The Josephine County Board of Commissioners yesterday rejected a collective bargaining agreement with a union representing hundreds of county employees.
The Board voted 2-1 against the agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) that was nine months in the making. Board Vice-Chair Chris Barnett made a motion to approve the agreement, but he was outvoted by his colleagues who said they were very concerned about the budget implications of increasing salaries and benefit packages in tough economic times.
In other business, the Commissioners unanimously approved personal service contracts with M&M Services, LLC, and Wally Schmidt Electric, Inc., for the installation of a new fuel station at Josephine County Public Works. The contract with M&M is for just over $191,000 and the contract with Wally Schmidt is for just under $63,000.
Public Works Director Rob Brandes said the old fuel pumps and tanks are beyond their useful lives and need to be replaced. He said the transition will occur under state Department of Environmental Quality and federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. He testified he was unsure if there had been any leakage or soil contamination.
As part of the Consent Calendar, the Board unanimously approved plat maps for Phase 2 of Hazel Hill Estates and the Westralia Estates subdivision.
During the public comment period, there was strong support for the Josephine Community Library District lease based on the County Charter, but recalled former Board Chair John West testified that the "community library is no longer a county library" and not subject to the guidelines of the Charter.
