The Community Listening Session
Critics say working people were shut out of the process. That the committee met during the day and did not care who missed it. The record from October 16 says otherwise. The committee held an evening session specifically because residents asked for one. Thirteen people showed up and spoke. Both sides were heard.
What Was at Stake
The District Mapping Advisory Committee was deep into its work. Two maps were on the table. Supporters of districts wanted the committee to keep going. Opponents wanted the whole process stopped.
Under the current at-large system, Bend holds roughly half the county’s population. That means Bend voters can decide every commissioner seat. Districts would change that — giving Sisters, Redmond, La Pine, and south county each a voice of their own.
But plenty of residents did not want districts at all. Some wanted at-large seats with ranked-choice voting instead. Others wanted the committee to pause until a five-member board was seated. The question was whether these voices would be heard. The committee made sure they were — by holding a session at 5:30 p.m. so people who work during the day could attend.
Who Spoke
The session allocated 105 minutes for public comments. Each speaker was allowed up to three minutes. Neil Bryant, the committee’s facilitator and chair, opened the evening. Before the public spoke, each committee member gave a brief biography. The audience heard from a former state senator, a former county commissioner, the Mayor of Bend, the co-chair of the Oregon Independent Party, an Air Force veteran, a volunteer firefighter, and an engineer who founded a regional firm. The breadth of experience on the committee was on full display.
Committee member Carol Loesche was absent for a previously planned family birthday. Bryant noted she would listen to the recording and review written testimony.
Then thirteen residents took the microphone.
What Happened
The speakers were split. Some supported districts and offered specific map preferences. Others wanted the entire process stopped or replaced with a different system.
Jared Black from Bend commended the committee for selecting two maps under challenging direction. He preferred Map B. He supported using voter registration data over the 2020 Census counts, which he said were flawed due to COVID-era collection. He added from experience that citizen committees work best without elected officials as members.
Greg Bryant from Bend had submitted a map the committee designated PS3. He noted that data associated with his map at the October 15 meeting was incorrect and that staff had been informed.
Eliza Davis from Tumalo, a farmer in an unincorporated area, supported creating districts so rural issues would be represented. She preferred Map B, explaining it better aligned with communities of common interest in her area.
John Blackfort from an unincorporated area criticized the 4-3 vote to use voter registration as the primary dataset. He noted that no other Oregon county does it that way. He said every person matters, not just voters, and he favored at-large elections.
Lynn Connelley from Southeast Bend objected to proceeding at all. She argued that voters approved expanding to five commissioners but did not necessarily endorse districting. She attributed the initiation of the process to a May 5, 2025 Board majority and urged pausing so a new five-member board could consider the maps.
Chris Piper from Bend reported back from a neighborhood discussion on the topic. His three points: balance one-person-one-vote with avoiding concentrated voting power in the largest city; be transparent about supplementary data; and fully document how criteria were applied.
Casey Roscoe from Tumalo described becoming engaged through the mule deer overlay proposal, citing rules she viewed as impractical for rural life. She said her community did not feel represented. Looking at the maps, she indicated the first option would not leave Tumalo feeling represented and said “the second one’s better.” She suggested the committee visit communities like Tumalo before finalizing lines.
Gwen Baker-Yuill from Bend asked for a pause so all five commissioners could participate once seated.
Kerie Raymond from Bend said she had supported expanding the commission but had not anticipated districting. She favored at-large elections and, citing experience with ranked-choice voting in Australia, questioned running for fixed positions rather than selecting the best five candidates.
Tony Oliver from Redmond preferred Map A, saying it would serve rural areas well from her perspective living between Sisters and Redmond.
Keith Rockow from Redmond supported using current precinct lines. He emphasized that neighborhood access to a commissioner would matter as growth adds strain.
Lee Lucas from rural Deschutes County recommended proceeding without pausing, using voter data, and creating five districts. He reported compiling precinct data into a spreadsheet and observing anomalies he attributed to old census data and precinct growth.
Lena Berry from Redmond thanked the committee for offering an evening and virtual option. She advocated at-large elections with ranked-choice voting and said she looks forward to voting down the district map.
What This Means
Thirteen speakers in 105 minutes. Supporters cited rural representation, neighborhood access, and community alignment. Opponents wanted at-large seats, ranked-choice voting, or a pause for incoming commissioners. Several engaged with specific maps and data. Every word went into the public record.
This session existed because working residents asked for it. The committee listened to that request and scheduled an evening meeting. Then it listened again when thirteen people showed up to speak — including people who opposed the very process the committee was conducting.
That is not a committee that shut people out. That is a committee that opened the door wider when people said it was not wide enough. Under at-large voting, Bend picks all five commissioners. Under districts, every part of the county gets a voice. The committee made sure every part of the county could be heard.