Mayor Troy McCoy is seeking another term on the Battle Ground City Council, Position 1, reaffirming his focus on infrastructure, public safety and economic development as the city enters a critical phase in its growth.
McCoy previously served four years on the local school board and owns a small insurance business in town. He was first elected to the council in 2021 and is currently serving as mayor, a role he was appointed to by fellow council members in January 2024 during his second term. He said improving public safety through better roads remains one of his top priorities.
One project stands out to him: a long-planned sidewalk on Southwest 20th Avenue, which McCoy says will finally break ground this summer. The project addresses a critical pedestrian safety issue along a busy bus corridor that currently lacks shoulders or walking paths, according to McCoy.
“A sidewalk in Southwest 20th Avenue … is a large part of why I put my hat in the ring three years ago,” McCoy said. “It doesn’t have a shoulder. It’s part of a bus route. And there’s just not a lot of room for people to walk or do anything on that road. We hope to break ground on that here this summer.”
The stretch connects senior housing and a trail that currently ends abruptly. The lack of walkability has created barriers for many residents — especially, McCoy notes, seniors who rely on scooters to get to Walmart, who he affectionately calls the “scooter gang.”
But McCoy said this project is just the beginning. He wants the city to ramp up its investment in road maintenance and is asking staff to propose funding options for repairing several aging arterials.
“We need to make some pretty sizable investments in some of the roads that are maybe not as good a shape as we would like,” he said. “We’re better off than a lot of cities, but it’s always a struggle with roads and funding.”
Public safety is another top concern. McCoy cited lower crime rates and stable police staffing as signs of progress, crediting the department’s ability to retain officers and maintain a strong officer-to-resident ratio.
“Crime is down by about 40%,” he said. “We may need to add an officer or two to keep our ratio up ... We don’t want to lose those gains.”
Economic development also features prominently in McCoy’s platform. He’s backing zoning changes tied to the state-mandated Growth Management Act (GMA) Comprehensive Plan update, which is due to Clark County by 2026.
McCoy said the city plans to zone more land for commercial and light industrial use instead of additional housing, intending to draw employers and end what he called a “job desert.”
“We’ll put a minimum jobs-per-acre requirement on that,” McCoy said. “That’s really all the city can do — create zoning and a good environment for businesses to come in.”
When asked what kinds of businesses Battle Ground is targeting, McCoy pointed to the city’s entrepreneurial culture and said it’s open to any industry that brings quality jobs and fits the community.
Recent state funding may also aid those efforts. Battle Ground received $1.5 million for Remy Park improvements and more than $500,000 for downtown revitalization. McCoy believes those funds could support long-term quality of life and economic activity.
“It’s an untapped jewel,” he said of Battle Ground’s downtown area. “We have everything we need here. We just need to spruce some places up, connect our pathways better, and keep improving parks.”
Recreational amenities are another area of interest. A recent city survey showed strong resident support for a public pool and additional athletic fields, even if that means supporting a fee or tax increase.
“People said they’re willing to pay for it,” he said. “If we want a pool, it’s going to take money. We need to see what that looks like and drive that conversation.”
As for his mayoral role, McCoy noted that the mayor is reappointed by the council every two years, and his future in that position will depend on the outcome of this year’s election.
“I’d be open to doing it again, but ... I think that’s putting the cart before the horse,” he said.
Readers can learn more about his campaign at votetroymccoy.com or contact him directly at troy@votetroymccoy.com.
“I try to be very available and try to do the best job I can,” he said. “So if the citizens so desire, I’ll come back for four more (years). If not, I’ll just do a lot more fishing.”
