North Clark County has more than a dozen contested races for city council, school board and fire commissioner seats in this month’s general election. The Reflector reached out to candidates ahead of the vote to get their thoughts on the challenges of their respective jurisdictions.
In some cases only one candidate responded to the request for answers. For one competitive race, Ridgefield City Council, neither incumbent Lee Wells nor Mark Tyler, submitted responses. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.
Because of space limitations, not all answers were included. To see all the candidates’ responses for all races in their entirety, go to thereflector.com.
Battle Ground City Council Position 2
Shane Bowman, incumbent
Current employment: Small-business owner
Moved into city: 2003
Reason for running:
I am running to retain the seat I currently hold. I feel we need someone who has some historical perspective as we continue to grow. I also would like to continue to help bring money back to our city from the state and federal level to help keep taxes low and invest in infrastructure.
Biggest issues: Public safety, growth and infrastructure are the biggest issues. We need to continue to make public safety our No. 1 priority. A safe community is vital as we continue to grow. Growth and managing how and where is also essential. We need to make sure we are looking to add lands for jobs in our future comprehensive plan update. Housing is also important as we have people wanting to move to our community to live, including our own children. If we want affordable housing, we need to continue to look at ways to increase options for those moving here and make more housing available. Growth also means we need to invest in infrastructure, such as sewer, water, and roads. These will be big investments that we are already planning and saving for.
Skills for the role: I bring 12 years elected experience. I have served as Battle Ground’s mayor, deputy mayor and council member for those years. My job from day one was to develop relationships at the state and federal levels and lobby on behalf of our citizens. We have been successful bringing over $25 million back to the city of Battle Ground for important projects such as roads and public safety. Having been a small-business owner I also understand budgets and how to read and understand them. This is our No. 1 responsibility as a council member. Too many candidates make statements and promises of things [that] they will do that have nothing to do with the city or our responsibilities. I have always tried to understand my role and get as much training as possible. I have an advanced certificate of municipal leadership from the Association of Washington Cities, which means I have spent my own time getting educated on the roles of a council member.
The city is considering the placement of traffic cameras and license-plate readers to handle issues of speeding and out-of-state plates. Is this something you support? At this time, I do not support them. We wanted to see what options were available, and that was one other cities had used.
This year, the City Council has approved one apartment complex and denied another for developers who asked for a property tax exemption if a portion of the development featured affordable housing. Do you feel the exemption is something the city should use to spur development? At the current time I am not in support of it because it allows us to forego the taxes of a fire district without their say. Their only revenue is property tax, and by forgiveness of that, it puts more burden on all the other taxpayers. I feel we need to wait until the state has finished getting everything together before we look at doing any more. There is a lot of missing information from all sides that needs to be vested first.
In order to repair the city’s road system, Battle Ground may need to raise revenues somehow, including tax increases. Do you believe such increases are necessary for such work, and if not, where would you derive revenue to fund road projects? We have spent over $1 million last year on road repairs. We allocated $2 million next year and will need to do the same for the next 10 years, minimum, to repair and bring our roads up to a standard that we can live with. Paying for roads is never popular, but at the end of the day it is never going to be less expensive than today. We have a transportation benefit district sales tax right now that generates roughly $800,000 per year, but to reach the $2 million needed, something will need to be done. One possibility is to increase the transportation benefit district sales tax by a vote of the people to continue to invest in roads.
— Candidate Josh VanGelder did not respond to The Reflector’s questionnaire
Battle Ground City Council Position 3
Victoria Ferrer
Employment: Has worked at the post office and Battle Ground Public Schools
Moved to the city: 2004
Reason for running: I am a concerned citizen who saw the fast growth and lack of infrastructure to support that growth, so I decided to do something about it.
Biggest issues: Growth and the lack of infrastructure and schools to support that growth; city spending and taxes; and affordable housing are the biggest issues.
I would slow down the growth until we are able to meet the demands of the populace, then work with developers, my fellow City Council members, the city manager and staff to develop plans for the needed infrastructure. I went to college for accounting because I love numbers and finding out where the money is coming and going, with the task of determining where we can save and where we are wasting. I look forward to doing this while on the City Council. When the leadership of our city entertains an increase in our taxes, I will stress how much this is going to impact our hard-working taxpayers, our single-family households, those who are on fixed incomes and our households with disabilities. I will always look for other solutions other than raising your taxes! I believe we can provide affordable housing for our current residents by collaborating with developers and local government. Local government has the authority to review and revise zoning, which could potentially help with affordable housing. We could create policies that help ensure affordable housing. There are so many avenues to look at to help our citizens on this issue of affordable housing, and I look forward to helping those in need.
Skills for the role: My boldness and desire to stand up for what is right while being respectful to others. I believe we all have something to bring to the table, and I will always listen to what others have to say. I know I do not know it all, and therefore I will be leaning on others who possess other areas of expertise.
