Thurston County Superior Court Judge John C. Skinder ruled ‘C-TRAN has demonstrated that the public interest will be served by restraining WSDOT from withholding funding from C-TRAN’
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
A Thurston County Superior Court judge has granted C-TRAN’s motion for a temporary restraining order against the Washington State Department of Transportation.
WSDOT had threatened to take action against C-TRAN if its Board of Directors was not in compliance with state law in terms of representation based on population.
WSDOT had informed C-TRAN this summer that the board was out of compliance and that there should be more representation for Vancouver and unincorporated Clark County. WSDOT also threatened to take away grants – estimated at around $10 million – for C-TRAN if the board remained out of compliance. WSDOT gave C-TRAN until Oct. 1 to come up with a solution.
The C-TRAN Board Composition Review Committee came up with a compromise, asking the state to allow for a 3-3-3 board of directors — three for the city of Vancouver, three for Clark County, and three to be shared by the smaller cities.
WSDOT denied this compromise, but the review committee met again and opted to try again with the 3-3-3 format.
C-TRAN then asked the court to delay any WSDOT action pending a final resolution. The court agreed with C-TRAN’s request and has ordered WSDOT to appear in court on Oct. 3.
Molly Coston, the chair of the C-TRAN Board of Directors, cancelled a scheduled meeting of the review committee, which was to be held Thursday night. She wrote a letter to the board members:
“As you know, C-TRAN just yesterday received a response from Thurston County Superior Court Judge John C. Skinder granting C-TRAN’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting WSDOT from enforcing the October 1, 2025, deadline. There will be an additional hearing on October 3, 2025, to consider the issuance of a Preliminary Injunction against WSDOT. In response, I have decided to cancel (Thursday’s) Board Composition Review Committee (BCRC) meeting. Once we have a better indication of the legal decisions forthcoming, I will schedule another BCRC meeting.”
In his ruling, Judge Skinder wrote:
“C-TRAN has shown that this lawsuit immediately affects significant segments of the Clark County area and Clark County residents, who rely on C-TRAN for essential activities such as traveling to work, grocery shopping and medical appointments.
“C-TRAN has demonstrated that the public interest will be served by restraining WSDOT from withholding funding from C-TRAN. The public has a strong interest in the continued funding of C-TRAN to provide public services to its constituents.’’
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A judge ruled that WSDOT cannot withhold grants from C-TRAN while the agency’s board composition review process continues.
WSDOT set up an arbitrary deadline of Oct. 1 to cut off funds, it seems to boost Vancouver from 3 seats on the board to 4 seats. This appears to be to boost IBR efforts to force light rail on Clark County residents, without a public vote on the matter, which is what the City of Vancouver’s Mayor Anne Ogle and Vancouver Council have been pushing since November, 2024.
Clark County residents should have a vote on whether to extend TRIMET light rail into Clark County, and won’t get a vote if Vancouver gets even more seats on the board. Vancouver Mayor Ogle and most of the Council has long opposed a vote on light rail by lowly residents. Mayor Ogle is bound and determined to bring OR TriMet to Clark County, and the high TOLLS to cross the Bridges I-5 and I-205 from WA to OR. Justin Forsman wants to represent the people and hear from us, and would make a far better Mayor for Vancouver, and ultimately for all Clark County residents.