Mayor launching Council investigation

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich is calling for an investigation into Council conduct after a City Councilor resigned.

Ward 1 Councilor Kylee Rummel submitted a letter of resignation on Friday, Jan. 24.

Mayor Rich announced his call for an investigation at the Monday, Jan. 27, Council meeting after sharing a statement that Councilor Rummel had posted to her Facebook page over the weekend. Councilor Rummel, who chairs the City’s Economic Development Commission, did not attend the Monday night meeting.

“Statements have been made that could lead to possible state law violations of Council conduct and rules, so I have called for an independent investigation,” Mayor Rich said during the livestreamed Council meeting. “We lost a good City Councilor who served with integrity and honesty. The statements she made are very concerning.”

Mayor Rich spoke with Councilor Rummel before the Council meeting and obtained her permission to read into the public record the statement she had posted to Facebook.

Councilor Rummel was sworn in as a Councilor on Monday, May 9, 2022, after she was appointed to replace Alison Eggers. Councilor Rummel works as the fiscal controller at United Community Action Network (UCAN).

The Mayor said he’s intent on determining what led to Councilor Rummel’s resignation.

Near the end of the Council meeting, Mayor Rich said the investigation will answer at least these questions, but will not be limited to only these questions:

1. Was City business conducted privately in direct violation of the open public meetings laws?

2. Were Councilors intimidated or pressured into voting certain ways?

3. Were daytime jobs threatened as a way of keeping Councilors in line?

4. Was the City Manager denied a proper job evaluation because certain Councilors wanted to fire the City Manager and replace the City Manager with one of their own?

“I strongly believe in open, transparent government, so the community will find out the results,” Mayor Rich said later, shortly after the meeting. “If there are violations, there will be consequences.”

Watch the Council meeting on the City website or via the City’s Facebook page.