The newly expanded Clark County council is working on some New Year’s resolutions of its own.
At its 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the first meeting of the five-person body, the councilors will consider repealing eight resolutions, all of which were written and developed by Republican Councilor David Madore, and approved at the council’s Dec. 22 meeting.
“The resolutions considered and adopted give the appearance of being hastily conceived and not of an urgent or emergent nature that would have required immediate review,” Tuesday’s resolution reads.
The resolutions covered subjects ranging from opposing all light rail projects and bus rapid transit projects, to creating task forces to consider new bridges over the Columbia River, and to supporting “free market” development principles. The resolutions are not binding law, rather symbolic policy statements.
All passed with Madore and Councilor Tom Mielke, a Republican, voting yes. Councilor Jeanne Stewart, also a Republican, abstained from voting on any of the items.
“We have to work as a five-member board, not a three-member board,” said Council Chair Marc Boldt, nonpartisan. “If things come up, it needs to go through staff through a work session like it always did.”
Stewart urged her fellow councilors at that December meeting not to pursue Madore’s policies — in case something like this happened.
“To end the year with giving what a new council might come in feeling is they’re the cleanup crew is not the best, most productive way to start the new year with the full five-member panel,” she said.
The council will also have an open-ended discussion on possible upcoming items. It’s a vaguely written item on the council agenda, but Boldt said it could lead to the overturn of a 2 percent property tax levy cut approved by the council in December.
Boldt said the council will likely consider setting a public meeting within the next week to “address” and, he thinks, “probably to reverse” the tax decrease.
The council, by a vote of 2 to 1 with Stewart saying no, approved cutting county revenue $1.2 million while approving an additional $3.57 million in general fund projects for the New Year. The county budget office expects the cut to force the county to dip into its reserves to cover the new expenses, bringing it below the $23 million required by county policy.
Tuesday’s meeting could be the first sign of major changes to come on the Clark County council — and depending on the votes, a new majority on the council. Boldt and Republican Councilor Julie Olson were sworn in Dec. 29, setting the keystone of the Home Rule Charter voters approved in 2014 by bringing the county council from three members to five.
