Woodland Mayor Todd Dinehart continues to assert Councilor Gabe Huston’s residency claim is false, though he said no internal investigation or removal process is underway.
After a heated debate over Huston’s recent unexcused absence, Dinehart told The Reflector that the procedure to remove Huston would cost “tens of thousands of dollars,” a cost he said is too high for the City of Woodland.
A motion made by Councilor Jason Friend to excuse Huston was not seconded during a Monday, Dec. 1, meeting. During last week’s Monday special meeting on Dec. 8, Huston said he contacted the mayor and six other council members asking to excuse his absence, and felt the lack of action taken by the council was unjustified.
“The silence is more than a procedural issue,” Huston said. “It reflects the lack of a basic collegiality and mutual respect among the elected officials who are entrusted to represent our community, regardless of personal differences or political disagreements.”
An ongoing dispute
During an Aug. 5 city council meeting last year, Dinehart accused Huston of providing false information about his residence, saying Huston spent four months living with family outside Woodland. Huston denied wrongdoing, saying that although his family moved outside city limits, he maintained residency in Woodland by renting two rooms from friends.
At the same time, Huston asked the council for time to reestablish himself in town, citing his ongoing recovery from colon cancer and his doctor’s advice not to return to work. Dinehart said the rental agreements Huston provided were invalid and that no neighbors could confirm he stayed in city limits.
The issue was revisited during the Aug. 19 council meeting. The city council voted 6-1, with only Melissa Doughty in opposition, to allow Mayor Dinehart to discuss Huston’s removal with the Cowlitz County prosecutor following a 20-minute executive session.
In response to an interview request, Huston met with The Reflector at a Woodland neighborhood home mid-November, where he says he resides with his family under a one-year lease. Huston provided a photocopy of a lease agreement beginning Nov. 1 for a property owned by JGJ Properties LLC. The Reflector could not verify the document. The property owner, John Johns of JGJ Properties LLC, did not respond to requests for comment.
A heated argument
During last week’s special meeting, Dinehart continued to assert that Huston lives outside of city limits.
“Respect is earned, and someone who told us last April that they were going to get, within six months, back inside the city limits and … you’re still not inside city limits,” Dinehart said.
Huston, speaking over Dinehart, continued to assert he has done everything he needs to prove he lives within the city.
“Really, then why does the attorney sit out? You might’ve intimidated everyone else up here but I’m not intimidated by you. I’m not gonna let you just talk over me and treat me like that … I’ve done everything I’ve had to to abide by all the rules and … There's nothing more that you have to say about it because if there was, I wouldn't be sitting here right now,” he said.
“This is why I do not show you respect, in the sense that I do not say hi to you,” Dinehart began, before Huston spoke over him.
“It’s because you’re pissed off you can’t kick me off and it’s just killing you that you’re not,” Huston said.
Dinehart said that Huston speaking over him “the exact example,” referring to poor conduct.
“How’s it feel?” Huston asked.
A motion to end the meeting quickly followed the argument. Of the six other council members, Carol Rounds was the only one to chime in.
“As far as respect for the office, wearing your hat turned around at a meeting is not very respectful to the office that you're sitting on,” she said to Huston. “So that's all I have to say to you.”
