[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6339766,"mediaKeyId","2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d","parentId",2260783,"title","Counties, surveyors push bill to remove $10 cap on recording fees to fund land-corner preservation","audioSeconds",1853,"startMs",1858650,"endMs",5040,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d&start=1858&end=5","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d/thumbnail_1858650.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6339766/Oregon/Counties-surveyors-push-bill-to-remove-10-cap-on-recording-fees-to-fund-land-corner-preservation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339766-e5bd6fbb8280e5a7c83e97141bd4f320/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513948&Signature=aqwFpUSfe66RidDMjwH9G4lOlZB-JipOVU6VXqgg9qFkse81cB4vdRrd6t5Np6NaWSCATrQbrPyqXsLDiG2YYWi8xV1qI7EJUBYjseVvSq9vyWBkYsjJSRLnE5b-BOeN17HOCToBtiqwXQT0PFE9euwyqt4oZio0KEES8bbSjFhxuj-Ug-~WVG~32T7Vvi7iLfqlbUxHF7bm0fdcNOWgq8krSNFi70nc5YklxC5r8CGHPVLNaNCUMhu-yWlKLh0NlxTCt2ivkUbWUqeqIiDbRJpu4WWLPQ9F6V49WwYFHLllq0ajnOoq3nZoHRZxi78uD0EeTAt~jbo~XFf9~y-CAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon Legislature","date","2025-02-11T00:00:00Z","article","The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans heard testimony Feb. 11, 2025, on House Bill 3,175, which would remove the statutory $10 cap on deed recording fees that fund county public land survey corner (PLSS corner) programs. Proponents—county surveyors and the Association of Oregon Counties—said the cap, set in the 1980s, has not kept pace with inflation and has left many county programs under-resourced.

Mallory Roberts, legislative affairs director for the Association of Oregon Counties, told the committee the fee’s revenue is deposited in a county fund that can be used only for establishing, reestablishing and maintaining controlling property corners. “Preservation and maintenance of this critical infrastructure is a mandated county function,” Roberts said, and lifting the cap would allow county governing bodies to set a fee tailored to local needs.

County surveyors and PLSS specialists described the work and why dedicated funding matters. Clatsop County Surveyor Vance Winson explained that public land survey corners are one-mile grid markers that anchor legal property descriptions and underpin title, lending and development. Polk County’s land-corner specialist, Josh Herzberg, described labor-intensive field work: finding evidence in historic field notes, cutting into stumps to recover bearing-tree markings and setting durable brass caps and GPS coordinates to preserve corners. “This was a bearing tree that was marked by a surveyor in 1887,” Herzberg said, showing an example of decayed evidence he recovered in the field.

Witnesses gave practical examples. Clatsop County survey staff said the county once employed two full-time corner workers but eliminated those positions when the fee’s buying power declined; Lane County witnesses said wildfire recovery work required personnel funded in part by FEMA, and that without additional funds their corner programs could not have scaled to meet post-fire needs. Polk County’s representative described how steadily maintained corners reduce long-term costs, comparing it to bridge maintenance: regular upkeep is less costly than reconstruction after failure.

Committee members asked how fees are collected and who pays them. Witnesses said the fee is collected at deed recording for land-related documents; the money is restricted to the corner preservation fund. Representatives noted variation among counties: some still take less than the statutory cap while others collect the full $10; a few counties already index fees locally. Mallory Roberts said the bill removes the cap but leaves fee-setting to county governing bodies; she said counties are willing to work with stakeholders on fee schedules and to consider graduated approaches.

Opposition testimony came from Matt Marquis, representing the Oregon Collectors Association and Oregon Mortgage Bankers Association, who urged caution. Marquis said recording costs already include multiple fees and that removing the statutory cap could remove a statewide check on fee growth; he recommended stakeholders work on a consensus increase rather than an uncapped permissive authority.

