Applications open to fill vacant Clackamas County Commissioner seat after Melissa Fireside’s resignation

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Clackamas Board of County Commissioners has opened the application process for filling a vacant seat following the resignation of former Commissioner Melissa Fireside.

The vacancy is for the County Commissioner, Position 4 seat. The board is now accepting applications from the public starting Wednesday, March 19 through April 9 at 5 p.m.

Those interested can submit their cover letter and resume here.

State law requires a few minimum qualifications to apply, including being a U.S. citizen and being at least 18 years old. Applicants must also be a current Clackamas County resident who has lived in the county for the past year prior to election. They must be registered to vote in Clackamas County, too.

According to the board, their criteria for selecting a candidate include the following:

• Geographic area of residence
• Prior elected experience
• Prior community service
• Plan to run, or not, in the next election for this seat
• Years of community service and why types of community service
• Specific expertise in issue/policy areas

People submitting an application must also answer the following questions in a cover letter:

• Why do you wish to serve as a county commissioner?
• In your opinion, what are the three most pressing issues affecting Clackamas County? What policy interventions would you advocate for to address those issues?
• What attributes uniquely qualify you to be a Clackamas County Commissioner? What expertise, experience and community service will you bring to the Commission?

Finalists for the seat will be interviewed at a public meeting before an official appointment is made, the board said. The role will fill the Clackamas Commissioner, Position 4 seat until December 2026. After that, the position will then be selected via a General Election on Nov. 3, 2026, for a two-year term.

Melissa Fireside resigned from the Clackamas Commissioner, Position 4 seat after she was indicted last month in connection to theft and forgery charges. Fireside is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from an 83-year-old man and forging his signature along with the signature of Oregon State Rep. April Dobson in a promissory note. Fireside faces several charges and is expected to appear in court again on April 28.