Who’s Running Lincoln County? Counsel Says HR Director David Collier

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners’ March 18 meeting was held virtually, with no in-person option and no public comment, and revealed that Human Resources Director David Collier has been acting as county administrator since November 2025.

Duringthe discussion, Commissioner Casey Miller asked who is filling the county administrator role since the passing of Commissioner Claire Hall, raising concerns about where administrative authority currently resides.

Miller referenced a Nov. 5, 2025, board order that designated the board chair as acting county administrator with full administrative authority under the county code, noting that the order remains in effect unless changed by the board. Miller has previously stated that within hours of that order being adopted, then-Chair Claire Hall sent an email delegating that authority to Collier. Yuille said the delegation remains operative.

Also referenced was a Jan. 7, 2026, motion the board adopted establishing Commissioners Walter Chuck and Miller as chairing the first and second meetings, respectively.

But Yuille said her legal interpretation is that the Jan. 7 motion should be “construed narrowly,” applying only to meeting facilitation and not administrative authority.

Chuck read an email from Collier stating that meetings would now be held virtually and that public comment would no longer be allowed. Collier cited workplace safety concerns but did not identify any specific incidents. Miller said he received a different email on the subject.

County Counsel Kristin Yuille said she was relying on direction from human resources and the county’s insurance carrier. She added, “I’ve been directed by human resources from our insurance company that as an employee, I’m not allowed to attend an in-person business meeting right now.”

Her comment follows the March 4 board meeting, where several members of the public called for Yuille’s resignation and criticized her legal guidance regarding the timeline to fill the commissioner vacancy. When asked about his personal safety at the March 4 meeting, Chuck described an incident early in the meeting in which a member of the public approached the dais to request a sign-up sheet to speak. Chuck said “It was uncomfortable for me. It was uncomfortable for the staff member who was at the dais.”

That same staff member operated the Zoom meeting from the public viewing room at Oregon Coast Community College at the March 18th meeting. No metal detectors or visible security personnel were observed at the college, unlike the county courthouse, where meetings are typically held.

Yuille also suggested that, in place of public comment during meetings, the public could engage with commissioners through other avenues such as meetings, emails and phone calls. Miller pressed for justification behind the stated safety concerns “Walk me through an example… What are people doing that has made others feel unsafe?” Yuille did not point to any specific incidents but referenced general safety concerns and directed Miller to follow up with Collier for specifics.

Miller posed several other direct questions during the meeting, including:

• Under what authority is staff allowed to set the meeting format and remove public comment?

• Under what authority is staff making decisions that have traditionally required a board vote?

• Why were the commissioners—particularly the presiding chair—not involved in those decisions?

• What specific incidents have occurred that justify claims of safety concerns?

• What role does the board have in determining meeting format and public participation?

  
  

None of those questions were directly answered during the exchange. Before making a motion, Miller suggested that a Sheriff’s Deputy could be present during meetings and that meeting rules be read aloud before inviting the public to speak, as is done in several city council meetings. Later in the meeting, Miller made a motion to restore public comment and revisit the meeting format, saying "that's what the community wants", but Chuck refused to second the motion, so it failed.

The meeting also highlighted procedural changes implemented without formal board votes. Since Jan. 7, 2026, meeting minutes have not appeared on agendas for approval. Under Oregon law, minutes must be made available within a “reasonable time” after a meeting. The Oregon Attorney General has noted that “three weeks arguably is within the ‘reasonable time’ allowed by the statute.” Employee recognition items—once a routine part of meetings—have not appeared since the Dec. 2025 meeting.

Those decisions, along with the meeting format and removal of public comment, have been carried out by staff rather than through board action, raising questions about how authority is being exercised within county government. Investigation by staff at Oregon Coast Breaking news could not find any other governmental organization in the state that has limited public meetings to online only and not allowed in person or virtual public comment.

For the public, the effects are immediate: no in-person access to meetings, no general public comment period.