During the June AOC Legislative Committee meeting members discussed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and NACo (the National Association of Counties) defining a collaborative relationship.
AOC Policy Manager Susan Morgan explained why AOC and the O&C Counties want additional, refining language put in the MOU. The Legislative Committee agreed, and approved the new language which will now go to NACo and BLM for their consideration.
Speaking of NACo, the Legislative Committee approved proposed language for the NACo Platform regarding substance abuse and cannabis policy. The NACo Platform defines the issues and policies NACo lobbyists use as a guide in their work on Capitol Hill. The proposed changes basically call for the federal government to recognize and respect state rights when it comes to cannabis regulation. AOC will now take the proposed changes to NACo at the Annual Conference in Nashville, TN later this summer.
The Legislative Committee also approved renewing AOC’s support of a NACo resolution that puts NACo on record as opposing legislation regarding material preference in designing water systems to serve the needs of communities. Former Columbia County Commissioner Tony Hyde drew on his experiences dealing with 100 year floods as to why the renewal is necessary. Mr. Hyde said the effort to regulate water systems is being driven by special interests and will not serve Oregon water systems well in the future.
Contributed by: Eric Schmidt | AOC Consultant