[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6357319,"mediaKeyId","2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce","parentId",2215233,"title","Clark County Council hears hours of public comment opposing removal of invocation and pledge; council stops short of repeal","audioSeconds",3375,"startMs",110000,"endMs",3485000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce&start=110&end=3485","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce/thumbnail_110000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6357319/Clark-County/Washington/Clark-County-Council-hears-hours-of-public-comment-opposing-removal-of-invocation-and-pledge-council-stops-short-of-repeal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357319-609bcaf6cad60965578e10502ef0b62d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160279&Signature=HFbJfVpiJEzTy1z9YbMCHH26zBgNA-23o0aZXWH1u33hC2egnjfyUMeeykxCy2OgRjuPeNa9gMxwRNVZ5JOdyY7Dm62HM1RV8bs0H6iagernKi4OW~vN~r8ukt0v7BFS0sA0DHoin7Mp~Oj4W~w-qo6rvHDVMoSCNrX3YpoYrhURAIk5xcYBaUzYNvrK6~5mrzYOky1HFwYiZJ-DT09GTgJC1-UyVjpGCjx23cvHDoql5bC5FMlQ4JfOZcTER5fZv~wq6~DQqosNd31IODETYIFO2vvn-tutw6WcGOXaqDHSKkKLLHC9yP9W7tIHsI6xZe2tXRDEf6P09X9bFZCONA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clark County, WA","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","Hundreds of residents and community groups urged the Clark County Council on Jan. 15 to keep the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of council meetings, after Councilor Will Fuentes proposed removing both.

The public comment period ran more than an hour. Dozens of speakers — including Anne Burbank, Logan Ruiz of Turning Point USA’s Clark County High School Activism Hub, Bonnie Ruiz of Firmly Planted Action and Amy Vail — urged the council to retain both the invocation and the pledge and cited historical and religious grounding for their view.

The council discussed the matter after public testimony. Councilor Will Fuentes apologized for how he handled the pledge proposal, saying, “I stuck my foot in my mouth.” He said his recommendation about the invocation came from a desire for neutrality and “inclusivity,” not hostility toward religion. Chair Sue Marshall and other councilors said the invocation has been offered by speakers from multiple faiths and backgrounds and that the county’s application process for invocation speakers is open to all. Marshall noted the council’s intent that invocations not be limited to any single religion and encouraged broader outreach to invite diverse voices.

Council members said there were not three votes to remove the invocation during that meeting. The chair and other members described the invocation as available to the public and suggested adding a brief, clear statement at the start of meetings explaining that invocations are open to people of all beliefs and that an online application is available. The council did not take a formal roll-call vote to repeal the invocation or the pledge during the session.

Public commenters cited a 2017 county measure — Resolution 2017-08-11, “recognizing the significance of public hearing through an invocation” — and federal law: 4 U.S. Code § 4 on the Pledge of Allegiance was referenced by at least one speaker. Members of the public expressed a range of views, from requests that invocations be expanded to include poetry and land acknowledgements to strongly worded criticisms of any council member thought to be opposed to religious language in the pledge.

What happened next: Councilors directed staff to publicize the existing invocation application process more widely, to invite a broader set of speakers (including poetry and land acknowledgements), and to consider a short preface before the invocation clarifying it is open to all beliefs. No formal repeal or replacement of the invocation or the pledge was adopted at this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1 15 2025 Council Time","oneSentenceSummary","Hundreds of residents urged Clark County Council on Jan. 15 to keep the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance after Councilor Will Fuentes proposed removing both; the council said there were not three votes to remove the invocation at that meeting.","taxTitle","Clark County, Washington","taxId",2766,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6357304,"County treasurer seeks authority to bill junior taxing districts; council signals support for state bill",432,5893000,6325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce&start=5893&end=6325","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce/thumbnail_5893000.jpg","/articles/6357304/Clark-County/Washington/County-treasurer-seeks-authority-to-bill-junior-taxing-districts-council-signals-support-for-state-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357304-58596a33debbc84769d8922d1931dbba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160279&Signature=TEkxMSccAXwGEIa18qAcI0qhzCf0vJuaJKF4fABMAYVvi9AX496JfuWNxBCy7oFhyudgp54I7JGhlnLwWQyRoT8zvr15rjlXNezEj6ZpNDkgOugz-TXrBQqQxub-tric-ufAay6F~fWGD1cXr5G5elEAaRhKWQeTzENUYbZOHQVZ-eKsN9ZWoxewbedTNDg7ocp-viPJ8KD0~gIDl1bOk-hQKGp28JOcQoQixF9fE852ASNflEufv4gz3y9zfviQWLCTSXVyCBamx-Tg6mS-cv3sZN4WYW0PQRGL3sBR34sI9UnQT883b9H6j-ZxGP9YVB34CvMDsgfKbspicuOiCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clark County treasurer and staff briefed the council Jan. 15 on a prefiled state bill — sponsored in the House by Representative Wiley and another sponsor — that would permit county treasurers to recover a portion of the costs for billing, collecting and distributing property taxes to junior taxing districts.

