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.
Comments
Bigfootlives
This should count as an in kind political donation! Just think of the taxes that her and Bubba can raise! It will be like the city council on steroids.
Good rule of thumb, if the NR is on board, vote no.
WCJr
Good rule of thumb.....If bigfoot(no caps intentional)comments, don't waste your time reading.
Jerry
Neyssa will be a great county commissioner! She works well with people of all stripes; she is a hard worker, focused and dedicated. Neyssa will put the best interests of Yamhill County ahead of petty politics and special interests.
Jerry Hart
manyhands
Vote for Neyssa. Do not vote for Jason. He aborts what YC citizens want and supports what big money wants.
In 2023 newly-elected Chehalem Park and Rec District (CPRD) board member Jason voted down a walking bridge across the creek at Ewing Young Park. The bridge would allow access to 11 acres of Park and Rec land. Walking trails would follow.
At a CPRD board meeting Jason snarled to longtime CPRD superintendent Don Clements, “... I’m not in charge right now, but I’m telling you for sure we are going to kill the bridge idea.”
Why such vicious opposition by a new board member? Because approval of the footbridge might lead to approval of other bridges and trails in Yamhill County. And some big-money campaign contributors are adamantly opposed to one trail in particular - the Yamhelas Westsider Trail.
It is widely known that one source of big money in Yamhill County politics is the George family, which owns and operates one of the largest hazelnut processing companies in the country.
Some of the George money in the 2023 election went to supporting Jason. The contribution paid off for the Georges when Jason decimated the walking bridge.
Don told Jason Newberg residents have indicated over the years that they want the additional land developed. At a board meeting later that year people filled the room to show their support.
Same goes for the Yamhelas Trail. YC commissioners who received George money have been working stealthily to get rid of the trail. This is the opposite of what Yamhill County citizens want -- as 3,200 signatures in favor of the trail attest.
Vote for Neyssa.
Bigfootlives
Let’s go all in for the walking trails insanity. The wine industry is killing Yamhill county.
WCjr, you hit me with no caps on a made up username. Please, show mercy!
fiddler
Yea! Starrett is going away! A new opportunity for sanity for the county!