Boiler Bay Beacon
LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — The Lincoln City Council appointed Daniel Hunter as city manager pro tem Monday, tasking the Oregon local government veteran with steering the coastal town through a leadership transition as it hunts for a long-term replacement.
Hunter, 52, is set to start Oct. 22, filling the void left by the June resignation of former City Manager Daphnee Legarza, who stepped down to tend to family after three years on the job. The council ousted her predecessor as interim, David Benson, in July after just two months, heightening urgency for stability in a city of 10,000 that balloons to more than 30,000 residents each summer thanks to its beaches, casino and outlet mall along Highway 101.
“I am pleased that Daniel Hunter has accepted the pro tem manager position,” Mayor Susan Wahlke said in a statement, “and look forward to working with him soon.”
Hunter brings 11 years of municipal experience, all in Oregon, most recently as human resources director for the City of The Dalles, a Columbia River town of about 16,000. He joined there in 2014 as an administrative fellow under then-City Manager Nolan Young, quickly rising through promotions to project coordinator in 2015 and his current role in 2016.
In The Dalles, Hunter oversaw a staff of 103 full-time employees, spearheading labor negotiations, policy overhauls and an enterprise risk management program. He slashed the city’s workers’ compensation premiums by 64% over three years — from $231,740 to $19,200 annually — while cutting paid losses from $69,342 to $6,827. Recruiting costs per new hire dropped nearly three-quarters, to $256, under his watch, thanks to tech efficiencies.
Notable projects under his belt include reviving a stalled bronze sculpture installation at Lewis & Clark Events Park, trimming its budget from a projected $2 million to $200,000, and value-engineering a $2 million-plus library expansion to $1.9 million through collaboration with architects and contractors. In 2022, Hunter briefly served as pro tem city manager there during a colleague’s leave and was among finalists for the permanent post, praising the city’s forward-looking 2040 Vision plan as a roadmap for growth.
A Beavercreek native who graduated from Oregon City High School, Hunter detoured to Montana for construction work before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force from 1995 to 1999. Stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington, he earned an honorable discharge, the National Defense Service Medal and a Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
Returning to Oregon, he earned a bachelor’s in political science from Linfield University in 2007, then headed back to Montana for roles at the state Department of Transportation while completing a master’s in public administration from American Military University in 2012.
The Society for Human Resource Management certified him as a professional, and he holds affiliations with the International Public Management Association for Human Resources and the Oregon City/County Management Association. Outside work, Hunter is an avid fly fisherman on the John Day and Deschutes rivers and has volunteered annually for a “Shop With a Cop” holiday program for underserved kids.
Lincoln City’s search for a permanent city manager, announced last month, remains open despite an initial Oct. 10 deadline for applications. The role, with a salary range of $140,000 to $180,000 plus benefits and temporary housing aid, demands a bachelor’s in public administration or equivalent, five years of senior management experience — ideally in Oregon — and familiarity with coastal planning, budgeting and labor issues.
The position oversees a $105.7 million budget and 160 employees amid challenges like tourism volatility, housing crunches from short-term rentals and a push to update the city’s 20-year comprehensive plan, completed under Legarza. Applications are accepted via the city’s online portal; for details, contact recruiter Jennifer Stapleton at 541-373-0582 or Human Resources Director Abigail Edwards at 541-996-1201.
As detailed in a Boiler Bay Beacon report published Sept. 30, the hunt underscores recent leadership churn: Legarza followed Ron Chandler, who left in 2021 after six years navigating growth, homelessness and pandemic fallout, and long-timer David Hawker, who retired in 2015 after 15 years that included a controversial land acquisition resolving a developers’ dispute.
