Protesters allege county security ordered off courthouse lawn; residents respond to recent legal allegations against Commissioner Barnett

Public comment at the Josephine County Board of Commissioners meeting included allegations that private security at a May 1 rally on courthouse grounds had been instructed to keep protesters off the grass and to call law enforcement, and also extensive citizen discussion about recent legal actions involving Commissioner Chris Barnett.

Eva Voora Zaveri told the board she had attended a May 1 rally and said a private security firm told protesters it had been directed by the county commissioners to prevent people from using the courthouse lawn and to call police. She said the sheriff’s office later confirmed to rally participants that the ground was public property and that the sheriff’s deputies who responded found the event peaceful.

Vicky Palmerton detailed a similar account, saying one guard refused to give his name and said he did not care what the law said; she said a younger guard later told attendees he had been instructed to call police and that the instruction came from the commissioners. Both speakers asked the board to explain why security had treated the rally as if it were private property.

Several speakers tied the security dispute to broader claims about Commissioner Barnett. Multiple commenters said they support Barnett and criticized what they described as a social-media campaign and a recall effort; others called for his resignation, attributing that call to a recent Oregon Supreme Court ruling. For example, a speaker identified as raising the court finding asserted that the Oregon Supreme Court “found that Commissioner Chris Barnett engaged in premeditated elder abuse and breach of contract.” That claim was presented in public comment and attributed to the speaker making it; the board did not read or cite a court ruling during the meeting.

Commissioner Barnett addressed the audience, saying much of the criticism amounted to "fake news" and legal action against him was ongoing and civil in nature; he said the term "elder abuse" as used in public commentary was inaccurate as applied to him, and that litigation relating to an LLC and membership camping contracts was unresolved. Barnett said he would continue to litigate and defend his position and that he is a member of the military and a retired law-enforcement officer; he asked the community to "rise above" negative social-media posts.

Separately, a public commenter alleged the board had suspended the county’s news media policy to limit access; another commenter asked whether executive session rules had been changed. In response earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Ron Smith stated, "Moving forward until further notice, we will not be having executive sessions anymore," and framed the suspension as a transparency measure. County attorney Wally Hicks was referenced by a speaker as having been contacted about whether local law or ordinances justified the security actions; no legal determination was announced at the meeting.

The board did not vote on any recall or on changes to security procedures at the meeting. Commissioners said they would accept appointments from residents who wanted to meet and repeatedly asked the public to schedule time to discuss issues in detail.