Wasco County recently welcomed commissioners from Clatsop and Deschutes counties, as part of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)’s Membership Exchange Program. The program provides commissioners, judges, and chairs the opportunity to connect with their peers and learn best practices and innovative solutions from counties throughout the state. Since the program’s creation in 2021, over 25 members representing 20 counties have participated in this program.
Clatsop County Commissioner Lianne Thompson and Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang joined Wasco County Commissioners Phil Brady and Scott Hege for a tour of local businesses and sites, including the grand opening of the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) Gloria Center, a multi-agency service and resource center serving Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties. The center is a one-stop resource hub providing an array of services including housing assistance, homelessness prevention, case management, employment resources, veterans’ services, behavioral health, and other essential services.
Commissioners Brady, Thompson, and Chang visit the Bakeoven Solar Project.
Renewable energy and energy sources were also a major focus for commissioners, making stops at The Dalles Dam and the Bakeoven Solar Project.
The Dalles Lock and Dam is one of the ten largest hydropower dams in the United States. Since its construction in 1957, the dam has generated more than 9.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and passed up to 10 million tons of river cargo annually.
The Bakeoven Solar Project, located near Maupin, is a solar photovoltaic energy generation facility. Paired with the Daybreak Solar Project, an adjacent solar installation, the project will generate 200 megawatts. The two projects also include a 100-megawatt battery storage system, collector substation, operations and maintenance building, and an approximately 11 mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line.
Commissioners also visited Polehn Farms, a 450-acre cherry orchard that provides free housing to seasonal farmworkers. The Columbia Gorge region is home to two-thirds of Oregon’s registered labor housing.
“Overall, it was a fantastic opportunity to share information and hear their perspectives on how we’re doing things here,” said Brady. “Commissioner Hege and I are looking forward to visiting Clatsop and Deschutes counties later this fall.”
Wasco County tour sites:
- The Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) Gloria Center
- Wasco County Fairgrounds
- W.E. Hunt Park
- The Dalles Lock and Dam
- Bakeoven Solar Project
- The Columbia Gorge Regional Airport
- Polehn Farms
- 159-acre land recently purchased for development of a RV park and sports facilities
Learn more about the program timeline on the AOC Membership Exchange Program webpage. The application portal closes on Friday, July 12, at 12 a.m. (midnight) PDT.
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator