Washougal City Council Workshop: Strategic Plan, Legislative Agenda, and Budget Review - November 2, 2026

The Washougal City Council convened a workshop on November 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The session focused on the semi-annual strategic plan update, the 2027 legislative agenda and Clark County Transportation Alliance (CCTA) policy statement, and a detailed review of the proposed 2027-2028 biennial budget. No formal votes were taken during the workshop.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Larry Easter, Port of Camas Washougal: Provided updates from the October 13th CCTA meeting, stating the Port's support for funding the Slough Bridge replacement and completing funding for the MACKA program. He discussed the upcoming Ports Commission meeting to finalize joint legislative asks. A brief discussion followed regarding a local lumber mill closure and fire.

Discussion Items

Strategic Plan Performance Update Staff provided an update, reporting the plan is approximately 75% complete. Highlights included:

• Grants & Funding: 31 grants totaling $83 million secured since 2023, anchored by the $40 million rail crossing award.
• Opportunity Zone: Washougal was designated one of 99 state opportunity zones, creating new federal tax-advantaged investment incentives for the town center and industrial park.
• Economic Development: Active business licenses reached 972, a 14% increase from last year and 20% overall since tracking began in August 2024. The community market expanded to nine weeks with 36 vendors.
• Community Satisfaction: Resident satisfaction with police and fire services remains high and continues to trend upward.

2027 Legislative Agenda & CCTA Policy Statement Staff and council reviewed the city's state legislative priorities. The top ranked capital project requests are the Slough Bridge replacement, the 32nd Avenue Rail Crossing (updated to reflect new committed funding), and Washougal River Road safety improvements. The Veterans Memorial project was removed from the list as it is now fully funded. A request for Public Safety Complex upgrades (security fencing, durable finishes) was added. The CCTA policy statement, endorsed by 67 organizations, lists Washougal's projects in its top tier, emphasizing a unified regional voice for state funding.

2027-2028 Biennial Budget Overview Finance Director Daniel presented the capital and operating budgets.

• Capital Projects: Major transportation investments include the 32nd Street Overpass (construction begins July 2027, corrected from an earlier reference to an undercrossing), 27th Street Shared Use Path, and Shepard Road pedestrian improvements. The overpass project received an unexpected increase in a state grant, bringing the total award to $18 million. A $1.3 million EPA grant was secured for PFAS remediation design, with significant future construction costs anticipated for the city's six wells.
• Animal Control: The budget proposes a shift from a flat fee contract to an ad hoc model for shelter services, shared 50/50 with Camas.
• General Fund: The $17.4 million expenditures budget utilizes $665,000 in fund balance for one-time expenses, including a cost-of-service analysis for permit fees and public works facility upgrades.
• Taxes: The property tax levy will be reduced by $0.85 per $1,000 assessed value (equivalent to $3.4 million) due to the creation of the Regional Fire Authority (RFA). New transportation and public safety sales taxes are projected to generate approximately $410,000 each annually.
• Fund Balance: The city maintains its fund balance policy of 16% of revenues.

Key Outcomes

• Strategic Plan: Council acknowledged the strong progress and the direct link between the plan and recent successes, particularly in grant acquisition and the community market.
• Legislative Agenda: Staff received council direction to finalize the 2027 agenda, maintaining the Slough Bridge as the city's top legislative capital priority and adding the public safety complex funding request.
• Budget Direction: Council reviewed the proposed budget. Staff will continue refining the document, with further discussion on remaining budget areas scheduled before formal adoption.

Upcoming Meetings

The next workshop and council meeting are scheduled for Monday, November 9, 2026.