Board of Commissioners not behind courthouse discussion

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – Umatilla County now has a steering committee to discuss the possibility of a new or remodeled courthouse. As reported earlier, Sixth Circuit Court Judge Dan Hill has put forth a request to the state and is joining with Umatilla County Commissioner Dan Dorran in forming the New Courthouse Steering Committee.

Umatilla County Board of Commissioners Chairman George Murdock said that’s news to him.

“It’s something that a group is apparently discussing, but that being said, it isn’t an initiative from the commissioners,” he said.

Murdock pointed out that there has been money invested in the main courthouse in Pendleton for both security and efficiency. He also pointed out that courthouse funding from the state is very small, compared to how much the county would be required to invest, so the issue would require a bond measure on the ballot. Even that won’t happen for quite some time. “I chair the state task force on courthouse facilities which makes priority recommendations to the chief justice,” Murdock said. “I do know that right now, the priority list is out to about 2033.”