Commissioners Get Feedback On Public Comment

Jonathan Hoy is asking that public comment not be limited

There were several who showed up at the last board of commissioners (BOC) meeting on May 21st to voice their concerns regarding giving public comment during commissioners' meetings. During the May 7th BOC meeting Chair Hall stated she would like to limit public comment to only what is on the current agenda. The consensus was to further review this and to bring it back at another meeting. It was not on the May 21st agenda. Hall stated at the beginning of the meeting "the potential changes to public comment are not on the agenda and are still being considered." There were several people showed up to say that they did not like the Commissioners limiting their opportunity to voice their concerns to elected officials.

There were those who provided public comment regarding property issues and stated they had contacted county employees and the problems were not resolved. One group of people held up signs saying “hear us” and “we have a voice.” Others asked questions regarding why Commissioner Miller is being asked to work out of a separate office, other than the courthouse. Trish Miller who worked as a volunteer in the county District Attorney’s office in the cold case unit expressed frustration at being fired as a volunteer. Miller stated her supervisor asked her to do a background check on Orrin Wallace who applied as a detective for the cold case unit.

Angela Dodds is pleading for her murdered sister's case to be solved

Miller said this is common practice and something she has done many times during her career as a Sheriff's Detective.. She stated that through HR monitoring their emails she was told she wasn't allowed to conduct background checks. The next time she tried to come to the office she found her card didn’t work and she was locked out. Without the detective, they are not able to interview suspects or properly conduct investigations through the District Attorney's Office. She said no one spoke to her, she only got an email saying she could no longer volunteer. Angela Dodds, whose sister Kelley Disney was murdered over 40-years ago begged the commissioners to settle their differences between staff and elected officials. She pointed out that now there is only one volunteer able to help with her sister’s case. She added that this pettiness is allowing a murderer to walk free in Lincoln County.

County Commissioner Casey Miller asked to speak concerning public comment. Hall shut Miller down and told him no he could not provide a comment. After hearing from one other person online, there was an inappropriate comment made from the audience, and Hall quickly closed the meeting. Afterward, Commissioner Miller provided those in attendance with his comments, expressing frustration at not being able to speak his concerns to his fellow commissioners surrounding the topic of public comment.

“Public comments are in many ways the purest form of transparency,” Miller said in his statement sheet. “ It’s how people share their concerns, express their needs, and engage with the government.” The next BOC meeting is scheduled for June 4th at 10am. Those wishing to can come to the meeting in person, watch online live during the meeting or watch at a later time time going to this link https://www.co.lincoln.or.us/129/Agendas-Minutes .