Clark County Council Chair Sue Marshall delivered the annual State of the County address Wednesday, highlighting new leadership, fiscal concerns and policy initiatives addressing issues ranging from housing to climate change.
Marshall began by welcoming two new council members, Wil Fuentes of District 3 and Matt Little of District 4, who joined the council in January following their election last November.
Marshall then addressed the Oct. 28 arson attack at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center ballot drop box that damaged hundreds of ballots days before the November election.
“It is a testament to their hard work and commitment that in about a 24-hour period they were able to sort through the singed remains and identify 488 of the damaged ballots,” Marshall said of the elections staff.
“It’s also a demonstration of our citizens’ passion to vote that 345 of those identified voters had already contacted the elections office to request a replacement ballot,” she added.
Marshall emphasized that “this action is an attack on our American democracy,” quoting County Auditor Greg Kimsey.
She thanked local law enforcement and fire agencies for their quick response and noted the FBI continues to offer a reward for information leading to an arrest.
Turning to public safety, Marshall said the Clark County Jail, built in 1984, needs renovation and expansion to meet the community’s growing needs, especially in addressing behavioral health and substance use issues.
“It is imperative our community has a facility with the needed capacity as our community continues to grow,” she said. “This includes the appropriate types of space for those experiencing acute drug and behavioral health issues and to also provide opportunities for rehabilitation.”
Marshall said the council has directed staff to develop potential funding options supporting the jail project, which remains in the early planning stages.
Marshall acknowledged ongoing budget pressures, stating that the county is operating with a structural deficit as rising costs for essential services outpace revenues.
“While Clark County strives to maintain high-quality public safety infrastructure and services, the county is currently in a situation where revenues are not keeping pace with the rising cost of providing essential services to our community,” she said.
She noted that the county used one-time federal COVID-era funds to balance the 2025 budget but warned that the approach isn’t sustainable.
The county is exploring cost-cutting strategies by improving internal efficiencies and evaluating new revenue sources. Marshall highlighted that the county continues to receive funding from the October 2022 national opioid lawsuit settlement.
“In 2024, the Clark County Opioid Abatement Council awarded more than $950,000 in grants to nine local organizations,” Marshall said.
On housing and homelessness, Marshall said Clark County is working to update its five-year Homeless Action Plan and expressed hope that the community could end veteran homelessness this year.
“Homelessness involving veterans is down 25 percent since 2022,” she said, citing a 37 percent increase in veterans placed in housing programs.
She warned, however, that the state Department of Commerce has advised counties to prepare for a 20 percent reduction in funding, and recording fee revenues for the county are also declining.
“We are anticipating a potential shortfall of $3.5 million per year for the next biennium,” she said.
She tied the issue to broader concerns about housing affordability, pointing to recent code changes aimed at increasing access to “middle housing,” such as triplexes, townhomes and cottage housing.
Marshall also emphasized the county’s commitment to completing the state-mandated update to the county’s Comprehensive Plan, which will guide land use and development through 2045 under Washington’s Growth Management Act.
The plan, to be finalized in December 2025, will outline the county’s infrastructure, job, housing, and transportation needs for the next 20 years.
Sustainability was a talking point for Marshall. On climate change, Marshall highlighted a one-day July study in which over 50 volunteers helped collect neighborhood-level data on heat impacts.
“This data helped to identify areas in Clark County that are most impacted by excessive heat,” she said, noting this will help guide the council’s decision-making.
She also touted the “We Compost” program, which diverted more than 50,000 pounds of food waste from landfills in its first year.
Looking ahead, Marshall said the county will continue expanding community hubs offering free compost drop-off services and kitchen pails.
Marshall noted the formation of two new advisory bodies in 2024: the Accessibility Community Advisory Committee, which will advise on disability-related issues, and the Agricultural Advisory Commission, which will focus on the sustainability of local farming.
She concluded the address by reminding residents that the November 2025 general election will include races for the Clark County Charter Review Commission, which will review the county’s governing document over the next two years.
“Your Clark County government works for you, and as such, we need to hear from you,” Marshall said.
Readers can watch the State of the County address at shorturl.at/65XpD.
