Resident: city proclamation policy was applied inconsistently; urges consistent recognition

Battle Ground — Jessica Cole used the June 2 public-comment period to challenge how the city applies its proclamation policy, saying the policy uses the phrase “potentially controversial,” not an automatic vote requirement, and that it had been applied selectively.

“I want to clarify a few points about proclamations. It's been said often that the governance policy requires a vote on controversial proclamations, but that's not accurate. The policy says potentially controversial, which is a key difference,” Cole told the council. She said that because virtually any proclamation could be seen as potentially controversial, the policy’s selective application—she said it was applied only in response to a pride proclamation—was inconsistent and “not how good policy should work.”

Cole said her advocacy covered more than LGBTQ recognition and warned that eliminating proclamations would remove a recognition tool used by veterans, public servants and groups such as domestic-violence-prevention advocates. She told the council she had rarely been acknowledged during public comment for the work she does and said proclamations provide consistent, meaningful recognition that public comment does not.

Why it matters: the public comment refers to a recent council debate over how to handle proclamations and suggests community concern about whether the city applies its governance policy consistently. Cole thanked council members who she said voted to retain proclamations and to remove a clause that gave veto power to a minority.

What was said: Cole argued proclamations should remain an available, consistently applied recognition tool, and she urged clearer, consistent policy application moving forward.