What does a Deschutes County Commissioner do?

• Key Roles/Services:

  • Advocate for Deschutes County at the state and federal level

  • Collaborate with local cities

  • Oversee & Approve the County Budget - $670M 

    • Property Tax Collection & setting the property tax rate

    • Infrastructure investment decisions

    • Transient Room Tax

    • Dog Licenses

  • Public Health Authority

    • COVID-19 response/vaccine rollout

    • WIC (Women, Infants, & Children)

    • Downtown Health Center

    • Vaccine Outreach Clinics

    • Suicide Prevention

    • School-Based Health Centers

    • Healthy Schools Partnerships

    • Substance Misuse Prevention

    • Prevent Diabetes Central Oregon

    • Tobacco Prevention & Education Program (TPEP) 

    • Communicable Disease Prevention

    • Family Support Services

    • Environmental Health: indoor air quality, safe food / restaurant inspections, safe water, safe indoor environments, vector control, safe outdoor environments

    • Birth & Death Certificates

    • Emergency Preparedness

    • Public Health Advisory Board

  • Mental/Behavioral Health Authority (Under Health Services)

    • Adult Outpatient Services

    • Outpatient Alcohol & Drug Treatment Services

    • Intensive Adult Services - Serious and Persistent Mental Illness

    • Mobile Crisis Assessment Team

    • Stabilization Center

    • Behavioral Health Advisory Board

    • Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Program 

    • Mental Health Court

    • Comprehensive Care for Youth & Families

  • Land Use Planning (outside of city UGBs) - how and where we grow, how and where we protect open spaces

  • Community Development

    • Building Codes & Safety

    • Onsite Water Treatment Systems

    • Planning Commission

    • Historic Landmarks Commission

    • Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee

    • Deschutes River Mitigation & Enhancement Committee

    • Cannabis Advisory Panel

  • Community Justice 

    • Parole & Probation

    • Juvenile Justice

  • Justice Court - State court administered by the County

  • Oversee Clerk’s Office

    • Elections & Voting

    • Marriage Licenses

  • Oversee the DA's Office

    • Protective Orders, Including Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO)

    • Veterans Intervention Strategy (VIS)

    • Emerging Adult Program (EAP)

    • Goldilocks

    • Victim’s Assistance Program (VAP)

  • Oversee the Sheriff's Office

  • 911 Service District

  • Emergency Management

  • Fair & Expo Center

  • Fire prevention & preparedness

  • 900 miles of road development & maintenance

  • Solid waste (i.e. developing the plan for the new landfill)

  • Veterans' Services