Neyssa Hays files for county commission

Neyssa Hays, county parks advisory board chair and director of an outdoor education nonprofit, has filed to run for Yamhill County Board of Commissioners Position 3. 

The Yamhill resident will face Jason Fields in the May primary election. The seat now is held by Mary Starrett.

The board’s Position 1 seat also is up for election this year. Incumbent Kit Johnston has filed for another four years. Marvin Bernards filed for the seat, but withdrew from the race Jan. 13.

Hays said her campaign is centered on “restoring responsibility, fiscal discipline and effective local governance.”

She grew up in Yamhill County. She has chaired the Yamhill County Parks Advisory Board for 10 years. She co-founded and directs Outdoor Education Adventures.

Her background includes working in her family business, in a union job and doing public service and nonprofit leadership. She said she sees an “urgent need to make county government work like a well-run business and to deliver services that protect quality of life for all residents.” 

Now, however, Hays said, she sees chronic deficits and deferred maintenance; reductions in funding and underfunding of essential services; and consideration of selling or liquidating public assets to cover budget shortfalls, rather than addressing fiscal mismanagement. 

“It’s time for leadership that stabilizes core services, safeguards public assets and ensures accountability in budgeting and long-range planning,” she said.

Hays said her platform calls for protecting core community services, including public health, courts, animal services and parks; responsible fiscal management; and “smart revenue” and regional collaboration.

For more information about Hays, go to neyssafororegon.com

Other candidates that have filed for Yamhill County offices thus far include Keri Hinton, the current clerk, and Cindy Johnson. Both women are running for the clerk’s seat, a four-year term.

Voters will decide during the May 19 election, which also will include candidates running for statewide offices. Winners of the primary will go on to run in the November election.

Some offices, such as the commissioner races, can be decided outright in May if candidates receive a high enough percentage of the vote.