Installing traffic cameras at intersections: It would depend on the cost and the location of the traffic cameras. I would like to ensure that the locations have a higher rate of collisions, racing in neighborhoods and areas like the corner of Parkway and Main by Battle Ground High School where near pedestrian hits have occurred.
Possible multifamily development tax exemption: We have many citizens in Battle Ground that worked to make this town what it is today. These are the people I look to first when I think of affordable housing. Some of these citizens are now on a fixed income and are worried about losing their homes. Many sold their property and have bought their new home but are concerned with the rise in water, utility and property taxes. I believe we can provide affordable housing for our current residence by collaborating with developers and local government. Local government has the authority to review and revise zoning, which could potentially help with affordable housing. We could create policies that help ensure affordable housing. There are so many avenues to look at to help our citizens on this issue, and I look forward to helping those in need.
Options for fixing the road system: I am not in favor of increasing taxes. I believe that if developers want to develop here in Battle Ground so badly, then they should help us with the road repair. We also have the option of state and federal funding — even though that comes with its own set of problems. We could also start hosting more events here in Battle Ground. Our biggest event is Harvest Days, but I believe we could host another one in October and in the spring, which would bring in people for miles. These events could be a great way to bring in more revenue to our local businesses and to our city!
Daniel Dingman, incumbent
Current employment: Retired, more than 30 years in the paper industry
Moved to city: 2000
Reason for running: My recent retirement has given me the time and desire to serve our city. I began attending the City Council meetings in January in order to investigate what exactly the council was doing. The more I attended and learned, the more I wanted to be part of the city. I subsequently was appointed to the Planning Commission and then to the City Council.
Biggest issues: Growth is by far the most pressing issue I believe facing us today. With the growth management plan being due in the next few years, we, along with the county, need to figure out where Battle Ground fits into that plan. I do miss the Battle Ground I moved into in 2000, but I do understand that growth is inevitable. It is the way it is handled that matters. I will do that by respecting that small-town feel that is so important to a great deal of our neighbors while trying to strike that balance of growth that complements who we are and what we want to be. I also feel that diversity and equality are essential in Battle Ground (as with any civil government). I am ready and willing to listen to and work with citizens of all ages, races, religion and sexual orientation. All people have value and all our citizens contribute to making Battle Ground the city we want to live in.
Skills for the role: I’ve lived in Battle Ground significantly longer than my opponent and have seen many changes in my time here. While I’ve not previously served in an elected position, my education and experience in the paper industry has given me a wealth of skills that will serve our city well. As previously stated, I’ve attended in person every City Council meeting since January. I was ultimately appointed as city councilor on June 15. I made a point to meet personally with each councilor in order to begin building the relationships needed to build consensus and make the right decisions for our city. In contrast, my opponent Ms. Ferrer has attended only one City Council meeting in this time frame. It was the special meeting where we were both granted interviews for the city councilor position. She was a “no show” for her interview and has not come to any subsequent meetings. She also refused to participate in the League of Women Voters of Clark County forums. The bottom line is I show up, my opponent does not.
Installing traffic cameras: I support both traffic cameras and license-plate readers. Every time I drive in one of our school zones I see other drivers obviously exceeding the 20 mph speed limit. While our police department is currently having our school resource officers enforce school zone speed limits, this is not their primary duty. We are adding two new traffic enforcement officers, but they will both be working the 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, giving no coverage for school zones in the morning. I support using the traffic cameras to enforce school zone speed limits. I also support using them for red light enforcement. I regularly see vehicles speeding in school zones and running red lights at the intersections along Main Street. Having software in place to read license plates also gives us the ability to monitor traffic in Amber Alert situations, potentially identifying the vehicle involved in the alert. It may also give us the tools to better enforce vehicle registration requirements.
Multifamily construction tax exemption: In principle, the multi-family tax exemption (MFTE) for affordable housing is something I support. The city would benefit from other tax sources related to the new construction, which will help offset the lost revenue. However, Fire District 3 has only property tax as its source of funding. The City Council approved the Deacon Development, next to Best Western, before all the impacts of the MFTE were fully understood. We had already entered into a binding development agreement with Deacon, so the council reluctantly decided to approve the development under the MFTE. Subsequently, the council voted against approving the MFTE for the new apartment developments proposed near Walmart. If the state were to amend the MFTE to allow for an alternate source of funding for Fire District 3 in these situations, then I would support using the MFTE, not necessarily to “spur development,” but to ensure that we are doing all we can to provide truly affordable housing in our new developments.
