County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
Following a series of budget committee hearings last month, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26), which begins July 1.
The total revised FY 26 budget, excluding Service Districts, is $658.7 million. By using a collaborative budget strategy that limited expenditure growth and prioritized savings, the County was able to identify $2.5 million of savings in the General Fund.
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Thousands Participate in 2025 Firefree Program to Reduce Risk of Wildfire
Thousands of Deschutes County residents participated in the 2025 FireFree disposal events to help reduce the risk of wildfire in our community. The events, which were held in May, offered free disposal of yard debris at the Knott Landfill and rural transfer stations.
This year, residents disposed of 50,236 cubic yards of pine needles, branches and other brush. That’s a 56% increase from 2024.
Thank you to everyone who participated!
County Honors Winners of the 2025 Health Heroes Awards
Every year, the County honors one individual and one organization with Health Heroes Awards for their contributions in promoting the mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being of Deschutes County citizens.
This year’s Individual Award winner is community health worker Lordes Reyes, who serves as the Healthy Families Coordinator for the Latino Community Association. Reyes uses a bilingual and bicultural approach to help her clients navigate the healthcare system.
The Organization Award winner is Volunteers in Medicine. Volunteers in Medicine is a network of more the 300 dentists, counselors and doctors who provide free and low-cost health care to the uninsured and underserved members of our community.
County Announces 2025 Safe Sidewalks Award Winners
The County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) announced the winners of the 2025 Safe Sidewalk Awards at a recent Board of County Commissioners meeting.
BPAC presents the awards annaully to recognize businesses, indviduals and organizations who make an extra effort to keep sidewalks clear of snow, ice and other debris or hazards.
This year, the committee honored the following recipients:
- Bill Colton — NW Bend
- Bob Snyder — NE Bend
- Chris Hoffner — NE Bend
- Bruce Hanlon — SE Bend
- Brooke Snavely — SE Bend
- Bill Dierdorff — NW Bend
- Doug Kaess — NE Bend
- Charles Spresser — NW Bend
- Tim Shull — Sisters
- Circle of Friends — Sisters
- Lyle Speirs — NW Bend
- Collier Ehlers — NE Bend
- Leon Vannett — NE Bend
- Perry Johnson — NE Bend
- Ronnie Rasmussen — NE Bend
- Sebastian — NE Bend
- Tony Salido — SE Bend
- Chuck Boyer — NW Bend
- Guy Johnson — NW Bend
- South Red Carpet Carwash — SE Bend
County Overdose Prevention Strategist Named a 2025 Bloomberg American Health Fellow
Deschutes County Health Services is proud to announce that Ana Woodburn, an Overdose Prevention and Response Strategist, has been named a 2025 Bloomberg American Health Fellow. She is one of 60 fellows selected from across the United States.
Ana has worked as a health educator and an overdose prevention strategist for County Health Services since 2022. Through the Bloomberg fellowship, Ana will continue her work at the County while earning a fully funded Master of Public Health degree, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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Podcast: How the County Ensures that Pools & Hotels Meet Health & Safety Standards
In the latest edition of the Inside Deschutes County podcast, we talk with longtime Environmental Health Specialist John Mason, who offers a revealing look at the work he does inspecting the pools and hotels in our community.
