Even though a half-dozen people showed up at the March 1 Josephine County Commission meeting to urge the Board to declare an emergency and make the county eligible for funding to help get the homeless out of Grants Pass parks, it didn’t happen. Why? Commissioners say declaring an emergency means they hand over power to […]

When asked about a $35,000 payment to the Grants Pass Irrigation District due last January during the Bill Meyer Show March 7, Commissioner Herman Baertschiger innocently said he “honestly didn’t know why it got so late.” He said the payment is on the Board’s agenda for approval next week, then turned the conversation into a […]

Josephine County Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger has said the Board wants the county’s website to be the most transparent website in the state of Oregon. However, you can look all day long on that website and find nothing on it about the county being handed the Flying Lark, the “racino” built by Dutch Bros billionaire […]

Josephine County Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger and Grants Pass City Councilor Dwayne Yunker appeared on right-wing talk radio during the last two weeks. The sum of their discussions is an eight-letter word beginning with “b” and ending with “t.” Yunker, following the grand tradition established by Baertschiger, called in to the Bill Meyer Show on […]

Read as a PDF If you want to get Josephine County Commissioners riled up walk to the podium during public comments time and mention either sheriff’s funding or homelessness.  During the February 15 Business Session Michael Storms reminded Commissioners funding for the sheriff and homelessness are foremost in citizen’s minds right now, yet the Commission […]

Read as a PDF Josephine County Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger has gotten bolder with his demands since John West replaced former Commissioner Darin Fowler. Baertschiger and West want people who file code violation complaints revealed to those they filed the complaint against. Baertschiger and West want department heads to “modernize” their advertising by using on-line […]

“We are not an island,” said Valarie Lovelace. “Think about what important agencies have silent constituencies,” said Pat Fahey. These were comments from the public after Josephine County Commissioners hinted they may not participate in Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI) https://soredi.org/ this year. After a similar presentation last spring, Commissioners Dan DeYoung and […]

During a rambling discission on The Bill Meyer Show Jan. 24 about Oregon Democrats’ energy legislation in the statehouse, Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger said when Democrats don’t make sense they’re hiding another plan. Later in the same show, Baertschiger wanted to “spend a couple of minutes on what the county is doing,” regarding the […]

Important! Stand up to bullying! Show up at 9 am Wednesday Jan. 18, Josephine County Commissioners’ meeting at Ann Basker Auditorium to let them know they cannot bully our local newspaper, The Grants Pass Daily Courier, by pulling the county’s legal notices from where they have been printed the last 100 years. Commission Chair Herman […]

Weekly Business Meeting Jan 4 2023 Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger announced he’s done with trying to fund the Josephine County Sheriff’s Department. At the Jan. 4 Weekly Business Meeting Baertschiger, responding to a question from Libby Watts he said, “I think the Board of Commissioners worked real hard in vetting with county residents. We had […]

If moral indignation and malcontent is pleasurable, as author Barbara Holland asserts, then Josephine County Commissioners ended the year blissfully albeit with little self-reflection. Because of that, their 2023 meetings should be preceded by this disclaimer: The following may induce social anxiety attacks in those who believe elected officials should refrain from frumious grumbling and […]

The following is a summary of Josephine County Commissioner meetings. For more detailed information watch the meeting videos by going to https://www.josephinecounty.gov/government/board_of_county_commissioners/agenda___minutes.php and clicking on the video of the meeting you are interested in. Josephine County Commissioners mumbled and grumbled about the Grants Pass Daily Courier in meetings last week that culminated in an attempt […]

A couple of files for you to digest. We are under Herman’s skin if you read the radio show update. These are late due to the County Website being updated, and yes, our scribe takes vacations every now and then. July 6 meeting July 19 Commissioniers meetings

Commissioners are desperate to come up with a plan to finance the sheriff’s department voters in Josephine County, who have a long and proud record of rejecting taxes, will accept. If they don’t find a new funding source, the sheriff’s department, by the fiscal year 2023, will be reduced to little more than a couple […]

Commissioners got stung during the height of COVID after being accused of “playing doctor” with their anti-mask stance and refusal to endorse vaccinations so regarding the legal use of psilocybin in clinical settings they decided to let the voters play doctor and determine if it should be used in Josephine County. Proponents of the substance, […]

Short meetings and a wildfire discussion between KMED’s Bill Meyer and Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger that would make a climate scientist weep were the gist of our elected officials’ duties the last two weeks. During their meetings Commissioners heard from the District Forester regarding wildfire readiness, finalized RV sites for Whitehorse Park, shuffled money […]

This past week Josephine County Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger was so worried about what the Grants Pass Daily Courier might say about him he was willing to cut transit services for the elderly and disabled. He also decided commission seats are non-partisan after arguing last month that they are inherently partisan. Baertschiger said because the […]

