Residents press Lincoln County for a public complaint form, raise concerns about volunteer firing and commissioner conduct

Three members of the public and others used the Sept. 17 public‑comment period to urge Lincoln County officials to adopt a written public complaint form, to seek information about a volunteer termination, and to criticize the conduct of an elected commissioner.

Mike Morse, a resident, told the board he and others cannot see the public‑comment timer at the podium and asked the county to provide a visible timer and to adopt a standard complaint form. “I would like to start off with the, the fact that we have a time limit, and we on our side of the board here, we we can't see what our time is,” Morse said. He said he had requested a form from county legal staff and was told they would not create one, despite records Morse obtained showing a form was drafted previously.

Trish Miller, a retired sheriff's office volunteer who said she worked with the cold case unit, read a letter from Jenna Wallace, identified in the letter as the elected district attorney of Lincoln County. The letter — as read into the record — says Miller was told on June 27, 2025 that she was terminated as a volunteer for conducting a background check on a person at the request of the district attorney and requests documentation that the board approved the termination. In the reading, the letter asks county officials to “please also confirm the decision to terminate Ms. Miller's volunteer status... was approved by the board.” Miller said county staff have not explained the decision and that employees are fearful of signing petitions.

Mark Watkins, a longtime resident, urged the board to practice “full disclosure” about internal investigations and specifically asked whether the investigation into allegations that Commissioner Miller created a hostile work environment had concluded and what it cost. Watkins said he had been told the investigation found no basis for allegations and asked the board to make findings public. The board did not announce any new findings during the meeting.

Deborah Cozer (name as provided) told the board she had reviewed a May 21 meeting video and said she observed Commissioner Miller interrupting the public comment period; she called the interruption “childish” and said Miller is “unfit” to serve if he cannot work with the public. Cozer also asserted Commissioner Miller has chosen to work outside the office and urged him to stop “grandstanding.”

No staff member provided a formal response with new findings during the public‑comment period, and the board did not take any formal action on the complaints, requests for a complaint form, or on the volunteer termination during the Sept. 17 meeting. Several speakers asked for follow‑up or documentation to be provided to the public and specifically requested that legal or executive staff respond to the concerns raised.