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Cosmopolis mayor apologizes and reports self-disclosure after constituent flags letter under new law
Summary
Mayor Spring told the council she wrote a Feb. 5, 2026 letter of support for a former police chief that a constituent said may violate a new RCW effective Jan. 1, 2026; she said she apologized, self-reported to the Public Disclosure Commission and arranged training for council and staff.
Mayor Spring used part of her report to inform the council and the public that she had written a letter of recommendation for former Police Chief Heath Layman on Feb. 5, 2026 that a constituent later flagged as potentially running afoul of a newly enacted state requirement. The mayor said she had not given the matter a second thought when she wrote the letter as a private citizen, but after the constituent raised the issue she formally apologized and self-reported to the Public Disclosure Commission.
"We all make mistakes. It was a mistake. I see this as an opportunity for learning," the mayor said, and described contacting the Public Disclosure Commission and arranging a training session for council and staff on conducting themselves under the new rules. The mayor said she is working to schedule a shorter training time to accommodate members who work full time and that the session will be open to the public.
Councilors responded by thanking the mayor for the disclosure and emphasizing the value of training to prevent future lapses. The mayor framed the disclosure as both an apology and a proactive step to improve governance practices.
The council did not take formal action beyond the mayor’s statement; staff will continue to coordinate training with the Public Disclosure Commission.
