By Alex Paul
Linn County Communications
In March, the Linn-Benton Juvenile Department held 23 young people from Linn County, six from Benton County, two from Marion County and one from Lincoln County, Director Torri Lynn told the Board of Commissioners at their April 28 meeting.
The average length of stay for Linn County youth was 8.08 days; 4.14 days for Benton County youth; 13 days for the one Lincoln County youth; and 2.50 days for Marion County’s two young people.
There were 60 referrals in March and there are 185 young people in the Probation Unit. Of those, 31 are considered high-risk.
The intervention specialist is working with 144 youth and the victim advocate made 114 contacts.
The eight-member Tier I work crew completed 133.5 hours of community service in 13 project days compared to 10 youth completing 202 hours of community service during the same time in 2025.
Some 23 young people in the Tier II work crew completed 528.25 hours of community service in 19 days, compared to 29 youth completing 662.5 hours in 2025.
The Community Wildfire Risk Reduction program saw five youth complete 78.25 hours of service.
In other business the commissioners:
- Approved an intergovernmental agreement for $124,787.50 for two years between the Parks Department and the Oregon State Marine Board. Linn County Parks will maintain and operate facilities to provide boater access at boat ramps. These funds come from boater registrations and directly affect access for the public. Linn County operates and maintains 20 sites under this program.
- Approved a low bid of $2,247,650 from North Santiam Paving for the North River Drive Improvement Project. This will be funded by the Western Federal Lands Access Program on a 90% reimbursement basis, including engineering and construction.
- Approved a bid of $992,088 from North Santiam Paving for the North River Drive Public Access Improvement Project. The low bidder among four companies was River Bend Construction Inc., but it was not a registered plan holder, which negated its bid.
- Received the Community Services Consortium’s annual report presented by Executive Director Ryan Vogt. The consortium is a public, nonprofit community action agency serving Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties, focusing on combating poverty by providing services such as housing support, utility bill assistance, and weatherization for low-income individuals. Vogt reported that 1,371 individuals received housing and homeless services; some 1,077 were prevented from evictions; 5,709 received utility assistance and 93 households received weatherization and no heat services. Linn Benton Food Share provided more than 73,000 food boxes and distributed more than 5 million pounds of food.
- Were told by Accounting Officer Bill Palmer that department heads and elected officials continue to hold the line on spending. Palmer said that as of the end of March, three-quarters of the way through the 2025-26 Fiscal Year, General Fund overall actual spending was 64.2% of its budget. General Fund spending a year ago was 62.3%. Road fund spending was 32.7% compared to 36.6% a year ago and the 4-year Law Enforcement Levy is at 51.6% compared to 52.3%. The Health Fund is at 37.2% compared to 38.7%.
- Approved a contract amendment with Telmate/Viapath to provide communications services for jail inmates. Some rates are going down. For example, phone calls will go from 21 cents per minute to 11 cents per minute.
- Approved new classifications and job descriptions for the Parks Construction and Maintenance Worker I, II and III positions and updated the Parks Business Manager Position.
- Continued a Public Hearing that began on April 14, approving an application for a Level 3A Outdoor Assembly Permit from Pacific Northwest Pirate Nation. Port Nassau will be a five-day event to be held on Allen Lane southwest of Albany.