D.A.'s Request For An Investigation Turned Down

At the April 16th Lincoln County Board of Commissioners meeting during public comment, the meeting was abruptly ended when a county employee Debbie Howard who is the president of the LCEA spoke to the commissioners about policy when she was interrupted and told that she could not speak about collective bargaining matters. As she tried to continue with her comments the meeting was abruptly closed.

This left others who had signed up to provide public comment unable to do so. One person who planned on making a statement was Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace. Commissioners Hall and Chuck along with county staff left the meeting since it was declared finished. Wallace then provided her statement to Commissioner Miller and the public who were still in the room. Click here to view DA Wallaces previous statements and the one she intended to give to commissioners on April 16

Wallace has said she wants to see consistency in how things are handled. She said the county should treat County Council Yuille and Mr. Collier head of HR the same way as Commissioner Miller and former District Attorney Danforth were treated. When there was controversy, an outside investigator was brought in to investigate allegations against them. She wants to see the same happen with Yuille and Collier. The trouble is she said the ones who are in charge are the ones she is trying to get investigated.

She said she was advised last Friday by Commissioner Hall that the Board has denied her request for an external investigation into the numerous complaints against Yuille and Collier. Wallace stated she was troubled to learn that this decision was not made by the entire Board, but by Commissioner Hall alone, as the Board still has not met in executive session to discuss the allegations.

Commissioner Hall in her media release stated that The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been made aware of the ethical concerns and the DA using her public position for personal gain; community members have also reached out to DOJ requesting intervention based on

the DA’s conduct. Wallace said the DOJ has not reached out regarding any investigations or complaints against her. Hall stated "It is policy and practice not to discuss personnel issues in public. This is another attempt to share personal and employee issues, and allowing that could put the county in legal jeopardy."