# Board of Commissioners Work Session Oct 14th, 2026

Umatilla County Board of Commissioners work session, October 14, 2026. Commissioners discussed the SAR storage-building project after earlier RFP responses came in above the available budget. A shell quote was approximately $127,000, compared with roughly $130,000 available, but staff noted it may have increased since the quote was received. The board favored reassessing whether an addition to an existing building could meet the need and simplifying the specifications before soliciting bids again; no award or new procurement was approved. Package lockers and parcel drop boxes were also discussed as possible additions, without a purchasing decision. The board directed staff to prepare a response declining a request for county health-insurance and administrative support for the housing authority, for consideration at a future meeting.

Commissioners discussed the potential financial and project impacts of a gubernatorial pause on permit reviews, including effects on data-center-related construction and water projects. They considered obtaining outside legal counsel to review the order and advise on next steps, with possible use of funds set aside for legal or professional services; a decision on further expenditure was deferred pending that review. One commissioner also proposed pausing county review of renewable-energy projects and related abatement negotiations, but no action was recorded. A separate property-sale discussion raised approximately $84,000 in costs, with informal estimates of about $27,000 for the county and $65,000 for the port; commissioners questioned whether a settlement already addressed the costs, and no payment decision was made. No formal votes or contract awards were identified.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Professional Services
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Sources
- [Board of Commissioners Work Session Oct 14th, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hr9qV08syU) - Umatilla County