The Clark County council closed a week of political drama Wednesday by unanimously granting the Columbia River Economic Development Council its Associate Development Organization status.
The organization’s ADO status was at risk after Councilor David Madore last week raised concerns about the CREDC advocating for improvements to the Interstate 5 interchange at Mill Plain Boulevard. Madore claims the project is a veiled attempt to revive the defunct Columbia River Crossing project, which would have replaced the I-5 Bridge and brought a light rail line to Vancouver.
The ADO designation qualifies the CREDC for about $160,000 — roughly 19 percent of its non-grant budget — in annual support from the state Commerce Department to support business services.
Though Madore did not back away from his claims about the interchange project during the council’s board time meeting, he said that he would vote to designate the CREDC as the county’s ADO.
“My position is now and always has been that I support the mission of the CREDC, which is to bring a strong and thriving business environment to Clark County and to bring more living-wage jobs to Clark County,” Madore said.
Madore, however, urged the CREDC to “take a neutral position on controversial projects that may not have the support of our community.”
The CREDC advocates for all transportation projects the Clark County Transportation Alliance defines as priorities for the region. Those projects include the I-5 interchange at 179th Street, which Madore has previously called one of the most important transportation projects in the region.
Councilor Jeanne Stewart, who is the county representative on the CREDC’s board, has urged her fellow councilors at recent meetings to grant the organization its ADO status. The CREDC has held the designation for more than a decade. CREDC President Mike Bomar said he was “extremely pleased” at the outcome, and is looking forward to returning to work.
“I think it’s a win for all the councilors and for the county as a whole,” Bomar said.
The issue prompted a vocal outcry from community members and local politicians in the last week. On Thursday, 11 Southwest Washington legislators signed a letter to council members urging them to name the CREDC the county’s ADO.
