-
Land & Roads
-
- Natural Areas & Parks Picnic Facility Reservations Locate a park or natural area Find a trail, take a hike Conserving our native habitat Salmonberry Campground Property Information Search Property tax accounts Search for a deed Pay taxes online Appeal property taxes Find property on a map Survey your property Property tax records
- Sustainability Building & Land Use Building Permits & Codes Request an Inspection Code Compliance Septic Systems Planning and Zoning GIS Maps GIS Data Links to Other Maps
- Roads and Utility Services Road closures and delays Request road maintenance Access utility bills Public Transportation Event Center & Fairgrounds
-
-
Public Safety
-
- Sheriff's Office Sheriff's Message Volunteer Opportunities What's Happening Emergency Services Current Information Emergency Alert System Disaster and Hazard Preparedness Search and Rescue Child Support Collection
- Jail Inmate Rosters Inmate Services Criminal prosecution Victim Services Court Calendar Juvenile Services Supervision and accountability Detention Teen Court
- Parole and Probation Mission and programs Sex offender notification Law Enforcement Report a crime Daily activity log Concealed Handgun Licenses Justice System Improvement Program
-
-
Health & Family
-
- COVID-19 Information Public Health Communicable disease reporting Mental Health and Addictions Peer specialists Gambling prevention Tobacco prevention Children and youth programs Adult programs Substance Use Disorder
- Food and Water Safety Restaurants Temporary Food Service Well Testing Septic Systems Community Health Centers Find a physician Dental services Family Planning Developmental Diversity (Disabilities) OSU Extension
- Maternal and Child Health WIC Healthy baby programs Licenses and Certificates Birth Certificates Death Certificates Dog License Marriage License Pay My Medical Bill Event Center & Fairgrounds
-
-
Our Government
-
- Board of Commissioners BOC Meetings Advisory Committees County Legal Counsel Meeting Agendas and Minutes Licenses and Passports Marriage Licenses Passports Dog Licenses
- Voting Elections & Voting Register to Vote Updates & Absentee Voting Elections Put a measure on the ballot Run for office Precinct maps County News Newsletter News & Announcements Subscribe
- Departments County office locations Department List OSU Extension Business in Benton County County Budget See county RFP opportunities Economic Development Veteran Services
-
-
I Want To...
-
- Work for Benton County Apply for a job Volunteer Pay property taxes online View a tax statement Apply for … Marriage license Dog license Passport Building permit Septic permit Restaurant licenses Find Requests for Proposals
- Vote Elections & Voting Register to vote Updates & Absentee Voting Find an event View county calendar View fairgrounds calendar Make a … Medical/Dental appointment Mental health appointment Medical Bill Payment Locate a county office
- Find out about … County Budget Current road conditions Adopt-a-Road Program No Spray Program Veteran Services See who's in jail Report a crime Reserve a facility County park picnic facility Benton Oaks RV park Salmonberry campground Fairgrounds facility Ride a Bus
-
Q&A from Sept. 8 Virtual Community Meeting
The questions below were submitted by community members during the September 8 Virtual Community meeting. Unless otherwise stated, answers are provided by Justice System Improvement Program manager, Nick Kurth.
Are people at the Courthouse aware the victims are not separate and in close quarters to accused?
As it currently stands, the Historic Courthouse does not provide the means for keeping crime victims entirely separated from the accused. This is a shortcoming of the Historic Courthouse and is something that a new courthouse will address.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Are the proposed facilities designed with flexibility in mind for future needs?
DLR Group, an engineering and design firm hired by the County to manage facilities work in the Predesign Phase, is designing the facilities with a 40- to 50-year horizon. One of the primary drivers in the suburban site selection process was room for expansion.
The actual design of facilities does not occur until the next phase of the program, called the Implementation Phase. However, DLR Group’s conceptual designs during the current phase incorporate flexibility that will allow us to meet best practices as we move forward.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Are there any opportunities for the County and City to house their court functions in the same building for County/City efficiencies?
The City and County have collaborated on the Justice System Improvement Program dating back to the Criminal Justice System Assessment and throughout the program’s Predesign Phase. There is an ongoing collaboration between our respective law enforcement agencies, between the County Administrator and City Manager, between elected officials, and on our Justice System Improvement Program Technical and Community Advisory Committees. In the early stages of the Predesign phase, there was a discussion between the County and City regarding housing the City’s Municipal Court in the proposed new County Courthouse. Ultimately, the proposal was dismissed; the City will manage its Municipal Court needs.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Are there potential drawbacks for a downtown location for the new courthouse?
