A Skamania County Sheriff’s Office report is recommending fines be levied against four Clark County councilors and a charge or letter of reprimand for County Manager Kathleen Otto after violations were found when the council voted to remove Michelle Belkot from the C-TRAN Board

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

A Skamania County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) investigation has concluded that four members of the Clark County Council violated the county charter and the rules of procedures as well as the Open Public Meetings Act. Plus, the county manager could be charged with official misconduct.

The report says that Councilor Wil Fuentes should be removed from the C-TRAN Board of Directors “immediately” and that Councilor Michelle Belkot should be reinstated to the C-TRAN Board.

The report, written by Det. Christian Lyle of the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, recommends that Clark County Chair Sue Marshall, as well as councilors Fuentes, Glen Yung, and Matt Little, should be fined for the violation of the Open Public Meetings Act. Lyle added that Kathleen Otto, the county manager, “could be charged” with a violation of Revised Code of Washington 9A.80.010, Official Misconduct, for failing to act. If not charged, Lyle recommends a letter of reprimand for Otto for “not properly performing her duties as the County Manager.”

The SCSO was asked by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the complaint that was filed by Rob Anderson of Reform Clark County after the Clark County Council removed Belkot from the C-TRAN Board in March and replaced her with Fuentes. Anderson alleged that the County Council did not follow proper procedures.

Lyle agreed.

The report was forwarded to the office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik. The report’s recommendations are not binding. 

“Our office has received the report from Skamania Co.,” Golik texted Clark County Today on Friday afternoon. “Our office has determined we have a conflict and we will ask an outside prosecutor’s office to review the Skamania County report.”

Michelle Belkot said she appreciates the work done by the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.

“I hope the PA’s office does take corrective action to make this right and reappoint me to the C-TRAN board,” Michelle Belkot told Clark County Today on Friday. “I think it’s ethically the right thing to do.

“Just because you don’t like the way I vote is not grounds to remove me,” she said.

On March 11, 2025 at a C-TRAN Board of Directors meeting, Belkot announced her intention to vote to protect Clark County taxpayers from paying operating and maintenance costs for TriMet’s light-rail extension into downtown Vancouver. The next day, the Clark County Council voted to remove Belkot from the C-TRAN board.

Soon after, Reform Clark County sued four members of the Clark County Council and asked for an investigation into the legality of removing Belkot.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office took the complaint and asked Skamania County to conduct the investigation.

“It feels nice to see there is definitely fire in this smoke,” Anderson said. “I think it’s partial vindication. It shows there are a lot of issues that really have to be addressed, corrected, and hopefully reformed so these kinds of things don’t continue to happen.”

Anderson said the conclusion and recommendations of the report do not necessarily make him happy, though. Instead, he called the entire situation sad, noting that the council’s actions affected all Clark County residents.

“I’m glad on a small level that maybe justice is around the corner,” Anderson said. “Overall, it just demonstrates that the conduct of the county on March 12 is very disappointing.”

The synopsis of Lyle’s report states:

“Upon review of the Clark County Home Rules Charter (bylaws) and the Open Public Meetings Act, the actions taken by the Clark County Council to remove and replace Council Member Belkot should be considered … null and void.” 

Later in the report, Lyle notes that Marshall had “no authority” to remove Belkot from the C-TRAN board. He said Otto was “derelict” in the manager’s duties by allowing the removal of Belkot from the C-TRAN board and for allowing the appointment of Fuentes to that board.

The appointment of Fuentes, the report notes, was without public discussion. It was also a violation of OPMA due to the “obvious existence of a secret vote.”

The report goes on to say that the county manager has the authority to appoint members of boards. The council confirms or rejects those appointments. The council cannot remove a board member. Therefore, the unilateral decision made by Marshall was in direct violation of the rules, and the lack of action by Otto reveals the potential for a violation of RCW 9A.80.010, Official Misconduct.

“When County Manager Otto failed to act to retain County Council Member Belkot and correct the error made by Chair Marshall, County Manager Otto deprived another person of a lawful right or privilege,” the report says.
The report also points out that Fuentes was appointed without adequate public discussion. 

The ethics committee for the Clark County Council’s office should be notified and convene a meeting to review the violations contained in the report, Lyle wrote in the conclusion.

Under recommendations, Lyle suggested fines for Marshall, Fuentes, Yung, and Little for the OPMA violations. And for Otto, either a charge or an official letter of reprimand for official misconduct.

To read the report, go to: https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/25-05127-Skamania-Report.pdf

Emails and texts sent to Marshall, Fuentes, Yung, Little, and Otto on Friday morning were not returned by late afternoon Friday. It should also be noted that Little previously reported to Clark County Today that while he did vote to remove Belkot from the C-TRAN Board on March 12, he changed his vote the next meeting.

Clark County Today will update this story or post a new story should Marshall, Fuentes, Yung, Little and/or Otto reach out in the coming days.