Two longtime Jackson County commissioners are seeking fourth terms in the Nov. 3 election, facing challengers who say the county needs new leadership.
Colleen Roberts and Rick Dyer were first elected to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners in 2014. Their competitors think it’s time for someone different.
Challengers Isabella Lee Tibbetts and Lyndi Reichenbach say the county’s financial stability should translate into more investment in wildfire prevention, emergency preparedness and other community needs. Roberts and Dyer are campaigning on their experience and fiscal records, offering voters a choice between continuity and new leadership.
Position 3: Roberts vs. Lee Tibbetts
Isabella Lee Tibbetts, nominated by the Working Families Party and Democratic Party, is challenging incumbent Republican Colleen Roberts for the Position 3 seat.
Lee Tibbetts is a stay-at-home mom with experience as a community organizer, nonprofit development associate and volunteer, including serving as board president of the nonprofit Rogue Climate.
She said her priorities include water access and emergency preparedness.
"With the Almeda Fire, that was kind of my launching point into realizing we need somebody on the board of commissioners who understands just how low-income communities, communities of color, working families are really impacted by the decisions that the board of commissioners are making," she said.
Lee Tibbetts said the commissioners are inaccessible. She said she was committed to improving transparency by hosting monthly public town halls.
She also attended campaign trainings through the LBJ Women's Campaign School and the Campaign School at Yale University.
As a millennial born in Ecuador, she said she would bring much-needed diversity to the board.
"As a young woman of color and as a mother, I do not see myself represented on the board of commissioners," she said. "That was a very big indication that a campaign and somebody like me could really make a difference and really be the new hope for the future of Jackson County."
Her campaign manager, Santi Cruz, thinks Lee Tibbetts’ message resonates with voters who want something new.
"Every single time we talk to voters, it's the same thing. They're tired of the current status quo, and regardless of where they lean politically, a lot of people are tired, and they want to see change," he said.
According to campaign finance records on the Secretary of State's website, Lee Tibbetts has received about $32,000 in cash contributions as of Oct. 14. The largest contribution, $5,250, came from Color PAC, an Oregon political action committee that supports people of color running for public office.
Roberts declined JPR’s request for an interview.
She’s a former small business owner who ran a bakery for over 20 years.
On her campaign website, Roberts highlights the county’s fiscal stability, her conservative values and the importance of local control.
"I’m running on a proven record, grounded in integrity shaped by my faith and a steadfast belief in our community, and I stand firm for the freedoms that my father fought for so many years ago," the website reads. "Transparency and an unwavering commitment to the people of Jackson County continue to guide me as I seek reelection."
Roberts has raised almost $26,000 as of Oct. 14, with the two largest donations, at $5,000, from the Rogue Valley Association of Realtors Political Action Committee and ChamberPAC, an independent political action committee associated with The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County.
Position 1: Dyer vs. Reichenbach
Democrat Lyndi Reichenbach is challenging incumbent Republican Rick Dyer.
Reichenbach retired from a career in Silicon Valley's tech industry and said her focus is on supporting her community.
"What can I do to help? So that's what community is," she said. "It doesn't matter who you are. Doesn't matter if I don't know your last name. It really doesn't. But if you need help, and I can help, then I'm gonna try."
Jackson County’s current fiscal year budget has almost $280 million in ending fund balances, contingencies and reserves, although most of that is dedicated or restricted.
Reichenbach praised the county's financial stability but said it should spend more money on wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness, a point Lee Tibbetts also raised.
"If your books are balanced, and you're not helping anybody, you can say, ‘Oh, look [at] me! I'm fiscally responsible,'" Reichenbach said. "Well, we all want to be fiscally responsible, but you also want to help your community. So, if you're not doing anything to help people, then what good are you?"
The county is already spending about $61 million to build a multi-use pandemic response center in Central Point.
Reichenbach’s other priorities are clean water, drought management, affordable housing and a new jail.
She would also like the county to collaborate more with cities to address shared concerns.
Reichenbach said Dyer had served long enough and that she would bring a new perspective as an older, mixed-race woman who could represent seniors’ concerns.
"Rick Dyer's done a nice job, actually," she said. "But the reality is, if you've been on a job for 12 years doing the same thing for 12 years, you become complacent. I mean, that's just human nature. It's real easy to just rubber stamp things every day."
Reichenbach has raised approximately $10,000 as of Oct. 14, with the largest donation, almost $6,000, coming from the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee.
Dyer declined JPR’s request for an interview.
He previously worked in the automotive industry and ran a general contracting company.
A short video on his campaign website highlights his work on emergency preparedness.
"After the devastating fires in Jackson County, the Board of Commissioners has worked tirelessly, increasing emergency management staff, integrating emergency alerts and notifications and improving operations planning and coordination," Dyer said in the video.
His website highlights his years of service on the board, fiscal responsibility and support for public safety.
According to campaign finance records, Dyer has received approximately $35,000 in contributions as of Oct. 14. Five donors each contributed $5,000: the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Sidney B. DeBoer, ChamberPAC, the Jackson County Republican Central Committee and the Rogue Valley Association of Realtors Political Action Committee.
Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, or returned to a drop box by 8 p.m.
