Board of County Commissioners

Welcome

Mike Province and members of Local Granges from across Clackamas County accepted a proclamation from the Board of County Commissioners making April 2012 Grange Month in Clackamas County. The Commissioners saluted the work done by these local organizations.

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Check out Get Plugged In! a new Interactive “State of the County.”

Clackamas County was nationally recognized for effective economic recovery strategies. Watch the video here.

The five-member Board of Commissioners serves as the governing body which directs the general administration of County government. The Commissioners set policies, enact ordinances and establish budgets to perform the services that state law and citizens of the County require. The Board manages an annual budget of more than $800 million and directs the work of about 1,890 employees.

Clackamas ‘sisters’ with Harney County

Clackamas County Commissioners proclaim Harney County in southeastern Oregon its “sister” county.

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Who knew that Clackamas and Harney counties could be so different, yet have so much in common?

Harney County, Oregon’s largest, is located in the southeastern part of the state. It is sparsely populated and its economy is largely driven by farming and ranching.

Clackamas County, located in the northwest, is among the state’s more populated counties and features a diverse economy ranging from manufacturing to agriculture. While it is large, it also has a unique mix of rural and urban communities. These two counties may seem like an unlikely pair, but they have recently formed a new relationship.

In November 2011, Clackamas County Commissioners and the Harney County Court passed resolutions establishing a sister county relationship. The relationship is the first of its kind in Oregon and was pursued by County Commissioner Jamie Damon.

Commissioner Damon, a resident of Eagle Creek, said the idea stemmed from her previous job as a professional mediator. In that role, she worked closely with Harney County and its County Court - the governing body equivalent to our Board of County Commissioners.

“As I talked with their county court, I realized that Clackamas County could really benefit from having a relationship with a rural county on the east side of the state. Harney County has a long track record of advocating for small rural communities and creatively servicing them with limited funds,” she said.

Both counties are hoping the sister county relationship provides deeper insight into issues shared by the rural areas of Clackamas County and those that Harney County faces. Both counties, for example, have large tracts of federal land.

Three-quarters of the land in Harney and one-third of Clackamas County lands are federally-owned. Both are also affected by an urban/ rural divide.

“Developing a strong understanding of rural Oregon will increase our ability to address our predominantly rural county,” said Damon.

Harney County sees the value in having a western Oregon county as a partner also.

“Our county knows to accomplish our goals, to secure support for rural issues and to keep the health of our community, people and lands sustainable we must be able to work with all the residents of this state and seek creative solutions,” said Steve Grasty, Harney County judge. “Working with Clackamas County is a great step in that direction.”

Visit Harney County at  www.co.harney.or.us