Courts 541-476-2309 Josephine County Services 500 NW 6th Street, Dept 6, Grants Pass, OR 97526, Or 97526 Phone: 541-474-5221 Fax: 541-474-5105 Contact: Board of County Commissioners Email: Hours: 8-12 and 1-4 M - Th; 8-12 Friday
State of the County 2020
Department managers and elected officials gave the public a look at what Josephine County offers and what the county has in store for the future during the 2020 State of the County presentation June 11. This year’s State of the County was a live, online presentation that can be viewed on the county’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/JosephineCountyOR.
Representatives from various Josephine County departments explained aspects of county operations, discussed their efforts over the past year and provided details on what the future holds for the county.
Josephine County employs a staff of more than 450 tasked with law enforcement, airport operations, emergency management, community development, forestry, public health, transit and more public services. More than 80 percent of the county’s $147 million budget comes from dedicated funds in the form of grants and other revenue streams.
The daily administrative functions of each county office, program or division are overseen by appointed managers or one of seven elected officials. The Board of County Commissioners sets policy, adopts the annual budget and passes resolutions and ordinances in accordance with state law.
Josephine County was created by the Territorial Legislature on Jan. 22, 1856, and was the 19th and last Oregon county created before statehood. The county is named for Josephine Rollins, the first white woman to settle in Southern Oregon. The county’s population was 85,904 in 2017, an 11 percent increase since 2002.