Increasing city revenue for roads:
The council recently completed a series of study sessions open to the public to develop our draft budget for 2024. The decision was made to increase spending for road maintenance from $1.3 million to $2 million per year, with the intention to maintain this spending level for the next five years. These additional funds are coming from a budget surplus and will not require any tax increases. While this increase will not fix all of our roads in the next five years, it will definitely have a significant and noticeable impact on our roads. It will fix the worst roads and speed up the repair of those in marginal condition.
Battle Ground City Council Position 7
Eric Overholser
Current employment: Owner, Patriot Pest Management
Moved to city: 2017
Reason for running: I love the town of Battle Ground and its citizens. I’ve gained a unique perspective, as both a resident and small-business owner, and I’ve learned a lot by attending City Council meetings and paying attention to the issues that affect the citizenry here. I feel that I could be a great asset to the council and to the people of our town.
Biggest issues: I believe that public safety, responsible growth and safe travel are just a few of the important issues that challenge our city. To address these, I would like to work with police and fire to assure they’re fully funded and have all the resources they need to keep our citizens, businesses and visitors safe.
Skills for the role: As a resident, small-business owner operating out of Battle Ground and a precinct committee officer, I have the skills and knowledge it takes, as well as the commitment to do the work, to maintain our small-town values while recognizing the inevitability of growth in the city. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, and I’m not afraid to represent the core values of the town. I have gone to City Council meetings, asked questions, researched and done everything I can to educate myself. Now I want to use that education to serve my community.
Traffic cameras: I do not support traffic cameras and license-plate readers. I believe the cost for these resources at this point in time is too high and the benefits too low. The money that would be spent there could be better used to staff additional police or allow the funding of traffic operations, such as the use of the Target Zero traffic team for DUI and speed monitoring.
Multifamily construction tax exemption: As it currently is written, no. The multi-family tax exemption is on the table to exempt property taxes paid by developers for eight years. This has been found to negatively impact revenue for the fire district, library, and cemeteries, all of which would be impacted by additional people, without the funds to help support that influx. I do believe that there could be some changes made to the program at the Legislature level to allow some of that critical funding to those much-needed services and help to lower housing costs. I also believe that we could do more to streamline the permitting and inspection process to help with building costs, which would in turn help lower housing costs.
City revenue for roads: I agree that we do need to increase our repairs to roadways to create safe travel through the city and lower residents’ repair costs to vehicles, as well as preserve current roadways that are in good shape. I believe this could be achieved without more taxes from our citizens. During the most recent roadway assessment presentation given to the City Council, it was clear that ongoing preventative maintenance was by far the cheapest way to maintain roadways at the lowest cost. It would also be beneficial to enforce truck routes to all large semi trucks or commercial vehicles to stay on designated roads unless absolutely necessary. This would reduce the wear and tear on auxiliary roadways not designed for such weight. I believe this can be done with our existing revenue and taxes, along with some of the surplus saved in the existing general fund.
— Candidate Josie Calderon did not respond to The Reflector’s questionnaire request.
La Center City Council Position 4
Crystal Harvey
Current employment: Photographer, self-employed
Moved into city: 2022
Reason for running: The need for experience and leadership on the board while being an asset as a different point of view. Experience residing in growing cities viewing positives and negatives of growth.
Biggest issues facing the city: The need for positive police presence, developing our own police department, while working with the surrounding agencies to create a positive police presence in the city are the biggest issues. This would build a working relationship with other local agencies in the future. The need for maintaining the history and identity of the city while allowing for growth and increasing suitability for retail and business to help our city thrive. Appropriate business growth has to be planned in advance and would need to be done in a way that would allow the city to stay connected.
Skills for the role: Listening to the community and their needs is essential, and I possess that ability. I will bring all voices to the table to come to a solution that benefits everyone. An unbiased purpose to uphold the standards of the community [along] with a clear vision demonstrates why I stepped forward to run for City Council. I intend to protect what’s important to La Center while looking toward the task of long-term planning for growth.
The City Council recently OK’ed moving forward with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe for police services. Do you believe this could be a permanent fix for the city, or is it a step toward having a full-time police department? It is the right approach for a temporary fix. Ultimately we need our own police force to work alongside the tribal police as they are with us. It’s my goal to have the two working hand-in-hand, which would make the tribal land and our city one of the safest places in Clark County.
What kind of businesses would you like to see in the city? Specifically, which would you rather see downtown and which do you feel are better at the Interstate 5 junction?
There is no room downtown. We would need to expand around the edges of town due to lack of space. This would include the I-5 junction. Due to the proximity of ilani, we could have retail shops, small diners, coffee shops, but no big box stores.
As a largely single-family residential development city, do you feel La Center should diversify its housing offerings in order to have more dwellings available? Diversification will be difficult based on land usage available to build homes. Diversifying family housing is difficult as we have existing waterways and natural paths. If individuals sell acreage or release property they own, we may see large home developments. If developing is related to existing land, we would likely see more apartments built to maximize the land needed. The city is dependent on what type of approved land there is to build on.
