Tim Hein of Camas hopes the C-TRAN Board of Directors will vote to protect Clark County taxpayers, after he feels he was ‘set up’ last year on the vote to change language on an agreement that could lead to C-TRAN paying for operations and maintenance costs for light rail

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

Tim Hein said it was a setup.

He added that it was not a coincidence that the C-TRAN Board of Directors were asked to change language on an agreement that could lead to Clark County taxpayers paying for annual operations and maintenance costs associated with light rail one month before the financial numbers were revealed.

Hein, the C-TRAN board representative for the city of Camas, said he acted in good faith when he voted for the new language. 

A month later, he said he was shocked at the numbers and he immediately regretted the vote that could leave Clark County taxpayers on the hook. 

The Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (MLPA) for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program now states that C-TRAN “may participate in the funding” of operations and maintenance costs associated with TriMet light rail’s expansion into downtown Vancouver. Before November, the MLPA noted C-TRAN would not be responsible for O&M costs. 

“I know that in communication with the mayor of Camas, the vote to change the language was placed in good faith,” Hein told Clark County Today on Thursday. “It was described that the language change would allow for dialogue to occur between C-TRAN, the Washington State Legislature, and TriMet. But again, we didn’t know the December numbers.”

The numbers were revealed at the December C-TRAN board meeting.

“I was shocked and immediately knew I had made a mistake in voting for the language change in November, and I did feel set up,” Hein said.

Hein is a Camas City Council member. He has been on the C-TRAN board for more than three years. He understands not a lot of politicians admit to making a mistake.

“I am not happy to say it, but I will not hold back in saying it,” Hein said.

“I do not think the timing of the November meeting, to have the language changed, and the announcement of the numbers in December, was a coincidence. I do think it was a setup. There were people who knew. They wanted the language to change, knowing what the numbers were going to be in December.”

Who set up the rest of the board with the request to change the language?

“If you believe that the I-5 Bridge has to have light rail … who has the most to gain in all of this? I think Vancouver has the most to gain,” Hein said. “I think many of the outline areas that are further removed from the downtown area have the most to lose, and yet, with this language, will be financially committed to support.”

Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerney-Ogle is a member of the C-TRAN board, as well. Two other Vancouver City Council members are also on the C-TRAN board.

According to C-TRAN documents from the December meeting, the Washington share of annual operating and maintenance costs for light rail would be $6.8 million. Updated numbers are expected later this summer.

The language in the MLPA has been a focal point of many C-TRAN board meetings since November. In March, then C-TRAN board member Michelle Belkot asked for a vote to revert to the older language, to protect Clark County taxpayers. It appeared that the vote was going to pass, but in a last-minute maneuver, it was tabled. The next day, Belkot, also a Clark County councilor, was removed from the C-TRAN board by the other four members of the Clark County Council. Wil Fuentes was then placed on the C-TRAN board. 

Belkot’s removal, and the move to replace her with Fuentes, has led to two lawsuits, currently still working their way through the legal system. Belkot is hoping to be reinstated to the C-TRAN board. In the meantime, the C-TRAN board has postponed the vote on reverting to the older language two times, in hopes that the courts will come to a ruling.

“What happened to Michelle was extremely disappointing and not surprising,” Hein said. “Michelle’s guts and response is honorable.”

Whether Belkot is reinstated or not, the C-TRAN board has a chance to make things right, Hein said. He is asking his colleagues to revert to the older language.

“As board members, we have a responsibility to support the mission of C-TRAN, support its objectives, and its financial solvency,” Hein said. “In that November vote, what we did is we set the organization up, unknowingly by many, to have an increased financial encumbrance. I think we failed in our fiduciary responsibility to protect the organization and taxpayers through that vote.”

Hein added that is a “direct violation” of the duties of the C-TRAN board.

He hopes others will join him in realizing it was a mistake to change the language.

“I will tell you that the city of Camas regrets the decision made and the city of Camas will vote to reverse the language change,” Hein said. “We believe in the fiduciary responsibility to support the organization and taxpayers.”

This is not an anti-light rail campaign, he added. 

“The city of Camas made a resolution that says we don’t support light rail on the Interstate Bridge because the citizens of Camas don’t support it, they are not going to benefit from it, and most importantly, the need isn’t there and the costs are too high,” Hein said. “We are not anti-light rail. We are anti-light rail across the IBR. Everyone agrees that we need a new bridge. We don’t agree that we need a new bridge with light rail.”

Hein wants all parties involved to reconsider light rail as part of the replacement bridge, especially in light of TriMet’s woes.

“Look at the issues TriMet is currently undergoing. They are under water. (Washington state representative) John Ley has pointed it out very well. The Oregonian has pointed it out well. TriMet has outlined it. The Oregon legislature didn’t bail them out. They’re going to have to reorganize. They’re going to have to cut routes, cut costs, across all those service lines,” Hein said.

Yet, many people on the Washington side of the river want to partner with TriMet?

“Never,” Hein said. “You don’t go into business with a failing business partner. It doesn’t matter if it’s your money or taxpayer money. You don’t do it.”

That is why Hein is adamant that the language in the MLPA needs to be reverted. 

“Ridership is down,” he said of routes to Portland. “Commuting is down. Costs are up. It doesn’t make sense. If the project doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t make sense for anybody to fund it.”

Hein is passionate about C-TRAN and public transit. He is afraid this deal for light rail’s O&M will not only cost Clark County taxpayers, but also hurt the mission of C-TRAN.

“You look at C-TRAN, for over 40 years, municipalities in the county came together because they believed providing public transit was a need, an important service, and they were all willing to contribute,” Hein said. “Their belief in that hasn’t gone away. The belief in having additional costs through light rail O&M? That’s the rub. That’s the problem.

“We have a responsibility to help the organization to do better and fulfill its mission … get better at what it does and continue to be financially responsible to the taxpayers and all the municipalities that support it.”