Two county departments to merge, following continued budget talks

Douglas County commissioners took action Tuesday to merge the county’s Building Facilities and Parks departments.

The action will lead to Parks Director Jim Dowd overseeing the operation of the combined department. Tommy Neyhart, the Building Facilities director, who is paid $50,419 annually, will be laid off.

“This is kind of the beginning of, I think, what we’re going to replay probably several times,” Commissioner Doug Robertson said, in suggesting the move. “But I think it’s time. I think it eventually will save us quite a bit of money in manpower and equipment.”

Neyhart was unavailable for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Dowd, who became county parks director in August 2005, oversaw parks, facilities and the municipal golf course in his former position as the city of Roseburg’s parks director.

The commissioners set no timetable for the merger, only saying that it would “take some time.” Dowd will be assisted by Larry Spielbusch, a retired county engineer who has worked on several projects for the county under a personal services contract since his retirement.

The action, which was approved by all three commissioners, was taken during a discussion on the budget for the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

Sheriff Jim Burge told commissioners he will be able to maintain patrol and jail services with elimination of just one non-sworn position at the jail.

Earlier, commissioners asked Burge to cut $500,000 from his budget, reducing the amount provided to the Sheriff’s Office by the county to $3.7 million, down from $4.2 million this fiscal year.

Burge said he would make up the difference by not filling several openings. He also plans to transfer the county’s three roadmasters to other positions, after commissioners asked to have the weighmaster function turned over to the state.

“Obviously, our patrol function will remain the same,” Burge said.

The budget situation won’t allow Burge to add any investigators. The sheriff said such additions would require him to end 24-hour patrol coverage, especially in outlying areas, and he wasn’t prepared to do that.

Burge said he would also be able to maintain full capacity at the Douglas County Jail. The facility, which has room for 283 inmates, on average houses about 190 inmates, he said.

Library Director Max Leek told the commissioners he’s not sure a full $30,000 could be saved by eliminating overdue book fines.

During the last budget talks two weeks ago, Leek said the library was considering eliminating fines as a way to streamline operations and not have people trained in cash handling procedures available at all times outlying branches were open. On Tuesday, he said it isn’t as simple as that.

“Simply saying there are no fines is not going to have that impact of saving the money. We are collecting money all the time. We’re collecting a dollar for a lost card, $3 if you want to get a book on interlibrary loan,” he said.

No decision has been made on the idea.

Leek said he restructured the branch libraries to maximize their open hours. Five branches will now open 24 hours a week. The Glendale library, for instance, will increase from 17 hours weekly to 24.

Leek had wanted to add a position for a volunteer coordinator, to increase the help the library system receives from volunteers. The commissioners nixed that idea, however.



• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.