Environmental Accomplishments

Creating a healthy community is my goal as your County Commissioner. Clark County is at a turning point. Will we plan for the past or the future? I am working tirelessly to plan ahead for a county where employers want to locate and employees have an opportunity to live and families to thrive.

Growth Management

It is overly simplistic and dangerous to identify one “problem” created by growth. Growth is a balancing act of sometimes competing interests. If we focus on solving only one aspect of growth, then we will create other “problems”.

Building coalitions to resolve the issues created by growth, is necessary. I have made that a priority in the past year. Creating process to allow for different perspectives and determining how we will resolve those differences is critical for a three person Commission. I am proud of leading the effort to establish a common set of Values and principles to guide our decision making. They can be viewed at www.clark.wa.gov.

Improved technical information is now available to guide our decisions. Our amazing GIS system now provides us real information regarding the land under discussion for our 20 year future and beyond.

“Does Growth Pay its Own Way?” I have been working with our budget director asking the million dollar question. We are looking at real capital and operational expenses and existing revenue streams. We are also asking if WE (who already live here) are paying our own way for the services we require. There are many questions to be asked when talking about growth. It is important to have a baseline understanding of these issues, so the right questions can be asked…to guide our decision making. With good information, I believe we can have real conversations with the development community about the costs of growth.

Providing Great Schools for our Kids

School districts are faced with the incredibly difficult task of finding and affording land for future school sites. The Board of County Commissioners is working with school officials, the development community and other stakeholders at the Task Force level to develop remedies for the land shortage and funding shortfall confronted by growing communities in Clark County.

The newly developed urban holding program has provided a stop gap measure to assure that essential services will be provided when new communities are built. “However, schools are more than an essential service…they are our future.” Commissioner Morris was on point when she stated what we all believe. We need to assure our children excellent educational opportunities and the Commission is committed to work with the Task Force to find answers. The answers to healthy schools lay beyond the Clark County borders. Much work is required at the state level as well. I am committed to addressing the super majority issues and state funding formulas with the Washington Legislature.

Business Growth and Economic Development

We have a job deficit that contributes to the overcrowding of the Interstate Bridge. We have the ability to address this deficit actively working to create opportunities for businesses to locate here and thrive. In my first year as a Commissioner I have concentrated on working for the business community by:

• Re-opening the growth plan to provide more build able land where and how businesses need it, with a road system in place.
  Clearly defining our role in job development and how that fits with our partners in the Ports, Cities, and private sector. Going it alone is a losing proposition. Together we have a great package to sell.
• Save businesses front-end costs and get them online faster by streamlining permitting processes and creating shovel-ready sites through appropriate zoning, targeted investments in roads and programmatic environmental work.
• Focus our public investment in areas ripe for increased job development, like the Salmon Creek Research Park area where I am working with WSUV and health care sector partners.

Public Safety

The "meth" epidemic has created extraordinary problems in all communities across this country. Clark County is no exception. The problem is bigger than our borders and requires that we create coalitions to address the problem. We are fortunate to have the leadership of Representative Baird at the national level. He sees the big picture and is working to bring funding and resources to the battle here in Clark County. Commissioner Boldt is taking the lead for the County commission to create a meth task force that is already coming up with ways we can institute coordinated solutions to this complex problem.

I have worked with the other Commissioners to appropriate funds for an additional nine Sheriffs deputies to help stem the tide of meth related crimes and ensure our safety.

Jail overcrowding is a result of both increased crime and better enforcement. We currently have a problem to be addressed. The need for additional beds does not dictate the choice. We have built relationships with other Counties and have been in early discussions regarding using underutilized space in surrounding jails in Multnomah, Cowlitz and Yakima Counties.

Transportation

County Transportation Issues

The most expensive capital service we provide is building and maintaining safe roads in Clark County. I am proud to be at the forefront of a resolution that will REQUIRE the private sector to pay for the impacts of growth on our roadway system.

We are moving toward a “fair share” system that will determine the overall need then divvy up the cost based on each new development’s use of the new capacity. For larger projects like a flyover at SR503 and Padden Parkway, a broader net will be cast because projects from a much larger area will be using the facility.

Regional Transportation Issues

Columbian river Crossing project is underway. This project is limited in scope to the “bridge influence area”. It will address the exiting structure and the corridor. However, the County Commission together with SW Washington Regional Transportation council have formed a task force to look at long term needs based on 20- 50 year growth projections. I am proud to be a leader in this effort as we examine north south and east west connectors from Clark County.