In Waldport, the public narrative about Mayor Lambert has been strongly shaped by allegations stemming from the Yachats lawsuit, particularly when cited by members of  Waldport's City Council. We believe these allegations have contributed to significant misconceptions. That’s why we think it’s essential to distinguish between those early claims and what the court actually found as the case progressed.
 

On April 3, 2025, members of Waldport's City Council relied upon allegations contained in the operative complaint filed by attorneys representing Kimmie Jackson in her lawsuit against Mayor Lambert’s former employer, the City of Yachats, to support claims that Mayor Lambert had an established pattern of creating hostile work environments. Those allegations were cited during proceedings that Waldport's city council members referred to as a hearing and were used as part of the justification for removing Mayor Lambert from office.

All six councilors ultimately voted in favor of her removal.
 

Since that date, references to the Yachats lawsuit have continued to be used by members of the city council and the city manager in public discussions regarding Mayor Lambert’s conduct and character.  As a result, many residents have been left with the impression that the allegations contained in the lawsuit were proven facts rather than claims that were subject to judicial review.
 

The operative complaint in Jackson v. City of Yachats contained allegations involving multiple city managers and other City of Yachats personnel spanning several years.     It was prior to Heide Lambert's employment by the city of Yachats that Kimmie Jackson served formal notice of her intent to pursue legal claims against the City, including allegations of discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and defamation. Lambert was later added to the litigation.

The amended operative complaint contains dozens of factual allegations spanning many years and multiple city administrations. Only a portion (20%-30%) of those allegations involve Heide Lambert, who was not hired until February 2022. Most of the allegations described in the complaint concern events that allegedly occurred before Lambert became City Manager.
 

As the case progressed, most of the plaintiff's claims were dismissed by the court, including most of those involving Mayor Lambert. By early 2025, the lawsuit had already been substantially narrowed. The court's December 8, 2025 Opinion & Order further reduced the case, dismissing most of the remaining claims and allowing only limited claims to proceed beyond summary judgment.
 

For that reason, residents reviewing the record should distinguish between allegations contained in a complaint and the findings ultimately made by the court. Allegations are one party's claims. Court rulings reflect what the evidence ultimately supported.
And in this case the court's ruling is only an opinion that perhaps the issue of retaliation could stand up in a trial.  

However, through the advice of their insurance company, the City of Yachats decided to settle with the Kimmie Jackson.  This means no individual, organization, or municipality was found guilty or liable of any of the allegations made by Kimmie Jackson and/or her attorneys.
 

It is our view that Mayor Lambert was subjected to undue public scrutiny and negative perceptions, largely based on allegations that did not reflect the final court findings. In our opinion, the way these claims were used contributed to unfairly shaping public opinion about her leadership. We believe that when the full record is considered, it tells a more balanced story than the one the council's actions suggested.
 

The following is a link to the reproduced, published, public, pdf file of the judge’s Opinion and Order dated December 8, 2025: