East Oregonian
May 22, 2003

County to take back CSEPP contracting lead

By SHELLY INGRAM of the East Oregonian
singram@eastoregonian.com

HERMISTON - Umatilla County will again take the lead in Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness contract execution.

The CSEPP governing board voted unanimously to accept a five-page proposal presented by Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty that will reinstate Umatilla County as the lead entity in the $9.1-million "tactical communications system for emergency services."

The system will include a 450-megahertz radio and a computer assisted dispatch (CAD) system. Doherty's latest proposal comes on the heels of a letter in April relinquishing Umatilla County's lead in the contract execution. It waives previously negotiated administrative fees due the county and allows for $200,000 of the funding set aside for the megahertz radio program to be shifted to the computer assisted dispatch system, should it become necessary.

"Things tend to get personalized or divisive," Doherty said. " I never wanted to divide Oregon CSEPP the way this potentially did. I want to get back together."

The decision was reached following concerns expressed by board and audience members that the megahertz radio program would not be completed and the funds shifted from its budget to the CAD system would leave a huge hole for CSEPP Officials to fill. Doherty said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had been informed of his proposal and "had not said no" to the funding the project.

"The extra piece is I want FEMA to understand they're the backstop for this," Doherty said.

Board members John Wenholz and Robert Flournoy expressed concern over the funding shift, as did Chris Brown, Oregon Emergency Management CSEPP program manager.

"The state does not have the money in the budget," Brown said. "If FEMA turns, we don't have the money."

In other business the board voted unanimously to extend the offer of a voting membership to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The board also discussed an emergency drill scheduled June 3.