Benton County, Oregon

Focused on criminal justice reform B enton County comprises 679 square miles in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, 90 miles south of Portland and 40 miles north of Eugene, with a population now surpassing 90,000. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator who advocated American control over the Oregon Country. The county was created out of lands originally inhabited by the Klickitat, who rented it from the Kalapuyas for use as hunting grounds. Perfectly placed in the Willamette Valley, Benton County has easy access to urban areas with ample opportunities for outdoor recreation and cultural activities. Corvallis is the major community, county seat, and home to Oregon State University (OSU). Agriculture, lumber, wood products, and some printing technology research and development form the economic base of the County, along with Oregon State University. A substantial portion of the nation’s research in forestry, agriculture, engineering, education, and the sciences takes place at OSU. Since 1972, Benton County has been an Oregon “Home Rule” County, meaning that voters have full control over the county’s governance structure. The Board of Commissioners oversees all functions of county government services and acts as executives (overseeing county operations), as legislators (setting county ordinances), and also fills a quasi-judicial role (in land use matters). With a 2015-17 total budget of approximately $207.9 million, Benton County provides a breadth of services through its 14 departments. Joe Kerby, Benton County’s County Administrator, is responsible for managing the day-to-day AT A GLANCE BENTON COUNTY, OREGON WHAT: A county of 90,000 WHERE: Oregon’s Willamette Valley, 90 miles south of Portland WEBSITE: www.co.benton.or.us