By Alex Paul
Linn County Communications
Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker commemorated the five-year anniversary of the death of former commissioner John Lindsey at their March 10 board meeting.
Lindsey was 54 when he died on March 9, 2021.
He had served as a Linn County Commissioner for 22 years and had been one of the younger commissioners in Oregon when he was first elected to office in 1998.
Board Chairman Nyquist said that in recent weeks he has been reflecting on Lindsey’s passing and what he did for the citizens of Linn County, including being an advocate for development of an aquatic district in Lebanon.
In 2021, Nyquist said that Lindsey was passionate about his beliefs “and at times the passion was through the roof, but in the end, it always worked out.”
He praised Lindsey as someone who didn’t hold grudges and had a great sense of humor.
All three commissioners agreed that Lindsey was committed to serving Linn County residents.
Tucker said he and Lindsey both served in the Navy, adding that Lindsey was a “strong advocate for the timber industry and especially advocated for Secure Rural Schools funding.”
Although they occasionally disagreed on issues, Tucker said there was usually a piece of logic in what Lindsey had to say.
“You always knew where you stood with John,” Tucker said. “And if you disagreed with him, he never held it against you the next day.”
Sprenger said she only got to serve with Lindsey for two months before his passing, but he had sent her numerous emails during her 13 years as a state representative.
“I would get interesting emails from him, but they were always for issues that were near and dear to the hearts of the people who live in Linn County,” Sprenger said.
She called Lindsey a “world-class thinker and leader.”
In 2021, County Clerk Steve Druckenmiller said that he and Lindsey were close friends for many years.
“John was a warrior. You always knew where you stood with John because he would tell you,” Druckenmiller said. “He dearly loved Linn County and our country. If you had John as a friend, it’s as good as you could get in life, because he always had your back. He was an honest and decent guy.”
In July 2021, a redwood tree was planted in Lindsey’s honor on the north side of the courthouse lawn. Commissioner Tucker said he can see the tree from his office window, the same office that had been used for many years by Lindsey.
Lindsey was a Lebanon High School graduate and served in the U.S. Navy during Operation Desert Storm. He was a staunch advocate for veterans and was a strong supporter of the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home in Lebanon.
He worked in the field of refrigeration before becoming a county commissioner.
Lindsey enjoyed spending time with his family and playing the guitar.
In other business, the commissioners:
- Received an update from Troy Jones about the Friends of Gap Road and that group’s efforts to stop the potential construction of a large solar energy park on farmland near Harrisburg.
- Approved a new Radio Systems Manager position within the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
- Approved the sale of a small piece of property near Old Salem Road to the Albany First Evangelical Church of North America with a bid of $285.
- Were informed by Planning & Building Director Steve Wills that there were 65 land use permits issued in February, compared to 45 in February 2025. There were 250 total building permits issued in February, compared to 234 a year ago. There were 22 new code enforcement cases, compared to nine a year ago and 10 cases were closed, compared to 18 a year ago.