Ross Smith II

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners remained deadlocked Wednesday over its vacant third seat, despite Commissioner Casey Miller continuing to expand the number of people he said he would support for appointment. At the Sept. 2 meeting, Commissioner Walter Chuck again nominated Cristen Don. After Miller declined to second the motion, Miller proposed nine possible appointees. Chuck declined to second that motion and instead nominated Cathie Rigby. Miller declined to second Rigby’s...

How the email entered the packet Public records show Lincoln County Counsel Kristin Yuille directed staff to add an anonymous email critical of Lincoln City Councilor Marci Baker to the Board of Commissioners’ April 30 meeting packet. The packet was updated less than 23 hours before the 9 a.m. meeting to fill the vacancy created by Commissioner Claire Hall’s Jan. 4, 2026, death. At 9:02 a.m. April 29, Yuille asked Public Information Officer Kenneth Lipp to search the Board’s email account for...

SALEM — The Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday, Aug. 14 approved a stipulated final order in which Lincoln County Commissioner Walter Chuck admitted to five violations of Oregon Public Meetings Law requirements and will receive a letter of education, while the commission took no action on a separate proposed order involving Commissioner Casey Miller. Both matters appeared on the consent calendar. Miller’s item was removed without explanation before the commission approved the...