Battle Ground council weighs joining legal fight over C‑TRAN board composition and grant risk

Council members spent substantial time on Sept. 15 discussing a regional dispute over C‑TRAN board composition after a change in state law. The discussion centered on competing proposals (a 3-3-3 small-city representation plan versus a proportional 4-3-2 approach) and whether smaller cities should jointly fund legal counsel to seek a judicial stay.

Mayor McCoy and several council members framed the issue as both legal and political. Council members said they feared that a board structure they perceive as favoring Vancouver and county representation could reduce small cities bility to influence decisions and risk future grant funding. The mayor said the board-composition committee may need to retain counsel and that funding would likely come from smaller cities rather than C‑TRAN.

Council members repeatedly noted uncertainty about whether a legal challenge would succeed and the costs involved: "It depends — the undefeated person in this war is billable hours," one councilor said. Staff and council discussed an upcoming composition-review meeting scheduled for Sept. 20 and asked for direction on whether to pursue legal support.

No formal motion to initiate litigation was adopted at the meeting. Instead, council members asked staff and representatives who sit on the composition-review committee to return with more information about potential legal costs and to coordinate with other small cities considering similar action.

What happens next: staff were asked to bring back options and cost estimates so the council can decide whether to contribute to joint legal efforts with other cities.