Committee members asked several technical and policy questions, including whether a new fee schedule should be indexed to inflation and how much an increased fee might raise in different counties. Proponents said indexing to inflation would be reasonable and that if the fee had tracked inflation since the 1980s it would be roughly $30 today; opponents urged caution and requested further stakeholder negotiation.

The committee held a broad hearing with county surveyors, county officials and industry representatives but took no final vote on HB 3,175 during the Feb. 11 session. The testimony demonstrated strong support among county surveyors for allowing local boards discretion to set fees and highlighted trade-offs between local control and statewide oversight.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans 02/11/2025 (PM)","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 3,175 would remove the state’s $10 statutory cap on the deed-recording fee used to fund county public land survey corner programs, proponents told the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans on Feb. 11, 2025.","taxTitle","Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17514,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6339771,"Rep. Ken Helm introduces bill asking state to study pay for members of certain boards and commissions",852,1038370,1890620,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d&start=1038&end=1890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d/thumbnail_1038370.jpg","/articles/6339771/Oregon/Rep-Ken-Helm-introduces-bill-asking-state-to-study-pay-for-members-of-certain-boards-and-commissions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339771-bdbc2bc6963c4546e103f545b11c7583/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513948&Signature=nFxEbbxYKC77lP1~iTxbpvmGqfsISuP-hhXU9VyyBxcXxXVzuW4Nb4BLnb0IgYByjRh01xvzocGUOp~4ybOfVP~kD48nj2ACz6Re2SI5nyWsHJRFc68qtcpLVzqC1QxsbTI4mxqxLuZ3QT58MAW4OfgE4WoWRy00wDm5kmAYjYN4OeJQW8NrzLgGCaa~XxV0hmxh1OfggBF9PLrwb6jmxel5b8xPjM~VphetVGmcPfeJqdtXBiA0FL49L0UfPQI3C135Hdm61KD-CNcrW7ju~6dZ6WACb339jS0IiA9OBIFFptjL77KiUCwKBXX4aYLJgIGaKuIxNHyypk-OcbF2xA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rep. Ken Helm told the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans on Feb. 11, 2025, he sponsored House Bill 2,987 to begin a statewide conversation about compensation for members of certain state boards and commissions, and asked the Department of Administrative Services to prepare a report on the subject.

“Some of our commissions are very, very small. They have specific jobs in specific areas,” Rep. Helm said, arguing that boards that oversee technically complex or time-consuming matters can present a barrier to participation for people who cannot afford the unpaid time. He cited commissions such as the Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Environmental Quality Commission and the Water Resources Commission as examples where members must process large volumes of technical material and travel long distances for meetings.

LPRO staff summarized the bill for the committee: HB 2,987 “requires the Department of Administrative Services submit a report regarding compensation for members of state boards and commissions to the legislative assembly no later than 09/15/2026” and includes a repeal date of Jan. 2, 2027. The committee did not vote on the bill during the hearing.

Dr. Leslie King, identified herself as a commissioner on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and testified in support of the bill’s intent. King said she spoke personally rather than for the full ODFW commission. Drawing on her experience as a medical doctor and military veteran, she said that many commission roles now demand sustained, specialized attention and that relying on volunteerism can limit participation to retirees or those with independent means. King warned of “burnout” on commissions that require frequent meetings and heavy workloads; she said the ODFW commission has at least nine meetings per year and sometimes more.

King referenced an organizational review of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, reading one recommendation aloud: “the sheer size and scope of commission responsibilities represent an unmanageable overall body of work for a group of volunteers to handle,” and said she favors comprehensive reforms rather than abolishing commissions or maintaining the status quo.

Rep. Helm and King also raised equity and recruitment concerns: if commissions remain unpaid, they may underrepresent younger and working-age professionals who cannot afford lengthy unpaid service. Helm noted that some specialized commissions—such as the Public Utilities Commission—receive dedicated revenue streams that permit full-time compensation for commissioners, while many other commissions do not.

