Newberg-Dundee May 20 Special Election Ballots Mailed

YAMHILL COUNTY, Ore. — On April 30, the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office mailed ballots to county residents for the upcoming May 20 special election. Locally, voters will select one Newberg School District director, three Chehalem Parks and Recreation District board members, and three Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue directors.

Completed ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on May 20 if returned by mail. Voters can also drop completed ballots at official drop boxes located throughout Yamhill County. The ballot is two-sided—voters are urged to review both sides of the ballot before signing and submitting their ballots.

Find more information about each candidate by clicking on their hyperlinked name, which will direct you to the candidate’s website.

Newberg School District 29J Director

Four-Year Term

Three zones are on the ballot for the Newberg School District 29J, with only Zone 1 contested. David Russ and incumbent Andy Byerley are competing for Zone 1, while Celeste Jones (Zone 4) and Aubrey Nichols (Zone 5) are running unopposed.

Although board members represent specific geographic zones, all registered voters in the Newberg-Dundee School District vote at large, meaning every voter can vote in all board races.

Byerley, appointed to the seat after the resignation of Trevor DeHart in February, is currently a mathematics assessment specialist for the Oregon Department of Education. He began his education career in 2007 and has nearly 20 years of experience in public education, according to candidate filing forms.

Russ, who served as a Dundee city councilor in 2013 and as mayor from 2014 to 2024, has a background in accounting and consulting. He currently serves as the chief financial officer of Carolina Corporation and works as a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker Professional Group, according to candidate filings.

Chehalem Park & Recreation District Director, At-Large

Four-Year Term

Three seats are open on the Chehalem Parks & Recreation District Board of Directors. Incumbents Gayle Bizeau and Lisa Rogers are not seeking reelection, while Jim McMaster is running for another term.

CPRD directors are elected at large, meaning all registered voters within the district may vote for any open board seat. The three candidates receiving the most votes will be elected.

Five candidates are seeking election:

• Rob Smith is the owner and brewer at Chehalem Valley Brewing Co. in Newberg. He is a retired corporate operations and finance executive and has coached youth sports for more than 20 years.
• Brandon Slyter is the founder of Connect: JPN, a nonprofit that “unites communities in Japan by addressing unique local needs through faith-based initiatives,” according to its LinkedIn profile. He has served on the CPRD budget committee.
• Ty Darby is a division chief and fire marshal for the McMinnville Fire District. He has served on the Oregon governor’s wildfire policy council, the Rural Structure Fire Protection Review Task Force, and the Oregon Fire Protection District.
• Jim McMaster is a current CPRD board member, elected in 2021. He previously served as CPRD’s aquatic and park supervisor, project manager, and as Newberg High School’s water polo coach.
• Nick Konen is the director of operations and business development at Forest Hills Farms Inc. in Cornelius. He serves on CPRD’s pickleball advisory committee, is vice president of the Newberg Pickleball Club, and has coached youth sports.

Elected directors will guide CPRD operations and active projects over the next four years, including developments at Saunders Park in Dundee, Jaquith Park pickleball courts, Renee Field resurfacing, and the Newberg-Dundee bypass trail.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Director

Four-Year Term

According to the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue website, the governing board comprises five elected members responsible for the fire district’s overall budgetary and policy direction. The board sets policy, hires the fire chief, and appoints members to committees and commissions, including the Budget Committee and Civil Service Commission.

Incumbents Bob Wyffels and Clark Balfour are running unopposed for positions 1 and 2, respectively. Roy R. Rogers is challenging incumbent Gordon Hovies for Position 3.

Rogers, a former Tualatin mayor and Washington County commissioner, is the managing partner of Pauly Rogers & Co., certified public accountants.

Hovies, the incumbent, is a retired lieutenant and EMT with Portland Fire & Rescue. He has served on the TVF&R board since 2009.

Dundee Rural Fire Protection District

According to its website, the Dundee Rural Fire Protection District is a unit of local government managed by a five-member elected board. The district contracts with the city of Dundee for fire protection services, which are funded through property taxes assessed by Yamhill County.

Don Carpenter and Dan Bechtold are running unopposed for positions 2 and 3, respectively.

Portland Community College Director, Zone 6

Four-Year Term | Uncontested

According to Portland Community College, its board consists of seven members elected by zone to four-year terms. The board governs the college, selects the president, approves staffing and budget decisions, and establishes operational policies.

Greg McKelvey, appointed to represent Zone 6 in 2023, is a longtime music educator with over 40 years of experience in public schools and at PCC. His bands at Wilson High School earned more than 150 trophies, and he co-founded the Cultural Recreation Band, which supported young musicians including Grammy winner and PCC alumna Esperanza Spalding. McKelvey currently directs bands at Battle Ground High School in Washington and has received multiple awards for his work in music education.Disclosure: The author has a personal friendship with Nick Konen, one of the candidates in the contested CPRD board race.