LOC News
LOC, Local Governments Raise Concerns with Ethics Commission
This week, a joint letter was sent to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) asking for partnership with commissioners to meet shared goals of government transparency and ethics. The letter was from the board presidents of the League of Oregon Cities (LOC), the Association of Oregon Counties, the Special Districts Association of Oregon, and the Oregon Community College Association.
Local government leaders are concerned with the current trajectory of the OGEC. The LOC often hears concerns from member cities about the confusion caused by the OGEC’s inconsistent interpretations of public meeting law. After agency leadership engaged disingenuously with legislators, local governments, and other stakeholders in the development and ultimate veto of House Bill 4177, our concerns can no longer be overlooked. The LOC Board of Directors recently directed staff to draft this letter in partnership with other local government organizations, leading to the coalition letter sent on Monday, July 6.
The commission alone provides oversight of agency direction and leadership, and the LOC hopes this correspondence opens the door to a partnership that is necessary to meet our shared goals. The letter written expresses our concerns in additional detail, including a request for a special meeting to meet with commissioners. The OGEC has added this correspondence to their agenda for their July 10 meeting.
The LOC awaits next steps and will share updates on when the special meeting is called. In the meantime, the LOC Intergovernmental Relations Department is participating in a workgroup to advance legislative solutions that HB 4177 sought to solve.
Contact: Nicole Stingh, Legislative Director – nstingh@orcities.org
Last Updated 7/10/25