09-05-2025
Former Waldport mayor won't face charges after arrest at council meeting
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The former mayor of Waldport will not be prosecuted after having to be in April, which led to her arrest.
In a , Lincoln County Disitrct Attorney Jenna Wallace said she would not be pursuing charges against Heide Lambert after the former mayor after she took a seat at the city council meeting and refused to move. Lambert was arrested and cited with second-degree disordely conduct for her actions at the Waldport City Council meeting on April 10.
'Although the city charter appears to allow the removal of the elected mayor through a City Council vote, it is unclear whether this provision in the city charter is constitutional. In reviewing Ms. Lambert's conduct on April 10, 2025 for criminal charges, I do not believe there is sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that Ms. Lambert had the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm or recklessly created a risk thereof,' Wallace said in the memo.
In response, the City of Waldport canceled their council meeting scheduled for Thursday, citing safety concerns. In a , the city expressed frustation that the DA would not be pursuing charges against Lambert.
'We have been informed by the District Attorney that they will not be able to reliably prosecute charges brought by the local sheriff's office against members of the public for disrupting the meeting, and as such, we feel that the safety and security of the meeting cannot be ensured,' the post said. 'We want to assure everyone, that while not being able to hold a council meeting at this time, the city will still work diligently to accomplished the planned goals and capital projects. We hope to have a safe solution in accordance with public meeting law in the next two weeks and get back to productive council business.'
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, leading up to the April meeting, there had been concern about a disruption from the former mayor after she was removed from her post by the council on April 3.
Lambert was removed from office after city staff said she created a hostile work environment, demanding that they follow her direction when under the City Charter, she had no authority over them.
'I realized that I have a constitutional right to assert my seat, that I was an elected official. And so I didn't want the council to believe I vacated,' Lambert told KOIN 6 after the meeting. 'They were starting to say on the website that I had vacated my seat. And that's not true. So I went there to take my seat.'
The rule that the council is basing this on states that no member of the council shall directly or indirectly attempt to direct a city officer or employee in the performance of their duties.
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