Commissioner Bill Hall, Chair

Bill Hall

Bill Hall was elected as a County Commissioner in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. He was born September 27, 1959 in Portland, Oregon and attended public school there, graduating from John Adams High School in 1977. Mr. Hall completed his undergraduate work at Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon, earning a B.A. in Communications in 1981.

From 1981 to 1985, Mr. Hall was on the staff of KBPS, a public radio station owned and operated by the Portland Schools. He produced and anchored public affairs and educational programming. In 1985-86 he was enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, earning a M.S. in Journalism. Mr. Hall moved to Lincoln County at the beginning of 1987. From 1987 to 1990, he was a reporter and editor at the Newport News-Times. From 1990-91, he was news director of KZUS radio, Toledo; from 1991 to 2004, he was news director of the five radio stations owned by Yaquina Bay Communications.

As a commissioner, Mr. Hall represents the county on several local, regional and state organizations. He is vice chair of the Oregon Ending Homelessness Advisory Council, the Department of Human Services’ Local Government Advisory Committee and the Human Services Steering Committee of the Association of Oregon Counties. He is a member of ODOT’s Public Transit Advisory Committee. From 2005 to 2009 he was a member of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Programs. Commissioner Hall is chair of the governing board of the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. He is a member of the Workforce Investment Board for the tri-county region. He is the county commission liaison to the Local Public Safety Coordinating Council, the Lincoln County Commission on Children and Families and the Central Oregon Coast Association.

In 2008, Mr. Hall’s local, state and national leadership on homeless issues was honored with the “Home for Every American Award” presented by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness at a conference in Washington. D.C. He was one of two county officials to receive the award. In 2009, he received the “Award for Excellence” from the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs for his advocacy for mental health, addictions and developmental disabilities programs in the state. Also in 2009, he received the annual Certificate of Appreciation from the Coastal Progressive Group, a member group of the Rural Organizing Project.

In 2006, Mr. Hall graduated from the County College program sponsored by the Oregon Association of Counties and the Oregon State University Extension Service. In 2007, he completed the Ford Family Foundation’s Leadership Program (Waldport-Yachats class).

Mr. Hall has been active in a variety of community affairs. He has served on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, including the Samaritan House homeless shelter, the My Sisters' Place domestic violence shelter, the Lincoln County Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Thugz off Drugz recovery housing, and the Lincoln Community Land Trust. Mr. Hall is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Newport, serving on the Session (board of elders) from 1990-93 and again from 2004 to 2008. He was a member of the Toledo Rotary club from 2005 to 2008.
Mr. Hall, his wife, and their two children (one grown and one still at home) live in Newport.

Updated February 2011