Washougal City Council Regular Meeting, March 9, 2026

Mayor Pro Tem Fritz called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM. Councilmember Swofford moved to excuse Mayor David Stuebe, who was absent due to legislative duties in Olympia; the motion passed unanimously. The invocation was delivered by Julie Dayley. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the transfer of funds for emergency utility assistance (Agenda Bill #18-2026) and routine financial approvals.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Anderson, Vice Chair of the Clark County Commission on Aging, provided an update on the Commission's work. He noted the annual report is in development, meeting dates have moved to the third Monday of the month, and the current focus areas are housing and transportation, which alternate monthly. He announced three upcoming vacancies on the commission and strongly encouraged applications, particularly from East County, noting an estimated commitment of 5 to 10 hours per month.

Discussion Items

City Manager's Report

• David Scott announced the March 25 Chamber luncheon featuring the State of the Cities address and encouraged councilmembers to attend in support of Mayor Stuebe, as Scott and Mayor Pro Tem Fritz will be in Washington, D.C. at that time.
• Scott proposed increasing the City Manager's contract delegation authority from the current limit of $50,000 to $100,000. He reported that this recommendation was based on a survey of comparable cities (Battle Ground, Ridgefield, and Camas at $100,000) and received unanimous support from the Administrative Committee. A formal resolution to enact this change will be presented at the March 23 council meeting.

Councilmember Reports

• Swofford: Attended the Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC) annual meeting on February 27, noting it was informative and included discussions on regional economic development and support for farmers market activities. The March CREDC meeting has been canceled.
• Wagner: Announced a "Second Saturday in the Park" volunteer event on March 14 at 9:30 AM in partnership with Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge. She noted she would be absent from the March 19 Parks Board meeting and requested her alternate attend. She also discussed a joint Parks Board and Arts Commission meeting scheduled for March 25, noting the originally planned March 19 Parks Board meeting would be combined with this joint meeting.
• Suggs: Highlighted the upcoming Community Chest auction dinner on March 21 at the Black Pearl and conveyed the importance of the Ivy League volunteer group.
• Larzalere (Student Rep): Reported that spring sports have begun at Washougal High School. He announced FBLA fundraisers at Menchie’s on March 24 and K&M on April 7. He also shared he was invited to attend the Camas-Washougal Community Chest fundraiser on March 21.
• Fritz (Mayor Pro Tem): Recounted his interview with the WA State Building Code Committee (SBCC) and participation in a CivicBrand call. He visited the Two Rivers Heritage Museum on its opening day and expressed appreciation for the local history map brochure. He reported volunteering with the Ivy League at Mable Kerr Park, removing invasive species and collecting trash. He expressed concern over political campaign signs and other signage being left as litter in parks, finding a sign from the 2018 city manager election, and urged candidates and residents to promptly remove signs from public spaces.
• Robertson: Apologized for missing the February 24 East County Ambulance Advisory Board (ECAAB) meeting due to a lack of notification and committed to following up to obtain the full schedule to ensure future attendance. She confirmed receiving resident surveys in the mail and encouraged participation.
• Szyplinski: Had nothing to report.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously, authorizing the transfer of funds for emergency utility assistance and approving routine minutes and claims.
• Executive Session: The council entered an executive session at 7:30 PM for agency enforcement and potential litigation under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). The session was extended and adjourned at 8:15 PM. No action was taken following the session.
• Upcoming Action: City Manager Scott will present a resolution at the March 23, 2026 meeting to increase his contract delegation authority from $50,000 to $100,000.
• Next Meetings: Workshop at 5:00 PM and Regular Council at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 23, 2026.