By Alex Paul
Linn County Communications
Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker approved three transportation agreements during their Sept. 30 meeting.
The agreements were presented by Reagan Maudlin, Linn County Special/Rural Transportation Coordinator.
The commissioners approved a Subrecipient Agreement with the Senior Citizens of Sweet Home, Inc. to receive Federal Section 5310 funding, not to exceed $197,406 for the 2025-2027 biennium, through a contract with the Oregon Department of Transportation.
They also approved an amendment to the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation Grant, increasing its budget by $25,000 and extending the project period through the end of the calendar year. The original grant of $50,000 was secured in April 2024.
Funds are used to help Linn County Veterans Services provide rides for veterans. So far, the grant has funded 217 healthcare-related rides for veterans who live in rural Linn County.
The agreement allows the 5310 funds to be used to support the Linn County Special Transportation Program by contracting services with the Senior Citizens of Sweet Home, Inc./Linn Shuttle.
The commissioners also approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Albany/Call-A-Ride. The program will receive up to $335,026 for the 2025-2027 biennium through a contract with ODOT. The funds are from the 5310 Small Urban category and the City of Albany is the only provider in Linn County that meets the designation.
In other business, the commissioners:
- Approved First-Time Youth Wage Grant Agreements with Phelan Enterprises and Irvinville, LLC.
- Announced there are three vacancies on the county’s Mental Health Advisory Board. Terms are for three years and there can be up to 15 members.
- Presented retired Roadmaster Wayne Mink with a plaque honoring his 25 years of service to the residents of Linn County. An engineer by training, Mink held several positions with the Linn County Road Department from December 1999 to September 2025. He served as roadmaster the last five years of his career.
- Received an update from Troy Jones from the Friends of Gap Road group, which opposes the proposed 1,600-acre Muddy Creek Solar Park near Harrisburg.
- Continued a Public Hearing from Sept. 2, voting to deny an appeal and uphold the Linn County Planning Director’s interpretation regarding whether a property has functional road access. At issue was whether a property off Scravel Hill Road near Albany has a recorded easement. The commissioners determined there is no recorded easement on file with the county and therefore, the property does not have recognized access under Linn County Code.