Myrna Leija, incumbent
Current employment: Retired corrections officer
Moved into city: 2019
Reason for running: I am a retired corrections deputy for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. I became concerned that La Center did not have a sufficient number of officers on the police force like they had in the past. I had a long talk with a close friend, a department employee, who informed me the contract was never settled, so one by one the officers left. I knew we could do better, so I applied for the vacant city councilor position to help with this and other important issues facing La Center. I was appointed for Position 4 in June of this year, and I have been working diligently with the City Council and new mayor, Tom Stroebehn, to bring safety and security back to La Center. Since I’ve been on the City Council, we have contracted with the Cowlitz tribal police and are looking into the future to reinstate our own police department again.
Biggest issues: The most prominent issue is safety, security and police needs. Another issue is bringing more businesses to La Center to help fund our infrastructure: police, roads, sidewalks, parks, green spaces, etc. I seek to be an advocate for businesses in all aspects, from acquiring permits to operating challenges. As the city researches how to get various funding revenues, such as grants, my heart is to hear from the residents and best represent them.
Skills for the role: I have broad work experience working with diverse groups of people. I raised four children and have two grandchildren. I worked in healthcare before going into my long law enforcement career. That includes records work and evidence keeping for Vancouver Police Department; contract for the US Marshals; Clark County Sheriff corrections deputy; and jail industries environmental services My well-rounded background equips me to address our city’s needs. I talk to so many of my neighbors and safety is a top priority for them. I truly enjoy making authentic connections with people, and I care about La Center. Already in my current service on the council, I have been inspired to hear people’s concerns and then implement positive solutions. That is exactly why I am running for this position.
Police services: The Cowlitz Tribal Police were chosen as our temporary police service for many reasons, including that they could start sooner than the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and at a slightly lower cost. Many of La Center’s residents encouraged me to vote for the Cowlitz Tribal Police to be our provider. The Tribal Police are willing to have student resource officers at the high school and work with us on creating our own department, which is of great benefit.
Business development: Specialty shops seem to be a good fit for downtown, and I recently helped welcome three new shops: Living Well Therapeutics, Willow and Fern, and Le Petit. Since my appointment on the council, I have diligently focused on supporting all our new businesses and promoting them during City Council meetings. I believe eventually that we may need a grocery store downtown. The current hotel being constructed at the I-5 junction is a more fitting location for lodging and possibly a new restaurant.
Residential development: I understand the concerns from residents about rapid growth and preserving our “small-town feel.” I also recognize the need of providing reasonably priced housing to meet the needs of various families as well as single-family homes. I am looking forward to working with the Building Industry Association of Clark County, as well as engaged La Center citizens. We have excellent staff at the city, and I would give great weight to what they believe is the best mix of housing offerings to achieve the goal of making La Center a thriving community.
La Center City Council Position 5
Linda Tracy
Current employment: Nonprofit organizer
Moved into city: 2000
Reason for running: I was on the La Center City Council from 2004-12 so I’ve always kept in touch with what was going on in the city. I’m very involved in my community, on the board for Our Days, and was chairman of the Police Advisory Coalition when we had a police department. I’ve witnessed a lot of what this city was known for being taken away by the administration in the last six to seven years. Our new mayor’s goal is to bring back things that have been taken away or have gone away during that time, and I’d like to be a part of what looks like a glowing future for La Center.
Biggest issues: The most prominent in my mind is having our own police department again. Negotiating with the Cowlitz Tribal Police is a good start. They will be here to provide the much-needed safety for our community, but will be flexible in helping us one day have our own police again. The other issue is our influx of a lot of new residential housing. The roads need help, and there will be a need for other access situations such as widening or another bridge, possibly. We might even see a stop light in the near future.
Skills for the role: I feel I bring a fresh set of eyes. I tend to be pretty logical in my thinking, and I feel the decisions that have been made over the past few years were anything but logical. Being a former member of the La Center City Council and a part of a lot of the early infrastructure decisions, I know our city. It’s time to bring back some of the things we’ve lost. Being the founder and director of the Miss Teen La Center Scholarship Pageant for the past 20 years has given me an opportunity to get to know a lot of our residents through their daughters, and I’m able to answer their questions or get answers to their questions and/or concerns about what might be going on in the city.
Police services: It was definitely the right decision to move forward with the Cowlitz Tribe for police services. Their commander, Chris Olson, was a member of our police force for 21 years, so who would know better about our city than him, and they are 5 minutes up the road if we need them. The council doesn’t feel this is a permanent fix, but rather a way to help us one day have our own police force again. As an aside, my opponent voted no to the tribal police.
