News

Benton County is pleased to announce that Jesse Ott has been officially appointed as Director of Natural Areas, Parks & Events (NAPE), effective January 2025.

Ott has served as the Interim Director of NAPE since February 2024. He joined Benton County as the Deputy Director of Natural Areas, Parks & Events in April 2021. Under his direction, NAPE manages a dozen parks and recreation sites in the County, including campgrounds, picnic areas and trails. The department is also responsible for the Fort Hoskins historic site, Crystal Lake Cemetery, Benton County Event Center & Fairgrounds, and the Benton Oaks RV Park.

In addition to maintenance, conservation and preservation of natural areas and built structures, NAPE organizes several annual events and operates an outdoor education and recreation program that prioritizes rural and underserved youth and their families. The biggest event, held every summer, is the Benton County Fair & Rodeo, which set attendance records in 2024.

“Jesse Ott has the perfect combination of skills for the role of NAPE director,” says County Administrator Rachel McEneny. “He brings a deep knowledge and enthusiasm for natural resource management, demonstrated strong people management and leadership skills, and a passion for sharing what he loves by making natural areas and historic sites available and accessible to everyone in the community.”

Ott has been a daily park and trail user for most of his life, so much so that he embarked on a career in park maintenance and management. Sharing his love of outdoor recreation with his daughter helps inspire him to look for new ways to encourage young people to explore and experience the outdoors.

Ott holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Charter Oak College in New Britain, Conn. He serves on the board of the Alliance for Recreation and Natural Areas (AFRANA) and is president-elect of the Counties and Outdoors Section of the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association. He lives in Corvallis with his family.

IMAGE: NAPE Director Jesse Ott (right) with Fairgrounds Foreman Doug Covey in the Benton County Fairground Floral Courtyard.

The Benton County Assessment Department now offers an electronic filing platform (E-File) for Business Personal Property accounts in Benton County. Business owners are asked to use this online system to file their Business Property returns, as required by Oregon Revised Statute 308.290.

E-filing is fast, convenient and secure. It minimizes input errors and reduces costs for both the business owner and Benton County.

The online filing system for 2025 Business Personal Property returns will be available starting Jan. 2, 2025. Instructions will be mailed on that date to business owners who have not filed electronically before. Those who have previously filed electronically will receive instructions through email.

The deadline to file without incurring a penalty is March 15, 2025. Business Personal Property returns filed electronically will be digitally postmarked during submission. Please visit the Benton County Business Personal Property page for additional information. 

Want to learn more? The Benton County Assessment Department will offer a virtual workshop for community members on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 10:00 a.m. – noon.

Residents interested in attending the workshop should send an email to the Department of Assessment, with a valid email address, through the contact webpage.

Questions? Call the Department of Assessment: 541-766-6855.

In the last episode of the year, the Benton County Public Podcast commemorates the service of Commissioner Xan Augerot, who is retiring at the end of her second term on the Benton County Board of Commissioners.

In this episode, Commissioner Augerot talks with host Dan Crall and Benton County PIO Anne Thwaits about the highlights and opportunities of eight years in office shaped by a global pandemic, major shifts in the national political climate, and the local impacts of climate change, inflation, changes in state law and more.

Listen here: rss.com/podcasts/bentonpublicpodcast/

Benton County will celebrate and thank Commissioner Xan Augerot next week as she retires at the conclusion of her second term in office. The community is invited to a dessert open house in her honor on Wednesday, December 18 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners/Holmes and Shipley Room at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

Questions or requests for accommodation should be directed to Marriah De La Vega: marriah.delavega@bentoncountyor.gov.

A lifelong Northwesterner, Augerot has lived in Oregon for more than 20 years. She worked as the Executive Director for Marys River Watershed Council and as Vice President of Wild Salmon Center (Portland, Ore.). She has degrees from the University of Washington (economics, marine policy) and Oregon State University (geography). She was the lead author on a first-of-its-kind exploration of the social, cultural, ecological and policy aspects of salmon management, The Atlas of Pacific Salmon.  

Augerot ran for office because she wanted to ensure the environment was protected in the face of population growth. She was elected to the Benton County Board of Commissioners in November 2016 and took office in January 2017. She entered office focused on climate change and the need to ensure the workforce was able to serve an increasingly diverse population, but she quickly found new passions. 

Her portfolio at the County has included health care and public safety; she is also very engaged in housing, climate, equity and water issues. She serves on boards for Benton Community Foundation, Community Services Consortium, Association of Oregon Counties and on the Oregon Youth Development Council.

“Commissioner Augerot exemplifies what it means to be a public servant, and not just because she is incredibly hardworking,” said County Administrator Rachel McEneny. “One of her greatest strengths is her ability and desire to really listen, to hear and understand every voice. In her time in office she has read every correspondence from community members, listened to every comment, and drawn upon every available resource to solve large and small problems for the people of Benton County.”