Douglas County, OR. – Official Release: Monday, January 6, 2025, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners hosted a swearing in ceremony at the Douglas County Courthouse for officials who were elected in the May 2024 Primary and the November 2024 General Election. The newly elected officials that took the oath of office on Monday, January 6, 2025, were Douglas County Clerk Daniel Loomis, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin, Douglas County Justice of the Peace – Canyonville Machelle Briggs-Mayfield, Douglas County Justice of the Peace – Reedsport Kathleen Miller and Douglas County District Attorney Rick Wesenberg.
Board Chair Commissioner Chris Boice called the meeting to order and then turned it over to Douglas County Clerk, Daniel J. Loomis as the compere for a brief introduction and the individual oath of office proceedings.
“Public office carries with it a unique set of responsibilities and loyalties. We are accountable to our voters, our staff, the community stakeholders we serve, and the promises we make. Yet, there is a deeper, more enduring loyalty that binds us—our Oath of Office,” stated Daniel J. Loomis. “It is with this Oath that we declare our commitment to public service. It is with this Oath that we lay the foundation for the work ahead. So, my fellow public officials, let us recommit ourselves today, not just in words, but in the deepest meaning of the Oath we take. Our greatest loyalty is not to any one individual or institution, but to the principles that have stood the test of time”.
Douglas County Clerk, Daniel J. Loomis was sworn in by Douglas County Commissioner Tom Kress. He was elected to a third term as the Douglas County Clerk in November 2024, which is a four-year term. Loomis was appointed by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners for his first term as the Douglas County Clerk on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, following the retirement of Douglas County Clerk Patricia Hitt. He was elected in 2020 and now in 2024. Loomis is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer.
Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin was sworn in by Douglas County Clerk, Daniel J. Loomis. He was elected to his fifth term as the Douglas County Sheriff in November 2024, which is a four-year term. Hanlin first filed to run for the office in 2008 and was elected in November 2008. He was elected in 2012, 2016, 2020, and now in 2024. Hanlin was hired by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in 1989. During his tenure, he served as a patrol deputy in the South County and Roseburg Patrol Offices, as a Street Crimes Unit Investigator, and as a Narcotics Detective. Hanlin was also an active member of the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Team (TRT) for more than 12 years. In April of 2001, he was assigned to the position of Commander of the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT). In August of 2005, Hanlin was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to Command the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Division.
Douglas County Justice of the Peace – Canyonville Machelle Briggs – Mayfield was sworn in by Douglas County Clerk, Daniel J. Loomis. She was elected to her third term as the Justice of the Peace for the South Douglas Justice Court in Canyonville in May 2024, which is a six-year term. Judge Briggs-Mayfield was appointed by Governor Brown for her first term as Justice of the Peace in November 2016, following the retirement of Douglas County Justice of the Peace Carol Roberts. She was elected in 2018 and now in 2024.
Douglas County Justice of the Peace – Reedsport Kathleen Miller was sworn in by Douglas County Clerk, Daniel J. Loomis. She was elected to her third term as the Justice of the Peace for the Reedsport Justice Court in Reedsport in May 2024, which is a six-year term. Judge Miller was appointed Pro-Tem by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners in 2018. She was elected in 2018 and now in 2024.
Douglas County District Attorney, Richard Wesenberg was sworn in by the Honorable Machelle Briggs-Mayfield, Presiding Judge for the Douglas County South Douglas Justice Court. He was elected to his sixth term as the Douglas County District Attorney in May 2024, which is a four-year term. Wesenberg was appointed by the state for his first term as the Douglas County District Attorney in July 2008, upon the retirement of Douglas County District Attorney Jack Banta. He then filed to run for the office in 2008 and was elected in November 2008. Wesenberg was elected in 2012, 2016, 2020 and now in 2024. Wesenberg started his career as a Deputy District Attorney in the Douglas County DA’s office in 1992.
“I want to say to the people of Douglas County that serving as your DA has been the greatest and highest honor of my life. This elected position in particular requires that you work with numerous community partners such as the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office. It would be hard to thank all of the partners, so thank you to all of them. It is an honor to work with each of you. In particular, it is an honor to work with Commissioner Tom Kress, Commissioner Chris Boice and Commissioner Tim Freeman. Without their (Commissioners) unwavering support, the work we do in our office would be not be possible,” commented District Attorney Rick Wesenberg.
Following the ceremonies the Commissioners each provided statements on the proceedings and then Commissioner Boice adjourned the meeting.
“Congratulations to all of you who were re-elected. We are very, very grateful to have you back,” remarked Commissioner Boice.
“I’ve been a part of swearing in ceremonies for over 20 years now at different levels of government and I can’t remember a time where it was more difficult to be an elected official than right now. I am always so incredibly encouraged by those of you that will step up, run for office and serve the public. Again, it is a very difficult time to be an elected official, but we are so fortunate here in Douglas County that you all that got sworn in today have stepped up to do this work and we are all better because of it! Thank you very much for your commitment to serve this community,” noted Commissioner Freeman.
“What happened here today is going on throughout Oregon and several other counties, and it is going on throughout every other state in the Union. It is a process that we are very, very fortunate to have and like Commissioner Freeman said, to have people step up and do this, say that oath and put themselves out there is remarkable. We are very fortunate to live in the United States of America,” stated Commissioner Kress.
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