Former health department director endorses Jacobson for county commissioner

To the editor:

I am supporting the re-election of Kaety Jacobson for Lincoln County commissioner in the May 17 primary election.

While I was the health department director for Lincoln County, I had the good fortune of working closely with Kaety during the Covid pandemic and the Echo Mountain wildfire. In both cases Kaety worked hard to assure that county staff and the citizens in Lincoln County got what they needed to respond to these two horrific events. She would call the governor to help us get the resources we needed, she pitched in at the mass immunization clinics, she set up an office in Lincoln City to have better access to the people affected by the wildfire, wrote grants to restore the water system at Panther Creek, assisted in septic tank replacement and assured that mental health issues were addressed due to the trauma. Kaety has helped to bring in over $18 million in grants to Lincoln County. Kaety gets stuff done.

This is the kind of tried and true leadership we need on the Board of Commissioners. Kaety is familiar with the issues facing our county, she has actually helped bring in money for housing in Lincoln City, added another permit technician for the planning department. And once the judge lifts the stay on the short-term rental proposal passed in November, she will champion the implementation to assure cohesive and prosperous communities.

Kaety understands what the job entails. We are lucky to have a commissioner who is willing to listen, learn and work to improve our community.

Kaety Jacobson has been endorsed by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and the Central Oregon Coast NOW chapter. I am adding my voice to endorse a hardworking commissioner willing to build bridges with local and state partners to help our community thrive.

— Rebecca Austen, Seal Rock