Battle Ground council votes to keep proclamation authority but narrows criteria after month-long pause

Mayor Troy McCoy convened the Battle Ground City Council May 19 for a lengthy public discussion about the city's proclamation process after nearly 11 months in which no proclamations were issued.

The debate followed public comment from residents who said proclamations signal inclusion and civic recognition. Several speakers, including Jessica Cole and David Terry, urged the council to restore or reform the process; others and some council members said the existing language has legal and procedural risk.

The issue was raised formally by Council member Overholzer, who said the proclamation pause followed a vote last year on a June proclamation and that several protected-class recognitions went unissued afterward. Overholzer moved to remove Section 21 (Proclamations) from the governance manual in its entirety. That motion failed 2-5. After further discussion, the council voted 4-3 to remove subsection 21(a)(2) from the governance manual, leaving mayoral proclamation authority but narrowing a previously added criterion that had allowed a one-third minority to block proclamations.

City legal counsel Harper advised the council on First Amendment principles and potential litigation risk. Harper said governmental speech (like a mayoral proclamation) generally is not covered by the First Amendment in the same way as private speech, but he cautioned that the process of deliberation can create exposure if council members make statements that suggest discriminatory intent. Deputy City Manager Robert Perrier summarized the current governance manual language and said staff would implement council direction.

Public commenters framed the stakes as symbolic and civic. Jessica Cole said proclamations "signal belonging" and urged repair of the process; David Terry and several others said the city should ensure all groups may request recognition. Other speakers expressed concern that proclamations had been applied inconsistently. Mayor McCoy and Deputy Mayor Bowman defended mayoral discretion while acknowledging the need for clearer rules to avoid perceived unfairness or legal challenge.

Outcome: The council did not remove proclamations entirely. It voted to eliminate the specific subsection that allowed a minority threshold to block proclamations (motion passed 4-3) after rejecting a motion to strike Section 21 in full (motion failed 2-5). Council directed staff to update the governance manual consistent with the vote and to return with any necessary resolution.

Why it matters: Residents and advocacy groups said proclamations provide visibility to community groups and mark civic values; council members said the city must balance that visibility with consistent procedure and legal risk.

The council moved on to other agenda items after directing staff to prepare amendments; no additional proclamation requests were approved that evening.