Residents press Josephine County on alleged waste-contractor ties, code enforcement and property blight

A string of public commenters on April 1 pressed the Josephine County Board of Commissioners to address persistent code-enforcement problems, alleged conflicts of interest involving a local waste hauler, and property blight that residents say creates fire and public-health risks.

Victor (Grants Pass) alleged that Trent Carpenter of Southern Oregon Sanitation (SOS) has an inappropriate relationship with county decision-makers, accused the county of an "inside track" favoring SOS in hiring and rate-setting, and asked why the county reversed a stop payment on a "2 Guys 1 Truck" economic development grant check, which he said made Evergreen Bank whole. Victor requested public records of communications related to the stop payment and cited Oregon law on stop-payment penalties.

Commissioner Martin responded that Carpenter was not seated at the board table or invited as a formal speaker at the prior meeting; rather, Martin said Carpenter attended the public discussion and provided information from his experience with the solid-waste agency. Martin thanked a citizen, Connor Kirkpatrick, for work on a grant matter and said the board would review Kirkpatrick’s mitigation proposal.

Connor Kirkpatrick described a solid-waste mitigation program he has presented previously that would let a contractor offer free cleanup services to nuisance properties and allow code enforcement to act without the standard three-complaint threshold in certain cases. He said the program is awaiting a contract from legal and suggested using mitigation funds rather than hiring two new staff positions.

Other residents urged the board to restore code enforcement capacity, hire a public-information officer to improve transparency, and take steps to address hazardous conditions on specific properties. Former county budget officer Simon Hare said he had resigned over what he described as an attempted multi-year position that would have cost nearly $400,000 and said his work saved the county approximately $363,000; he urged legal review before revisiting his contract.

Commissioner Richardson acknowledged hiring and staffing take time and said the board is working to fill positions. Commissioners committed to follow up on accessibility issues at the building entrance and to continue work on public information outreach.

The board made no formal policy decision in response to the accusations at the meeting but recorded responses and directed staff follow-up where appropriate. A public-records request was requested by a commenter; county records and legal guidance will determine next steps on the stop-payment question.