severe and persistent mental illness are not eligible for deflection.

Learn more at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/deflection.

###

Election Results Available Starting At 8:00 P.m. On Election Day -05/19/25

Election results will be made available to the public starting at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, May 20, and updated throughout the evening. Elections results can be obtained at:

www.LaneCountyOR.gov/Elections

Ballots returned by mail and postmarked by May 20 must be received by May 27 in order to be counted. Ballots returned via mail and postmarked by May 20 may take several days to arrive at Lane County Elections, which means that the outcome of some races or ballot measures may not be known on Election Day. The Lane County Elections Office will continue to periodically update election results after May 20 until all ballots have been counted. The full results reporting schedule is available online at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/Elections.

Election results will be certified on June 26, 2025.

Voters with questions can email elections@lanecountyor.gov or call 541-682-4234.

About the Lane County Elections Office:

The Elections Office, located at 275 W. 10^th Avenue in Eugene, is responsible for conducting elections in Lane County.  The Elections Office manages voter registration, the processing of mail ballots, recruitment and training of election workers, and certification of elections.

###

ROAD CLOSURE: Place Road (Pengra Covered Bridge) -05/19/25

Road Name: Place Road (near Fall Creek)

Closure Location: Pengra Covered Bridge

Dates and times: From 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Thursday, between May 27 and June 30  

Alternate routes: Jasper-Lowell Road

Reason for closure: Scaffolding and painting

###

Board Of Commissioners To Seek Applicants For Appointment To Lane County Sheriff -05/14/25

The Lane County Board of County Commissioners will be accepting applications from people interested in being considered to fill the role of Lane County Sheriff from Friday, May 16, at 12:01 a.m. to Tuesday, May 27, at 11:59 p.m.

Current Lane County Sheriff Cliff Harrold announced his retirement earlier this month after 35 years in law enforcement. Sheriff Harrold’s retirement is effective on Friday, May 16. Read more about his announcement.

Candidates can apply online starting Friday. Interviews will be conducted by the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, June 11.

The person appointed will serve as the Lane County Sheriff through 2026. To remain in office, the appointee must run for election in 2026. The person elected in 2026 would then serve the traditional four-year term beginning in 2027.

The Board of County Commissioners has the authority to fill the position of sheriff under ORS 236.325(3). 

To qualify for the position of sheriff in Lane County, a person must:

• be 21 years of age or older.
• be a legal Oregon voter.
• be a resident of Lane County for at least the two years immediately preceding the beginning of the term in office.
• have at least four years’ experience as a full-time law enforcement officer or at least two years’ experience as a full-time law enforcement officer with at least two years of post-high school education.
• have or be eligible to obtain police certification from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

###

Annual Test For Subscribers Of Lane County’s Local Emergency Alert System On Wednesday, May 21, At 1:15 P.m. -05/13/25

Lane County Emergency Management will test the subscriber-based local emergency alert system – Lane Alerts – on Wednesday, May 21, at 1:15 p.m. The test will include emails, recorded voice calls and text messages depending upon each subscriber’s provided contact information.

“We do this test each year for two reasons,” said Lane County Emergency Manager Tiffany Brown. “First, it’s a great reminder to double-check our Lane Alerts registrations to make sure the location and contact information is up to date. It's also a good opportunity to review the wildfire preparedness information we include in the test message and ready ourselves ahead of the summer season.”

Residents should go to www.LaneAlerts.org to create a free Lane Alerts account and select where and how they would like to receive emergency alerts.

Lane Alerts allows people to opt-in to receive notifications via phone call, text message and email based on locations they care about. At minimum, people signing up must provide their name and one method of contact. Residents can provide multiple addresses to receive notifications about emergency events that may affect their home, workplace, child’s school, etc. The types of emergencies that people may receive alerts about include evacuations, severe weather, flooding, police activity, and more.

More about Lane Alerts:

When will Lane Alerts be used?
Lane Alerts will be used to notify people about imminent threats to their safety, as well as informational notifications that affect locations they choose to include in their profile.

Who should sign up for Lane Alerts?
Everyone living or working in Lane County should sign up for Lane Alerts. 

Should everyone in my household have their own Lane Alerts profile?
Yes. If multiple household members need to be notified, each person should have their own profile.

