May 28, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) policy steering committees and the Legislative Committee will meet June 17-18, in Salem, to consider and adopt the policy priority platform for Oregon’s 2025 legislative session. AOC’s priority policy items represent pressing issues with a strong nexus to county budgets, services, and functions that unite all Oregon counties.
Since the legislature adjourned sine die in March, AOC steering committees have met for nearly 40 hours of collective deep-dive information gathering and dialogue in preparation for the priority setting meetings. AOC steering committee co-chairs invited stakeholders, AOC affiliate and associate organizations, governor’s office representatives, and state agency directors and staff for presentations and in-depth Q&A sessions.
The AOC Legislative Committee adopts official positions on policy proposals, principles, and biennial priorities as recommended by AOC steering committees and thereby directs the legislative activities of the executive director and AOC legislative affairs team. Membership of the AOC Legislative Committee includes the AOC Board of Directors, one additional member from each of the eight AOC districts, the chair and vice chair of each AOC steering committee, one district attorney designated by the Oregon District Attorneys Association, and any additional members that the board of directors choose to appoint, such as a county not otherwise represented. Action is taken with 67% approval of voters present.
AOC steering committees analyze policy proposals, formulate policy solutions, discuss best practices, and advise the AOC legislative committee on policy positions, policy principles, and biennial priorities. Steering committees are co-chaired by county commissioners appointed every year by the AOC President and meetings are open to all AOC members. Every AOC member present at an AOC steering committee meeting can vote on action items and help shape AOC’s policy platform.
AOC steering committee recordings, agendas, and supplemental materials can be found on the AOC website within each policy portfolio:
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
May 28, 2024 | News
Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the prospective producer responsibility organization for Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), announced the Oregon Recycling System Optimization Project (ORSOP) kick-off. The purpose of this project is to work with local governments and service providers to:
- Reconcile the proposed rule concept priorities with county and city requests;
- Coordinate city and county requests within counties;
- Highlight geographic considerations that need to be taken into account when scheduling investments; and
- Develop a process for incorporating both local government and related service provider feedback.
ORSOP is Phase II of the Local Government Needs Assessment Survey that was submitted by local governments in April 2023. Gathering the information is critical to ensuring that counties receive funding for the service expansion needs they identified in the April 2023 survey. Time is of the essence — there is no prioritization list for when local governments will be contacted by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), and this work needs to be completed by July 2024. RRS has begun reaching out to local governments; now is the time to gather the information to prepare for the upcoming negotiations. With this information, CAA will be able to resubmit a revised program plan that outlines the local government system expansion and new program funding requests, and the schedule for funding those investments over the program plan period.
CAA has contracted with RRS to assist with ORSOP outreach to local governments and service providers over the coming months.
CAA has developed a suite of resources to prepare local governments and their service providers for engagement with RRS. These tools will aid in identifying the type of expansion and opportunities local governments and service providers may want to consider and to help them gather and organize the information that will be requested by RRS.
Contributed by: Jen Lewis-Goff | Legislative Affairs Manager
May 28, 2024 | News
In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 3630, which directed the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) to create a grant program to support Oregon counties with energy resilience planning. Specifically, HB 3630 provides up to $50,000 per county to develop an energy resilience plan.
The County Energy Resilience Grant Program provides grants to Oregon counties to develop energy resilience plans that:
- Map current energy infrastructure, natural hazard risks, and communities that experience social vulnerability.
- Identify needs to increase resilience.
- Identify steps for implementation.
- Receive input from environmental justice communities to identify communities that experience social vulnerabilities.
This is a noncompetitive grant program with no match requirement. All Oregon counties are eligible to receive funds provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Counties may also work together and pool funds in a cohort.
Opportunity Announcement
ODOE posted the Opportunity Announcement for funding on May 22, and is now accepting applications through Feb. 28, 2025. Applications should be sent to the program team via email.
Single County Application
County Cohort Application
Application Resources: FAQs | Plan Development Resources
Counties must submit the program completion form and a copy of their plans by Aug. 1, 2025. If a county already has an energy resilience or other type of energy plan, the funding can likely be used to update that plan as per the requirements of HB 3630.
Informational Webinar
Join ODOE for one of two informational webinars on June 6, and June 25, to learn more about the County Energy Resilience Program. Program details can be found here.
May 28, 2024 | AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) is excited to announce that applications will open for the 2024-25 AOC Membership Exchange Program on June 10.
The application process includes a quick, five-minute survey to help identify which counties you are interested in learning more about and what you hope to share about your county with your colleagues. Based on the application information, applicants will be placed in pairs or small groups and encouraged to plan county visits to get on-the-ground exposure to county successes, projects, and programs across diverse geographic regions and county structures.
Introduced in 2021 by the AOC Membership Committee, the AOC Membership Exchange Program was created to support AOC’s purpose to unite and advance county issues, foster trust in county government, and develop programs and services that support the success of counties into the future. Since inception, over 25 participants representing 20 counties, have planned exchange visits across the state.
Learn more about the program timeline on the program’s webpage. The application portal will open on Monday, June 10, and close on Friday, July 12, at 12 a.m. (midnight) PDT.
Contributed by: Kristen Paul | Member Services and Education Director
May 24, 2024 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Kaiser Permanente
For employers looking to maintain productivity amid stubborn economic headwinds, it may be time to reevaluate your workplace mental health strategies. Consider this: Fast Company recently polled workers from 60 organizations across the U.S. (and around the globe) and found that an overwhelming 80% report feeling stress on the job. Additionally, nearly one-third of U.S. employees say that their work adversely affects their mental health, resulting in issues such as lack of sleep, anxiety attacks, and low morale. Even more troubling, 27% report losing trust in their employers’ well-being efforts.
The Cost of Inaction
Addressing mental well-being gaps amid tough business climates may not feel top of mind. But doing so pays dividends. According to Gallup, burned-out and disengaged employees can cost $3,400 for every $10,000 of salary due to lack of productivity. The expense to replace employees runs one-half to two-times their annual salary. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health puts the cost of depression in the workplace at $210.5 billion. And the World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety account for $1 trillion in lost productivity globally.
Overwhelming Demand
Expect employee mental health to remain a key factor for securing top talent. A 2023 work study from the American Psychological Association found that 92% of workers said it’s important to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being. And a study from Harvard Business Review reinforces those findings with 91% of employees stating that employers should support their mental health at work.
Multigenerational Needs
With 5 distinct generations now represented across the workforce, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting employees’ mental health needs. For example, members of Gen Z, who will soon outnumber baby Boomers in the workplace, are more likely to experience negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and loneliness than older employees. But, they’re also less likely to ask for help. More experienced millennials, on the other hand, may be more vocal about their needs and more adept at navigating support systems. Older generations may still feel a deep stigma around discussing mental health at work at all.
The Future of Workplace Mental Health
Organizations like Kaiser Permanente are already fine-tuning strategies to meet the mental health needs of tomorrow’s workplace. Key strategies include encouraging employees to take care of their well-being through company-sponsored wellness programs and seminars. And, to ensure employees understand the support that is available to them, the organization has doubled down on communicating the importance of tapping available benefits.
Research shows that supporting workplace well-being with such employer-led initiatives can help drive productivity and growth. Across the workforce, employees are expecting employers to address the soaring levels of work-related stress. Employers that recognize the urgent need for action and continue to embrace the message of workplace wellness can create a competitive advantage with thriving employees who remain invested in boosting the company’s bottom line.
