Information about Board Meetings

General information about Board Meetings

Attend a meeting

Board meetings are open to every member of the community and public comments are welcome. Here are the ways you can attend:

• In person: check the Events page for meeting locations. Most Board meetings are held at the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis on the first floor in the Holmes & Shipley board rooms.
  • The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting the Board of Commissioners Office at 541-766-6800 or 800-735-2900 TTY, or from our Contact page.
• On your phone, tablet, or computer: visit the Events page for Zoom information.
• Watch first and third Tuesday Board meetings on YouTube.

Public comment

The Board of Commissioners invites every community member to share feedback and concerns. Here’s how you can share feedback and concerns:

• Contact the Board’s Office by from our Contact page or phone at 541-766-6800. Tell us if you want your comment read during a Board meeting, or just shared with the Commissioners. If you want your comment included in the Board meeting packet, please submit it by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday the week before the meeting.
• Attend a Board meeting that has public comment posted on the agenda, like the first and third Tuesday Board meetings.
  • Attending in person: write your full name and address on the public comment sign-in sheet near the Board room entry. Your comment can be spoken, written, or both.
    • If your comment is written, please provide a copy to the recorder.
  • Attending virtually with Zoom: enter your full name and the words “public comment” in the chat window.
  • The Chair will call on you when it is your turn to speak.
  • The Chair may limit each person’s spoken comment to three minutes.

Other meetings commissioners attend

These meetings are open to the public, but usually do not include public comment. Visit the Events page for details on a specific meeting.

• Leadership Team meeting: three Commissioners, Department Directors, and staff.
• Five Electeds meeting: three Commissioners, District Attorney, and Sheriff.
• Board of Commissioners meetings with department directors.
• Board of Commissioners and Benton County Planning Commission joint meeting.
• Board of Commissioners and City of Corvallis joint meeting.
• Board of Commissioners and City of Albany joint meeting.

Definitions

The agenda is published before the meeting and lists the main topics the Board will consider. The Chair may change the agenda during the meeting.

The Chair is the Commissioner who leads the meeting. The Board chooses a new Chair during the first meeting each year.

An exhibit is a document that is shown or mentioned in the meeting but was not originally included in the meeting packet. The recorder collects exhibits and adds them to the permanent record.

The Board meets in Executive Session to discuss private information on specific topics listed in Oregon State law. The Board cannot vote during Executive Session. Members of the public cannot attend Executive Sessions. Members of the media can attend, but cannot report on the discussion.

The meeting minutes are the official record of the main discussion, directions, and actions during the meeting. Unlike a transcript, minutes may summarize the discussion. Minutes typically take several weeks to complete and are posted on the Events page for each meeting. To request minutes that are not posted, either email your request to publicrecords@bentoncountyor.gov or call County Counsel’s office at 541-766-6890.

The meeting packet contains information about each agenda item and is published in advance on the Events page. The Board reads the packet to prepare for the meeting. The packet becomes part of the permanent record.

A motion is a proposal for action that the Board votes on. A motion must be made by one Commissioner and seconded by another. Then the Commissioners vote on the motion. In Benton County, at least two “yes” votes are needed to pass a motion.

The permanent record includes all the documents from a Board meeting (agenda, packet, exhibits, Board-approved minutes). Oregon law requires the County to save this information permanently. To request Board of Commissioners records, either email your request to publicrecords@bentoncountyor.gov or call County Counsel’s office at 541-766-6890.

Two public hearings are required for some Board actions, like changing County code. Public notices are posted in advance. Hearings are held two weeks apart at regular Board meetings. Members of the public can provide comment before or during each hearing (see “public comment” above). If the Board approves the item at the second hearing, the change will take effect 30 days later.

The recorder creates the meeting minutes and collects other meeting information for the permanent record, including exhibits, and written public comment.