Will I still get emergency notifications if I don't sign up?
There are multiple types of emergency alerts. Some do not require residents to sign up, including landline phone calls or alerts that appear on television screens and radio broadcasts. Signing up for Lane Alerts will provide emergency responders with more and better ways to reach people with emergency information, including text messages.

Learn more about the different types of emergency alerts by watching a short video.
 

Lane Alerts partner agencies include Lane County Emergency Management, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, and Central Lane Communications Center.

The system is powered by the State of Oregon’s OR-Alert program and Everbridge. Learn more about OR-Alert at www.oralert.gov. 

###

Applications Reopen May 15 For Holiday Farm Fire Survivors Interested In Lazy Days Mobile Home Park -05/12/25

The Lazy Days Mobile Home and RV Park, rebuilt by Homes for Good after the Holiday Farm Fire, has 13 2-bedroom modular homes that are still available for Holiday Farm Fire survivors to own or rent-to-own. A new round of applications will be accepted starting at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, until all units are filled. An ADA-accessible unit may be available.

Applicants may be eligible if they qualify based on the following prioritization:

• Priority 1 - They lived at Lazy Days in September 2020.

• Priority 2 - Their manufactured home, which was their primary residence, was in a manufactured housing park affected by the Holiday Farm Fire. Applicants must have owned the home.

• Priority 3 - They lost the home they owned in the Holiday Farm Fire and either did not own the property it was on or owned the property but it is now unbuildable.

• Priority 4 -They were renters who lost their primary residence in the Holiday Farm Fire.

Applications open on May 15 and will be reviewed for eligibility on a first come, first served basis, and according to the ordered priority criteria listed above. Eligibility is limited to people who lived in Lane County during the 2020 Labor Day Fires; some exceptions may be made for people who lost their homes in one of the other 2020 Labor Day Fires.

Applicants should be at no more than 80 percent of the Area Median Income. For example:

• 2 people = $57,050 annual income

• 4 people = $71,300 annual income

Applicants eligible to receive a modular home under the ownership program must have owned their home at the time of the fire. They will not pay for the mobile home itself but would be responsible for renting the space for the modular home. Rent for the modular home spaces is $600 per month and includes utilities (water, sewer, garbage).

Applicants eligible for a rent-to-own modular home should have been renters at the time of the fire. They would pay rent of $1000 per month for the home and space. Rent includes utilities (water, sewer, garbage).

Funding to provide the modular homes to fire survivors is provided by Oregon Housing & Community Services. Homes for Good is property owner and has led construction on the site. Lane County is assisting with the application process.

Learn more: www.homesforgood.org/about/real-estate-development/projects/lazy-days-rv-and-mobile-home-park

Apply starting May 15: www.cognitoforms.com/LaneCounty1/LazyDaysApplication

###

Lane County Voters: Remember To Sign The Return Envelope And Return Your Ballots Early -05/12/25

Voters are urged to return their ballots as early as possible to ensure they are received at Lane County Elections in time to be counted.

In order to be counted, ballots must be received at Lane County Elections by:

• Regular mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than May 20, 2025 and received no later than May 27, 2025 to be counted.

• A 24/7 ballot drop box.

• Lane County Elections. Ballots can be turned in by May 20, 2025 directly to the Lane County Elections Office during business hours (open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day).

“Thanks to vote by mail, we have several ways voters in Lane County can return their ballots,” said Acting County Clerk Lorren Blythe. “Voters just need to be aware of the deadlines so they can make the decision most convenient for them.”

Voters must also remember to sign their ballot return envelopes before mailing or returning their completed ballot to Lane County Elections.

The signature is a security measure used to verify identity. Signatures are compared to those in the voter registration record. A ballot may only be counted if the signatures match.

If you forget to sign the envelope or your signature does not match, you will receive a notice from Lane County Elections advising you of the issue and how to fix or “cure” it. You have until the 21^st day after the election to cure your signature issue and have your ballot counted.

What can you do to ensure your signature matches?

• Sign your natural signature. If you don’t usually sign with a middle initial don’t sign your ballot envelope with it.  Election workers are trained to look for specific characteristics within each signature. If you think your signature has changed significantly, contact Lane County Elections.