Business development: We don’t have a lot of room for businesses within the city limits, but I’d like to see a small hardware store downtown. The junction is heading in the right direction with the relocating of the Shell station, which will include a small strip mall. Building a small hotel up there is also going to bring us more tax revenue. It would be nice to have a fast food restaurant up at the junction, behind where the Shell station is, something that’s easy off and on the freeway, something that’s maybe not in Ridgefield or Woodland. I know the mayor has some thoughts that sound exciting.
Residential development: Right now I think we have eight or nine housing developments being built or are in the early stages of the permitting process. I’m not in favor of much more diversity than is already going on, mainly because we have one street that goes from one end of La Center to the other. Pretty much all of our businesses are on that one main street, plus all of our schools, and the crowding is getting worse. The schools are going to be affected again. We just opened our new middle school last year, and I fear the high school is going to become over-crowded soon. For the safety of our residents, I’m hoping to see some kind of road or bridge from Pacific Highway being built to alleviate those issues, and, hopefully, in the future, the area around Timmen Road can be mixed use, bringing in more commercial and also accommodating more residents.
Elizabeth Cerveny, incumbent
Current employment: Executive director, North County Community Food Bank
Moved into city: 1993
Reason for running: I enjoy being challenged, learning new things and being able to give back to my community. Serving on the City Council provides the opportunity to work collaboratively and contribute toward improving the future of the community. The ability to play an active role in recruiting more businesses to the community is an area where I can successfully use my professional background and knowledge, further helping the community diversify and grow to meet the needs of its residents. I am well-versed in the process, and I can work with city staff, the planning commission and council members, as well as the Cowlitz Tribal Council and their team, to reassess what changes are required to ensure the community remains robust and prosperous for many years to come.
Biggest issues: The top priority is to expand the city’s current tax base in order to strengthen its revenue stream. To achieve a long-term stable financial foundation, elected officials must work closely with the Clark Regional Economic Development Council, the Cowlitz Tribe and business developers before embarking on any other projects. This is a difficult task that requires making prudent and sound long-term decisions, and it takes time. Every small community goes through this process at a different pace. The city is very close to reviewing the proposal agreement for providing police services to the community by the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Police Department. Once in place, this will bring more consistent visibility and policing services to the residents and businesses, providing everyone with a greater sense of safety. Additional issues facing the city are updating outdated ordinances to better address current needs and safely managing the growing transportation impacts on local streets and sidewalks. Here again, collaboration with city staff, planning commission, city consultants, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue and others to ensure all aspects are considered and incorporating long-term growth projections will be critical in making sound decisions for the safety of the community and all of its residents. Other important issues for La Center are managing growth, transportation and providing sufficient public services to the community. If elected, I will continue to work closely with my fellow councilors in designing fiscally responsible budgets, supporting our highly professional city staff in seeking matching fund opportunities at every level, in order to continue to offer public amenities, safe roadways and sidewalks, and balancing the types of zoning and housing opportunities necessary to making a home more accessible to all.
Skills for the role: My professional background combines successful experience in business and financial management, as well as leadership roles in municipal government. I have a proven track record of managing a multi-million dollar business, overseeing the development of a nationwide customer care center, building strong and successful teams and leading and managing several nonprofit organizations. I served as mayor of La Center for seven years and have also been elected to the La Center City Council. I am actively involved in serving the community in various volunteer leadership roles, including the La Center Community Scholarship Foundation and previously in the La Center Garden Club and the La Center Historical Museum. Additionally, I have served on the La Center Planning Commission, the La Center budget committee and as mayor pro-tem.
Police services: The city continues to work closely with the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Council and Police Department developing a final contract. This contractual proposal should come back before the council for review and a final vote very soon. This is a temporary solution to better provide more consistent policing and safety for the entire community. The council will continue to review and evaluate the community’s service needs and the contract coverage on an annual basis. Providing a full-time police department in the future will certainly be a long-term goal. This step will hinge on growing a sufficient tax base for the city of La Center to have sufficient revenues to support all that is required in operating a police department within state regulations, as well as staffing.
Business development: It would be wonderful to see additional small retail establishments in the downtown core offering arts, crafts and a mix of services attractive to local residents as well as bringing in tourists and having destination-type shopping available. La Center is beginning to attract interest and continuing to build on this will be beneficial to the community. Recreational businesses that tie into using the beautiful Lewis River, such as recent kayak and paddleboard rentals, will continue to grow with the easy access the city provides via Pollock and Sternwheeler parks. La Center’s well-kept trail system provides exceptional exercise and birdwatching opportunities year-round, as well. Commercial growth at the I-5 junction is more suited to vehicle traffic, such as light industrial, grocery, retail, drive-through and sit-down restaurants, services, entertainment and larger-scale shopping to keep the downtown traffic congestion to a minimum while growing a more diverse tax base for the community.
