The return of sale from a sheriff’s property auction and charging stations for electric buses were among the subjects addressed at last week’s Board of Josephine County Commissioners’ weekly business session, held Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass.
JoCo Real Property Manager Helene Lulich and legal counsel Wally Hicks filled out a form jointly providing background information on the auction: “On Aug 1, 2022, by Order 2022-071, the BCC directed the Sheriff to sell certain county real properties at auction Notice of the sale was published in the Courier, and the auction was held Sept. 21, 2022. One property was sold under land sale contract. This order accepts the Sheriff’s return of sale and authorizes distribution of the proceeds of sale to be determined by further order of BCC.”
All of the properties sold at this sheriff’s auction were located in the Burgundy Lane Master Planned Development in Cave Junction. The buyer was Oregon Limitless, Inc., which bid $1,000,100, with a down payment of $200,020 and the remaining $800,080 to be paid in 60 monthly installments with interest at a rate of 9% per annum.
Later in the meeting, a purchase order from WAVE was signed for engineering, construction and installation of charging stations at the Transit Hub and Public Works.
According to a statement submitted by JoCo Transit Program Supervisor Scott Chancey, “The Transit Program has $667,709 in Grant Agreement 35327 for engineering, construction and installation of charging stations at the Public Works parking area as well as the Transit Hub on 5th Street (in Grants Pass).
“WAVE is the company that manufactures the inductive charging systems for the transit vehicles. They are being contracted with to complete all civil engineering, engineering, construction and installation of charging systems at those two sites. Some of the funds won’t be used if it isn’t feasible to install inductive charging at the Transit Hub.”
Chancey goes on to recount that there will be four charging pads at the Public Works lot and three at the Transit Hub. The two sites will use the chargers differently, however, as buses at the Transit Hub will receive a brief, small charge – roughly 10 minutes – in between runs, while buses at the Public Works lot will be parked there for four to six hours to get fully charged.
“The local match requirement, if all funds are expended, is $166,927 and is provided by state funds allocated for transit use
only.”
Commissioner Darin Fowler praised Chancey during his remarks, saying, “Scott Chancey, our director out there, has proven to be amazing. I met him like eight or nine years ago and we have an amazing system considering our funding and geography.”
Fowler listed some of Chancey’s accomplishments during his tenor, such as expanding JCT commuter routes to Medford and Cave Junction and building the transit fleet.
“He’s got electric buses that other cities would be jealous of, he’s got funding that keeps things going and keeps it out of local taxpayers’ pockets… He’s been an amazing director, and that’s indicative of our staff in Josephine County.”
The last action taken by the board at the Oct. 26 WBS was reappointing Rene McKenzie to the JoCo Special Transportation Advisory Committee. McKenzie’s four-year term will expire Oct. 26, 2026.