• Don’t sign another person’s name. Even if someone gives you permission to sign, or you have power of attorney, it is against the law in Oregon to sign another person’s name on a return envelope.

• Request help if you have difficulty signing.  If it is difficult for you to sign, on either a temporary or permanent basis, you can complete a signature attestation form and return it to Lane County Elections.  Completing this step will allow you to use a signature stamp or other indicator that represents your signature.  

• Correct a mistake if you accidentally sign your name on someone in your household’s envelope. If you and another person in your household sign each other’s return ballot envelopes, simply place a line through the incorrect signatures and sign the correct envelopes.  

Voters with questions can email elections@lanecountyor.gov or call 541-682-4234.

About the Lane County Elections Office:

The Elections Office, located at 275 W. 10^th Avenue in Eugene, is responsible for conducting elections in Lane County.  The Elections Office manages voter registration, the processing of mail ballots, recruitment and training of election workers, and certification of elections.

###

Lane Events Center Hosting Open Houses To Get Feedback On Site Design Concepts (Photo) -05/09/25

Lane Events Center (LEC) is updating its Master Plan to help guide investment in the property over the next 10 to 20 years. After reviewing initial input from a community survey and an earlier open house, Lane Events Center is sharing early site design concepts, strategic priorities and guiding principles for further refinement.

The project team is hosting an in-person open house on Thursday, May 15, and an virtual session on Wednesday, May 21.

In-Person Open House
Thursday, May 15 | 5–7 p.m.
Lane Events Center
796 W 13th Ave, Eugene, OR 97402
Convention Center, Meeting Room 4

Virtual Session

Wednesday, May 21 | 6–7 p.m.

Zoom

Register to participate in advance.

“We are excited to share our progress with the community and get their help in refining our work further,” said Lane Events Center Manager Corey Buller. “At the Lane Events Center, we take pride in being a place where people gather and create memories with friends and family. It’s exciting to be talking about how we can do that even better in the future.”

LEC is a multi-purpose site on 52 acres near downtown Eugene. It includes a 100,000 sq. ft. convention center, 18 rentable spaces and facilities, and 20 acres of outdoor event space. In a typical year, LEC accommodates up to 1,250 event days, drawing approximately 785,000 visitors to a variety of events including the Lane County Fair, trade shows, concerts, sporting events, community festivals, and educational programs.

The Master Plan process will help Lane County:

• Conduct an engagement process that gathers diverse perspectives and ideas

• Identify community needs, values, and priorities

• Shape a shared vision for Lane Events Center

• Develop community-guided designs concepts to bring the vision to life

The proposed plan will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for possible adoption this summer.

Stay up-to-date by signing up for email updates at www.LECMasterPlan.org.

About Lane Events Center Master Plan

The Master Plan is a comprehensive, long-term planning document that provides a strategic framework for the development, improvement, and management of LEC. An updated master plan will help guide investment in the property and help us prioritize infrastructure updates. This plan will support LEC as it continues to grow and adapt, serving as a hub for events, programs and emergency services that reflect the evolving needs and priorities of our community.

###

Help Refine Lane County’s New Strategic Plan In Person Or Online -05/08/25

Lane County is updating its three-year strategic plan for 2025–2027. This spring, insights gathered through surveys and focus groups with Lane County employees and the community were used to create a preliminary draft of the new strategic plan.

Now, community members are invited to help refine and enhance the draft plan before it is presented to the Board of County Commissioners for adoption. There are three opportunities to help this month:

• Virtual Open House: Monday, May 12, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. No registration required; join using the link at www.LaneCountyOr.gov/StrategicPlan.

• In-person Open House: Wednesday, May 14, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Harris Hall (125 East 8th Avenue, Eugene)

• Online Survey: Open May 12–25 and available at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/StrategicPlan. Responses are anonymous.  

Your feedback will directly influence Lane County’s strategic priorities, ensuring they align with the needs and aspirations of our residents.

The Strategic Plan was last updated in 2022 and focuses on four priority areas:

• Safe, Healthy County
• Vibrant Communities
• Robust Infrastructure
• Our People & Organizational Health

Examples of successful initiatives under the most recent Strategic Plan include renewal of the 5-year public safety levy; investment in new Permanent Supportive Housing projects through partnership with Homes for Good; progress toward the Lane Stabilization Center to increase behavioral health resources in our local community; and passing the levy to support investment in Lane County’s parks.