There are some challenges, including:
- The County is negotiating to purchase property adjacent to the County's 5th Street building, but the site is not been secured by a Letter of Intent to date.
- Development cost is higher, primarily because of the size and shape of the site under consideration downtown.
- Parking is always a constraint downtown.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Can you tell me more about the Emergency Operations Center?
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) provides space for both training and emergency operations activities. Currently, the County does not have an EOC that's sufficient in size to serve the County’s needs. When the EOC was activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the County utilized four different facilities, moving three times.
The proposed Emergency Operations Center is approximately 10,000 square feet, and can be either a standalone facility or integrated into a new law enforcement building. Like a law enforcement building, an EOC is built to robust standards in order to withstand severe seismic or weather events. When not being used for emergency operations, it can be used for training or meeting purposes by the County, other municipalities, or by the public. The proposed EOC will include various sized/configurable meeting spaces, restroom facilities, kitchen, and support service space.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Has a traffic impact study been done for the west location? The existing roads, West Hills, Harrison, and Philomath highway are substandard and over used now.
A traffic impact study is underway, with data collection beginning once OSU fall term begins. A similar study was conducted for the south site earlier this year. Results from the west site traffic study are expected in mid-October 2021.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Has any of the funding come from COVID relief funds?
The County is fortunate to have the opportunity to seek additional funding for many County programs due to COVID relief funds. We are seeking $1 million in American Rescue Plan funding for our Emergency Operations Center. Our Crisis Center is also receiving funding ($2.25 million to date) from the State and Federal government, in part through American Rescue Plan dollars. - Answered by Commissioner Xan Augerot during the September 8 meeting
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Have you considered implementing a local sales tax so that the cost of these facilities is not placed squarely on property owners?
Sales taxation is not within the scope of the Justice System Improvement Program.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
How can you reassure the public that an increase in jail beds won't lead to an increase in arrests? Will you be collecting data to examine for this possibility?
A programmatic element of the Justice System Improvement Program is Data Evaluation and Metrics, which will measure the program’s success, ensure equitable practices, and to monitor outcomes like arrest rates.
At the same time it is important to note that Benton County’s arrest rate has been impacted by its lack of jail space. The County’s use of cite and release, rather than arrest, is 2- to 3-times what is considered the norm, based on the conclusions of CGL, who conducted the Assessment, at the outset of the Justice System Improvement Program. Data will help the County establish, monitor, and maintain an appropriate arrest rate, and to analyze and understand trends and changes.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
How do the percentages of BIPOC people arrested and/or incarcerated compare to the percentage they make up of our community’s population? In other words, is there much racial disproportionality in our local justice system?
As part of the 2018 Criminal Justice System Assessment, Benton County looked into this very question. We found that due to the lack of representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals within the Benton County population, anytime a BIPOC individual is in custody, it is an overrepresentation. Benton County is engaging Ari Basil-Wagner with Greater Oregon Behavior Health, Inc. to update the data that was gathered during our 2018 assessment. When we have that updated data, we will be better equipped to see trends over time and other valuable insights.
Answered by Commissioner Xan Augerot during the September 8 meeting.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
How does the location of the corrections facility impact the operational costs with concepts 1 -2 and concept 3?
The difference in operating costs between the west and south sites is virtually nonexistent. This is because both sites will require the adults in custody be transported to downtown Corvallis, and the drive times from either site to downtown are essentially equal.
Both sites offer good access to and from the rest of the County. The primary operations considerations are the location of the proposed new courthouse, whether co-located with the proposed correctional facility and Sheriff’s Office on the south or west site, or located downtown.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
If the courthouse is deemed too unsafe for the public as a courthouse, how will it be deemed safe for the public as not a courthouse?
Courthouse safety falls into several categories, but the two primary categories discussed during the September 8 meeting were seismic safety and public safety relative to courthouse operations.
If the historic Benton County courthouse is no longer used as a courthouse (likely due to construction of a new, modern courthouse) then operational safety will no longer be an issue. Regarding seismic safety, the historic Courthouse does not meet current seismic standards, but it is not structurally unsafe. The Commissioners discussed the seismic shortcomings of the Historic Courthouse in 2020 and agreed that upgrades need to be made if the Courthouse will continue to be used for County government functions.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
If we seriously implement CAHOOTS-like solutions over the next few years, are we going to end up with a jail that’s just too big?