Residential development: La Center has already implemented a number of recent changes to existing ordinances allowing the development of a broader variety of housing, such as cottage housing and accessory buildings for independent seniors living close to family, etc. The planning commission, consultants and council continue to address outdated ordinances to offer a greater diversity in the local housing market, allowing a broader, more diverse range of housing to the local market, to address both affordability and aging in place for the growing senior population. New townhouses and apartment complexes have been added in recent developments and more will certainly follow. Retaining the local flexibility to adapt to the growing and changing population of the community and driving development forces will be critical in meeting housing needs in the future.
Woodland city mayor
Todd Dinehart:
Current employment: Vice president, employee experience, PacifiCorp
Moved into city: 1995
Reason for running: I was encouraged by fellow citizens of Woodland and neighbors who asked me to run for mayor and represent their interests and needs and bring a fresh perspective and new direction to our city. I have been an active participant at council meetings this past year, and it is very apparent that our current mayor has not been looking out for the best interest of our citizens, for example, using the City of Woodland credit card in Las Vegas for $1,858.22 on personal expenses. It is time for new leadership who will listen, engage and partner with our community by building trust and credibility through transparency, fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility, and enhancing collaboration and coordination with citizens and local and state elected officials.
Biggest issues: Prioritizing water rate reductions is a top priority. Next is resolving traffic congestion at Interstate 5, Exit 21. During Mayor Will Finn’s eight years as mayor, the city has been denied three times regarding the proposal on exit 21 improvements due to poor planning and poor partnerships with state and local leaders. The mayor has touted since May of this year that there would be “no roundabouts,” while the State of Washington’s preferred design is “roundabouts.” In August 2023, a $1 million consulting contract was signed to do additional analysis and citizen outreach regarding Exit 21. Roundabouts are being reviewed, yet the mayor has not communicated with or updated the citizens since the contract was signed. We need a mayor with strong leadership skills, who can build working relationships to make improvements to Exit 21 a reality. This starts with keeping our citizens informed, holding the consulting firm accountable to the contract, and collaborating on this project as it requires teamwork and mutual support with state and local leaders. Also, building open communication and follow-through on citizen priorities. It is time to listen, engage and partner with our community to bring the new leadership needed for our community by building trust and credibility through transparency; fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility; and enhancing collaboration and coordination with citizens and local and state elected officials.
Skills for the job: I have 31 years of finance and accounting experience, have strong leadership, communication skills and fiscal responsibility that have been demonstrated during my 11 years as an executive with the company, seven of those years as vice president and controller, followed by the past four years in my current role as vice president of employee experience. My ability to work across the company and collaborate with our 4,500-plus employees, union members and executive leadership gives me the unique experience to work with all individuals from all walks of life.
Utility rates and the billing process itself has been a hot topic for residents in recent months. Do you feel there’s a solution in sight with the city’s current approach, or do you believe something more significant needs to change? Water rates have increased 55-210% (depending on tier and usage) since 2021 and are increasing another 5.5% in less than 30 days and again in 2024. I will eliminate special interest projects and waste created by our current mayor and direct those dollars to water infrastructure repairs and maintenance that is currently being paid through increased water rates. Our citizens deserve better. Rather than spending more than $500,000 out of the general fund to build an unbudgeted 1,200-square-foot civic center that has no tenants and will be competing with our current community center, as well as private businesses for venue rental revenues, we can use these funds to reduce water rates. Rather than putting three food carts in the old fire station, a $900,000-plus building expected to generate less than $1,000 of income per month, let’s work with the Port of Woodland, who has broached the idea of buying the building from the city to revitalize and develop it and use these proceeds to reduce water rates. The $500,000 from the civic center, plus proceeds from the old fire station, would allow us to reduce water rates more than 9% and eliminate next month’s 5.5% rate increase. Unless there are significant savings, I would not recommend outsourcing any local jobs. The Minol contract is costing us approximately $140,000 per year plus part of a clerk’s time fielding questions and payments; it costs about $150,000 for one-and-a-half clerks to do it all in-house with the current software. The 2024 proposed budget includes new accounting software. If we are going to purchase new software, let’s use the software for its intended purpose. Utility billings in-house, with the new software, would require one full-time clerk at an annual cost (labor and benefits) of $103,000, compared with the current $140,000 being paid annually to Minol.
Outside of Woodland’s interchange with I-5 at Exit 21, where do you feel the city should focus on its transportation planning? How would you direct the city to fund it? Our transportation impact fees (TIF) were last updated in 2012. This alone has cost us taxpayers more than $1 million that could be used for traffic improvements. As mayor, I will see to it that impact fees are reviewed bi-annually, at a minimum, and updated as appropriate to ensure developers pay their share of the impact to growth and not burden current taxpayers.
