Junction City's City Hall seen on Aug. 20, 2026. The city council chose Ben West as their new administrator.
Rebecca Hansen-White / KLCC
Junction City leaders have chosen a current Clackamas County Commissioner as their next city administrator.
The Junction City Council voted unanimously to choose Ben West on Tuesday, pending a background check. West has been a Clackamas County Commissioner since 2023, but lost his bid for reelection in May. He previously served as a Wilsonville City Councilor. He is also a nurse and lieutenant in the Navy Reserves.
In a news release, Junction City Mayor Ken Wells praised West.
“Benjamin West’s ability to establish strong relationships with state and federal political leaders and agencies and his ease in working with members of the community will be a great strength to the City of Junction City,” Wells said. “His focus in tackling large projects will be an asset as Junction City works toward addressing wastewater issues and tackling issues relating to the revitalization of the downtown area.”
West is under investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for allegedly helping his father get a temporary county maintenance job. West’s attorney told the ethics commission last week that hiring decisions are made by the county administrator, not commissioners.
Junction’s City’s previous administrator left in February after 11 years with the city. Spencer Nebel, who retired as the City of Newport’s administrator in 2024, was contracted to lead day-to- day operations until the city council could find a replacement.
Nebel told KLCC that West had accepted the job and councilors will meet next week to review final background information.
He said Wells and City Council President Karen Leach have been authorized to negotiate a job offer with West. Once the vetting process is complete, an employment agreement will likely be finalized in the next few weeks.
The position’s posted salary is between $145,000 to $165,000. Nebel said city leaders have discussed potentially hiring West on a part-time basis initially to allow him to complete his term as a Clackamas County Commissioner in December.
West was chosen from 25 applicants. The other two finalists introduced to the community were Joe Samaniego, the city manager of Tangent; and Cheryl Stone, who served as a fiscal services director for La Paz County in Arizona and worked as a court administrator in Eugene.
Rebecca Hansen-White is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