Review the current Strategic Plan at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/StrategicPlan.

###

Lane County Proposes Budget Cuts While Preserving Services -05/07/25

Lane County’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year (2025–2026) is now available. The proposed budget addresses an estimated $6.3 million structural deficit in the General Fund while striving to balance necessary reductions with preserving services.

“Precise tools, not blunt instruments, are what we need to solve our budget challenges and ensure we can continue to provide valuable public services,” said County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky. “We have to use a scalpel and look at everything, line by line, rather than take an axe to our programs and services. It’s the responsible approach to using our limited public resources for the benefit of our community.”

Similar to many other local governments, Lane County’s expenses are growing faster than revenue; however, Lane County faces the additional challenge of an artificially low county property tax rate ­– frozen in the early 90s – and growth in assessed property value capped at 3 percent annually regardless of skyrocketing market values.

Lane County’s budget is comprised of 34 separate funds. Most funds are structurally balanced without using reserves to fund ongoing expenses. Nine funds remain structurally unbalanced, including the Land Management Fund, Human Service Fund, Clerk’s Fund, and others.  Lane County’s most distressed fund continues to be the General Fund because it relies on limited revenue from Lane County’s $1.28 per $1,000 of assessed value property tax rate, one of the lowest rates in Oregon.

Public safety is a priority of Lane County. Currently, public safety services receive approximately 75 percent of all discretionary General Fund revenue. Fully funding public safety with existing revenue would require completely eliminating all other General Fund services, including elections, property assessment and tax collection for 85 districts in Lane County, funding for health and human services, veterans services, and other core functions of government. Until new revenue for public safety is identified, Lane County cannot adequately address the need for public safety services across the community.

The proposed budget includes approximately 80 fewer positions across multiple departments compared to the current fiscal year. This is the largest reduction in positions since 2012.

“We have been thoughtful in reducing positions that minimize the effect on residents and our employees,” said Mokrohisky. “Wherever possible, we proposed cutting positions that are vacant or where an existing employee could move into another position without being laid off. Only 18 of the positions proposed for reduction are filled.”

The County Administrator’s full proposed budget message can be found online.

The Budget Committee, which is comprised of five appointed residents and the five county commissioners, began its review of the proposed budget with a meeting and public hearing on May 6. A recording of the proposed budget presentation and public hearing is available online.

The Budget Committee will meet multiple times during the next three weeks to receive information from each County department. The Budget Committee will have the opportunity to approve the proposed budget and any recommended changes on May 20. Written public comment can be submitted to the Budget Committee at LCGABUPL@lanecountyor.gov. The approved budget will then appear before the Board of County Commissioners for potential adoption in June.

All meetings are broadcast live on Metro TV (Comcast Cable channel 21). Meetings can also be watched live online at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/webcasts.

Learn more about Lane County’s budget process at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/budget or view the Fiscal Year 2025–2026 proposed budget document online.

###

Lane County, Partners Lose $19.5 Million In Contracted Federal Grant Funding To Increase Community Disaster Preparedness -05/06/25

On May 2, Lane County received notification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the $19.5 million grant to establish six resiliency hubs in communities across Lane County was terminated.

"This decision appears to be part of a broader, arbitrary review process that unjustly targeted programs vital to small, rural communities like ours,” said Oakridge Mayor Bryan Cutchen. “Our residents are now left without the resilience center that would have served as a critical lifeline during wildfires and smoke events. During a recent wildfire, Oakridge experienced the worst air quality in the world, underscoring the urgent need for this project. The cancellation of this grant puts lives at risk. The people of Oakridge deserve better. We will continue to advocate fiercely for the resources our city needs and explore every possible avenue to complete this vital project."

The grant was a collaborative project with United Way of Lane County; the cities of Cottage Grove, Florence, Oakridge and Veneta; Bethel School District; and Willamalane Park and Recreation District.  It would have created safe places for people, especially in rural communities, to go during wildfires or other disasters by:

• renovating six existing community facilities to turn them into places that could safely help people during an emergency.

