Residents press for transparency, allege conflicts as Yamhill County considers TSP amendment
Summary
Multiple public commenters at the Jan. 22 hearing alleged prior process failures, citing campaign contributions, incomplete recusals and lack of farmer outreach; the board acknowledged concerns and paused deliberation to assemble a complete record.
A recurring theme in public testimony was process and transparency. Tanya Tompkins (speaker 19) urged commissioners to "recommit to ethical governance" and said that the process that produced the current recommendation felt "predetermined and insulated from meaningful public input." Several commenters echoed concerns about campaign contributions, LUBA‑related recusals and the adequacy of prior outreach to adjacent landowners.
Commissioners publicly acknowledged they had accepted campaign contributions from constituents with differing views but stated such donations would not affect their decisions; no commissioner moved to recuse during the hearing. Chair also said the record included late and sealed submissions that staff must incorporate before deliberation. The board voted unanimously to continue deliberations to Jan. 29 to allow staff to compile all written submissions and provide a complete packet for review.
Speakers on both sides urged better public engagement: some asked for a county‑led mediation or expanded outreach and others asked for a public vote. The board's decision to postpone deliberation was presented by several speakers as an opportunity to ensure transparency and to let the full record inform any decision.
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