This story was originally published on LincolnChronicle.org and is used with permission.
One week after she was removed as Waldport’s mayor, Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies cited Heide Lambert for disorderly conduct Thursday when she came to a city council meeting and refused to leave the seat normally occupied by the city’s top elected official.
The scene played out in council chambers packed with a large and vocal contingent of Lambert’s supporters, but also Sheriff Adam Shanks, two deputies and a sergeant.
It was the first arrest of a former public official in a public meeting that anyone could remember and highlighted the months-long, increasingly bitter and social-media fueled dispute between Waldport Beachcomber Days officers, its supporters and the city.
The city council voted 6-0 last week to remove Lambert from office after only three months in the position, saying she violated the city charter by trying to direct city employees to deal with Beachcomber complaints instead of working through city manager Dann Cutter. Lambert, who was Yachats’ city manager during 2022-23 and previously served on the Waldport council, denied the accusations last week, saying she didn’t know she was violating protocols.
Under Waldport’s charter the council could have reprimanded Lambert, asked for her resignation, or voted for her removal. When she refused to resign last week, the council voted her out – citing a lack of trust, for not working together and the threat of employee grievances.
In addition, after an executive (closed) session last week to discuss Beachcomber allegations against Cutter, the council found them without merit.
Anticipating trouble Thursday, Cutter requested deputies attend the meeting and had the council agree earlier in the day to dispense with the usual public comment period at the beginning of the session. Shanks, who like Lambert took office in January, was pulled into the conflict while there to talk to the council about a new patrol contract.
Lambert entered city hall with a large and vocal contingent of supporters after a council executive session to discuss potential lawsuits, stepped to the mayor’s area, read a short statement disputing her removal and then sat down in the chair usually reserved for the mayor.
“I am the elected mayor and have done nothing wrong,” she said, accusing the council of not providing her due process, overstepping its authority and claiming that the section of the city charter that allowed her removal is unconstitutional.
“I have every right to be here in the capacity as the mayor,” she said. “The people elected me. Only the people who elected me can remove me.”
That drew loud applause and cheers from her supporters, many who then yelled questions and insults at the six council members and Cutter.
After several minutes of the crowd yelling, Shanks approached Lambert to talk with her. After several more minutes Deputy Abby Dorsey joined Shanks to help convince Lambert to stand up and leave – never touching her.
“I’m under arrest, you all,” Lambert said loudly as they moved her to an outside hallway where she was cited – not arrested — for second-degree disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
That led to 10 minutes or more of the crowd yelling at council members – who are under instruction not to talk about the issue because both Lambert and the Beachcomber organization have retained lawyers and indicated they may sue the city.
It was letters from Beachcomber officers and supporters asking for an investigation of Cutter that Lambert got involved with that led to the staff complaints. In a long letter written by councilor Jerry Townsend posted to the city’s website Thursday, councilors tried to explain how all that unfolded and their decision to remove Lambert.
Sheriff helped, commissioner didn’t
After helping cite Lambert, Shanks returned and addressed the crowd to ask them to calm down so the council could proceed with its meeting. They eventually did.
Also in the crowd was county commissioner Claire Hall, who said she attended as a longtime friend of Lambert’s and “to observe.” Hall, who is the longest-serving politician in the county, later told the Lincoln Chronicle that she didn’t feel it necessary to step in and help Shanks calm the crowd.
“It wasn’t my meeting,” she said. But county commissioners – at Hall’s urging — recently adopted strict protocols for audience behavior and commenting at its meetings, including the threat of removal.
After being cited, Lambert returned to the meeting and sat quietly in a back row seat.
One of the last of the council’s decisions Thursday were the potential ways to fill the mayor’s position.
“Obviously this is contentious,” said Cutter, acknowledging the threat of a lawsuit but recommending the council leave the position vacant and it put it on the ballot in November.
After a brief discussion, the council agreed – voting 6-0 to leave the seat open until November rather than appointing someone.
“Let’s let the voters decide,” Townsend said.