The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is poised to approve a controversial $3 million interfund loan from the county’s General Fund—an interest-free transfer set to fund a runway expansion project that has drawn sharp criticism from residents and watchdogs alike. Introduced quietly as Resolution No. 2025-033, the proposal has bypassed any meaningful public dialogue, leading many to believe it’s less about public infrastructure and more about Commissioner Andreas Blech cementing his pet project before he potentially faces a recall from office.
At issue is not only the size of the loan but the timing, the priorities, and the complete absence of transparency. The resolution—buried deep in this Thursday’s Weekly Business Session packet—calls for transferring up to $3 million from Fund 10 (General Fund) to Fund 53 (Airport Fund) to finance the capital outlay necessary for the runway project. It states that the money will be repaid by the end of fiscal year 2026-27, but provides no clear plan on how or from where that repayment will come. Nor does it mention any community input, feasibility study, or financial impact analysis.
Even more unsettling is that the interest rate for this multimillion-dollar loan is set at zero percent, meaning the General Fund—the very same pool used to support public safety, public health, and essential services—will receive nothing in return for lending out the largest discretionary sum currently on the table.
The loan resolution is poised to be voted on at the upcoming Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 17, at 10:00 AM at the Anne G. Basker Auditorium. And unless citizens show up in force, the measure may slide through without any serious debate.
For many residents, this development feels like déjà vu: a familiar pattern of fiscal maneuvering conducted behind closed doors, far removed from the needs and voices of the people. Over the past year, this board has justified repeated layoffs, department head firings, and budget austerity by claiming the county is “bleeding money.” In the face of these supposed financial shortfalls, how is it suddenly feasible to lend out $3 million—especially to an airport project that has not been identified as a top community priority?
Critics of the loan believe the answer lies in Commissioner Andreas Blech, who has long championed the airport expansion. With recall efforts already in discussion against both Blech and fellow Commissioner Chris Barnett, many are calling the move nothing more than a “legacy grab”—a last-minute attempt by Blech to complete his pet project before potentially being removed from office by voters.
One longtime county resident expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing that the issue goes beyond just the money. They pointed out that county officials have repeatedly claimed to be broke—cutting staff, slashing services, and gutting departments—only to suddenly push through millions in funding for a project without public hearings or transparency. To many, it feels like a betrayal.
And that sentiment is gaining traction. Residents are pointing out the hypocrisy of claiming poverty while greenlighting an interest-free, multimillion-dollar loan for a non-essential infrastructure project. Others are questioning whether the county has the legal or ethical standing to reallocate funds of this magnitude without first soliciting public input.
The resolution does cite Oregon Revised Statute 294.468, which permits interfund loans within local government, but the statute also emphasizes that such loans should be temporary, necessary, and—above all—transparent. Nowhere in the proposal is there evidence that this airport project meets those standards.
Also in the meeting packet is an unrelated—but more constructive—intergovernmental agreement with Oregon State University’s Extension Service. That agreement outlines a continued partnership between OSU and the Josephine County 4-H and Extension Service District to deliver educational programming and support. Unlike the airport loan, the OSU agreement includes multiple layers of oversight, funding accountability, and long-term benefit to the community, such as youth development, agriculture support, and volunteer training. It is a stark contrast in priorities—and one that only sharpens the critique of the airport deal.
But the primary spotlight remains firmly fixed on the proposed $3 million transfer. In a county where funding for law enforcement, mental health services, and public infrastructure remains precarious, the idea of shifting such a large sum to an underutilized airport—without interest, without safeguards, and without a public vote—has many crying foul.
Andreas Blech, who currently serves as Chair of the Board, has so far remained quiet about the criticism. But constituents aren’t staying silent. A growing number of residents are planning to attend Thursday’s meeting to demand that the loan be tabled until proper public hearings and financial reviews are conducted.
The truth is, the citizens of Josephine County have seen this movie before. When political ambition outweighs fiscal responsibility, it’s always the public who pays the price. This time, however, voters are being urged to show up and speak out.
The meeting begins at 10:00 AM on Thursday, July 17, at the Anne G. Basker Auditorium in downtown Grants Pass. Whether you support or oppose the runway expansion, now is the time to raise your voice. Silence, after all, is how accountability dies.