Citizens Advisory Board

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Citizens’ Advisory Board is to work collaboratively, through discussion and reflection, to better the law enforcement/community relationship between the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) and the Yamhill County community. The Board is dedicated to the respectful exchange of information, concerns, and ideas relative to law enforcement services provided by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.
 
Advisory Board members assist the YCSO through the promotion of community education and cooperation. They are responsible for staying informed of current events in their community and serving as advocates for their community and the Office.
 
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE
The primary objective of the Citizens’ Advisory Board is to provide a dedicated avenue for dialogue, idea-sharing, and collaboration on issues affecting Yamhill County. The Board also serves to foster understanding and cooperation between citizens and law enforcement through acquainting citizens with the operation of the YCSO and its varied activities, with the intention of creating public interest and involvement in crime prevention and community relations.
 
The scope of the Board is to review projects and programs offered by the YCSO, or under consideration to be offered, and to advise and recommend to the Sheriff or his designee possible areas of concern and interest of the community. The Board serves in strictly an advisory capacity and has no investigatory authority and will not consider or determine disciplinary actions for staff.
 
APPOINTMENT
The members shall be appointed by the Sheriff based on submissions of interest and after completion of a background check.

Members must have successfully completed an YCSO Citizens’ Academy within two years prior to appointment.
 
TERM
Members of the Board shall be appointed for terms of two years or until his or her successor is duly appointed and qualified. The terms shall be staggered so that one-half of the terms of the appointive members end each year. The expiration date of all terms shall be June 30.
 
COMPOSITION
The Board consists of six to eight members who shall serve without compensation. All members shall be Yamhill County residents, owners of real property in Yamhill County, or owners of businesses located / headquartered in Yamhill County. In making appointments to the Board, the Sheriff shall consider the social, racial, ethnic, and economic composition of the County. At least three members of the Board shall be comprised of individuals who reside in each major section of the County (i.e., North end, Central, and West end.) At least one member of the Board shall be a resident or business owner of a city who contracts with the YCSO for police services at the time of appointment.
 
The Sheriff or designee serves as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board. The Sheriff shall appoint one of the members of the Board as Chair annually and the Board shall nominate and elect one of its members to act as Vice Chair through a simple majority vote of members present at the first meeting held on or after July 1 each year.

2019-2020 BOARD MEMBERS

John Ashton, McMinnville, 2018-2020
Sabrina Bonzi, Newberg, 2019-2020
Mike Griffith, Sheridan, 2018-2020
Chuck Hillestad, McMinnville, 2019-2021
Matt Newton, Amity, 2019-2021
Les Peterson, Newberg, 2019-2021
Patricia Rojas, Dayton, 2019-2021
Jim Smith, McMinnville, 2018-2020
Ted Urton, Dundee, 2018-2020
 
MEETINGS
The Board shall meet at least quarterly, or at any time the Sheriff, Chair, or any four members of the Board deem it necessary. A quorum of the Board shall be made up of at least one half of appointed members.

Interested in serving on the Advisory Board? Please contact us via email at [email protected].