The Clark County Council on Dec. 3 heard hours of public comment and exchanged debate before directing staff to prepare a revised, time-limited use agreement allowing the FBI to continue training at Camp Bonneville under tightened conditions.

Mary Panovich, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Portland office, told the council that the FBI trains at Camp Bonneville roughly 60 times a year and contributes ‘‘over $9,000,000 in annual salaries’’ to the local economy. She described the site as ‘‘essential to this work’’ and said the agency operates under self-imposed limits on live-fire training, does not train on weekends or holidays, and runs the program at no cost to the county.

That presentation prompted sustained public opposition. Speakers including Gregory Shaw, Teresa Hardy and Mark Lee urged the council to end law-enforcement use and return the property to conservation purposes. Shaw said the property’s conservation conveyance limits uses to natural-resource conservation and warned that the FBI’s presence risks contamination and suppresses public records; he argued the FBI ‘‘has generated pressure’’ on local residents and called for protections for the community. Wendy Cleveland cited the BRAC conveyance language and asked county legal counsel to review whether training constitutes permitted ‘‘recreation’’ before any new contract is approved: ‘‘The agreement clearly states that the property can only be used for recreation after the cleanup is complete,’’ she said.

County officials said they are balancing public-safety concerns with conservation obligations. An unidentified council member proposed allowing a two-year contract with a clear end date to give the FBI time to find alternative facilities while preserving law-enforcement readiness. Another council member proposed contract stipulations including no on-site storage of firearms or ammunition, clearer cleanup and cost-recovery obligations tied to the original transfer documents, and an explicit end date.

Council direction to staff called for the original contract draft to be marked up with tracked changes addressing cost recovery, cleanup responsibility and the proposed two-year term. Staff said they would return the marked-up draft to council time and, if supported, place a final proposal on a future Tuesday meeting for decision.

Council did not adopt a final contract at the Dec. 3 meeting. Multiple speakers urged the county to prioritize cleanup and the conservation conveyance, and several public commenters requested that the council rename the property to honor the late environmentalist Alan Thomas; staff said they would pursue a resolution and discuss a potential dedication (such as a park bench) in January.

The council also asked the Department of Ecology to brief members on cleanup questions raised in Ecology’s periodic review and agreed staff should prepare additional legal analysis before finalizing any contract terms.

Next steps: staff will return a marked-up contract draft for council review and schedule any final vote at a later meeting.