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Public Hearing Cancellation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Morrow County Cancels Public Hearing for CDA Annexation into Boardman Fire Rescue District
Heppner, OR – June 9, 2025 – The Morrow County Board of Commissioners has cancelled the public hearing scheduled for June 11, 2025, at 9:00 AM to discuss the Columbia Development Authority’s (CDA) application to annex portions of their property into the Boardman Fire Rescue District (BFRD). The application was made under ORS 198.857 which outlines a property owner’s right to annex property into a fire district. The application requires a public hearing to be held within 20 to 50 days of receipt. This was the original intent of the public hearing on June 11.
Irrigon Rural Fire District (IRFD) has filed a legal challenge to this annexation. IRFD holds that annexation should follow ORS 478.702 which was adopted into law in 2023. Unfortunately, this places the County in a position where two processes are provided for annexation in statute without a clear priority outlined for which would prevail. Each of the three parties, the CDA, BFRD, and IRFD, have agreed to have a judge make a ruling on which statute takes precedent. With that agreement made, and a judge since signing a temporary injunction, the Board of Commissioners cancelled the public hearing during their meeting on June 4, 2025. The Board of Commission will wait for the determination from the courts or until July 31, 2025, as stipulated in the agreement between CDA, BFRD, and IRFD.
Morrow County appreciates the interest and passion on this issue. The Board of Commissioners is dedicated to preserving legal rights of property owners and is committed to following the law as outlined in ORS and the County Code. The County looks forward to the legal resolution of this annexation dispute.
For more information, please contact the Morrow County Administration Office at 541-676-2529 or email mjensen@morrowcountyor.gov.
Matthew Jensen
Morrow County Administrator
