JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – The Josephine County Commissioners have lifted the hold on allowing county residents to opt in to the county’s Library District.
At Wednesday’s meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to have the hold lifted specifically for those wanting to be part of the Library District.
Just last month, they put a hold on residents both trying to opt in and out of the district under Oregon statute ORS 198.870.
In December, commissioners voted 2-1 to allow a Josephine County homeowner to opt out of the Library District after the homeowner claimed their property did not benefit from being in the district. Since then, the Library board filed an injunction against the county for that decision and any future opt out decisions.
Commissioner Herman Baertschiger Jr. said while the process to opt in is being changed, there is no reason those who applied to opt in before the hold was put in place should have to reapply.
“It’s not their fault that they are caught in this,” the commissioner said during the meeting. “But they are caught in this transition period and I’m hoping that that we can accommodate them. Because eventually, they will be annexed in either under the old process or the new process.”
The commissioners say at this time, they are still reviewing the legal process for those wanting to opt out of the Library District.
Those applications are still on hold by the county, pending legal decisions by a Josephine County judge.
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