Oct 30, 2025 | AOC Advocacy, Public Safety & Veterans
Senate Bill 97, passed by the Legislature this session, gives counties the authority to increase access to mediation services by reducing the costs to participants. It also develops a fuller picture of how these services are operated in each county, especially since rural and frontier counties do not have the volume of marriages to generate significant revenue for this mediation fund.
Counties and the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) fund mediation services for divorce cases where children are involved. The county side is funded by an optional surcharge on marriage licenses. The intent of these mediation programs is to provide an alternative pathway for families and allow them to resolve disputes in a less formal manner and reduce stress on children in the process. Mediation services are quite expensive, between $100-200 per session, and only about half of family law cases with children are served through mediation due to limited access.
This optional fee was capped at $10 for the last 48 years, until the Legislature passed SB 97 in the 2025 session. The bill raises the cap to $35 and indexes it to inflation going forward. Counties can choose to levy any amount up to the cap as part of their normal fee schedule development resolution or ordinance. This fee would be collected by the county clerk upon issuance of the license. Currently only 12 counties levy this optional fee (Clackamas, Clatsop, Curry, Deschutes, Josephine, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Marion, Multnomah, Umatilla, and Washington).The bill took effect May 28, upon the governor’s signature.
The bill also establishes a quarterly fiscal report, paid for out of the mediation funds, that county treasurers must submit to OJD via the presiding judge for each county. The intent of this report is to show OJD how mediation funds are being used across the state. Since these funds are administered by the counties, there isn’t a statewide picture of the funding gaps. Some counties are able to supplement these programs with general fund dollars, but most are not.
Contributed by: Tim Dooley | Legislative Affairs Manager
Oct 30, 2025 | AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) wrapped up its annual district meetings in October. These meetings provided an opportunity for AOC staff and district chairs to gather member feedback and share organizational updates. In addition to AOC business and district chair elections, these meetings also hold time for a “hot-topics” discussion on key issues facing the region’s counties. This year, discussions focused on county revenue challenges to fund essential services, managing energy capacity and solid waste, and addressing shortages in mental health providers and affordable housing.
Executive Director Gina Nikkel presented an in-depth overview of the proposed budget for the upcoming year and reviewed proposed AOC bylaws amendments. Both items will be considered for adoption by the full membership at the AOC Annual Business Meeting during the 2025 Annual Conference in November.
AOC department directors also joined district meetings, providing updates on key accomplishments and outcomes for AOC member counties. Member Services Director Jill Rees highlighted the growth of the business partner program, County Road Program Director Brian Worley presented an update on county road revenue, and Legislative Affairs Director Mallorie Roberts presented an overview of the 2025 legislative session and provided a preview of what to expect in the 2026 legislative session.
These hybrid meetings are held every fall in AOC’s eight regional districts and are hosted by a member county within each district. District leaders, who serve on AOC’s Board of Directors and legislative committees, play a key role in ensuring regional representation in the major organizational decisions and policy positions for the association. AOC extends its gratitude to all who attended AOC district meetings for their valuable input — an essential component to the success and direction of the association.
Meeting information, recordings, and materials can be found here.
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator
Oct 30, 2025 | AOC Advocacy
The Moderate-Income Revolving Loan Program (MIRL), established by Senate Bill 1537 (2024), capitalizes a 75-million-dollar investment to support local efforts in increasing production of both rental and homeownership housing for households earning up to 120% of area median income. According to the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS), MIRL funding can be used to fill a gap in eligible project financing, allowing OHCS to issue loans to cities and counties (referred to as sponsoring jurisdictions), who then award the funding as a grant to housing project developers.
The loan is repaid to OHCS in lieu of property taxes on project improvements to replenish the revolving loan for funding future MIRL projects. MIRL funding is allocated on a first-come first-serve basis. A maximum of $50 million is available in the first two years with 20% of that being allocated to rural communities.
OHCS staff presented an overview of the program at the AOC Transportation and Community Development Steering Committee meeting in October (View slides).
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC), the League of Oregon Cities (LOC), the Oregon Homebuilders Association, and OHCS are holding a joint webinar about the program.
Webinar: Making MIRL Work For Your Community
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 5
Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
Click here to join the webinar
More information and additional resources are available on the MIRL Webpage, or you can schedule a 1:1 Technical Assistance meeting with the MIRL Team from OHCS.
