WashCo News March 2022
- WashCo property tax statements and payment info available online
- Budget Town Hall
- Year-round Shelter Community Meetings
- Boards and Commissions Vacancies Spring 2022
WashCo property tax statements and payment info available online
Access your previous tax statements, your payment receipts, and make online payments with this fairly new resource (launched spring of 2020). From the home page, just enter your address or account number in the “property search” bar at the top to get to your property specific information. Then find the “bills” tab at the top and then the “pay my bills” button on the right to connect to the payment portal.
Budget Town Hall
Wednesday, March 9, 6 pm, register in advance
Please join your Washington County Board of Commissioners for their first quarterly Town Hall of the year. As a follow up to the successful “Budget Town Hall” in early December, the Board of County Commissioners is pleased to host another opportunity for community members to engage in conversations about centering equity in the County budgeting process.
Following a brief presentation about the County’s current financial picture, use of a new Budget Equity Tool, and other ways that the Board is incorporating community feedback into development of their ’22-’23 budget, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and share their perspectives with each Board member.
Language services: Spanish and American Sign Language interpretation will be provided throughout the event. Interpretation services for other languages are also available upon request. Contact the Washington County Administrative Office at 503-846-8685 by March 4 to request these services or email cao@co.washington.or.us.
Ask a question: If you’re unable to participate but would like to ask a question,please email us before 6 pm on March 9 at cao@co.washington.or.us.
Year-round Shelter Community Meetings
The Department of Housing Services of Washington County is holding a series of virtual, informational meetings in March for community members to learn about future shelters and share their input. The county has a goal to provide 250 year-round shelter beds to serve people experiencing homelessness, recognizing the need for year-round shelter in every part of Washington County. New shelters will expand the county’s capacity to help people find housing and introduce services to prevent and address homelessness.
“Year-round shelters are an important part of our community’s response to the housing crisis in Washington County,” stated Dr. Vernon Baker, executive director of Just Compassion. “Shelters provide people with safe, clean, and stable temporary housing so they can find jobs, access services, and work toward securing permanent housing and it is important they are available year round.”
“People who experience chronic homelessness benefit from experiencing a healthy, secure community at a shelter,” said Emily Roots, Department of Housing Services Public Affairs Administrator. “Shelter teams include counselors, addiction specialists, and workforce specialists who are committed to helping people succeed and find permanent housing.”
Register here for these upcoming meetings.
Thursday, March 3, Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and surrounding areas, 6 -7:30 pm
Thursday, March 10, Hillsboro, Aloha and surrounding areas, 6-7:30 pmSaturday, March 12, countywide, 11 am-12:30pm
Boards and Commissions Vacancies Spring 2022
Various boards, committees and commissions advise the Board of Commissioners on matters of interest to people who live and work in Washington County. Commission members are volunteers appointed by the County Board of Commissioners. Committees themselves do not pass ordinances to establish policy; their purpose is to study issues and make recommendations.
In many cases, members must be residents of Washington County. Per Board of Commissioners procedures, the County Administrative Office will solicit applications from individuals for a six-week period—staff will keep Commissioners apprised of applications received and approaching deadlines. Participating in a council or committee is an excellent opportunity for residents to make their voices heard.
To register and read more details, visit the Washington County website. The application deadline for all positions is April 5 or open until filled.
Aging and Veteran Services Advisory Council—nine positions available
This Council plans for future services and reviews current programs for veterans and the elderly. Consumers over age 60, minorities, an elected official, Veterans Healthcare Provider, Veterans Provider, general public, under 60 veteran, and rural are among the categories who should be represented. This is a three-year term; the time commitment is five to ten hours per month. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every other month from 9 am to noon.
Behavioral Health Council—two positions available now and three positions available after March 31
19 members who are Washington County residents or have work interests in Washington County are needed for this council. The council will identify community needs, recommend funding priorities, and help select and evaluate service providers. This is a three-year term with a time commitment of two to three hours per month. Meetings are held on fourth Wednesdays from 9 am to 11 am.
Columbia Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac)—two positions available
Col-Pac’s mission is to promote and sustain healthy communities in the district through retention, diversification, and expansion of the economic base. Governed by a 17-member volunteer Board of Directors, Col-Pac consists of local public and private leaders including representatives from county commissions, cities, ports, the private sector, workforce, and the minority community. Col-Pac also has a seven-member Loan Administration Board that oversees the District’s Revolving Loan Fund. This is a two-year term; meetings are held each March.
Northwest Area Commission on Transportation (NWACT)—two positions available
NWACT plays a key advisory role in the development of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which schedules funded transportation projects. NWACT establishes a public process for area project selection priorities for the STIP. Through that process, they prioritize transportation problems and solutions and recommend projects in their area to be included in the STIP. This is a two-year term; meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 pm.
Park and Recreation Advisory Board—one position available now and three positions available after June 30
Nine members who are residents of the county will serve on this Board. Traditionally, members appointed from all Commissioner districts—members will provide advice on the maintenance, operations, and capital development needs of County parks, including Scoggins Valley Park and Henry Hagg Lake. This is a three-year term, and meetings are held on third Thursdays at 7 pm.
Urban Road Maintenance District Advisory Committee (URMDAC)—one position available
URMDAC is comprised of ten Board-appointed residents of the Urban Road Maintenance District, all of whom serve as regular members, and two ex-officio members. They review and make recommendations regarding URMD’s level of service and annual work program, assist in evaluating the cost effectiveness and efficiency of URMD, inform URMD activities and advise on continuation of URMD and/or other long-range funding opportunities for road maintenance. This is a four-year term, and the committee meets two hours per month. Meetings are held on the third Wednesday at 3:45 pm.
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