The treasurer said the county currently performs billing and distribution duties for school districts, fire districts, libraries, mosquito districts and others while the county general fund supports those administrative costs. Under the proposed legislation, junior taxing districts could be billed up to 1% of their levy for cost recovery; the treasurer estimated Clark County’s actual cost-recovery amount would run about 0.122% of levies, well under the 1% cap. For very small districts, the bill as drafted would exclude the first $50,000 of a levy from the cost-recovery calculation to limit hardship.

Treasurer representatives told council members the measure would allow recovery of about $1 million in revenue systemwide; part of that amount would come from non-county districts, with the county retaining a share covering its portion of administrative costs. The treasurer asked the council to place the bill on the county’s legislative priority list. Councilors responded favorably and agreed that staff and the county’s lobbyists should track the bill and, if the council adopts the priority, provide support such as testimony or letters during the legislative process.

Action: Councilors indicated support for advancing the treasurer’s proposal as part of the county’s legislative agenda; staff will coordinate with lobbyists and the treasurer’s office on next steps, including testimony when hearings occur.

Background: The measure was described as a comparatively technical, administrative bill intended to allow counties to partially recoup administrative costs rather than shift them to the county general fund.","Clark County’s treasurer presented proposed legislation allowing treasurers to recover billing, collection and distribution costs from junior taxing districts; council agreed to support adding the bill to the county legislative priorities.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6357309,"Council edits rules of procedure language on chair nominations, adjusts board and committee staffing and approves minutes",1723,2745000,4468000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce&start=2745&end=4468","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce/thumbnail_2745000.jpg","/articles/6357309/Clark-County/Washington/Council-edits-rules-of-procedure-language-on-chair-nominations-adjusts-board-and-committee-staffing-and-approves-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357309-4d5faca168c436dfebe20b68dca6ccee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160279&Signature=XHsigfINC6Ya3K7wIyQZGmrqeiWc68R6ccDJVKS-l-2YU7Gbc~l6f-bTUnLXM-z8Ut-MMtOUzrnhxfK9PqwpNb6iwd-X6VaRu4huw6t34q8pxGC3F~eT5BRol~Ud4Cgpzq9h1QLUSaoYRUsZbkLgkfiumhGGUEW-0GCP9SpdfPCgmQkqJPBCF48b~mECF5daTNLHjQq8n2ulsLKf3XJ3y4VIGscGz3lEUMY0IsnP1ZXNbcY1DMIRTKUfl8OCAXHIVapPBF-ljE~dolgOQbc0RHstWwoSf~V7GObT~6scB6NCcnlXrk~YV6OUarezLqMroBvaJHnYzqPXyar0I8AtYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clark County Council on Jan. 15 moved forward edits to its rules of procedure, including adding language that the chair will ask for nominations (plural) for council chair and vice chair at the first regular meeting of the year, and agreed to send the revised rules to public hearing. Councilors also reviewed boards and committee assignments and asked staff to coordinate calendars and identify whether staff designees can represent the county where a council seat is not required.

On minutes: the council approved the minutes for Nov. 25, 2024 and Jan. 8, 2025 by voice vote after a motion and second; the chair called for aye and the minutes were approved.

Boards and committees: Councilors discussed the Southwest Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau slot, audit oversight, Metropolitan Policy Advisory Committee and other assignments. Several counselors volunteered for swaps and asked staff to confirm whether a council seat is required for particular bodies; staff will update calendars accordingly. The council asked staff to confirm bylaws for boards before assigning elected members where a staff representative might suffice.

