After interviewing four candidates, the Battle Ground City Council unanimously appointed Jeanie Kuypers to Position 4 on Monday, Feb. 3, filling the vacancy left by Adrian Cortes.
Cortes resigned on Jan. 7 after being elected to represent Washington’s 18th Legislative District in the state Senate, which last month began a new legislative session in Olympia.
“I just appreciate their vote of confidence, and I look forward to doing a good job of representing the citizens and looking out for the long-term best interests of the community,” Kuypers told The Reflector.
A Battle Ground resident since 2018, Kuypers brings extensive experience in project management and corporate real estate. She worked for over a decade as a corporate real estate project manager and workplace strategist at Cambia Health Solutions before retiring in 2022. Additionally, she has served on boards and committees in Oregon, including as a local executive team representative for the City of Lewiston and on the Valley Vision Economic Development Board.
Kuypers told The Reflector that her growing interest in city government motivated her to apply for the vacant council seat. With her background in business, she believes she can offer valuable perspectives on city growth and development.
“I had some interest in how cities were run … My first husband and I were business owners, so I (understand) the importance of bringing businesses and being part of a community (that’s) a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Kuypers said.
Kuypers participated in Battle Ground University last year, a city-run program where residents learn about the city’s governmental duties and infrastructure projects. Through the program, she gained insights into the city’s permitting processes for new businesses and developments, a key issue she hopes to address on the council.
“I think that if a community has a reputation of being difficult to get into, difficult to work with, then that’s something that needs to be addressed. And so that would be a priority for me to at least learn about and understand (that) and then make a difference if I can,” Kuypers told the city council.
During her interview with the city council, Kuypers praised the city’s well-managed budget and stated her desire to ensure that the council continues to be the best steward of taxpayer dollars. She emphasized the costs of city-deferred maintenance and unknown changes in the state Legislature would be important to consider for the city’s budget.
Following her appointment, Kuypers also highlighted the potential for Old Town Battle Ground and Battle Ground Village to be key assets for the city. The city is currently planning a revitalization plan for the downtown area.
“The library area, the restaurants, the businesses there, I think, right now they’re too separate,” Kuypers said, referring to Battle Ground Village. “I think it’ll be good to improve their ability to thrive as well as the downtown area.”
Kuypers will serve in Position 4 through Dec. 31, 2025, and plans to run for re-election in November 2025.
