Port hopefuls in dead heat

The race for the Port of Camas-Washougal’s No. 2 commissioner position is too close to call.

With 73 percent of ballots counted as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, challenger Cassi Marshall had earned 4,063 votes (50.2 percent), and incumbent Bill Ward had garnered 3,969 votes (49.1 percent).

“I had no idea what to expect with the election results since there’s really no feedback along the way,” Marshall said Wednesday morning. “I think the race is so close because the community both appreciates Bill’s great service to the Port, and values the contributions that I could make moving forward.  It was a very positive race, and I think we did a good job of using the campaign to inform people about Port issues and projects. ”

Ward has served as a commissioner since 2008.

“The story of this election is: (this is why) every vote counts,” Ward said.

A registered professional engineer, Ward has owned and operated Management Engineering Associates, a Camas-based engineering consulting firm, for more than 40 years.

Ward, who earned an engineering degree from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, and a master of business administration (MBA) degree from the University of Portland, has been a member of the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club for 24 years and active with the Columbia River Economic Development Commission, Camas-Washougal Economic Development Association, Washington Public Ports Association, East Vancouver Business Association and the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce.

Marshall is the co-owner of Marshall Development, a local residential development business, and spent 17 years working for the Washougal School District as a highly-capable student coordinator and administrative assistant.

Marshall received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She then worked as a structural dynamics engineer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, before moving to Camas and transitioning to the education field.

Marshall is a member of the Camas Parks Commission and has also been active with Partners with Camas Parks and Recreation, the Camas Ivy League, Washougal Festival of Trees, Lacamas Little League, Sierra Club and the Helen Baller Parent Teacher Association.