Camp Sherman residents save services

Camp Sherman residents have saved their garbage and police services from the budget ax that loomed after passage of the Measure 47 tax roll-back.

Facing a budget shortfall produced by Measure 47, Jefferson County deci

ded to eliminate Camp Sherman's resident sheriff's deputy and $30,000-per-year solid waste programs. So Camp Sherman residents submitted a proposal which would allow them to retain both the transfer site and a combined police patrol-county liaison position.

"We are all just shaking our heads," said Jodi Eagan, chair of the Jefferson County Commission, "Few communities could have come up with their own solution. Camp Sherman is unique."

According to Mike Morgan, an administrator with Jefferson County, under the proposal, "the people of Camp Sherman would do their own fund-raising to maintain the transfer site... The county would set up a f

und into which Camp Sherman residents would deposit money and maintain the site through a forest service lease agreement and would contract with a private hauler."

Camp Sherman resident John Rollins was on the transfer site committee. He said the

annual fee system will charge full-time residents $120 per year, part-time residents $60 per year, and businesses $600 per year.

It was particularly difficult to establish the fee for businesses, said Rollins, as some do not use the site as heavily as others.

Rollins said the committee would issue vehicle stickers to those who pay to use the dump. Volunteers will monitor the site, which may reduce costs by eliminating improper dumping.

"We have concerns regarding how many people and businesses will choose to be involved," said Rollins. "If there is not enough participation the transfer site will close June 30."

There are also technical issues which must be resolved before there is

an agreement. For example, there is a question as to which entity -- the county, or a quasi-governmental entity -- would enter into a contract with the garbage hauler.

County Commissioner Bill Bellamy questioned how Camp Sherman would handle transfer site monitoring, and who would be responsible for soliciting donations from Camp Sherman residents.

Although Jefferson County lauds Camp Sherman's initiative, some Camp Sherman residents may feel neglected by the county.

"Camp Sherman feels slighted on this deal," Rollins said. "Residents typically vote in favor of anything the county needs to spend money on," such as law enforcement or prisons. But, he said, the county is less sympathetic to the financial needs of Camp Sherman.

Camp Sherman resident and community leader Toni Foster disagreed.

"I think the county acted very responsibly in a short time," she said. "The county heard the community and, after thinking through what the community was saying, went back to the drawing board and said, 'How can we make this work?'"

Camp Sherman's police protection will be provided through the county liaison position which will replace the resident deputy position.

According to Foster, "during the height of the tourist season the person will be entirely devoted to patrolling. During the winter the person will make sure snow has not knocked down road signs, plow roads, clear culverts and remove fallen tree limbs."

The liason officer will also patrol Suttle Lake and the Metolius River area.

According to Morgan, the county has allocated $29,100 to fund the position through June 30.

Under Camp Sherman's proposal, beginning July 1 the Oregon State Marine Board will contribute roughly $8,400, the Forest Service will contribute about $2,500, Road District 18 will provide $3,000 to $4,000 and about $4,000 will come from Hoodoo Ski Area, which currently maintains Metolius River Campgrounds.

Sheriff Mike Throop said Dave Blann has been hired to fill the new position. Throop noted that Blann has been a reserve in Camp Sherman and that "he knows the area, he lives there.

"We anticipate transitioning him into the new position fairly soon," Throop said.

Blann is scheduled to begin in his new position fulltime on April 1, at which time he will receive marine acadamy training to prepare him for his duties patrolling Suttle Lake and the Metolius River area