Clerk

The Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and Comprehensive Financial Plan (CFP) process places significant importance on community involvement, including the sharing of information and soliciting feedback. To find out more about recent events, please refer to the information provided below.

Community Stakeholder Interviews

• County consultants held meetings with various community stakeholders, including residents, public entities, and key organizations and businesses within the county. The stakeholders were informed about the process and provided feedback on several aspects, such as:

• • Identifying areas where the county is performing well and suggesting areas for improvement,
  • Assessing county services and facilities,
  • Considering the potential impact of future growth (10-30 years) on services,
  • Identifying areas of focus for the county’s future, and
  • Identifying unique aspects of the county that should be preserved. 

• Additionally, community stakeholders discussed their own plans and operations to identify common goals and potential partnerships, ensuring that the needs of Owyhee County residents are met.

Citizen Committee

Beginning in the summer months, a Citizens Committee consisting of community leaders will convene to review the results of facility assessments, evaluate current and projected space requirements, and formulate recommendations. The committee will seek public feedback to ensure ideas and concerns are considered and will communicate their professional and community expertise to the relevant parties.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2023

Owyhee County Begins Master Facilities Plan Process

MURPHY — Owyhee County kicked off the initial phase of a Master Facilities Plan Process and Comprehensive Financial Plan process that will help guide future planning and budgeting for County facilities. The Idaho-based consulting team of Clearwater Financial and Insight Architects, along with County staff, toured eight facilities from Murphy and Homedale to assess existing building and mechanical systems conditions as well as space utilization.

This initial step is part of a multi-phase process that will also include a Comprehensive Financial Plan. Together, the two documents will provide long-term strategic guidance for future facility and budgeting decisions.

In addition, the team surveyed and interviewed key County staff and officials to evaluate future needs for all County departments. Population projections, anticipated service demands, and public service delivery trends will also be considered in estimating future needs. The assessment visits and other findings will be used to evaluate if existing facilities are able to be renovated or expanded or if constructing new facilities may be more cost-effective to meet future space needs. Immediate facility, service, and technological needs will be prioritized.

The tours highlighted that some facilities have minor space challenges and are in need of technological upgrades, while others such as the County courthouse, which dates back to 1936, may require improvements to meet code requirements for public facilities.

“Our facilities are aging, and we need adequate space for the public and staff, as well as storage for required equipment and things related to official county business,” said Commissioner Merrick. “Idaho is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, we’re the second largest county in the state, and we need to be proactive in planning for our future. This process will allow us to plan and budget to ensure facilities and funds are in place to deliver uninterrupted services to County residents and businesses well into the future.”

Both plans will align with the County’s Comprehensive Plan goals for public services and facilities. The County anticipates release of findings and consultant recommendations in early 2024.
County Clerk Angie Barkell stressed the importance of staff involvement. “As the primary contact with the public, staff understands community needs specific to their departments and how to best deliver services.” She added “Having these plans in place will ensure future delivery of public services even as County officials and staff change over time. These plans will also help to ensure that Owyhee County is utilizing tax pay funds for the best interest of our citizens.”

To learn more about the Master Facility and Comprehensive Planning projects, visit Master Facilities Plan & Comprehensive Financial Plan – Owyhee County Idaho