Lewis River Road, although a state route, needs turn lanes and sidewalks; we need to partner with the state to improve the safety of this corridor, including new arterial roads to connect the city and county to provide alternative traffic routes in cases of emergency. Green Mountain Road should not be a thoroughfare during emergencies. The city must properly maintain and repair existing roads and prioritize spending within the city budget. Rather than increasing city administration costs more than 30% year over year in some areas, spend the money on our roads.
Cannabis retail businesses are prohibited in Woodland, though that hasn’t prevented any issues with such establishments in other city limits. Do you believe such businesses should be allowed in the city, and why or why not? I support the citizens of Woodland, by decision of a vote, to decide whether to add language to city zoning to allow the sales of retail marijuana. This is not something that should be decided by seven council members, three of whom have been appointed to the council and not elected by our citizens.
— Incumbent Woodland Mayor Will Finn did not respond to The Reflector’s questionnaire request.
Woodland City Council Position 3
Keith Bellisle
Current employment: Self-employed musician, music instructor, event specialist
Moved into city: 2015
Reason for running: I see great unmet potential in Woodland. I have always held the perspective that we can do better. Some might take offense to that, and many continue to fight for limitations. This is my fourth cycle of running for City Council. I hope there is no question regarding my level of commitment.
Biggest issues: Many of our citizens continue to feel disconnected. Our neighborhoods could use some attention as neighborhoods. Right now, many neighborhoods just feel like a bunch of houses with disconnected people living next to each other. For the love of Woodland, I propose more, in the form of vibrant neighborhood associations. The passion is evident. The organization is possible. The results could be limitless. At least more people would feel connected. Additional issues to address will be assessing the integrity of relationships between stakeholders connected to the city of Woodland and repairing them through intentional action, further navigating the connected challenges that include but are not limited to highway and freeway interchanges, emergency management, county-managed areas, waterways and taxing districts. Leadership has spoken to this previously.
Skills for the role: I am relentlessly optimistic and will fight for potential, rather than argue for limitations. Woodland needs those who will help, and that is who I am. I have experience serving on boards in executive and membership capacities. I understand the systems, processes and dynamics of much of what happens here. I have experience in a wide variety of work capacities that help me to see situations from different perspectives. I am ready to get to work.
Utility rates: Residents need help to understand that solutions presented to council included raising the billing rates to levels that sustain immediate and future needs of the systems. I’m unclear how we went so long without improvement. Some more clarifying questions might include: Are residents paying a fair rate, or are they paying more for past problems? Is system administration consistent given the upgrades and revisions needed? The decisions made to outsource billing is one contentious issue, along with the level of satisfaction the citizens have with the billing company, versus the satisfaction the city has with the company. The city claims no actionable offenses or breach of contract on the part of the billing company. The funding solution, if sound and fair, meets my approval. I am not convinced choosing the billing company with the lowest bid and the poorest ratings was the best solution for the city.
Transportation: Traffic impact fees and grants help fund some of the planning and implementation. If we are not looking at a 20-year plan with emergency provisions, then we fail. The freeway running through the city creates challenges that will require creative solutions. Improving roads and making them more safe for everyone is on the immediate agenda. We’ll see more sidewalks and bike lanes first.
Cannabis retail: Yes, it should be allowed. It is a legitimate, tax-producing business.
— Incumbent councilor Melissa Doughty did not respond to The Reflector’s questionnaire request.
Woodland City Council Position 4
Aaron Alderman, incumbent
Current employment: Logging heavy machinery operator
Moved into city: Born and raised in Woodland, moved back in 2013
Reason for running: I want to get involved with my community. Not knowing all the facts to the issues, what better way to learn than hands on?
Biggest issues: Firstly, infrastructure is the biggest priority. I want to continue working with the state to convince them to work with us to develop and complete projects like Exit 21 that desperately need to be done. Second, the division in our community. With honesty and courage, I would like to bring a sense of unity back to our town. Having the courage to sit down and listen to the hard questions and provide honest information to our citizens.
Skills for the role: The love of my hometown and my strong work ethic, alongside my willingness to have conversations.
Utility rates: I would say the problem started way before this council. I believe we have a pretty good plan in place to overcome it.
Transportation: The long overdue paving of our streets should be a priority. The funding will be partially from impact fees on the new construction, and since the city lives off of sales tax, bringing in new business, which is difficult to do when we have the traffic situation as it is.
Cannabis retail: As a City Council member, I personally think retail cannabis should be determined by the citizens of Woodland.
— Candidate Douglas Freimarck did not respond to The Reflector’s questionnaire request.
Woodland City Council Position 5
DeeAnna Holland, incumbent
Current employment: Owner, screenprinting and embroidery business
Moved into city: Grew up in Woodland, returned in 2004
Reason for running: I really did have to think about whether this was the best way to advocate for folks in my community. There is still a large portion of Woodlanders being affected by things that no other council member talks about, like rising rent and property taxes that someone on a fixed income can’t control or whether they buy food, medicine or gas that week. I also feel like the challenges the pandemic created held everyone back from being as effective as they could have been. There is still so much work that needs to be done that I know I can help with.
