Bethel

JOHN DAY — John Day finally has their woman.

The John Day City Council voted 6-1 at its Tuesday, Oct. 24, meeting to bring Melissa Bethel on as city manager during the body’s Tuesday, Oct. 24, meeting. The lone no vote was cast by Councilor Chris Labhart, who expressed concern that Bethel’s $130,000 annual salary was more than a city the size of John Day should be paying.

In Bethel, the city will have its first permanent, full-time city manager since the resignation of former interim City Manager Corum Ketchum on Dec. 14, 2022. Rick Allen was hired to serve as a part-time city manager on Feb. 28, but he resigned in early June amid a conflict with city staff.

Bethel will start her new duties on Jan. 2.

Her arrival in January will be the public’s first opportunity to meet the new city administrator. Unable to attend an Oct. 6 meet-and-greet with the other finalists due to prior obligations, Bethel interviewed virtually for the position in an executive session of the city council, beating out in-person candidates Matt Lenz and Sandra Bohnenkamp Patterson for the position.

Bethel brings significant experience in municipal management to John Day. She is currently the city manager of Lakeside, a Coos County community with about 1,900 residents. She has twice held the responsibility of community development director, first in La Pine, where she also doubled as city manager from December 2018 to September 2020, and then in Moses Lake, Washington, from October 2020 to January 2022.

John Day Mayor Heather Rookstool said that resume was the reason the council ultimately chose Bethel over the other two finalists for the position.

“She has a lot of experience in many fields,” Rookstool said.

She added that the city will need that experience to be effectively managed. Rookstool also cited the fact that Bethel seemed genuinely interested in the city as another factor that helped sway the council.

Bethel said she’s excited to come to John Day, describing the city as having the right climate and setting for her to finish out her career. With that comes a desire to immerse herself in the community, something Bethel said she’ll work hard to do.

“I plan on living in and becoming friends with people in the community,” she said.