Chapter 552 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

HB 2841

Relating to funding of regional boards; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 285B.239 and 285B.263.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 285B.254, 285B.257, 285B.260, 285B.263 and 285B.266 are added to and made a part of ORS 285B.230 to 285B.248.

SECTION 2. ORS 285B.239 is amended to read:

285B.239. Regional investment plans shall serve as a basis for state financial assistance to projects or activities to meet regional economic and community development priorities. Each group of counties that [form] forms a region shall submit a regional investment plan that at a minimum shall include the following elements:

(1) An identification of short-term and long-term regional economic and community development priorities;

(2) An analysis of the unique or significant resources that provide the foundation for the regional investment plan;

(3) An analysis of barriers to implementation of the regional investment plan and an identification of the means to overcome those barriers;

(4) A long-term plan to implement the regional investment plan, including necessary actions by:

(a) Local governments;

(b) The private sector;

(d) Federal government;

(5) A two-year implementation plan with a prioritized list of projects [and] or activities to be undertaken or funded by the state from lottery proceeds and other sources. For a region that has a recognized regional partnership under ORS 285B.236, the prioritized list of projects or activities may include investment of all or part of the moneys received by the region from the Regional Investment Fund or the Rural Investment Fund to provide moneys for the administration or financing of long-term or future economic and community development projects or activities;

(6) A plan for involvement of disadvantaged and minority groups in the region;

(7) Performance measurements for meeting the objective set forth in ORS 285B.236 (2). Each region shall develop an evaluation plan, as part of its regional investment plan, for measuring and monitoring regional investment plan performance. The evaluation plan shall include regional benchmarks for monitoring achievement of the regional investment plans and priorities. When regional benchmarks are established, interim indicators of performance shall be determined after negotiation between the regional board and the Oregon Economic and Community Development Commission. The regional board shall periodically submit performance reports to the county governing bodies in the region, the Oregon Economic and Community Development Commission, the Governor and the Legislative Assembly; and

(8) An overall strategy management and project or activity implementation plan that demonstrates that a region has the capacity to allocate resources and insures that such resources are effectively used.

SECTION 3. ORS 285B.263 is amended to read:

285B.263. (1) In each biennium, the Economic and Community Development Department shall expend moneys from the Regional Investment Fund for:

(a) Technical assistance and staff support for preparation and update of regional investment plans;

(b) Projects [and] or activities implementing an approved regional investment plan and implementing priorities described in the plan; and

(2) In each biennium, the Oregon Economic and Community Development Commission, by rule and in agreement with the Association of Oregon Counties, League of Oregon Cities and Oregon Public Ports Association, may provide funds, either centrally or to regional boards or both, for multiregion projects or activities that implement the approved regional investment plans of two or more regions with common economic and community development priorities. Funding for multiregion projects or activities under this subsection shall be awarded, at the discretion of the commission, according to the quality of the defined projects or activities.

(3) In each biennium, a regional board may dedicate a portion of regional investment funds for technical assistance and staff support for regional investment plan development and refinement and development and administration of regional partnerships. The portion of funds so dedicated shall be determined by the commission. The commission shall provide regional boards with these funds prior to approval of regional investment plans.

(4) In each biennium, a regional board may dedicate a portion of regional investment funds to provide grants or loans to individual private businesses for fixed asset acquisition. Such funds must be used to make grants and loans that are consistent with the regional investment plan and that support the regional priorities included in the regional investment plan. The terms and conditions of grants or loans to be made under this subsection must be contained in the regional investment plan at the time it is submitted for state review.

(5) After a regional investment plan is adopted, the department in each calendar quarter shall provide regional investment funds, less any moneys used for technical assistance and staff support for regional investment plan development, to the region. Moneys received under this subsection shall be used for development of projects or activities based upon an evaluation by the regional board of the merit and readiness of the projects or activities. Projects and activities that receive such financial assistance must be consistent with the priorities of the approved regional investment plan.

(6) In each biennium, each regional board shall submit a report to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly that describes the expenditure of moneys received under this section and indicates the success, as defined by specified performance measurements, of the funded projects or activities in achieving the regional economic and community development priorities described in ORS 285B.236 (2). Future grants to a regional board may be based on the performance of the board.

SECTION 4. The amendments to ORS 285B.239 and 285B.263 by sections 2 and 3 of this 2001 Act apply to rural investment funds and regional investment funds provided on or after the effective date of this 2001 Act.

Approved by the Governor June 22, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 25, 2001

Effective date January 1, 2002

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