The proposed new Correctional Facility size of approximately 120 beds is based on conclusions by CGL, who conducted the Justice System Improvement Program Assessment. These conclusions were reverified in 2020 by DLR Group, the County's consultant on the Justice System Improvement Program's Predesign Phase.
The size recommendation considers various programs, many of which the County is pursuing or implementing, that reduce the number of adults in custody. It’s important to note that on average, across the nation and in Oregon, correctional facilities typically operate at no more than 80 percent capacity. This means on any given day, a 120-bed facility has no more than 96 adults in custody. In the unlikely event Benton County is extremely successful at reducing the number of adults in custody, the County is confident it could rent beds to one of the neighboring four counties.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Is the south site in a 100-year floodplain?
The south site is not in a 100-year floodplain. There is a 100-year floodplain site to the north of the south site. The County is aware of the possibility, though remote, of the south site being cut off from a direct route north on OR 99W to downtown Corvallis due to flooding in south Corvallis. The Benton County Board of Commissioners will consider that risk when making a final site selection decision.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
What are the additional annual operational costs if the Courthouse is not co-located with the Correctional Facility?
To date, the costs have not been studied in detail. The answer depends on the number of transports per week, and that could change in a post-COVID pandemic world. A detailed study will be conducted for the Board of Commissioners’ consideration prior to making a final decision on a location for the proposed new courthouse.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
What are the realms of ideas for how the courthouse would be used for otherwise?
The Historic Benton County Courthouse Feasibility Study, which describes options for repurposing the courthouse, is scheduled to be presented to the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 9, during the Board's Goal Setting meeting. The Feasibility Study will be posted to the Justice System Improvement Program's website shortly after.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
What are the tax ramifications of this bond? What will this cost us?
The final bond measure amount has not been determined. Based on the 2020 property tax roll (the 2021 tax roll has not been finalized), if the bond were $100 million, the cost for the average Benton County property owner is about $.80 per $1,000 in assessed value. For a home with an assessed value of $350,000, the rate equates to a $280 tax increase. The rate will be updated when the 2021 tax roll is available, and again when the final bond amount is determined, sometime in 2022.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Where are the equity considerations on these locations?
Site selection began in June 2020 and included an exhaustive, objective data-driven process. The entire process was as follows:
- Mapped areas of 15 acres or more in or near the Corvallis Urban Growth Boundary.
- Weighted 40+ possible sites using 32 factors.
- Narrowed to 10 properties – 5 downtown, 5 suburban.
- County and real estate broker approached property owners to explore viability of sale.
- Narrowed sites to 3 based on outcome of #4 – 1 downtown, 2 suburban.
- Joint City and County task force formed to conduct due-diligence investigations.
- Board of Commissioners appointed purchase negotiating team to advance Letters of Intent.
- Currently testing 3 site-specific conceptual designs with the County community.
Sites across all geographic locations in or near the Corvallis Urban Growth Boundary were considered initially, before being weighed and explored for purchase. In early 2021, the County pursued a site in north Corvallis adjacent to Hewlett-Packard, but the owner decided against selling.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Where is the west site relative to the Corvallis Fault?
The Corvallis Fault does not intersect the site. It runs to the northwest and southwest of the site.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Why are we no longer renting beds from Lincoln County?
Benton County did rent beds from Lincoln County at one time. However, Lincoln County has taken a different direction relative to the use of its facility and has stopped renting beds to other counties.
Answered by Sheriff Van Arsdall during the September 8 meeting.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
Will the RV park being built in Philomath be taken into consideration when conducting the Traffic Impact Analysis?
Traffic study counts will begin immediately following OSU’s fall term beginning, with the study completed by mid-October 2021. Whether or not the RV park is included in the study will depend on the opening date of the park.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A
With people being directed to the Crisis Center, would you expect the jail population to decrease?
The purpose of the Crisis Center is to provide a treatment-centered alternative to incarceration or the emergency room. As such, the County expects the Crisis Center, and other programs it is implementing as part of the Justice System Improvement Program, including its behavioral health/law enforcement co-response team and enhanced pretrial services, to help reduce incarcerations.
Category: 9/8 Virtual Community Meeting Q&A