Rules edits and nominations: Councilors debated whether to adopt nominations by open verbal nomination, a ranked-choice ballot or an open ballot. They ultimately agreed to add language that the presiding officer will open nominations and allow multiple nominations; staff will include that change in the draft sent to public hearing.

Next steps: Staff will publish a clean version of the rules for public hearing, confirm whether any edits require a hearing, and return with any required public hearing scheduling and the updated committee calendar.","Clark County Council agreed to add open nominations language for selecting chair and vice chair, reviewed boards and committee assignments, and approved minutes for November 25, 2024 and Jan. 8, 2025.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6357314,"Council opens discussion on Vancouver 'bridge shelter,' asks staff and city to brief options and funding",5783,31000,5814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce&start=31&end=5814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215233-b74fa6f3ef438e75d914741db65bc0ce/thumbnail_31000.jpg","/articles/6357314/Clark-County/Washington/Council-opens-discussion-on-Vancouver-bridge-shelter-asks-staff-and-city-to-brief-options-and-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357314-48bb325f53e94cfb77c353e3fd26086c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160279&Signature=MNV2RFvu4lZ-riwTfxKD6t~lwKFXcwY60-fJKydtTu0sMxRMD1Xq6qJviEtG7U7buk9v9608TWotQ5L2X6J-Cw2BPFKf1MwpWsPloY6R9mPNF5aO~c~tE4dDtB~qfMwNi3ZlHBB06i4LfK0SG058oyJFee1draEAHio1Y1H3HbCiQRyvN6NqDQzND419aU~lyz7HeAxbNN4VlL3TwPYKLoDINkmDdez26qlW4-LwuavNo79QzA5UCvRDpQJzHc46LUHwVZd4Pu2R1fGfGky9tbtgvZF-jAPfzjg5iBV~urbZVf7ld~9268FHf5WYe173F~YR8k8kZNd1EFZ9jAErEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors on Jan. 15 agreed to consider a county role in a proposed Vancouver bridge shelter for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and asked county staff to work with city counterparts to present options and timelines.

Councilor Tom Young (speaker identified in the transcript as the member who requested adding the topic to the agenda) said the bridge shelter presented “a great opportunity” for the county and city to partner on unsheltered homelessness and asked staff to explore participation options, including possible use of the mental health sales tax for operations or services. Policy analyst Jordan Bogie told the council the mental health sales tax advisory process typically runs an RFP that opens in late June and closes in mid-August; he said the board and its review process were created to ensure an equity lens and that applicants plan accordingly.

Council members asked for prompt briefings. After discussion about RFP timing, allowable uses and prior review of proposals, the council voted by voice consensus to invite City of Vancouver staff to a future work session to present the bridge shelter’s timeline, scope and funding needs so the county can evaluate partnership options. The chair confirmed that the motion to invite the city had the support needed to schedule the work session.

Council staff agreed to clarify allowable uses of the mental health sales tax (staff comments at the meeting reported mixed information about whether the tax can pay for construction; staff said they would verify allowable capital and service costs). Councilor Young and others noted the city’s timeline anticipates an opening perhaps mid-2026, and policymakers asked for options well before the mental health sales tax RFP window so potential applicants and county planners would have certainty.

Background: Jordan Bogie summarized prior county processes for the mental health sales tax and the 1406 fund (House Bill 1406), and staff reminded the council that past RFP rounds carefully evaluated internal county services (jail, courts, therapeutic courts) alongside external proposals. Councilors asked the county manager to contact the City of Vancouver to coordinate a timely work session and to bring back clear information on funding options and any imminent deadlines.

Outcome: Council directed staff to meet with City of Vancouver officials and schedule a work session; staff will report allowable uses of the mental health sales tax and timing constraints to the council.","Councilors instructed county staff to work with City of Vancouver on options for a proposed bridge shelter to address unsheltered homelessness and asked the city to brief the council in a future work session; the county will also clarify whether mental health sales tax funds can be used for capital or operations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Clark County Council hears hours of public comment opposing removal of invocation and pledge; council stops short of repeal

County treasurer seeks authority to bill junior taxing districts; council signals support for state bill

Council edits rules of procedure language on chair nominations, adjusts board and committee staffing and approves minutes

Council opens discussion on Vancouver 'bridge shelter,' asks staff and city to brief options and funding