Following the events of April 3, 2025, when six members of the Waldport City Council voted to remove Mayor Heide Lambert from the office to which she had been duly elected, Justice for Waldport began reviewing not only the City's Charter, but also the Waldport City Council Rules that were cited in support of that action. In our view, the Council Rules were interpreted and applied in ways that were inconsistent with their intended purpose and with the principles of transparent and accountable local government. During our review, we also noted that the Council Rules have not undergone a formal revision since January 8, 2015. We believe these rules should be reviewed periodically to ensure they remain current, legally sound, and reflective of best practices in municipal governance.
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Fifteen months later, the City Council has taken no formal action to review or update the Council Rules. We remain concerned that portions of these rules continue to be interpreted and applied in ways that, in our opinion, are inconsistent with their intended purpose. We also believe the Council Rules continue to be cited in ways that have influenced public understanding of important issues affecting the City's governance and management, including matters related to the current recall election. For these reasons, we encourage every resident to review the Council Rules for themselves and draw their own informed conclusions.
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In the interest of transparency and public access, we have provided the current official version of the Waldport City Council Rules—the version in effect and relied upon by the City as of July 8, 2026—for anyone to review. Although these rules have not undergone a formal revision since January 8, 2015, they continue to govern the conduct of City Council meetings and the procedures followed by the Council today. We encourage every resident to read the document and become familiar with the rules that guide the actions of Waldport's elected officials. Click the PDF file below to view or download the Council Rules.
