Wallowa County to Expand Planning Commission Following Surge in Public Interest
By Tracy Christopher on Monday, March 9th, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
WALLOWA COUNTY — Citing a “record-breaking” wave of interest from the community, the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners has moved to expand the size of the County Planning Commission, overhaul its decades-old operating bylaws, and implement rigorous new training for its members.
The decision comes after the board received eight high-quality applications for just two open seats. Commissioner Mike Hayward noted the rarity of such a robust applicant pool, highlighting the group’s professional and geographic diversity.
“If we’d have gone out here and grabbed any four people off the street, we couldn’t have gotten a more diverse group,” Hayward said.
Immediate Appointments and Geographic Equity
To address immediate vacancies, the Board appointed Rick George of Troy and Kate Barrett of the Lower Valley. Commissioners emphasized that these appointments are part of a broader strategy to ensure “geographic equity,” giving rural residents outside of incorporated cities a stronger voice in land-use decisions.
From Seven to Nine: Growing the Commission
Because of the high caliber of remaining applicants, the Board signaled its intent to expand the Planning Commission from seven members back to nine—a size the body has utilized in the past.
Once the commission’s operating rules are formally amended to allow for the additional seats, the Board plans to appoint Eric Sinclair and Autumn Wilburn, both of Enterprise.
“If we’ve got good people that want to serve on these committees, we’ve got to take advantage of their expertise,” Hayward added.
Fixing the “Glitch”: A Bylaw Overhaul
The expansion is part of a larger effort to modernize the Planning Commission’s aging operating agreement. Commissioners and the public identified several “glitches” in the current rules that have occasionally hindered county business:
- The Voting Threshold: Under current rules, a measure requires four “yes” votes to pass, regardless of how many members are present. This has led to situations where a majority of a quorum supports a motion, yet the motion fails because it doesn’t hit the arbitrary four-vote minimum.
- Flexible Membership: The Board aims to move away from a fixed number of seats, instead using language that allows for a range (e.g., five to nine members) to avoid frequent bylaw amendments.
- Term Clarity: New rules will clarify how “unexpired terms” are handled to ensure volunteers filling mid-cycle vacancies aren’t disadvantaged when applying for their first full four-year term.
- Vetting over Limits: While the Board is steering away from strict lifetime term limits, they are proposing a mandatory re-interview process every four years to ensure members remain qualified and engaged.
Prioritizing Professional Training
Recognizing that land-use law is increasingly complex, Commissioner Lisa Collier announced a new push for professional development.
“Land use is really tough,” Collier said. “It’s like you have to be a lawyer… so I think Planning Commission training would be good.”
The county will train using some state-level courses through the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) to help with education.
