Benton County Commissioner Gabe Shepherd will bring local government directly to residents with two town hall meetings scheduled for Thursday, July 24.
The first meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. at Philomath Museum followed by a second session at 6:30 p.m. at Wren Community Hall. Both hourlong events are designed to give community members an opportunity to meet the county’s newest commissioner, ask questions and voice concerns about local issues.
“While campaigning, I made a commitment to hold town halls across Benton County,” Shepherd said. “I want to make it easy for folks to engage with their local government and I want to hear — in their own words — what is most important to them.”
The Thursday meetings are part of a larger series of town halls Shepherd organized for this summer. The format will include an introduction from Shepherd and an overview of current county projects and priorities. Local mayors and other elected officials will also participate, discussing city matters before opening the floor to public questions and dialogue. Mayor Christopher McMorran said he would be participating in the town hall at Philomath Museum.
Shepherd, who served two terms on the Corvallis City Council before his election to the Board of Commissioners in November 2024, took office on Jan. 2.
The meetings come at a time when local governments are grappling with various challenges from infrastructure needs to budget constraints. By visiting smaller communities like Wren and utilizing local venues such as Philomath Museum, he hopes to reach residents who might not otherwise have easy access to county leadership.
Both Thursday meetings are open to the public with no advance registration required.
However, Shepherd did mention that there are limitations to what can be discussed at the gatherings. He said he represents only himself at the town halls, not the entire Board of Commissioners, and cannot express opinions on open land-use cases or receive public comment on such matters due to his potential role in quasi-judicial processes.
Following the July 24 meetings in Philomath and Wren, Shepherd’s remaining summer town halls will include stops at Adair Community Center (Aug. 2, 1 p.m.), North Albany Park (Aug. 2, 3:30 p.m.) and Alsea Community Library (Aug. 9, 4 p.m.).