OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Washougal, Washington/City Council
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City of Washougal City Council Workshop: August 24, 2026

City Council — Monday, August 24, 2026
BodyWashougal, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, August 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 44:32

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

0:03

Okay,

Speaker 1

0:04

I would like to call the order this Monday, August 24th workshop.

Speaker 2

0:16

Here

Speaker 3

0:17

member Wagner.

0:18

Here Council members

Speaker 2

0:20

here.

Speaker 3

0:21

Council member Robertson?

0:23

Here.

0:24

Council

Speaker 2

0:24

members?

Speaker 3

0:28

Yeah.

Speaker 1

0:33

Thank you, Magna.

0:35

Welcome.

0:36

Personal tuning for public comments.

0:38

Anyone in the audience?

0:41

Everyone.

0:43

Thank

Unassigned speaker

0:43

you.

Speaker 4

0:50

Mayor and Council members, Florida Keester, Porter Cameron Store.

0:55

Marina Advisory Committee has been meeting their meeting last week.

1:01

It's a diversified group

Unassigned speaker

1:03

of

Speaker 4

1:04

local citizens, not all marina people, sorry owners.

1:12

Their discussions are really good because it's a diversified group.

1:17

Their focus right now is the rate criteria for rate determinations, and they want to see cost recovery.

1:26

That's really important to us because it's expensive to maintain the marina.

1:32

It's in the water.

1:34

And uh so we need to have the rates set that will reflect that we can keep

Unassigned speaker

1:41

the

Speaker 4

1:41

marina at the level that it is right now.

1:44

So that's really important.

1:46

They will um both the marina and the airport advisory committee will make recommendations uh to the port staff.

1:57

The port staff will forward those recommendations onto the commission.

2:01

And the commission will make the primary decisions.

2:04

So it's a great opportunity for the community to be involved in the decision making of what the ports do.

2:12

So outreach, super important.

Unassigned speaker

2:15

Uh

Speaker 4

2:15

upcoming events, uh wings and wheels.

2:19

Um that is Thursday, four to eight evening.

2:25

And uh on Wednesday, the 26th chamber luncheon.

2:30

Uh it will be uh

Unassigned speaker

2:33

I

Speaker 4

2:33

S point will be there to talk about how things are

Unassigned speaker

2:37

going, which

Speaker 4

2:38

happened to be going really

Unassigned speaker

2:39

well.

Unassigned speaker

2:40

So that's

Speaker 3

2:40

all I got.

2:41

When's the weeks we what is it this Thursday?

Speaker 1

2:50

All right, thank you, Larry.

2:52

Um anybody else.

2:57

Huh.

2:58

Nobody on the zoom out

Speaker 3

3:00

within

Unassigned speaker

3:00

them.

Speaker 1

3:02

No, okay, takes us to our new business.

3:05

Yeah, I guess.

Unassigned speaker

3:08

Thank you.

Speaker 1

3:08

Um 2027, 28 budgets.

Unassigned speaker

3:15

All right,

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████████████████████████████████████49%
Procedural████████████████████████26%
Economic Development████████████████17%
Community Engagement████4%
Affordable Housing██2%
Environmental Protection██2%
Summary of Proceedings

City of Washougal City Council Workshop: August 24, 2026

The Washougal City Council held a workshop on Monday, August 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The meeting focused on the 2027-2028 Budget Strategy and the Compiled Draft Comprehensive Plan Document. City Manager David Scott also provided scheduling updates for the upcoming months.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Port Commissioner Larry Keister reported on the Marina Advisory Committee’s review of rate criteria, emphasizing the need for cost recovery. He stated the advisory committees provide an opportunity for community involvement in Port decision-making and noted upcoming events including Wings & Wheels and a Chamber luncheon with updates on Hyas Point.

Discussion Items

2027-2028 Budget Strategy

Finance Director Daniel Layer presented the preliminary strategy for the biennium.

