Reform Clark County asks supporters of Michelle Belkot, who was removed from the C-TRAN board last month, to show up and be respectful in their public comments, and the tabled vote on language regarding the funding of light rail is on the agenda
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
It has been a month since a series of events led to Michelle Belkot being removed from the C-TRAN Board of Directors, and many of her supporters are expected to attend the next board meeting.
Reform Clark County sent a release to its members asking them to show up early, pack the house, and always be respectful in their comments for the Tuesday, April 15 C-TRAN Board of Directors meeting. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at 10600 NE 51st Circle in Vancouver.
Last month, Belkot, also a Clark County council member, had said she would vote against C-TRAN footing the bill for the extension of Oregon’s light rail transit into Vancouver. Before that vote took place, though, it was blocked when another Clark County council member, Sue Marshall, asked to table the vote and Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle seconded it, and the rest of the board voted to pause.
The next day, Belkot was dismissed by the rest of the Clark County council from the C-TRAN board of directors. They installed Wil Fuentes into Belkot’s seat on the C-TRAN board.
Some have claimed that those actions were illegal, including Reform Clark County founder Rob Anderson. He sued the four other members of the council. Belkot also filed suit against the county, claiming her civil rights were violated.
Reform Clark County’s email notes that there will be an attempt to officially seat Fuentes and have him cast the deciding vote to fund light rail at Tuesday’s meeting.
Reform Clark County is hoping the board will table the vote again to allow the legal process to proceed. The first hearing, Anderson said, is scheduled for April 17.
In the meantime, those against light rail and for light rail are expected to attend Tuesday’s C-TRAN meeting. Last month, public comment lasted almost two hours. That was before the vote was tabled, starting this chain of events.
The vote that was scheduled to take place last month is on Tuesday’s agenda: The C-TRAN memorandum to the board of directors regarding the modified locally preferred alternative for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program proposed language change.
Also read:
- Board authorizes C-TRAN to sign off on Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s SEIS
The C-TRAN Board approved the Final SEIS for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, with Camas and Washougal opposing the vote over light rail cost concerns. - C-TRAN ridership grows for fourth consecutive year
C-TRAN ridership topped 5 million trips in 2025, marking the fourth straight year of growth. - Opinion: ‘If they want light rail, they should be the ones who pay for it’
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance argues that supporters of light rail tied to the I-5 Bridge replacement should bear the local cost of operating and maintaining the system through a narrowly drawn sub-district. - Opinion: IBR falsely blaming inflation
Joe Cortright argues that inflation explains only a small portion of the IBR project’s cost increases and that rising consultant and staff expenses are the primary drivers. - Letter: The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s $141 million bribe can be better spent on sandwich steel-concrete tubes
Bob Ortblad argues that an immersed tunnel using sandwich steel-concrete tubes would be a more cost-effective alternative to the current Interstate Bridge Replacement Program design.
April 15 – 5:30PM (show up early if you want to plan to give comment)
C-TRAN Administration Building
10600 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98662
Other info for Tuesday’s C-TRAN Meeting
Participating At C-TRAN Board Meetings
C-TRAN Board Meetings are broadcast live on CVTV (Comcast channel 21 or 23 and HD321 or HD323). You can also livestream the meeting at http://www.cvtv.org.
All meeting agendas for the Board meetings are posted on the C-TRAN Website, usually by the Thursday preceding the meeting. Each agenda will include a phone number and access code unique to that meeting to listen to audio only of the meeting.
Meeting agendas can be found at https://mail.c-tran.com/media/uploads/board/2025/April_15_2025_Agenda_Only_Final.pdf. The C-TRAN Board of Directors typically meets the second Tuesday of each month at C-TRAN’s administrative offices, 10600 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA 98682. Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and are open to the public. Meeting times and locations are subject to change.
Comments For Agenda And Non-Agenda Items
Citizens may address the Board on any agenda or non-agenda item during “Public Comment”. Those wishing to do so must complete a Public Comment form available at the meeting. When the Chair calls your name, come forward to the table and state your name and address for the record.
If you wish to attend virtually and address the Board during the live meeting, or if you wish to submit written comments to the Board to be entered into the meeting record, please contact C-TRAN Clerk of the Board Sindy Quitugua by NOON of the meeting date; sindy.quitugua@c-tran.org or by fax at 360-696-1602. If you wish to submit written comments at the meeting, please provide a minimum of 15 copies.
Length of Comments Or Testimony
Please observe the time limit of three minutes.
Written Comments
If you would prefer to submit written comments for any agenda or non-agenda item, you may do so. Please provide the Clerk of the Board the written comments no later than noon the day of the meeting by e-mail to sindy.quitugua@c-tran.org or by fax at 360-696-1602. If you wish to submit written comments at the meeting, please provide a minimum of 15 copies.
Questions Regarding C-TRAN Board Meetings
Questions regarding C-TRAN Board of Directors meetings and agendas can be directed to the Clerk of the Board Sindy Quitugua; 360-906-7447, sindy.quitugua@c-tran.org, or Deputy Clerk of the Board Morgan Stubbe at 360-906-7304, morgan.stubbe@c-tran.org.
Where is DOGE when you need them…