The Clackamas County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) opted to keep
the Villages at Mt. Hood Board of Directors “on hiatus” at a Tuesday, June 28
policy session, despite efforts through mediation to reform the Villages board
and move toward elections of new board members, according to Amy Kyle,
Strategic Communication Manager for Clackamas County Public and
Government Affairs (PGA).

The BCC had three options given to them at the session: to approve a process
outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would have
appointed an interim board to hold an election this fall, to keep the board on
hiatus or to begin the dissolution process for the Villages. The staff
recommendation was the first option, but the BCC voted 4-1 in favor of the
second, with Commissioner Paul Savas dissenting.

“They felt they needed to keep it on hold for now,” Kyle said, noting the
commissioners had received continued feedback beyond a staff report on the
matter and the staff recommendation was just a recommendation.

Kyle added that the BCC wants county staff to work with community on a path
forward and wanted to keep the Villages board on hiatus until they are able to
do so. The BCC did not offer direction on a timeline for a resolution.

The county hired the consulting firm EnviroIssues to conduct a survey of
Mountain residents and stakeholders to provide better direction for the
Villages. Among the firm’s recommendations was to discontinue the board
until the end of the year, but Kyle indicated before the policy session that the
county wanted to move quicker.

The survey, including meeting with PGA staff to create a draft, management
of survey distribution and website, outreach (including staff at community
locations with printed surveys), along with stakeholder interviews and the
final report, cost the county nearly $11,000, according to Kyle.

The hiatus began in February when three members of the Villages board
resigned, citing concerns over the board’s chair, George Wilson, followed by
the BCC dismissing the three remaining Villages board members (including
Wilson).

But Wilson, with local attorney Gary Linkous providing legal representation,
challenged county staff that in turn knuckled enough to agree to mediation.

That occurred June 14 with county mediator Amy Herman holding forth, and it
was agreed that Wilson, along with serving director Carol Burke, “will serve as
existing board members during this interim time,” Herman wrote in the MOU.

The agreement had limits, as the resuscitated board was to only focus on
organizing formal elections in order to fill remaining vacancies and to establish
a quorum. To that end, Wilson had already taken action, along with Burke,
and two applicants were selected to form a temporary quorum.

When told of the BCC decision, Wilson said he would consult Linkous about
what he would do next.

“I’m extremely disappointed that the commissioners decided to keep us on
hiatus, despite our agreement with senior county council ... and PGA staff,”
Wilson said. “I’m just beside myself, really.”