NEWPORT – The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners meeting on November 5 turned contentious when Vice-Chair Walter Chuck moved forward with personnel rule changes despite an earlier unanimous vote to postpone them, prompting gasps from the audience.

Commissioner Casey Miller objected and ultimately voted no, but was outvoted 2–1 by Chuck and Chair Claire Hall, who participated remotely.

The dispute centered on how the personnel rules overhaul would proceed. Miller moved to table the item for discussion at a later meeting, and Hall seconded the motion. The board then voted unanimously to remove the personnel rules from that day’s agenda.

However, immediately following the vote, County Counsel Kristin Yuille interjected, insisting it be decided right away. Chuck agreed, disregarding the vote the board had just taken, and pushed the item forward over Miller’s objection and audible reaction from the audience.

“Wow!” said several members of the public in attendance.

Chuck responded by warning the public not to speak out, or they would be kicked out of the meeting.

DA Wallace Pushes Back

District Attorney Jenna Wallace used her public comment time to sharply criticize what she described as a dangerous hiring freeze affecting her office. She told commissioners that 11 positions in the DA’s office are now empty, including prosecutors and investigators, and said her efforts to request hiring exceptions have been “denied or ignored without any discussion.”

Wallace reminded the board that her office has consistently underspent its budget “over the last decade, contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars back to the general fund at the end of every budget cycle.”

“At some point, you have to decide whether you actually want to be a leader here in Lincoln County, or whether or not you want the title and the paycheck.”
— DA Jenna Wallace, speaking directly to Commissioner Chuck

When Miller attempted to respond to Wallace, Chuck silenced him, saying “we don’t respond to public comment,” which has been commonly done in the past. Chuck refused to allow any discussion at the previous BOC meeting as well.

Miller than said “I’ll make a motion to approve [Wallace’s proposed] Order.”

Chuck responded “we don’t make motions unless it’s on the on the [sic] agenda.”

Barbara Davis Raises Red Flag: “38 Agenda Items Blocked”

Another longtime county resident, Barbara Davis, testified that Commissioner Miller has been blocked from placing over 30 agenda items over recent months — raising concerns that the board’s majority is controlling what subjects can even be discussed publicly.

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Public Comment Access Changed With No Notice

For the dozens attending via Zoom, another surprise came at the end of the meeting: The public was informed that Zoom participants are now required to sign up a day in advance to speak — a sharp departure from the long-standing practice where remote attendees simply raised their hand during public comment.

Video Feed Cut When Commissioner Hall Joined the Meeting

At some point during the 10 minutes or so it took staff to contact Commissioner Hall to join the meeting remotely, the video feed went dark, cutting off the livestream. Viewers were left watching the county’s logo for the remainder of the meeting.

When community members asked what happened, Public Information Officer Kenneth Lipp replied: “The cameras malfunctioned and cannot be turned back on right now.” The recording of the meeting posted on the county’s website has been edited to omit the time waiting for Hall to join.

Commissioner Miller’s Response

Commissioner Miller issued a statement which read, in part:

“The Board has consistently reserved consent-calendar placement for items that are either routine or have been previously discussed in public session. The Personnel Rules meet neither standard. The amendments include significant structural and operational changes that have not been publicly presented, including expanded administrative delegation and policy shifts with potential impact on collective bargaining, department-head accountability, and public transparency. To uphold our shared commitment to collaborative, transparent governance, I recommend we [discuss the] Personnel Rules [in] a separate discussion or work session.”
— Commissioner Casey Miller, November 5, 2025

The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for November 26. Attendance — both in person and on Zoom (assuming the cameras work) — is expected to be high.