Camas resident Margaret Tweet encourages area residents to provide comment next week
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
On Tuesday, Nov 18 two C-TRAN meetings, and a County Council Meeting will shape the future of Clark County, residents can provide input.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, 4p.m. C-TRAN Board Composition Review Committee Meeting (See link for public comment instructions)
Clark County Councilors and a representative from each city in Clark County comprise the committee reviewing the 9-member C-TRAN Board composition. WSDOT sent a letter to C-TRAN indicating the board was out of compliance with state law. “Your board is underrepresented by the City of Vancouver and unincorporated portions of Clark County. Additionally, your board is overrepresented by cities with populations under 30,000” Per state law, a majority of the board may not be selected to represent a single city.
WSDOT recommends 4 -Vancouver seats, 3-County seats, 2-seats for other cities. (Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, LaCenter and Yacolt).
The Composition Committee has supported 3-Vancouver seats, 3-County seats, 3-seats for smaller cities, the same format the C-TRAN board had from 1999-2014.
County Councilor Michelle Belkot serves in District 2, which is mostly county area, with a small part in Vancouver. Belkot served on the C-TRAN board from 2023 thru March 2025 when a vote on a motion made by Belkot to revert to original conditions for the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (MLPA) which included NOT funding light rail- was scheduled. The vote was delayed, and the next day four County Councilors voted to remove Councilor Belkot from the C-TRAN board, and replace her with Councilor Wil Fuentes from District 3, mostly in Vancouver. Residents strongly objected to her abrupt removal.
The controversial Council vote to remove Belkot was investigated by Skamania County who found that four Clark County councilors and the county manager violated multiple rules — including the county charter, OPMA requirements, and proper procedures. The report recommends fines, cites potential misconduct, and states Belkot should be reinstated. Read the findings, and take the Poll: Should Councilor Michelle Belkot be reinstated to the C-TRAN Board following the Skamania County findings?*
Tuesday Nov 18, 5:30 pm C- TRAN Board Meeting
Councilor Belkot has opposed light rail as the transit option for the proposed I-5 Bridge Replacement due to excessive costs for light rail compared to buses, and citizen opposition to light rail in District 2, and countywide. Voters rejected the 2012 C-TRAN ballot proposition to extend Oregon TriMet MAX light rail over an I-5 replacement bridge. In 2013, voters countywide opposed funding light rail.
The County Council website features Resolutions adopted on the I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. A Resolution on the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative adopted July, 2022 reflects the public votes against light rail, and supports a bus transit option instead.
Councilor Wil Fuentes is an ardent light rail promoter per his public comments. At the Sept. 9, 2025 C-TRAN Board Meeting, County Councilors Fuentes and Sue Marshall, Vancouver Mayor Ogle and Vancouver City Councilors Erik Paulsen and Bart Hansen voted for C-TRAN to continue permission to fund light rail. C-TRAN Representatives for Camas, Washougal, and Battle Ground voted to revert to original restrictions put upon light rail and funding by the C-TRAN board in 2022. The Ridgefield/LaCenter/Yacolt Representative abstained from voting.
Initial cost estimates of $2 BILLION to build a 1.9 mile elevated extension of Oregon Trimet MAX light rail are expected to increase. A West Seattle planned $2.3 Billion light rail extension over the Duwamish River skyrocketed to an estimated $ 7.1 Billion. How many $Millions would CTRAN pay to Operate and Maintain TriMet Light rail? Two light rail stations are planned, the waterfront station is ~80-90’ tall, plus 2 Park & Ride lots in downtown Vancouver would require removal of existing housing and businesses. Residents may provide public comment on Tuesday Nov. 18, 6 pm Clark County Council Meeting (See meeting link for details).
See https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/category/transportation/ for more information
Margaret Tweet
Camas
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