The organization also is running out of time to pay its bills

UMATILLA, MORROW COUNTIES — The board of directors of the Columbia Development Authority voted Thursday, May 1, during a special meeting to rescind a February vote regarding the property’s fire service.

The authority in February voted to rescind a previous decision to have Morrow County annex the property into the fire district. That vote, according to the CDA’s attorney, Elizabeth Howard, opened the entity up to litigation from Boardman Fire Rescue District, with which the CDA had a memorandum of understanding to annex the property from 2023.

On April 22, 2025, the board considered a motion to rescind its previous rescission, but the votes were split, with one member abstaining. After reviewing the minutes and video of the meetings during which the initial decisions were made and hearing once again from counsel in executive session, the board voted once more, this time rescinding its February vote with a 3-2 decision.

“The motion would be that the February 2025 motion is rescinded and annexation of the port industrial property by BFRD should proceed,” Howard said.

J.D. Tovey, representing the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, made the motion “under advice of legal counsel” and voted for it, joined by Kim Puzey with the Port of Umatilla and David Sykes representing Morrow County. Voting against counsel advice and the motion were John Shafer with Umatilla County and Joe Taylor with the Port of Morrow.

Shafer said he voted against it because he “disagree(s) with legal’s opinion” on how to interpret the initial motions from 2023.

Finances moving forward

Aside from the decision regarding fire service annexation, the board heard from Executive Director Greg Smith about invoices and other financial obligations, such as payroll, which the board needs to pay.

Smith said with the Port of Morrow resigning from handling payroll, the CDa needs another entity to take on the task. He’s in the process of finding the best fit, he said, and has two interested entities as of May 1.

In full, the Columbia Development Authority owes around $80,000 through payroll, rent prices and invoices involving insurance, legal fees, and construction and property adjustment costs.

The Port of Morrow is covering payroll processing through May 2, though it did offer to extend help “as long as everybody pays their bills” until the CDA can find a new organization to take over.

“I think everyone here has heard that we have obligations, and invoices have been sent,” Puzey said. “And I just want to underscore the importance of us taking care of the team that we have here that has been working for us.”

The five entities represented on the CDA board have historically split costs evenly, though there have been disputes over payments during the past year or so, ever since Umatilla County filed a lawsuit against the CDA as a whole as well as some of its individual members.

Smith said he asked the engineering firm to pause on one of its projects, which is funded through the Oregon Department of Transportation. He said the state is “contemplating a sweep of outstanding ODOT projects in an attempt to put together a new transportation package.”

Puzey said the board needs to “do whatever we can to come together and get this taken care of.”

Smith was not appeased, however, noting because of how the CDA is set up, there isn’t a legal obligation beyond what’s covered by an intergovernmental agreement signed in 2014.

“I’ve heard the comments,” he said, “but I need action.”