The Wheeler City Council held a special meeting to swear in newly appointed Councilor Doug Honeycutt and to address related staffing matters. At about 10:33 a.m., the council said the meeting's purpose was the swearing-in of Honeycutt. "I will support the Constitution of the United States and the state of Oregon and the charter of the city of Wheeler and its laws, and I will faithfully, honestly, and ethically perform all my duties as city councilor," Honeycutt said while taking the oath.

The meeting opening noted it was being held in accordance with the Oregon Public Meeting Law. After the oath, Honeycutt was escorted to his council seat and welcomed by the mayor and other officials.

Shortly after the swearing-in, Pax Broder — who identified himself as Wheeler’s city manager for fiscal years 2023–24 and who had been considered to serve as pro tem city manager — told the council he had withdrawn his name from consideration. “It has come to my attention that there is clearly a significant amount of turbulence in the city's leadership team at this point in time,” Broder said, adding that the turbulence had spilled into the public streets of Wheeler and beyond and that he did not want to be “caught in the crossfire.”

Why it matters: The oath formalized a new council seat, but the city’s effort to secure temporary administrative leadership was interrupted when a leading candidate withdrew, leaving the council to pursue other options for administrative coverage.

Discussion versus decision: The transcript records Honeycutt’s oath (a formal procedural act) and Broder’s public withdrawal. The transcript does not show a recorded council vote to appoint Honeycutt (the oath was administered) nor any immediate motion or vote to select an alternate interim manager after Broder’s withdrawal.

What officials said: At the start of the meeting, a council member said the purpose was to swear in Doug Honeycutt and read the meeting’s compliance with Oregon’s open meetings law. After the oath, officials congratulated Honeycutt and advised him to take his council seat. Broder said he would not return as pro tem city manager because of leadership instability.

Context and next steps: The swearing-in fills a council seat through the oath, but the council still faces an unresolved need for interim administrative support following Broder’s withdrawal. The transcript does not record whether the council set a timeline to recruit or appoint another interim manager or whether administrative duties would be reassigned temporarily.

Ending: Honeycutt’s oath completed the appointment process; Broder’s withdrawal leaves the council without the expected short-term administrative candidate and underscores ongoing internal turmoil captured elsewhere in the meeting.