How the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Works, and How to Take Part

Photo: Ian Poellet (User:Werewombat) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Many of the decisions that shape daily life in Clatsop County, from road maintenance and the sheriff’s budget to land-use rules for rural property, are made by the Board of County Commissioners. Here’s how it works.

Who’s on the board

The board has five commissioners, each elected from one of five geographic districts to a four-year term. The positions are nonpartisan, so candidates’ party affiliations don’t appear on the ballot. Each year the board picks a chair and vice chair from its members. The county’s website lists current commissioners, district maps and contact information.

Who runs the county day to day

The commissioners set policy and the budget. A professional county manager, hired by the board, runs county operations and departments. Some county officials, including the sheriff and the district attorney, are elected separately. The county website shows which other offices are elected and which are appointed.

What the board decides

The budget. Oregon counties follow the state’s Local Budget Law. A budget committee made up of the commissioners and an equal number of appointed citizens reviews the proposed budget each spring before the board adopts it for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Land use. The board adopts the county’s comprehensive plan and zoning code and hears certain land-use applications and appeals. Its decisions can be appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).
Ordinances and policies on county matters such as parks, public health, roads, solid waste and short-term rentals in unincorporated areas.
Appointments to advisory committees, commissions and service districts.

Meetings

The board holds regular public business meetings and work sessions, usually in Astoria. Agendas and packets with staff reports are posted online before each meeting, and many meetings can be watched live or later on video. Oregon’s Public Meetings Law requires public notice and open deliberations, with limited exceptions for executive sessions on topics such as legal advice and real estate negotiations.

How to take part

Read the agenda packet to see what’s being decided and the staff recommendation.
Give public comment. Meetings include a public comment period, and formal public hearings are held for land-use and other required decisions. Rules on time limits and on in-person or remote testimony are posted with the agenda.
Submit written testimony by the deadline listed in the hearing notice. In land-use hearings, raising an issue in the record can preserve your right to appeal it later.
Contact your commissioner directly.
Volunteer for an advisory committee, such as the budget committee or planning commission.

Where to find more

Clatsop County’s website has meeting calendars, agendas, minutes, budget documents and the comprehensive plan. North Coast Oregon covers major board decisions in Politics & State Government.

Sources: Clatsop County Board of Commissioners and County Manager’s Office; Oregon Local Budget Law (ORS Chapter 294); Oregon Public Meetings Law (ORS 192.610 to 192.705); Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.