Contributed by: Branden Pursinger | Legislative Affairs Manager
Oct 29, 2025 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: UrbanForm
Counties and jurisdictions across Oregon are navigating an era of heightened collective responsibility. From meeting ambitious housing targets and newly adopted state mandates to managing limited staff capacity and budgets, local governments are under pressure to deliver more and faster with fewer resources. One of the most persistent and fundamental barriers is zoning: not just the rules themselves, but the very nature of how those rules are accessed and communicated. This is the information infrastructure of zoning.
In 2024, the Yamhill County region piloted a new approach that offers valuable lessons for jurisdictions statewide. Working alongside 10 incorporated cities, elected officials, local housing leaders, major employers, and non-profit housing advocacy groups, Yamhill set out to reduce friction in its development process by creating a shared zoning resource accessible across the county. To power this work, the region adopted UrbanForm, a digital platform that translates thousands of pages of zoning code into verifiable parcel-specific answers to questions like: What can be built here? What are the known constraints? What’s the fastest path forward?
The benefits quickly became clear to stakeholders on both sides of the counter. City staff who previously spent hours researching zoning details were able to point folks towards an interactive map that could generate accurate parcel-level reports in minutes. This freed up limited planning capacity, improved the quality of applications, and reduced the basic information retrieval and back-and-forth that often clogs up staff time and slows projects down. Smaller jurisdictions in particular gained access to a level of planning support they would not have had on their own—creating more equity across the county. For developers, the availability of instant access to basic zoning information meant reduced risk and an open-to-business, customer-service oriented, getting-to-yes mentality.
Perhaps the most important takeaway, however, is not technological but cultural. UrbanForm Yamhill’s success came from acting as a convener: bringing cities, employers, and housing advocates into a collaborative framework where zoning was treated as shared infrastructure rather than siloed local code and knowledge. That trust created a foundation for faster permitting, clearer communication, and stronger alignment between public and private partners. It also demonstrated that innovation does not always require starting from scratch—sometimes it means building a better bridge between systems that already exist.
Results from Yamhill have won the project an award from the regional Council of Governments. But the most telling measure of success may be the simplest: the positive word-of-mouth amongst government staffers that have led to the adoption of UrbanForm across 26 jurisdictions, and counting, in Oregon this year alone.
By approaching zoning clarity as a regional responsibility—one that supports staff, empowers cities, and reduces barriers for housing and infrastructure—counties can position themselves as leaders in meeting Oregon’s most urgent challenges. As the state continues to pursue ambitious housing goals and climate-friendly land use policies, having zoning information that is accurate, transparent, and accessible will be critical to success.
The lesson is simple: when zoning becomes clear, collaboration becomes easier, and communities move forward together.
Oct 29, 2025 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: NW Natural
Our region is at a critical energy juncture, and there is a growing need for coordinated energy sector planning. While historically, gas and electric utilities have done their planning separately, more stakeholders are recognizing the interdependence of today’s energy landscape.
Electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest continues to grow in large part due to data centers, manufacturing, and electrification. As that demand grows, natural gas plays a vital role in filling the power gap, especially during extreme weather events. January 2024’s winter storm illustrated just how vital coordination across utilities—and investments in both gas and electric infrastructure—continue to be.
How do we meet the region’s growing energy demand while maintaining reliability, affordability, and resiliency? That is what a group of regional gas and electric providers are coming together to address.
Last month, this work was showcased at the Regional Energy Symposium, a gathering hosted by Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, Northwest Gas Association, Western Power Pool, and Public Generating Pool. The symposium convened policymakers, utility leaders, regulators, and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges of joint energy planning and how to address them. This work will continue to be a significant priority for NW Natural and our partners over the coming years.
As NW Natural readies our system and storage facilities to meet winter’s energy demands, there are also things you can do to prepare for the winter!
Going without electricity for more than a few hours can turn an inconvenience into a significant concern. Many natural gas appliances work in a power outage including:
- Cooktops
- Fireplaces
- Many hot water heaters
- Backup natural gas generators
Click here for helpful videos on how these natural gas appliances can operate safely even when the power is out.
An appliance inspection and tune-up can lower gas bills, improve equipment efficiency, and extend the life of appliances.
We know people are experiencing higher costs of living, and bills can be challenging. NW Natural offers a variety of payment assistance programs including our income-eligible bill discount program.
*NW Natural works in the following Oregon counties: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Douglas, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, and Yamhill.
