Roseburg mayor calls for investigation into city council conduct

Roseburg mayor calls for investigation into city council conduct
Courtesy of KEZI

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Following the resignation of a city councilor, Roseburg’s mayor is pushing for an investigation into the council’s behavior to uncover the reasons behind her departure.

Kylee Rummel, the Ward 1 Councilor, resigned on Friday, January 24, and shared a statement on Facebook over the weekend. In her post, Rummel claimed that unnamed council members had attempted to intimidate her and threatened her job to sway her voting decisions. At a city council meeting on Monday, January 27, Mayor Larry Rich publicly read Rummel’s statement and called for an independent investigation into the matter.

During the livestreamed meeting, Mayor Rich stated, “Allegations have been made that suggest potential violations of state laws and council rules, which is why I’ve called for an independent investigation. We’ve lost a dedicated councilor who served with integrity. Her claims are deeply troubling.”

Mayor Rich emphasized his commitment to understanding the circumstances that led to Rummel’s resignation. The investigation will examine whether councilors were pressured to vote in specific ways, if job threats were used to control their actions, if public meeting laws were violated during city business, and if the City Manager was denied a fair evaluation due to certain councilors’ efforts to replace them with someone of their choosing.

“I firmly believe in transparency and open government, so the community will be informed of the investigation’s findings,” Mayor Rich said after the meeting. “If any violations are found, there will be appropriate consequences.”