In its April 29th issue, The Reflector newspaper published a very lengthy and very informative article – page A5 – about the NW 5th St project. The article recapped a workshop for the Battle Ground City Council, where one topic was whether to move forward with the project. As I read the article, it was apparent that the “elephant in the room” regarding this NW 5th St. project is the Battle Ground Public School District.
Even though the City would require 1.4 acres of land owned by Battle Ground Public Schools, the article painted a picture of confusion about how the City Council should even approach BGPS about the project.
• Public Works Director Mark Herceg asked council members about “how to approach ongoing concerns from the Battle Ground School District. The proposed collector road has created some friction with Battle Ground Public Schools, largely centered on how the roadway could impact CAM Academy property and student activity areas.” Herceg noted that the BGPS Board of Directors “generally didn’t appear to support the project” when he presented the project to them in February, 2026.
• The article indicated that Mayor Overholser’s own undercover research involving CAM Academy staff showed that “all you spoke with were against the project.”
• I thought that it sounded self-congratulatory, almost smug (at least in print), when Mayor Overholser told Battle Ground Public Schools Board Director Shelly Whitten, “It’s not just us up here making decisions without the whole community involved, and you guys are a big part of that.”
Big part? I would say a much bigger part than you seem to recognize, Mayor. The proposed NW 5th Street would require BGPS to relinquish 1.4 acres of land! The new street would bisect the properties of two separate schools - Battle Ground High School and CAM Academy. It would reduce the square footage of the BGHS softball fields. It would eliminate recreational play space for CAM Academy students, and Mr. Herceg’s vision of a “barrier” between CAM students and a road that cars are exiting onto immediately after going 40 MPH is simply terrifying!
I recognize that the makeup of the City Council is new and that some roles have yet to be defined. This would seem to be a great time to designate a specific person on the City Council to be the communications liaison with outside agencies, such as Battle Ground Public Schools! Someone on the Battle Ground City Council has to take the bull by the horns and start setting up meetings with BGPS.
My personal hope is that the NW 5th St project is considered “Dead On Arrival” and never again sees the light of day!
Doug Shannon
Battle Ground
•••
Letters To The Editor
Email: letters@thereflector.com
Mail: The Reflector, Attention: Letters to the Editor,
209 E Main St., Suite 121, Battle Ground, WA 98604
