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News Release
Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission meets via conference call April 15 - 03/30/20

The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission will convene via conference call for their second meeting of the year April 15. The call was arranged to protect the health of commissioners and the public, and to comply with Gov. Brown’s March 23 executive order regarding COVID-19.

Commissioners will meet that morning 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. for an executive session to discuss acquisition priorities and opportunities, and potential litigation. Executive sessions are closed to the public.

A business meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. Members of the public will be able to listen to the call; instructions about listening to the meeting will be available online prior to the meeting: bit.ly/OPRDcommissionAPRIL2020.

Notable requests on the business meeting agenda:

Approve the final report from the Governor’s Task Force on the Outdoors
Gov. Brown established the task force in early 2019 with a one-year directive to explore long-term strategies for elevating outdoor recreation in Oregon. The task force has completed their final report and will share it with the commission, governor, state legislature and the public. 

Approve several legislative concepts for the 2021 legislative session
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) has identified several concepts for possible introduction as agency bills during the 2021 legislative session. They relate to drones, all-terrain vehicle safety, historic cemeteries and other historic properties, and other topics. Details are online at bit.ly/OPRDcommissionAPRIL2020.

Approve a property acquisition adjacent to Wallowa Lake State Park to improve emergency access
Access to Wallowa Lake State Park, near Joseph, is limited to the park’s one entrance/exit road that spans the Wallowa River. Should that small bridge be blocked during an emergency, first responders would be unable to enter or exit the park. 

OPRD is proposing to expand park access by purchasing 28.3 acres of land adjacent to the park from a private landowner. If acquired, the land would connect the park to another road access point, and improve the recreational value of the park. A recent appraisal valued the land at $665,000.

Approve grant funding recommendations from the ATV Grant Subcommittee
The ATV Grant Program provides funding statewide for Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation. For 2020, the committee is recommending funding for 18 grant applicants, totaling $1.2 million.

The full draft agenda and meeting packet are online at bit.ly/OPRDcommissionAPRIL2020.

The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission promotes outdoor recreation and heritage by establishing policies, adopting rules, and setting the budget for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The seven members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. They serve four-year terms and meet several times a year at locations across the state.

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