OACES Newsletter for November 1, 2022 |
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Next OACES Meeting
November 16, 2022
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Thank You for a Great Conference! |
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Thank you for joining another successful OACES Fall Conference and Annual Business Meeting held October 17-18 in Hood River. It was great to be in person again to exchange ideas, learn from industry experts, and elect new officers for the coming year.
Many members and partner organizations presented information at the conference including bridge inspections, middle housing, traffic safety programming, natural flood control practices, a tour of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, and more. Copies of presentations are available on the conference page of the OACES website.
The next OACES meeting is scheduled for November 16 at 9:30 a.m. at the AOC Conference in Eugene, and the next remote meeting is December 8 at 9:30 a.m. Mark your calendars for May 22-24, 2023, for the OACES Spring Conference to be held at the Mt Hood Oregon Resort, Welches.
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OACES Board members touring construction of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail on October 18, 2022. From left: Mikel Diwan, Hood River County Public Works Director; Tom Fellows, Umatilla County Public Works Director; Michael Russell, Columbia County Public Works Director; Bradley Cross, Hood River/Wasco County Surveyor. |
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OACES Elects New Board Member and Awards Engineer and Surveyor of the Year |
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Always a popular part of the annual conferences is the awards for Road Official and Surveyor of the year, recognizing OACES members that accomplished outstanding service to their county and state. This year the County Road Official of the Year was awarded to Mike Kuntz, Jackson County Engineer, and County Surveyor of the Year was awarded to Jim Clayton, Multnomah County Surveyor. Congratulations to Mike and Jim for their recognition of service to OACES!
OACES also recognized past presidents Bradley Cross (2022), Hood River/Wasco County, and Mike Bezner (2020-21), Clackamas County, for their year(s) of service as OACES President, especially recognizing overcoming challenges through the COVID-19 Pandemic.
During the business meeting, OACES Board members were nominated and elected by the members to their next respective positions for the 2022-23 year. These members include Tom Fellows, Umatilla County, President; Scott Young, Washington County, President-Elect; Mikel Diwan, Hood River County, Secretary-Treasurer; Ray Griffin, Clackamas County, Board Member; and Bradley Cross, Hood River/Wasco County, Past-President. Michael Russell, Columbia County Public Works Director, was elected to join the OACES Board as the newest member representing the public works division. Welcome and thank you to all the OACES Board members for your service to Oregon counties!
More information about the OACES Board and committee assignments is available at or-oaces.org.
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From left: Tom Fellows, Umatilla County Public Works Director; Mike Kuntz, Jackson County Engineer |
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From left: Jim Clayton, Multnomah County Surveyor; Bradley Cross, Hood River/Wasco County Surveyor |
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From left: Mike Bezner, Clackamas County Assistant Director of Transportation; Tom Fellows, Umatilla County Public Works Director |
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Join OACES at the AOC Annual Conference, November 16 |
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There are a number of great programming and networking opportunities including a regular OACES meeting, general sessions covering ODOT mega projects and the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), agency meet and greet, and more.
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ODOT Budget Deficit Threatens County Road Departments, State Fund Exchange Program |
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ODOT Condition and Mileage Reporting Due February 1, 2023 |
County and city reports are due to ODOT by February 1, 2023, or ODOT is statutorily required to withhold your State Highway Fund payments. You will need to gather information about the condition of your paved, federal-aid roads. ...[Read More]
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Local Delegated Authority for Speed Zones |
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has updated its speed zoning website to provide resources on speed zone investigations and local jurisdiction delegated authority, authorized by House Bill 3055 (2021). Along with cities, Clackamas and Multnomah County now have the opportunity to apply for delegated speed zone investigation authority and have the ability to implement new rules for managing their own speed zone investigations. Some cities have started the application process to receive delegated authority.
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Open USDOT Grant Opportunities and Resources |
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Current Open NOFOs Include:
Technical Assistance Resources:
Please contact AOC County Road Program Director Brian Worley with any questions about USDOT grant funding opportunities.
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FHWA Announces First Competitive Bridge Investment Program Grant Awards |
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FHWA recently announced the first round of grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) competitive Bridge Investment Program (BIP). These early planning grants, totaling $18.4 million for 23 projects in 23 states, will help fund early phases of project development to create a pipeline of bridge construction projects. Awarded planning grants included $1 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation's Hayden Island Ground Improvement Study for seismic analysis to support future project preliminary engineering work to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge.
In total, the BIP will provide $12.5 billion over five years, with nearly $2.4 billion available in Fiscal Year 2022. The full list of proposed awards can be found on the FHWA website and for more program information visit the Bridge Investment Program website.
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OACES Environmental Working Group, Call for Participants |
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OACES is reforming the Environmental Working Group to discuss environmental issues and share best practices.
The group expects to hold its first planning and discussion roundtable virtually later this year. Meeting times will be coordinated through the OACES-Environment listserv. If you or your environmental staff would like to participate in the workgroup to discuss environmental permits, legislation, rulemaking, training, or to share best practices, please reach out to County Road Program Policy Analyst Jordan Cole to get your name on the email list.
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IRIS 10 Webinar: Cost Accounting System Portal, Part 1 |
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Please join us for the IRIS10 Preview Webinar #3 - Cost Accounting System Portal, Part 1!
Date: November 8. 2022
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Selected elements of the new web-based IRIS10 Cost Accounting System Portal will be previewed including timecard entry, grid configuration, grid column context menu, cost accounting management screens, and the Application Program Interface (API) for integration with other programs.
At the end of this demonstration, the testing portal will be opened for users to explore the Cost Accounting System for the following 3 weeks. You will be able to explore, interact, and test the application. The IRIS Team would love to have your feedback on what works well and things that could be improved.
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Commercial Drivers License Training Web Resource |
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed the Training Provider Registry, a web resource for locating and comparing certified trainers for Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT).
The Training Provider Registry has a location-based search feature that allows employers to quickly identify the closest training facilities and regional mobile registered training providers.
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New Online Training Library from FHWA Local Aid Support |
The online training courses are for professional development and to provide solutions for transportation-related issues. No registration or costs are required and programs are available 24 hours a day to take at your own pace. Professional credits are available on a State by State basis.
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USDOT Releases Public Involvement Guide |
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DOT will be offering training and technical assistance around this guide. Join virtual pilot training sessions on November 2, November 9, or December 7. Please note: space is limited, registration is required, and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
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ODOT Certified Construction Training 2022-2023 Season |
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Get a head start on planning your certifications or recertification. The 2022-2023 ODOT Construction Training schedule is now available. The schedule includes Certified General Construction Inspector certification, Certified Traffic Signal Inspector certification, and much more. Contact ODOT Construction Training with questions.
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Oregon Technology Transfer Center Training |
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The mission of the Oregon Technology Transfer Center (T2) is to foster a safe and efficient transportation system in the state of Oregon by offering training, technical assistance and technology transfer to local transportation agencies.
For more information on T2 programming, Roads Scholar classes, training calendar, publications, and lending library videos, visit the Oregon T2 Center website here.
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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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County Road Program Director
Legislative Director
Transportation Policy Analyst
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Senior Administrative Manager
IT Director
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