
As the Charter Review Commission race highlights differing views, voters weigh in on whether the county’s balance of power is working as intended
When Clark County voters approved the Home Rule Charter in 2014, it created a clear separation between the elected County Council and the appointed County Manager — a system meant to ensure checks and balances in county government. Now, more than a decade later, candidates for the upcoming Charter Review Commission are sharply divided on whether that system still works. Some, like Cathie Garber and Duncan Hoss, say the current structure preserves transparency and prevents abuse of power. Others, including Liz Cline, Ann Donnelly, and Brad Benton, argue that too much authority has shifted to the unelected County Manager, leaving the Council with limited oversight and few resources to represent residents effectively. This week’s poll asks: how well do you think this separation of powers is working today?
More info:
Part II: Charter Review Commission candidates express positions on Separation of Powers
Also read:
- Vancouver Fire Department responds to a fire in adult family homeA non-ambulatory man was carried to safety after fire spread into the attic of a Clark County adult family home.
- Vancouver Fire contains outbuilding fireFour engines and two truck companies held a three-outbuilding blaze to the structures, sparing an adjacent home.
- Opinion: ‘A more responsible approach must be sought’Ken Vance argues a $10 billion funding gap makes the phased I-5 Bridge approach fiscally reckless, not responsible.
- ‘Light rail to nowhere’? Surging costs undercut I-5 bridge transit planVancouver’s promised light rail extension to Library Square has no timeline, and the waterfront station would sit 90 feet above ground.
- Opinion: The challenges of getting the Brockmann mental health facility openA $42 million, 48-bed mental health campus near WSU Vancouver was completed in 2025 but never opened due to lack of state funding.







