OACES Newsletter for May 31, 2023 |
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Upcoming OACES Meetings:
- OACES Meeting: Virtual, June 22
- OACES Meeting: OIT, Klamath Falls - Sept. 21
- OACES Fall Conference: Hood River - Oct. 23-24
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OACES holds its 2023 Spring Conference |
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The Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES) would like to thank everyone who attended this month's OACES Spring Conference at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort in Welches, May 22 through 24. Over the course of two and a half days, approximately 70 Oregon road officials and surveyors listened to presentations from industry experts and met to share ideas and information with their colleagues from around the state.
Thank you to all the speakers that joined this year's conference and provided presentations covering a variety of topics, including county (GIS) mapping, public land corners, transportation safety, environmental considerations, pavement recycling, and legislative updates. A special thank you to NACE Executive Director Kevan Stone and NACE President Jeff Blue, Champaign County, IL, for traveling to Oregon and presenting on national topics. This year's presentations are available to view and download on the OACES Conferences & Meetings page, under the Past Conference Presentations section.
OACES also held its spring Business Meeting that included semi-annual financials, committee reports, nominations to committees, and other business. Congratulations to Scott Adams, Douglas County Public Works Director, for his willingness to serve and for appointment to the Local Agency Bridge Selection Committee, filling the recent vacancy due to the retirement of Mike Kuntz, Jackson County Engineer. Current OACES committee assignments can be found on the OACES Committee website page.
Please save the date for our Fall Conference, which will be held in Hood River, on October 23 and 24. If you would like to learn more about other upcoming meetings and events, please visit our OACES Conference & Meeting page.
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Legislative Update: HB 2101 Fund Exchange Passes House, Senate Republican Walkout Continues |
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) and Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES) have been busy advocating for county road department priorities at the Capitol in Salem.
The Oregon Legislature has come to a standstill as contentious issues have sparked a walkout in the State Senate. Senate Republicans have denied quorum requirements to protest the legislative process. Senate minority and majority leaders and the governor have met to discuss potential compromises. It is possible that Senate Republicans will return to the chamber to vote on budget bills. AOC and OACES priority bills are ready to be scheduled for floor votes in the Senate if the situation is resolved.
If the walkout is not concluded before June 25 (The constitutional adjournment deadline), a special session may be scheduled to pass budget bills. AOC and OACES members are preparing for this contingency to include our priority bills within the budget package.
Three impactful county road department and public works bills AOC and OACES are advocating for, include:
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HB 2101: Codifying the STBG Fund Exchange Program
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SB 635: County Right of Way Permit Cost Recovery
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HB 3556: Abandoned Recreational Vehicle Disposal Program
AOC and OACES are actively pursuing these legislative priorities, while also monitoring and advocating on other bills and important issues impacting county road departments. Such issues as public contracting, environmental regulations, traffic safety, bridges, and road operations and maintenance funding. ...[Read More]
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April Revenue Forecast Update |
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The State Highway Fund (SHF), Secure Rural Schools (SRS), and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) payments in FY 2024 are estimated to decrease by $6.9 million (-2%) over our previous estimates for FY 2024.
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FY 2024 SHF estimate decreased by $4.8 million (-1%) to $350.8 million.
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FY 2024 SRS estimate decreased by $2.1 million (-6.4%) to $31.7 million.
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FY 2024 STBG estimate stayed the same at $19.2 million.
Please click here for the County Road Revenue Forecasts for Fiscal Year July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 April Update (County FY 2024). ...[Read More]
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DEQ Diesel Emissions Mitigation Grants Program Review |
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Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) implemented the new Diesel Emissions Mitigation grant program in 2021. Its goal is to reduce diesel emissions in the state by providing incentives through grant funding to retrofit, repower and replace older, more polluting medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles and equipment. DEQ is providing a snapshot of the investments, emissions reductions, community benefits and engagement among participants and applicants during 2021 and 2022.
View the Program Review document, learn about upcoming public meetings on this topic, and provide feedback. The purpose of this document is to share information about the status of the program to date, invite public engagement, and consider improvements as needed.
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ODOT's ADA Delivery Program Annual Report |
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In March, ODOT released the 2022 ADA Settlement Agreement Annual Report. Since 2017, ODOT has made steady progress toward meeting the terms of the settlement agreement with the Association of Oregon Centers for Independent Living (AOCIL). The first step ODOT took was to immediately create a dedicated ADA Delivery Program to reflect our commitment to a safe, equitable, and accessible transportation system for all users.