The committee took no formal action at the public hearing; the bill will remain before the committee for further consideration. No vote totals or amendments were recorded during the Feb. 11 public hearing.","Rep. Ken Helm introduced House Bill 2,987 to the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans on Feb. 11, 2025, asking the Department of Administrative Services to report by Sept. 15, 2026 on compensation for members of state boards and commissions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6339776,"Oregon administrative services agency outlines role, funding model to House committee",1345,2117000,771570,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d&start=2117&end=771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2260783-f820afc10659c9259788d2029689c82d/thumbnail_2117000.jpg","/articles/6339776/Oregon/Oregon-administrative-services-agency-outlines-role-funding-model-to-House-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339776-037d2fe6d90ba3b973a9ad6aa626eddb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513948&Signature=c05XsUCxDDzRsES0KWsS9l4E8o6GsaQCZYcWvOGdv2elVGEw04g-SjsOLznHdVNhjWkfAZVDVK6OQRWb06ADuvYgRufrcGDs-n6CjyHcvyX2lO-aL1MGT1QgQXH3qrBAjq16DiiK2jD6NausZHDj821gmZwQYjCOA-E4G9iOMumfsrMms2AqLZ3atP3dLaTjDUvzd~3tnP35elQ8IsXwRydWQ0o1uydsy8LMjNYCWu1nGygaxcqHzCXlR4bmD6pw8MyEtGeW-G-gaWopTqwry4uNiPxltZUxpWjh2qbe0OQDRzZcyNaqP~G3bNAzEC8ptBZ-ZstAGO2INQrg62FbGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans heard an informational overview of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services on Feb. 11, 2025. Malia Masiba, legislative director for the department, told the committee DAS provides centralized administrative functions—including payroll, accounting, procurement, management of much of the state’s building portfolio and the state motor pool—so other agencies can focus on their core missions.

The briefing matters because DAS’s administrative and procurement work affects how efficiently state agencies deliver services and how the public experiences state government. Masiba said the agency operates on a mix of assessments on other agencies and fee-for-service charges, and it also implements enterprise-wide policies—especially for information technology and human resources—that affect all state employees.

Masiba described DAS as both a service provider and an agency that, in specified circumstances, sets enterprise policy. “I serve as the legislative director for Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services,” Masiba said, and she framed DAS’s work as supporting other agencies rather than directing them in all matters. She told the committee the DAS director also serves as the state’s chief operating officer and works closely with the governor’s office on administration-wide priorities.

On funding and procurement, Masiba said DAS uses the state’s purchasing volume to negotiate pre-set vendor pricing available to any state agency. “We have certain agreements with certain vendors where if any agency from the state purchases something, then they have access to that agreed upon price point,” she said. She explained the department’s budget combines assessments that cover policy and oversight functions with fees charged for direct services such as IT and motor-pool usage.

Committee members pressed Masiba on constituent-facing issues. Chair Tran asked whether DAS tracks vacant buildings or surplus state property; Masiba said she did not have that number at hand and offered to provide follow-up information to the committee. Representative Lewis asked whether DAS sets customer-service standards for all agencies; Masiba said there is an enterprise expectation that agencies prioritize customer service, but there is not a single, binding set of protocols that applies to all agencies in every circumstance.

Masiba also told the committee that DAS does not operate an ombudsman program for state agencies but does provide support services to small boards and commissions and maintains a legislative director for enterprise coordination. She offered to help legislators route constituent issues across state agencies: “If you are trying to reach someone to talk about a particular fish passage program, or you wanna know about safe routes to schools, … the DAS legislative director is a good person to start with,” she said.

The committee did not take formal action during the informational hearing. Masiba closed by noting DAS updated its mission, vision and values in 2023 and that the department is emphasizing customer service, accountability and operational excellence as priorities.

The committee closed the informational hearing and moved to public hearings on pending bills.","The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans heard an informational overview of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services on Feb. 11, 2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Counties, surveyors push bill to remove $10 cap on recording fees to fund land-corner preservation

Rep. Ken Helm introduces bill asking state to study pay for members of certain boards and commissions

Oregon administrative services agency outlines role, funding model to House committee