By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews
Virginia “Jenny” Demaris, who had worked as Lincoln County’s emergency manager since 2011, resigned from her position Wednesday, one week after being placed on administrative leave.
County officials would not comment on the reasons for her departure,
The county’s emergency management department operates under the sheriff’s office. In a three-sentence email to affected agencies late Wednesday, Lt. Adam Shanks said Demaris resigned “effective immediately.”
“Over the last 12 years, Jenny has done great work in emergency management for Lincoln County, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors,” the email said.
County officials would not comment last week on why Demaris was placed on administrative leave Sept. 26 and Shanks’ email was the only official word of her resignation.
Most people in the emergency services agencies in the county expressed surprise at the announcement or said they had no idea for the reasons behind it.
Samantha Buckley, an assistant in the county’s emergency management office, was named interim manager last week and Shanks’ email said she would continue in that interim role. On Friday, the county released its agenda for Wednesday, Oct. 11, during which is is scheduled to name Shanks as interim director.
There were two managers and an administrative assistant in the department, which has a yearly budget of $360,000. The department is directly responsible for three volunteer groups and its primary role is to oversee emergency planning, including working with dozens of public, private and volunteer organizations, and other county and state agencies.
Demaris was named emergency manager of the year in 2022 by the Oregon State Sheriff’s Office Association. She joined the sheriff’s office as an emergency management support staff in 2010 and became the department manager the following year.
Aside from her involvement in statewide emergency management groups and committees, she served on the Lincoln County School District board from 2017-2021. Demaris ran for county commissioner in November 2018, narrowly losing to longtime incumbent Doug Hunt.
Ironically, the Oregon Emergency Management Association is holding its annual conference at the Salishan resort in Gleneden Beach this week.
According to the department’s website, the emergency management program is supposed to work to minimize the effects of major emergencies and disasters on the community by assessing hazards and risks, promoting and supporting preparedness activities, developing disaster response and recovery plans, training staff and volunteers and conducting exercises, build partnerships and coordinate plans with public agencies and private organizations, maintain an emergency operations center, and public safety notification and communication systems, and coordinate disaster assistance programs.
Ms. Demaris: I am sorry to learn about your departure. I have been in emergency services for over 50 years, government and private. I have attended several of your presentations and all were well organized and professional. I respected your level of honesty at the appropriate times. Keep up the good work in Emergency Services; you are good at it. Best of luck in the future.