• Building the capacity of local organizations to participate in planning and better serve their community during emergencies.

• supporting a diverse network of community members to be prepared to respond in an emergency and improve the resilience of their community year-round.

The grant was already under contract and funding allocated long before changing priorities at EPA began to affect the status of grants awarded by the agency. Local partners began working together to in 2023 and the sudden termination throws away years of hard work.

“In Lane County, we pride ourselves on working together to make our communities safer and this grant would have made a real difference in how safe people can be here during the increasing number of and severity of natural disasters,” said Lane County Board Chair David Loveall. “This is a loss for our rural communities in particular because they often are the most directly affected by wildfire and other disaster. All of our staff worked tirelessly on this project and will continue to do so, even in the face of such unprecedented turnaround of the government’s promises.”

Lane County was able to receive approximately $105,000 in reimbursements from the grant funding to help cover the cost of work since the program officially started on March 1, and a limited amount of supplies related to the grant project. None of the larger construction work outlined in the grant contract was accomplished.

Lane County is considering disputing the grant termination and has until the end of May to do so. The project partners will continue to work together to strengthen their relationships and identify other opportunities to work together to better serve people in the event of an emergency, including applying for funding if other grants become available.

###

May 20, 2025 Special Election Ballots In The Mail -05/01/25

The Lane County Elections office has placed ballots in the USPS mail stream for the May 2025 Special Election.

Lane County’s 21 ballot drop boxes will remain open until 8:00 pm on Election Day, May 20, 2025.  Drop boxes are open 24/7. A list of drop box locations is included with every ballot.

“Most voters generally receive their ballots within a couple of days,” said Acting County Clerk Lorren Blythe. “The Lane County Elections Office is ready to assist voters with questions or those who need help casting their ballot.”

Voters can track the status of their mail ballot by visiting www.oregonvotes.gov/MyVote.

Voters may return their voted ballots in one of the following ways:

• Regular mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than May 20, 2025 and received no later than May 27, 2025 to be counted.

• A 24/7 ballot drop box.

• Lane County Elections. Ballots can be turned in by May 20, 2025 directly to the Lane County Elections Office during business hours (open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day).

Ballot drop box locations can be found online at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/elections.  

Voters with questions can email elections@lanecountyor.gov or call 541-682-4234.

About the Lane County Elections Office:

The Elections Office, located at 275 W. 10^th Avenue in Eugene, is responsible for conducting elections in Lane County.  The elections office manages voter registration, the processing of mail ballots, recruitment and training of election workers, and certification of elections.

###

Commissioners Issue Statement In Support Of Immigrant And Transgender Community Members -04/22/25

Today, the Board of County Commissioners voted to issue a statement reaffirming Lane County’s commitment to upholding the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act and supporting transgender community members.

Commissioners directed the creation of the statement in response to requests from members of and advocates for the immigrant and transgender communities. The statement was developed with insight shared during meetings with local community groups.

The statement recognizes the purpose of Lane County Government is to improve the lives of our community members. Every person in our community is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. Every person in Lane County should feel safe to live authentically, enjoy public spaces, access public services, and participate in community life regardless of the language they speak, the color of their skin, their gender identity, or any other factor historically used to exclude people from services and community.

Lane County’s commitment is to:

• welcome diverse people into our community, including immigrant, refugee, and transgender people, and build our systems with all people in mind.

• uphold Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise Act to ensure immigrant and refugee communities do not fear local law enforcement and feel safe reporting crimes.

• not request immigration status of people seeking services, except as required by law.

• provide equal access to services and care, in the preferred language of the people seeking those services or care.

• provide accessible signage, public messages, documents, and forms in multiple languages.

• use every avenue permitted by law to support the State of Oregon in affirming the rights of transgender people of all ages to receive any gender affirming healthcare that has been deemed medically necessary by a qualified healthcare provider.

• uphold the rights of people to seek gender-affirming care in our community and not comply with any requests to seek, detain, or report people who come to our community seeking gender-affirming care.

• challenge federal policies that harm transgender people and agree to use every avenue permitted by law to assure equal access to healthcare, housing, education, and employment.

• update and create policies across Lane County to protect the rights of transgender people and immigrants.

Read the full statement and accompanying board memo online.

###