County Administrator: The Benton County Board of Commissioners held an executive session on Tuesday and are extending an offer for a new County Administrator.
“The county will be formally extending an offer today to Rachel McEneny and we are hoping for a swift acceptance with an anticipated start date of Oct. 2,” said Benton County Public Information Officer Cory Grogan. Later in the day, the County said in a release that McEneny had accepted the offer and that her anticipaTed start date is Oct. 2.
McEneny was one of two finalists for the position. She served the City of Albany, New York, since 2016 and spent her first year as the Budget Officer before being promoted to the Commissioner of Administrative Services in 2017.
“Having three highly qualified finalists for the position of Benton County Administrator is a positive outcome for Benton County. It indicates that there was a pool of talented and capable individuals interested in taking on the role, which bodes well for the county’s administration and governance. After carefully assessing each candidate’s skills, experience, and suitability for the position before making a final decision we are confident that Rachel McEneny is a great choice for the position,” said Grogan.
According to Grogan, in the meantime, Interim County Administrator Suzanne Hoffman will be retiring on Aug. 31, and County Chief Financial Officer Rick Crager will be taking over as the Interim County Administrator from Sept. 1 until McEneny’s expected start date.
Sheriff’s Citizens’ Acadamy Applications: The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for its 2023 Citizens’ Academy. This free program is designed to give participants an opportunity to learn more about the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff’s Office.
The Academy begins Tuesday, September 5th, and meets for ten sessions ending October 24th. The class will meet each Tuesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and on two Saturdays, September 23rd and October 7th, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. Most classes meet at the Sheriff’s Office in Corvallis.
In a release, the Sheriff’s Department said, “During the program, participants will gain insight into the challenges and accomplishments of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Most of the instructors are sworn deputies who share their experiences with the class.”
The Citizens’ Academy covers all aspects of the Sheriff’s responsibilities including law enforcement, emergency management, search and rescue, parole and probation, jail operations, support services, and management of the Office. The Citizens’ Academy is not designed to train citizens as law enforcement personnel or to exercise law enforcement authority of any kind.
The Academy is geared toward adults; they do not be accepting applicants under age 14. Applicants between the ages of 14 and 17 must have signed consent from a parent or legal guardian and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
The department says the class fills up quickly, so they’re encourage anyone interested to get their application in early, the deadline for applications Aug. 30.
Applications are available online at https://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/page/2023-citizens-academy or in person at the Law Enforcement Building, 180 NW 5th Street, Corvallis. For further information, contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at 541-766-6858.
Government Comment Corner: The City of Corvallis is hosting another Government Comment Corner, this time featuring a Benton County Commissioner.
County Commissioner Xan Augerot will be at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on Aug. 5.
Like all these similar events, it is open to the public for anyone to stop by and ask questions about local government.
By Jennifer Warner
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com