GOLD BEACH – Twenty-four Curry County residents have been chosen to help the county government avoid an impending financial catastrophe.

Those named to the Citizens’ Committee include Brookings City Manager Gary Milliman and Brookings-Harbor School District Superintendent Brian Hodge.

Board of Commission Vice Chairman David Itzen and Commissioner Bill Waddle revealed the names Tuesday morning, saying the selections represent a geographic cross-section of county residents with diverse backgrounds.

Curry County Treasurer Gary Short has estimated the county must cut $2 million from next year’s general fund budget. The Citizens’ Committee will look at all revenue sources and expenditures to recommend ways to accomplish that goal.

The group will meet for the first time Nov. 30 at Docia Sweet Hall at the Curry County Fairgrounds. It will  disband by Dec. 31, 2012.

Twenty-two men and two women are on the committee, which was chosen from 34 applicants. There are 16 members from Brookings, five from Gold Beach and three from Port Orford.

Selections were made by Itzen and Waddle. Commission Chairman George Rhodes was not at the meeting and did not nominate anyone beforehand, Itzen said.

Itzen’s choices include David Bassett, retired, Port Orford; Phillip Dickson, self-employed, Gold Beach; Paul Fossum, retired, Brookings; David Frazier, self-employed, Brookings; Randall Gerlach, retired, Brookings; Ken Hall, retired, Brookings; Mark Hollinger, retired, Gold Beach; Bob Horel, Brookings-Harbor School District Board member and College of the Redwoods, Brookings; Daneielle Kitchel, retired, Brookings; Mick Lane, Port Orford/Langlois School District, Port Orford; Pete Peters, retired, Gold Beach; and Bruce Raleigh, self-employed, Softek Corp., Brookings.

Waddle’s choices include Leroy Blodgett, Eagle Two Development; Tom Denning, Central Curry School District, Gold Beach; Greg Empson, retired, Gold Beach; Frank Hageman, self-employed, Brookings; Terry Hanscam, self-employed, Brookings; Hodge, Brookings; Tom Huxley, retired, Brookings; Susan Lunsford, Chetco Federal Credit Union, Brookings; Milliman, Brookings; Tim Patterson, Harbor Truss and Redwood Theater, Brookings; Dominic Petrucelli, pastor, Brookings; and Sam Scaffo, self-employed, Port Orford.

Itzen and Waddle said they would have liked to include Roger Meader, general manager and CEO of Coos-Curry Electric Co-op, on the committee. Meader’s application was received in time, but he does not live in Curry County as is required.

Both commissioners said it is unfortunate that an organization that plays such an important role in the county is not represented. However, they noted that committee meetings will allow comments from audience members and Coos-Curry Electric input can be received that way.

Other applicant not named to the panel include David Brock-Smith, Port & Starboard Enterprises; Susan Brown, self-employed, Gold Beach; Richard Carey, self-employed, Brookings; Michael Frederick, self-employed, Brookings; Fred Johnson, retired, Brookings; Valerie MacGillivary, retired, Gold Beach; Mark Nast, self-employed, Gold Beach; Karl Popoff, retired, Gold Beach; and Ann Vierra, retired, Brookings.

“One of my hopes is that this committee not be politicized,” Itzen said after members had been named. “Our (financial) problem is so severe it is going to require working across political lines.”

Waddle agreed that avoiding political posturing is important. He added the committee should operate independently from the Board of Commissioners unless it specifically asks for help.

“I see the board playing no part in this whatsoever,” Waddle said.

The expertise of Citizens’ Committee members ranges from government with Milliman and former Brookings City Manager Blodgett to budgeting and financial analysis with Raleigh and accounting with Patterson.

Empson brings experience in budgeting and organization from private industry while Hanscom has a background in the building trades.

Itzen said the committee will consider everything from increasing the county’s operating efficiency to higher taxes and even possible dissolution of the county itself.

“It’s all on the table,” he said.