By Alex Paul
Linn County Communications
Linn County ended the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year with a solid financial footing, Accounting Officer Bill Palmer told Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker on Tuesday, July 29.
Palmer said the county received higher-than-budgeted revenue and department heads and elected officials held the line on spending.
Palmer said total fund balances were up about $12 million over the prior year.
Health Department revenues – which are restricted funds – were responsible for most of the increase.
Health Services Administrator Todd Noble said Linn County receives funds based on the number of members it has within the local InterCommunity Health Network, which serves Oregon Health Plan members in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties.
In other business, the commissioners:
- Approved an agreement with Protocol Services, increasing the monthly rate to $10,125. Protocol Services provides 24/7 crisis phone services to county residents. The contract was also extended to June 30, 2026.
- Approved an agreement with the Oregon Health Authority that outlined funding and responsibilities for programs offered through the Developmental Disabilities program for the 2025-2027 biennium.
- Approved an agreement with Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield outlining reimbursement rates for services provided by a registered nurse who makes postpartum visits to Linn County families with newborns.
- Approved the transfer of $198,222 from the Contingency Fund to Materials and Services to pay for invoices involved with remodeling of the Wheelhouse and 7th Street buildings.
- Adopted a collective bargaining agreement with the SEIU Local 503 and OPEU Linn County Local 390. The new contract calls for a 3.5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment the first year and 3 percent COLAs each of the next two years.
- Approved a First-Time Youth Wage Grant agreement with Apex Property Cleaning and Recycling.