  • Revenue: Sales and use tax is trending at approximately 3% growth. New transportation and public safety sales taxes are each projected to generate roughly $390,000 per year. The city will assume the 1% property tax increase.
  • Property Tax Reduction and RFA Transition: The city will reduce its general fund property tax levy by $3.4 million in 2027 to offset the transfer of fire services to the Regional Fire Authority (RFA). This was described as a net neutral shift. The corresponding rate reduction was originally estimated at $0.88 per $1,000 assessed value, but due to 9% assessed value growth in 2026, the reduction could be lower, ranging from approximately $0.795 to $0.867 per $1,000 depending on actual growth.
  • Expenses: The budget assumes maintaining current service levels. City Manager David Scott characterized the operating budget as a “hold-the-line” effort, noting that operational cost drivers (including 11-14% increases in medical benefits) continue to outpace general fund revenue growth of roughly 3%. He stated the city is in a better position than some regional peers facing cuts.
  • Calendar: Budget requests will be distributed, with department presentations beginning September 14. The high-level revenue and expenditure estimates are scheduled for September 28. The city manager’s proposed budget will be published October 26, with adoption hearings in November.
  • Councilmember Michelle Wagner requested a separate meeting with Director Layer to better understand the property tax rate dynamics.

Compiled Draft Comprehensive Plan Document

Mitch Kneipp, Community Development Director, and Jessica Herceg of DOWL presented the compiled draft of the periodic update.

  • Growth Targets: The plan forecasts a population of just under 25,000 by 2045, requiring approximately 3,700 new housing units and 2,100 new jobs, as allocated by the county from state projections.
  • Plan Updates: The draft introduces a new Introduction chapter and an Implementation Strategies appendix. It includes a new Climate Element required by the 2023 Growth Management Act update, an updated land use map, and updates to capital facilities plans.
  • Timeline: A 30-day public comment period began on August 12. A local CEPA mitigated determination of non-significance (MDNS) is projected for release on September 4. Following the comment period, a final draft will go to the Council on October 28. Hearings are scheduled in November, with the goal of formal adoption on December 7, 2026. The schedule reflects a delay from the original timeline due to the county’s process.

City Manager Report

City Manager David Scott reported on well-attended community events. He announced his vacation in September, with Trevor Evers and Joe Walsh serving as acting city managers. He reminded the Council of the modified meeting schedule for November and December (meeting on the first, second, and third Mondays) with the target of concluding city business for the year by the December 7 meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • The Council received the budget strategy presentation and provided direction for the upcoming budget calendar. A Councilmember will meet with staff for further clarification.
  • The Council received the draft Comprehensive Plan and was informed of the ongoing 30-day public comment period. A series of workshops were scheduled for the fall to address impact fees, development codes, and the final draft plan ahead of the December adoption target.
  • No formal votes were taken. The meeting was adjourned at 5:44 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, I would like to call the order this Monday, August 24th workshop. Here member Wagner. Here Council members here. Council member Robertson? Here. Council members? Yeah. Thank you, Magna. Welcome. Personal tuning for public comments. Anyone in the audience? Everyone. Thank you. Mayor and Council members, Florida Keester, Porter Cameron Store. Marina Advisory Committee has been meeting their meeting last week. It's a diversified group of local citizens, not all marina people, sorry owners. Their discussions are really good because it's a diversified group. Their focus right now is the rate criteria for rate determinations, and they want to see cost recovery. That's really important to us because it's expensive to maintain the marina. It's in the water. And uh so we need to have the rates set that will reflect that we can keep the marina at the level that it is right now. So that's really important. They will um both the marina and the airport advisory committee will make recommendations uh to the port staff. The port staff will forward those recommendations onto the commission. And the commission will make the primary decisions. So it's a great opportunity for the community to be involved in the decision making of what the ports do. So outreach, super important. Uh upcoming events, uh wings and wheels. Um that is Thursday, four to eight evening. And uh on Wednesday, the 26th chamber luncheon. Uh it will be uh I S point will be there to talk about how things are going, which happened to be going really well. So that's all I got. When's the weeks we what is it this Thursday? All right, thank you, Larry.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com