Ceniga, Buch Selected to Lead Lane County Board

The Lane County Board of Commissioners named new leadership for 2026 at its first regular meeting of the year, selecting Commissioner Ryan Ceniga as chair and Commissioner Heather Buch as vice chair.

Ceniga, who is from Veneta, represents District 1, which covers the West Lane area. He will serve as board chair for the year, guiding meetings and helping set the board’s agenda as the county addresses ongoing challenges ranging from budget constraints to service delivery across both urban and rural communities.

Buch, who lives in Spencer Creek, an unincorporated area of Lane County, represents District 5, which includes East Lane and the McKenzie Valley. Her appointment as vice chair places an East Lane commissioner in a key leadership role at a time when rural areas continue to face issues such as wildfire recovery, transportation needs, housing availability and access to public services.

“I want to thank my fellow commissioners for entrusting me as chair for 2026,” Ceniga said. He said he intends to run efficient meetings while respecting differing viewpoints among commissioners. “We will not always agree and vote the same way, and that’s okay,” he said. Ceniga also thanked Commissioner David Loveall for his service as board chair in 2025.

Buch said she is honored to serve in the leadership role and pointed to the difficult year ahead. “We have significant challenges ahead of us as we navigate a need for more services during a time of shrinking resources,” she said. “We also have a great deal of opportunity to work together to overcome those challenges and come out stronger.”

Under county rules, the chair and vice chair preside over board meetings and help shape agendas, influencing county decisions that affect communities throughout Lane County, including East Lane and the McKenzie Valley.

During the meeting, commissioners also recognized Loveall, who represents District 2, for his leadership as board chair in 2025.