Biggest issues: We all know that traffic is an issue and working towards funding a solution for Exit 21 is paramount, but so is catching up on “routine” maintenance of our infrastructure; some things are behind a decade due to lack of funding and direction. Our public works director, Tracy Coleman, has done a remarkable job finding funding mechanisms to pay for things. I write all the grant requests for the Woodland Action Center so I can appreciate the work she has put in to find and be awarded grants so that big dollar projects can happen in our town. I’ve been on the Public Works Committee the entire time that I’ve been elected, so I would like to continue to be part of that team of council members working towards solutions for traffic and addressing water, sewer and parks projects.
Skills for the role: Talking about myself is uncomfortable because none of this has ever been about me. It’s about the people we serve in the community. I haven’t missed a council meeting in close to nine years, and I feel like all of those years leading up to being elected in 2019 gave me insight and an education not many people have. It’s no secret that planning stuff like zoning isn’t my favorite subject so I have spent way too many hours attending seminars and watching our neighboring city council and county commissioner meetings so that I have a better understanding of how things work.
Utility rates: The utility rate study pretty well identified where the deficiencies were, and council voted early during the pandemic to switch to monthly billing, raise utility rates and to outsource billing, but it was all founded in finding ways for much-needed projects and saving people money down the road. Implementation of all the increases and outsourcing of billing was put off way too long due to the pandemic. Some positive things came from outsourcing, like the billing irregularities corrected since. For instance, some folks were being billed for the wrong pipe size, some weren’t paying for sewer or water but were paying the other things, and someone just told me they didn’t realize the house they bought was only ever billed for base service for like nine years. We are in the 2024 budget cycle, and I’m sure we will be discussing how we move forward once the billing contract is up for renewal next year as well as what the cost of additional staff would be to bring it all back in house.
Transportation: We have an immense transportation improvement plan of about 40 projects identified. Most are related to much needed maintenance, which I think is critical. This year the Public Works Department was still having supply chain issues due to the pandemic, so I think 2024 will be some chip-sealing projects happening in different neighborhoods. Beyond that, I think some serious conversations with the state regarding development off state Route 503 (Lewis River Road) are in order. Currently, council is going over transportation impact fees that would be paid by developers to mitigate their impact to our roads, but the state controls Route 503, and I don’t think anyone believes it will be able to continue to move people effectively with all the development happening in the county.
Cannabis retail: I don’t have a personal opinion and never have. I know Woodlanders are pretty passionate about the topic, and I think everyone agrees that any entity that wants to conduct business in the city needs to follow the rules every other business in town has to adhere to. I have only ever been a council member under a permanent moratorium on recreational cannabis inside the city. In almost four years, I have heard about zoning changes, but not lifting the moratorium, and it’s always been a two-part issue. Until both parts of the equation are addressed, then no business of that type would be legal to conduct business in the city.
Gabe Huston
Current employment: Elevator mechanic
Moved into city: Lifelong resident
Reason for running: Watching the town I love so much so distressed and almost lost at times made me want to do what I could to give back. Running for office is one of the ways I can do that. I want to preserve the town so my kids will also experience what a great city we live in and share the great memories that I had growing up here.
Biggest issues: Traffic, infrastructure, growth management, utility costs and spending accountability are a few issues. I would love to see an audit of all city departments including expenses and revenue. Also, a budget analysis would definitely help figuring out why there’s such a shortage of money and where it is going. We should be investing in things that are going to create revenue streams for the city.
Skills for the job: I am driven and hard-working, and my past experience in underground construction will be very helpful with public works projects and understanding, costs and spending. I think voters just really want change, and I don’t have my own agenda, and I am not a part of an administration that people don’t trust or feel that they’re being represented the way they should be.
Utility rates: I really think something more significant needs to happen because the approach they’re taking now doesn’t Seem like it’s doing anything to fix the problem. I really think people want the building to be brought back in house and keep those jobs local. Blaming COVID or that we were under-billed for years is not the solution. What is going to get the rates lower and keep them lower is what needs to be the focus.
Transportation: We need to have proper infrastructure so that future growth will not impact the transportation negatively and cause more congestion when simply trying to get across town. We need new revenue streams to help fund projects and have an impact fee schedule that’s updated so we’re not losing money that could’ve been generated to fund basic road maintenance and improvements.
Cannabis retail: If people say that they are OK with having cannabis retail in the city limits and the majority of constituents agree, then I think that’s what should be allowed. There has been a big change in how people feel about that subject over the years, and from what I’ve heard from people it seems like most are OK with it. We talked about needing to create new streams of revenue, and this would benefit not just the city, but surrounding small businesses in town locally would benefit tremendously.
