558 N. Main St., Prineville, OR 97754 | (541) 447-6205
As far as Ken Fahlgren is concerned, the work of a Crook County Commissioner is never done.
But after four years on the job, he is running for another term in hopes of maybe completing some of it.
“We’ve worked to a point where many things are in the fire,” Fahlgren said, “and I do not want to see it end with what I started.”
Specifically, the incumbent said he would like to continue his role in developing a region-wide health group. Spurred by a 2011 state bill, public and private members of Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties will combine their efforts to improve citizen health and the level of care available while lowering costs.
Fahlgren sits on a recently-created Central Oregon Health Council and hopes the tri-county effort will open more doors for Crook County, especially when it comes to funding.
“Regionally, that helps us take advantage of the population,” he said. “If we want to put up a grant, we do it under the auspice that we have 200,000 people, not only 22,000 or 23,000.”
As he tries to complete projects and help maintain other public services, the County will continue to face limited resources. The recession has caused a continual drop in property taxes during the past few years, leaving the County less and less money to work with.
“We allow 80 percent of our general fund to go to public safety,” he said. “We try not to cut that back . . . it is a very important part of our community. To the taxpayer, to myself as a businessman, I would never want to let that get much less than that. So, we have to structure everything else we do to pay for the other 20 percent.”
Fahlgren went on to point out that the state mandates that counties provide a minimum level of services, which dictates how much they can cut.
“We worked very hard not to overextend any of those departments,” he said. “We have probably cut back over 20 people since I have been here (2009).”
Along with the personnel cuts, the County has required their employees to take 13 furlough days this year, and has frozen pay increases. County employees could face higher insurance premiums as well.
To help reverse these trends, Fahlgren said the County will have to bolster other revenue streams. They generate income from building fees and permits from Facebook, so he wants to help ensure that the state no longer centrally assesses data centers for taxation. In addition, he believes the landfill could make the County more money.
The County owns a 1,500 to 1,600-acre property, which Fahlgren said enables them to consider digging a larger cell. Under that land rests about 500 feet of solid rock that the County could potentially utilize to generate income.
“When you take the rock out of a hole, it creates gravel. Gravel goes back to highway use,” he offered as an example.
Furthermore, because of the property size, Fahlgren said the facility has room to grow, and could take on more garbage business from throughout the Central Oregon region.
If the economy begins to improve, Fahlgren does not want to resume pay raises right away.
“What I would like to see right now is to end furlough days,” he said, “(or see) if you could find a better way to curb some of the insurance costs.”
At the same time, if the County continues to struggle financially, Fahlgren does not necessarily want to freeze pay increases indefinitely.
“You do the best you can with the money you have, and I don’t want to find that we’re bleeding our employees,” he said. “Maybe at one point, we’ll have to have less employees somewhere. But again it comes back to the services that are mandated by the state. We have to have a minimum level.”
As County government continues to grapple with the recession, they have opted to stay with a judge and two-commissioner structure. In 2008, the County Court voted to switch to a three-commissioner government with a paid county administrator. Last year, the current County Court reversed that decision.
Fahlgren does not believe the County can afford the estimated $150,000 salary needed to pay an administrator. Furthermore, he does not think Crook County is big enough to justify adding the position.
“I think we have a good team,” he said of the current commission. “As long as people in the positions you have are willing to be engaged, you really get your money’s worth.”
As he makes a run for a second term in Crook County government, Fahlgren said he would like to serve for multiple terms as long as the public is willing to elect him. Furthermore he can see a possible run at county judge in his future.
“I would never do it this term,” he said, explaining that he wants to gain more experience in County government first. Four years from now could be a different story.
“The community needs a strong leader,” Fahlgren said. “I would think there is a fit for me there some time.”
