During the Business Meeting of the OACES Fall Conference, members voted and elected a new member to the OACES board as well as members to sit on a variety of transportation and public works committees. Tom Fellows, Public Works Manager, Umatilla County was voted in as a new board member for the Public Works Division. He joins Chris Doty, Deschutes (President), John Waffenschmidt, Lincoln (President-Elect), Mike Bezner, Clackamas (Secretary-Tresurer), Bradly Cross, Wasco/Hood River (Board Member), Don Russell, Morrow (AOC Representative) and Vance Swenson, Clatsop (Past-President).

OACES Committees and Assignments

The OACES Board and Nominating Committee also took nominations and appointed new representatives for several committee assignments during the Business Meeting. Jeremy Morris, Klamath County Public Works Director, was appointed to serve on the CRP Budget Committee. Ian Cannon, Multnomah County Transportation Division Director, will serve as a voting member and Matt Scrivner, Morrow County Public Works Director, will replace Ian as the alternate on the ODOT-Local Agency Bridge Selection Committee (LABSC). Finally, Tristan Wood, Columbia County Road Department Assistant Director, will serve on the ODOT-Oregon Traffic Control Device Committee (OTCDC). A full listing of OACES Committees and Assignments for 2018/2019 can be found here.

OACES Summer Intern Program

Brain Worley, County Road Program Manager, announced the new OACES Summer Intern Program. This program was spearheaded by the OACES board in recognition that new engineering and surveying professionals are becoming difficult to find when openings occur. Providing counties with an internship program could help introduce students and young people to the profession of Engineering and Surveying. Annually, OACES will pay a fixed amount of up to $1000 each to up to two counties for summer interns in their County Surveyor or County Engineering Department. The summer intern must work directly within the engineering or surveying profession. Click on the link to read more on the program and the application process.

Education and Leadership Scholarship Program

Many good training and leadership programs are available to OACES members, however, budgets don’t always provide the funds for attending these. OACES has a yearly scholarship fund for education and leadership training opportunities for Oregon county road officials, surveyors, and public works staff who are involved in national or statewide issues. OACES will pay up to $2,000 per year in tuition, registration, and educational expenses to scholarship recipients. Eligible programs will be determined by the OACES Board. Examples of previously approved programs and scholarship application information can be found here.