Hood River County officials spoke to the director of the Oregon State Marine Board about possible options to gain more funding for search and rescue operations on the Columbia River.  Sheriff Matt English says he’s been talking to the Marine Board for three years, adding the current single marine deputy isn’t nearly enough with the growing number of people recreating on the water.  English says they would optimally need about three full-time staff to properly handle marine work, but the department is looking at a structure similar to Deschutes County in dealing with all recreational-type responses, including search and rescue operations on land.  He adds this is part of a larger funding issue for County public safety operations, which have been taxed by the increase in people who recreate in the region over the last couple of decades.