Former Linn County Commissioner Cliff Wooten loved his family and the people of Linn County, Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker agreed at their weekly meeting Tuesday morning, May 19.
A moment of silence was observed during the board meeting honoring Wooten, who died May 12 at his home near Scio. Wooten unseated incumbent commissioner Catherine Skiens in the November 2000 election and served on the Board of Commissioners for eight years.
In his 2008 filing with the Secretary of State to run for state representative, Wooten noted that in addition to the Board of Commissioners, he had served on the Scio Mutual Telephone Association Board of Directors, the Linn County Fair Board, the Community Services Consortium Board, the Workforce Investment Board, the Community Action Advisory Committee and the Scio Flood Mitigation Committee.
In 2008, Wooten, a Republican, waged an unsuccessful campaign to unseat then State Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, who now serves on the Board of Commissioners. All three of the commissioners spoke highly of Wooten, who was known for wearing bib overalls as he led a mule in local parades.
– Linn County photo
Nyquist, the board chair, said Wooten’s mantra was “we help people” and that attitude helped set the tone for the board ever since.
“He practiced that philosophy on a daily basis,” Nyquist said.
He added that Wooten “read everything and we learned there were a lot of mistakes made. Cliff would find them.”
Tucker said he and Wooten had been friends since the 1970s and Tucker succeeded Wooten on the Board of Commissioners.
Tucker said that Wooten taught the martial arts of judo and jiu jitsu for many years and the two men often sparred with martial arts students at Oregon State. Wooten also coached Tucker’s son when he competed at the junior national judo tournament.
“After I came on the board, he would come to the meetings and then visit with me afterwards. He had a strong belief in doing what is right,” Tucker said.
Tucker called Wooten, “A good friend of Linn County.”
Sprenger said Wooten was a devoted family man “who believed in Linn County. He loved his wife, Jean, and his family.”
A celebration of life will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on July 11 at the ZCBJ Hall, 38704 North Main Street, Scio.
In other business the commissioners:
- Approved road closures on the following days and times to allow for the annual Best of the West Triathlon at Foster Reservoir: June 6: North River Drive, 6:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. and June 7 from 6:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and June 7, Quartzville Road, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Approved a temporary part-time, one-year employment agreement with Brad Kelley, a retired LCSO sergeant, to serve as a firearm’s instructor.
- Approved a Personal Services Contract with the Center for Developing Hope to provide services such as peer support team training and specialized counseling for law enforcement staff. The annual contract is for $7,500.
- Approved a temporary, part-time, two-year employment agreements with retired undersheriff Paul Timm and former Albany Police Lt. Casey Dorland to conduct background investigations.
- Approved a temporary, part-time, one-year employment agreement with retired deputy Lori Frenzel as a civil clerk.
- Approved a lease agreement and a pharmacy services agreement with Genoa Healthcare LLC and Linn County Mental Health. Genoa will provide pharmacy services in a 680 square foot area at 445 3rd Avenue SW. Public Health Director Todd Noble said this agreement will help mental health clients access prescriptions and in bundled pill packets that make keeping track of their daily medicine intake more efficient.
- Approved a Family Connects Partnership agreement not to exceed $12,720 for one year with Lincoln County. Linn County will provide nurse visiting to eligible families in Lincoln County.
- Were informed there were 55 births (23 girls and 32 boys) and 110 deaths (51 females and 58 males) in April. There were two suicides, both males.
- Learned that Environmental Health staff completed 53 food service inspections in April and 498 year-to-date.
- Approved an amendment to an agreement with Protocall Services for 200 monthly prepaid mental health crisis calls at $7,800 and an additional call rate of $41.50 per call.
- Awarded a contract for the Cox Creek (Waverly) Drive bridge project to Legacy Contracting for $2,441,679.20. Five bids were received and one bidder failed to supply all required documentation, resulting in the award going to the next lowest bidder.
- Approved an easement on Griggs Drive for the Bond Road-Griggs Drive Intersection Realignment Project. The easement is with Rachel Quihuis and Brad Larsen for $1,066.
- Cancelled $89,038.84 in delinquent personal property taxes for property that no longer exists and approved a one-year, $169,244 contract with Helion Software for the Assessor’s Office.