Two weeks this time because I was off with family during Spring Break so it took me a bit to get caught up. The Whitehorse Park hearing was interesting. Commissioners paid little more than lip service to people with concerns about that matter while they totally embraced the pro-transfer bunch that showed up for the […]

The week of April 11-13 started with a land use hearing and ended with Josephine County Commissioners’ usual politicking from their seats at the dais. Regarding the Bill and Herman Show on Tuesday, it seemed that Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger wanted to put off talking about the Sportsman Park public hearing because so many […]

Includes Baertschiger’s forum on Sheriff Funding JoCoCommissioners March 27

Josephine County Commissioners transitioned back to Ann Basker Auditorium for their March 16 Weekly Business session but had little to do other than approve some agreements, listen to public comments and air their own opinions. Commissioners listened to a recap of the Zonehaven software and support application marketed as being able to design the most […]

This week another man learned a lesson about spending money on a business venture before finding out if it’s allowed, Josephine County Commissioners voted to stall new hemp-growing licenses and Commissioners got a lesson in what can and can’t be done for people with mental health issues. Also, Commissioner Herman Baertschiger said Oregon gets 80 […]

Monday’s Land Use Hearing on Feb. 28 was a “clash of two American dreams” according to Josephine County Commissioner Darin Fowler as he listened to a small business owner and a neighbor argue over what is and isn’t allowed in a rural residential zone. “One (American) dream is to have a peaceful retirement and the […]

The Republican Party overruled the Josephine County Board of Commissioners last week, so the confusing language going on the May ballot regarding the question asking people to repeal the Code Enforcement Ordinance adopted late last year, will stand. During their Legal Counsel meeting Feb. 22 Commissioner Dan DeYoung pointed out, without reading the question during […]

Josephine County Commissioners’ Weekly Business Session Feb. 16 came to life on Zoom with Commissioner Dan DeYoung calling someone “sweetheart” and asking her to bring him coffee. Commissioner Darin Fowler was busy putting on lip balm. When Chair Herman Baertschiger officially opened the meeting there wasn’t much more on the agenda then public comments and […]

Next week Josephine County Commissioners will discuss whether or not to put an advisory question on the May ballot asking if voters would rather live in Idaho than Oregon. During their Wednesday Business Session, Commission Chair Herman Baertschiger informed the board that he would be bringing that discussion to the Feb. 15 meeting. The public […]

Editorial Comment: Josephine County Commissioner’s power was on display this week, even though the matters they handled were fairly routine. They decided against a land use appeal, considered a host of new fees for the Planning Department and were asked to advance a county employee up the pay scale. Commissioners give department heads permission to […]

One of the last things Josephine County Commissioner Dan DeYoung said last week was that he thought the City/County meeting with Grants Pass Mayor Sarah Bristol and City Council President Joel King went very well. Commissioner Darin Fowler was absent. Mayor Bristol started things off saying the city is still pursuing an urban campground and […]

The annual proclamation for the Right-to-Life folks topped the Josephine County Commissioner’s work week. Other than that, on Tuesday they held an executive session where they talked behind closed doors about the Josephine County/Jackson County PERS matter and an issue involving property at NW B Street. In the public part of the meeting Commissioners decided […]

Commissioner Herman Baertschiger had his weekly conversation on the radio last week. There were many falsehoods put forth in the show. This particular show may have spurred the recent Courier Editorial. And by the way, regarding voter “fraud”, in case you missed it, a California Republican (elected official no less) was recently convicted for committing […]

Between the anti-code enforcement people and the recall people, Commissioners found themselves in a pickle. During Wednesday’s short meeting Commissioner Dan DeYoung and Board Chair Herman Baertschiger used their comment periods at the end of the meeting to lament, defend, argue and express a bit of self-righteous indignation. Meanwhile, Commissioner Darin Fowler, who is up […]

Week of January 3, 2022 Keeping the community safe costs money but as Commissioner Darin Fowler said during Thursday’s budget discussion, “I do want to remind everyone our community decided 10 or 12 years ago that they don’t want to be a fully funded county and we’re not. They never supported the sheriff’s patrol, they […]

December 21 Administrative Discussion meeting Josephine County Commissioners had one meeting last week with one issue: a mining exploration permit extension request they concluded couldn’t be extended but it can be renewed. American Mineral Research spokesman Jay Meredith gave a presentation during their Dec. 21 Administrative Discussion meeting, reviewing his operation and touting the potential […]

Commissioners Week of Dec 13, 2021 Josephine Commissioners had a sobering look at their PERS (Public Employees Retirement) obligations and, as Commissioner Herman Baertschiger said, it had Commission Chair Dan DeYoung pulling his hair out, “all three of em.” And that was without any discussion of the recent court ruling that said Josephine and Jackson […]

