The eligibility of a Woodland City Council member was called into question by Mayor Todd Dinehart last week.
During a City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 5, Dinehart accused Councilor Gabe Huston of living outside the city limits and lying about his residency. Huston denies this and intends to fulfill the rest of his two-year term.
Dinehart stated that after Huston moved out of his previous home almost four months ago, he submitted a new rental agreement to the city to prove his residency. However, Dinehart claims this agreement is false, as no neighbors have confirmed that Huston stayed at the address a single night. Dinehart added that the individuals residing at the address have recently moved out. Following an email from Dinehart questioning this, Huston gave him another rental agreement for a separate address hours before the council meeting. Dinehart said this agreement does not include the option to sublease.
“All of our roles as City Council and mayor is to ensure laws, ordinance, resolutions, etc., are followed and that the City of Woodland spends their money appropriately,” Dinehart said. “You maintaining your council position is the exact opposite of this. You are breaking the law, forcing the city to spend money on legal fees. I am asking you to step down and show you have character and integrity.”
Huston denies providing false rental agreements and attests the documents prove his ties to the city. In an interview last week, Huston explained he has been unable to work since he began chemotherapy for stage three colon cancer in December. Although he has been cancer-free for one week, he has not been cleared by his doctor to return to work due to the side effects of nine chemotherapy treatments. He added that he received 30 days’ notice to vacate his home three months ago because his landlord wanted to sell, leaving him no choice but to move his family out of city limits.
Huston said he has maintained residency in Woodland by renting two rooms from friends. Though he has not stayed every night, Huston attests he has kept ties to the city through the process and has remained a Woodland residence. In response to Dinehart’s accusation of never living at the address, Huston explained that his friend moved out of his home, so he rented another friend’s room. Huston said this is why he provided a second renter’s agreement to the city after being questioned. Dinehart claims the renter’s agreement is invalid because it does not include a sublease option.
“All I’m asking for was [to] give me time to get back on my feet so I can get back to work and be financially stable, too,” Huston said after the meeting.
Huston estimated he could secure permanent residency for his family within Woodland’s city limits in four months once he can continue working. During last week’s meeting, Councilor Douglas Freimarck suggested the council offer leniency and decide a deadline for Huston to reestablish residency.
“I’ve had relatives go through it, and it is a difficult, debilitating thing here. I’m willing to give him a little extra consideration. I think the council would just because of that. How much is a good question,” Freimarck said.
Derek Winn, a Woodland resident, favors giving Huston time to reestablish himself. Winn was the only resident in attendance who commented on the matter.
“I don’t know. It is only four months … I’d give him the benefit of the doubt,” Winn said.
Dinehart said that while he empathized with Huston’s condition, the council should not make exceptions. Huston added he felt blindsided by the discussion and would have brought people to speak on his behalf if he knew the topic would be discussed. Dinehart sent Huston an email one week before, and the morning of the Aug. 5 City Council meeting, though Huston said he only saw them the morning of the council meeting.
“This entire time I went through chemo, only one of the City Council members has ever even asked me how I’m doing or how I’m feeling or [asked] ‘how’s things going?” Huston said after the meeting. “…Douglas is the only one that has actually asked me how I’m feeling or how I’m doing or, you know, and I’ve been on chemo since December.”
Last week, Dinehart said he would work with the city attorney to remove Huston from office should he not resign. In an email to The Reflector, Dinehart confirmed he will do that.
“I sympathize with Gabe’s current situation and have communicated with him since April regarding his residency. I asked him to resign last night for his own integrity and that of our City Council. He declined. I will continue working with our city attorney regarding the next steps,” Dinehart wrote.
Huston said he would gather documents and locals to testify on his behalf to prove his eligibility.
