County will meet needs of workday schedules

For the first time in decades, Clark County’s three commissioners will hold regular public meetings after 5 p.m., as most city councils do.

It’s a change that was promised by all four commissioner candidates before last year’s election.

"Working people have asked us to consider holding more meetings in the evening," said Commissioner Marc Boldt. "We are going to give this a try, to help them stay informed and advise us as needed."

Boldt and his peers, who act like a city council for areas outside city limits, will hold 7 p.m. hearings on the first Tuesday of each month, starting April 7.

On the other Tuesdays of the month, hearings will remain at their usual 10 a.m.

All meetings will be in the sixth-floor hearing room of the county Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.

To see the commissioners’ agendas or videos of past hearings, visit www.co.clark.wa.us/bocc/hearings/hearings.html and follow the links on the left.

Louise Richards, longtime clerk to the county commissioners, said last year that the county hasn’t held regular evening hearings for at least 20 years.

It’ll come at a cost to taxpayers. Unionized county workers who attend the meetings must be paid overtime.

County Administrator Bill Barron said no one had yet estimated the cost.

Former Vancouver City Councilman Ron Hart, who asked commissioner candidates to pledge more evening meetings at a Rotary Club of Vancouver event last fall, called the new policy "a great first start."

"For too long, it’s been very, very hard for the average working guy to get to their meetings," Hart said.

Hart, a pastor at Walnut Grove Community Church, said he’s likely to show up himself, and encouraged anyone else with a concern to do the same, even if commissioners may sometimes end up directing them to a different government agency.

"I think that serves a purpose, too," Hart said.

Michael Andersen: 360-735-4508 or michael.andersen@columbian.com.