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PSU Research Project on Responding to Encampments on State Transportation Rights-of-Way |
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Led by Dr. Marisa Zapata, this project aims to help state DOTs respond to encampments in a way that assures rights-of-way remain open while remaining sensitive to considerations of social equity, environmental impacts, safety, legal issues, coordination with other agencies, and other relevant considerations. Click here to learn more about the project.
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USDOT Announces Upcoming Funding Opportunities |
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Technical assistance resources:
Please contact AOC County Road Program Director Brian Worley with any questions about USDOT grant funding opportunities.
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TGM Planning Grants Applications due July 27 |
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The 2023 Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program Planning Grant Application packet is now available. It can be found on the TGM Planning Grants page. Applications are due by July 27, 2023, and award announcements will be mailed in September.
TGM is a joint effort of two state agencies: the Oregon Department or Transportation and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. TGM grants are awarded on an annual basis to provide planning resources to help Oregon jurisdictions address transportation, land use, and growth management issues in their communities. ]
Eligible applicants include cities, counties, councils of government on behalf of a city or county, tribal governments, and certain special districts. The total awarded amount will be approximately $2.5 million. Award amounts generally range between $125,000 and $250,000. Grantees must provide a match in the form of cash, staff time, monetized volunteer time, and direct project expenses.
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FHWA LAS Online Training Courses |
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The FHWA's Local Aid Support (LAS) team continues to expand its catalog of online training resources designed for local government and tribal transportation professionals. The courses are available at no cost to you, but registration is required for regular access to the courses and for generating certificates upon completion.
Work on your transportation training anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. Various topics include: Asphalt Materials and Paving Mixtures, Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil- Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS), Gravel Road Series, Project Bundling, and the new Motor Grader Operator training modules.
To view the entire list of training opportunities, please visit the LAS webpage.
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New OACES Webpage: Past Chip Seal Presentations |
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OACES has added a new Chip Seal Conference Presentations page to its website. The new page serves as an archive for past conference presentations, as well as an informational page for future Chip Seal Conferences. Currently, presentations from the 2016, 2019, and 2023 conferences are available to be viewed and downloaded.
You can check out our new page here or by clicking on the OACES Chip Seal Conference Presentations: 2016 - 2023 link, which can be found under the Local Training section of the OACES Resources page.
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ODOT CUG Summer Work Session 2023 - Registration Now Open |
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Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, contribute, and learn about the Certification User Group's (CUG) policies, programs, and funding updates.
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When: Tuesday, June 27, 2023
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Where: Chemeketa Eola (215 Doaks Ferry Rd. NW, Salem, Ore. 97304)
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Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
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Rulemaking Updates Wetland Determinations and Delineation Reports in Oregon |
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Following the conclusion of a rulemaking advisory committee process and public comment period, the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) has completed the final phase of the rulemaking to amend rules in OAR 141-090: Administrative Rules for Wetland Delineation Report Requirements and for Jurisdictional Determinations for the Purpose of Regulating Fill and Removal within Waters of this State. The effective date of June 1, 2023.
These rules provide guidelines and processes for making wetland jurisdictional determinations and the technical requirements for submitting a wetland delineation report to DSL. The amended rule changes include:
- Clarifications to the process
- Updates to technical requirements and standards for reports
- Inclusion of aquatic resources of special concern (for example, bogs, hot springs, kelp beds, and more) in the mapping
- Requirements for GIS data.
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FHWA Releases DANA version 2.0 |
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To learn more about the DANA tool, see the DANA 2.0 User Guide, which includes sections on background, setup, operating the graphical user interface (GUI), data flow, and input/output data specifications. For web training, the DANA TOOL and TNMAide Video Series offers short-format videos that provide an overview of the DANA tool and TNMAide, as well as how to install and run the tools.
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County Engineering, Road Department, and Surveyor Jobs
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The AOC job posting page provides counties and other government organizations with a method to advertise job opportunities while also providing a resource for job seekers looking for a new challenge.
Current engineering, road department, and surveyor postings include:
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Jackson County is Hiring Engineers! |
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Jackson County Roads, Engineering Division is recruiting for several engineering positions, including:
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County Road Program Director
Legislative Director
Transportation Policy Analyst
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Senior Administrative Manager
IT Trainer and Communications Specialist
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