JOURNALIST • LINCOLN CITY

JUSTIN WERNER

I’m not running for mayor.

Lincoln City is better served by me covering City Hall than sitting in it.

READ THE BEACON
FOR NOW, IT’S THE BOILER BAY BEACON
A STATEMENT

I chose not to run. I’m a journalist.

You don’t cover City Hall by becoming it. The people who live here are better served by an independent newsroom than by another name on the ballot.

Independence first: A reporter who holds office can’t honestly cover the government he belongs to. That’s a conflict, not a technicality.
Watchdog over the dais: Lincoln City needs someone in the room asking questions, following the money, and writing it down. That’s the job.
SPJ ethics: Seek truth. Act independently. Minimize harm. Those rules don’t leave room to campaign for the office I’m supposed to cover.
Next time is still open: I may run in a future cycle. This time, I stay in the newsroom.
Read the SPJ Code of Ethics we follow at the Boiler Bay Beacon

My loyalty is to the residents of Lincoln City. Not to any political party. Not to City Hall.

Justin Werner
YOUR NEIGHBOR. YOUR REPORTER.

I’ll keep putting the people who live here first — from the press table, not the mayor’s chair.

I’m a husband and father of three raising my family right here in Lincoln City. I’ve been a registered Independent for years and now identify as a Non-Affiliated Voter because good reporting doesn’t come from party labels. It comes from listening to the people who actually live here.

I built WernerHost serving local businesses. I founded the Boiler Bay Beacon to give our community honest reporting. I’m also building Werner Prints, our family 3D printing business, with my kids.

I thought hard about running for mayor. I still care about housing, small business, accountability, and a city that works for year-round residents. But I’m a journalist. The right thing is to cover Lincoln City government, not be it. For now, it’s the Beacon.

WHAT I’LL KEEP WATCHING

Covering Lincoln City Government

The same issues that made me consider a run are the ones I’ll keep reporting. Housing. Money. Small business. Safety. Whether City Hall actually delivers.

Housing That Works for Local Families

  • Short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods, and whether the rules are actually enforced
  • Workforce housing, ADUs, and the supply of homes local workers can afford
  • How tourism and year-round housing collide — and who gets squeezed

Real Accountability and Open Government

  • Where tax dollars go, and whether projects actually get done
  • Meetings, contracts, and the people with access to City Hall
  • Honest reporting on whether the city is delivering for residents

Small Businesses That Keep This Town Alive

  • Permitting, red tape, and whether new shops can actually open
  • Family-owned and home-based businesses trying to make a year-round living
  • The gap between tourist-season headlines and the economy locals live in

Public Safety and Neighborhood Life

Police, fire, and medical first responders are the backbone of our safety. I’ll keep covering the work — and the gaps.

  • Resources, staffing, and what first responders actually need
  • Coastal emergencies and whether communications hold up
  • Streets, parks, and neighborhoods that families use every day

How City Hall Actually Works

  • Council meetings, votes, and the decisions that don’t make a press release
  • Broadband, city systems, and whether services work for regular people
  • Public records, open meetings, and the public’s right to know

Got a story? Tell me.

If something at City Hall, in your neighborhood, or at a local business needs sunlight, send it. I read every message.

Justin Werner listening to residents in Lincoln City

Justin listens to neighbors, families, and local business owners across Lincoln City (Photo by Justin Werner)

DOWN THE ROAD

I might run next time.

This isn’t a forever no. It’s a now no. Journalism and holding the office you’re supposed to cover don’t mix. If that changes later, you’ll hear it from me first. Until then, the work is the paper.

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Thank you for helping get the word out.

Lincoln City deserves a newsroom that shows up.

Send a tip. Share this. Read the Beacon. That’s the work.

READ THE BOILER BAY BEACON