The Woodland City Council voted unanimously on Monday, May 18, to appoint Aaron Brown to the vacant Position 6 seat, shortly after Councilmember Douglas Freimarck announced his resignation from Position 4 and plans to leave Washington.
Brown was chosen from four applicants, including Cody Machin, Gregory Gordon and Jeffrey Michael Wray, who previously served five years on the Woodland School District board, including one year as president.
The seat became vacant after Jennifer De Luz resigned on May 1, citing health concerns, housing issues and a conflict with Woodland Mayor Todd Dinehart. De Luz was elected in November 2025, defeating Woodland Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Keith Bellisle by 123 votes.
Brown also ran for council last year, losing to incumbent John “JJ” Burke by 13 votes. Because he was appointed, Brown will need to run for election in November 2027 to retain the seat, rather than serving through the term ending in 2029.
Brown, who has lived in Woodland for over six years, told council members he wanted to focus on strengthening the city and supporting downtown.
“One issue I’m very interested in is the revitalization of downtown and bringing vitality back to downtown Woodland… Bringing vitality to another level, a higher level, in the city of Woodland at large,” Brown said.
Brown also mentioned his involvement with Woodland Downtown Revitalization. The group recently signed a lease with the city to open a welcome center at the Civic Center at 211 Lakeshore Drive. The lease comes after the Woodland Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center, located across the road from the Civic Center, closed in January when the city council declined to allocate thousands in Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) funds to keep it open. Much of the city’s LTAC dollars were allocated to Downtown Woodland Revitalization for its programs.
“I think one neat thing that I get to be a part of is helping open the brand new welcome center,” Brown said. “I feel like that will definitely help the city of Woodland to gain traction with respect to people who are visiting our city, people who live within our city, and want to learn more about Woodland.”
During his interview with the City Council, Brown said he would prioritize listening to the residents and serving as a liaison between the public and the city government. He also mentioned his professional background as preparation for the role.
“The work I do has to do with the stock market, and I don’t know if anyone’s unfamiliar with this, just in case it’s very volatile,” Brown said. “And so, working within a volatile environment is my wheelhouse.”
After the council’s unanimous vote, Brown joined council members on the dais just before the meeting adjourned. In an interview afterward, he said he was eager to get started.
“I’m (ready) to listen, and to learn, and to get involved as quickly as I can and on both feet,” Brown said.
Brown said he has a strong desire to improve the city for his family and future generations.
“I live here, my kids are here, my whole family’s here, and I want to help the city now and for the future,” Brown said.
Freimarck’s departure
Near the start of Monday’s meeting, Freimarck announced he would resign from Position 4 because he and his wife plan to leave Washington. He was elected in 2023 to a four-year term running from 2024 to 2027.
The announcement came after the council voted 4-2 to allow retail cannabis in the city’s C-2 Highway Commercial zone in January, ending years of prohibition under city zoning rules. In July of 2024, Freimarck said he would likely move out of the city should such an ordinance pass.
In a follow-up email with The Reflector, Freimarck said the council’s February vote played only a small role in the decision.
“The recent passing of the cannabis retail ordinance was only a minor consideration for our upcoming move out of Washington,” he wrote. “Although I still believe it will be a big negative for Woodland’s future.”
Freimarck said his concerns about the direction of the State of Washington and a desire to live closer to family played a stronger role in his decision.
“My wife, Meg, and I are strong conservative Christians (non-denominational) who want to be around more like-minded folks, not to mention being a lot closer to our immediate family,” Freimarck wrote. “I truly wish this community the best in the future; there are so many good people here, and we are a bit sad to leave.”
The city council will begin another appointment process to fill Freimarck’s seat.