Week of Dec. 7, 2021 During next year’s growing season Josephine County’s sheriff could conceivably roar up to an illegal cannabis grow in a military-style armored vehicle, round up everyone on site, evacuate the property and set up barriers to re-entry that may include barricading roads. This could happen because Josephine County Commissioners, at their […]

Week of November 29-Dec 3 Josephine County Board members went through an update of their emergency operations plan this week, approved a $1.6 million grant from the state to help Sheriff Dave Daniels combat illegal marijuana grows, drafted yet another letter chiding Gov. Brown about “vaccine passports,” a right-wing media rumor burning the airwaves, then […]

At Tuesday’s Legal Meeting, the Commissioners once again delayed discussion of implementing minimum standards for private fire departments (impacting the areas of the County not included in a Fire District or Grants Pass), this time for 2 months. That will bring us to a total of over 20 months delay since the Fire Protection Committee […]

Money earmarked for vaccine promotion, originally rejected by Josephine County Commissioners, was dangled in front of Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol, then snatched away through a letter that said they were disappointed the “rough framework” of ideas she submitted for promoting the vaccine in the city did not have the total approval of everyone on […]

October 26 Tuesday Meeting with Grants PassJosephine County Commissioners had a captive audience Tuesday for grievance-airing while representatives from the Grants Pass City Council sat patiently waiting for something…anything resembling a real discussion. Their October 26 joint meeting began with City Manager Aaron Cubic asking when construction on the new transit building in town would […]

Of the nineteen people who called in during the October 20 public hearing and second reading of Ordinance 2021-002, giving code enforcers the power to cite and fine property owners with unpermitted structures, twelve supported the ordinance, some identifying as Republicans, while seven, mostly Republicans, were against the change. During Wednesday’s Zoom hearing, Josephine County […]

It was Republican vs. Republican vs. Republican during Wednesday’s Weekly Business Session of the Josephine County Commissioners.  While some landowners here would like to see the messes created by illegal marijuana grows cleaned up others saw commissioner’s proposed fix for the predicament as an infringement on their property rights. During the board’s second reading and […]

This week Josephine County Commissioners were so outlandish in their opinions about vaccines and mandates they made the Oregonian newspaper in Portland this week….. https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2021/10/oregon-politician-says-ask-god-about-covid-19-vaccination-you-cant-trust-doctors.html Wednesday Commissioner Darin Fowler put forth this magniloquent rant (41:48): “This virus has become completely political. It’s only got a few things left in the medical field and I’m not […]

Commissioner Darin Fowler sounded like he was starting his campaign for reelection during this week’s monthly city/county meeting between Josephine County Commissioners and representatives from the Grants Pass City Council. Although Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol hasn’t said anything publicly about running for another office and Councilman Brian DeLaGrange has only been suggested for a […]

This week’s Josephine County Commissioner’s Weekly Business Meeting includes a Resolution proposing county-wide opposition of “virus rationalized mandates.” Their resolution has been included as part of the consent calendar on page 21: http://co.josephine.or.us/Files/092921%20WBS.pdf We are asking all who oppose this resolution to provide public comment during the meeting.  The meeting will be live-streamed via the […]

Note: This is a long post which contains numerous direct quotes plus references to facts. Tuesday’s Legal Review Sept 21, 2021 Other than approving the consent calendar, hearing about rearranging road department funds, approving a land purchase from the City of Grants Pass and approving some routine contracts, Josephine County Commissioners spent most of their […]

According to Josephine County Commissioners the big “news” of the week was that they approved a new jet fuel system for the Grants Pass Airport using COVID money. This is part of a plan to upgrade the airport, basically so Travis Boersma can land his new jet there.  Commissioners angrily charged the Grants Pass Daily […]

Commissioner Herman Baertschiger tried to make a connection between negative stories about Commissioners in the Grants Pass Daily Courier to a rejection by SOREDI (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.). Baertschiger, in his best Tucker Carlson method of operation yet, implied that the Courier is getting revenge on Commissioners after being denied American Rescue Plan […]

County Commissioners Business Meeting JULY 28, 2021 Two tax levies were approved for the November ballot by Josephine County Commissioners. The jail and juvenile detention levy is a renewal while the County Animal Shelter levy, raised from 8 to 11 cents,is considered a new levy. Sheriff Dave Daniel made a brief appeal for the 93 […]

County Commissioners WEEK OF JULY 12-JULY 16, 2021 July 14, 2021 Agenda July 14, 2021 Video Josephine County Commissioners’ July 14 Business Meeting featured people who actually wanted to pay a tax and a range of dramatis personae who used public comment time to repeat oft told tales even though Commission Chair Dan DeYoung said […]