Waldport: The Pressure Campaign to Charge a Beachcomber Days Official with a Crime

by Brian Bahouth

When Waldport city manager Dann Cutter denied a grant and other support to this year’s Beachcomber Days festival, he did so saying he had evidence that an organizer of the event, TiAnne Rios, had attempted to steal a roughly $3,000 grant from the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians meant for a 4-H club she supervised.

In a series of email communications between August 7 and August 14, Cutter vigorously attempted to persuade Lincoln County law enforcement officers and officers of the Tribe to formally file criminal charges against Rios. 

None of the groups decided to press charges, to include the Lincoln County District Attorney. 4-H administrators terminated Rios’ volunteer status for financial mismanagement but did not file a criminal complaint.

Rios returned the $3,181.45 Cutter accused her of stealing to the Tribe on October 10, 2024. 

On August 7, 2025, Dann Cutter sent an email to officers of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, Lisa Norton, chief administrative officer and tribal bookkeeper Jasmine Whitehead.

“So, I’d just like to point out, failing to file charges results in Rios continuing to steal from kids like (redacted) did this winter from the (redacted) where they held a program and then failed to give the donations.”

Cutter closed his email with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” 

Later on August 7, Lisa Norton responded to Cutter’s email.

“Thank you for reaching out. I have included Jasmine Whitehead as she currently provides support for our Charitable Contributions Program. Jasmine can correct me if I speak in error. This matter has been discussed with leadership and the Board of the Program and it has been determined that, since the funds were returned, no further action will be taken at this time,” Norton wrote.

On August 11, Dann Cutter sent another email to Lisa Norton and Jasmine Whitehead.

“We are drafting a press release related to this entire situation and would like to know which group made the call not to charge her?

“We also have an investigative reporter coming down from Portland next week. To whom should I direct them?” Cutter wrote.

On Monday August 11, Dann Cutter sent another email to Lisa Norton and Jasmine Whitehead, and this time he cc’d Kurtis Barker, CEO of the Tribe. 

“The inaction (to file charges against Rios) by the Confederated Tribes has allowed for continued theft and fraud by the individual against children in our city,” wrote Cutter. “I am sorry you feel it is resolved, but as the Tribe sponsored (redacted) took part in our city, and as the failure to act resulted in further victimization, we are speaking with federal authorities and are going to make a much bigger issue of this.

“Your refusal to file charges for attempted theft is absolutely your (their) right. But, failure to prevent theft and money laundering, from an organization that owns a casino, is going to be a news story,” Cutter wrote. “((Redacted) withdrew the grant in cash, and then funneled it into an organization, (redacted), in which is registered to (redacted) control).

“Pressing charges would have been so much easier/quieter,” Cutter continued. “But you have a group down here who is literally trying to return the market (Wednesday Farmers Market) operations to this person by recalling our council – so it is going to be a much bigger story. Your group can still forestall this by filing charges. But otherwise, I have been asked by my councilors to get the whole story out there widely.”

Kurtis Barker responded.

“You can direct any media inquiry to myself. For you to state the Tribe has allowed for continued theft and fraud is presumptive and out of line,” Barker wrote. “Please keep the tribe out of this matter, as we have stated – it’s resolved on our end.”

Kurtis Barker then sent an email to all six Waldport City Council members and Mayor Heide Lambert.

“… I’m not sure if your role (as mayor) has any oversight over the city manager position, but we wanted to forward this communication to leadership within the City of Waldport. We find the accusations below to be highly offensive and out of line. We work hard to foster positive working relationships with all local city governments, the county government, local organizations, and non-profits. We don’t want to see that change with the City of Waldport, but we will no longer communicate with Mr. Cutter on this issue,” Barker wrote. 

“The Tribe and our Charitable Contributions Team has been made whole, and we do not consider ourselves victims,” Barker continued. “For someone else to assert we are a victim and our action or inaction created other victims is absurd. We see no reason to drag this issue out further and would like to be excluded from any attempt to include the media.”

On August 11, Cutter emailed a response.

“I respectfully disagree. I think that you will find that the Boy Scouts and the Catholic Church made the same judgement in error.”

On August 12, Cutter emailed Barker regarding his letter to the mayor and city council.

“… As per your request, this will be the last communication to your office from myself.

“I am sorry you have decided that instead of pressing charges against someone who ‘did’ attempt to steal from you, you have decided instead to besmirch the relationship with the city manager who has treated the tribe with great respect, and not once come to you hat in hand for money like so many others.

“(Redacted) attempted to steal from you. This is entirely documented by (redacted). This is public record. I have the absolute right under the First Amendment to release this information to the general public. As a leader in Waldport I have a civic duty as well.

“Your attempt to silence me is the definition of whistle blower retaliation, with the mayor calling for a hearing. I was willing to negotiate the phrasing used, to respect your Tribe’s position. But now, the mayor’s hearing will require an ‘open or closed’ determination, and I will choose an open hearing resulting in the entire record being talked about publicly. In the press. For that I am sorry.

“I had hoped to convince you the right thing to do was to press charges,” Cutter wrote.

On August 13, Kurtis Barker responded to Cutter’s email with a note addressed to the city council and the mayor.

“Again – I find this communication inappropriate and the accusations against myself and the Tribe are uncalled for,” Barker wrote.

In his August 7 email to Lincoln County law enforcement officers Abigail Dorsey, Richard Ballentine, Adam Shanks, and Karl Vertner, Cutter detailed his evidence against Rios and concluded his email with, “If you decline to investigate, please put it in writing.”

Lincoln County Police Lieutenant Karl Vertner responded to Cutter’s entreaty. 

“… The challenge here is not that LE (law enforcement) is not aware of poor money management or suspicious activity regarding money management. It’s neither of the entities involved are pursuing criminal actions.

“Now I could have this incorrect or be poorly informed however when I first heard of this through other channels, I was told (redacted) was not wanting to be a victim. I cannot speak on behalf of (redacted) or the Tribe. Each of the three entities could have filed a police report with their respective LE agencies. However, if the Tribe was a victim, they would likely come to us unless it’s through their Casino Corporation and then it would go to the Lincoln City Police Department. 

“As DA Wallace mentioned in previous emails, her office generally does not initiate criminal investigations unless special circumstances permit under specified law,” Vertner wrote.

Last Wednesday a Lincoln County circuit court judge issued a restraining order against Dann Cutter that prevents him from being near TiAnne Rios or mentioning her in public or on social media. The judge citied an elder abuse law when issuing the order. 

On August 20, I contacted Dann Cutter by email and asked if he viewed his communications with the Tribe and law enforcement to be threatening.

“While I cannot comment on this specific circumstance, I will state that in general when entities decline to press charges because ’they’ have been made whole, this often leaves other victims or potential future victims vulnerable,” Cutter wrote. “I do not think calling attention to this lack of willingness to up-hold law and order offensive or threatening. If someone is unwilling for their decision to be viewed under public scrutiny, they should reconsider their position. I make no apologies for pushing for openness and accountability. It is literally my job.”

I asked Cutter about his effort to have TiAnne Rio charged with a crime.

“Not speaking to any specific issue, the requirements of my job as the city manager of Waldport specially spell out my responsibility to enforce the laws and ordinances of the city, which includes the Oregon criminal code,” Cutter wrote. “Any actions I have taken have been in that capacity as City Manager. Failure to do so would be failure to perform my job.”

See the emails here and here.