Smith named Regional Transportation Council Board chairwoman

Camas City Councilwoman Melissa Smith was recently named chairwoman of the Regional Transportation Council Board of Directors.

Smith was appointed to the seat by an 8-2 vote.

“I am looking forward to the challenges and building stronger partnerships with all our partners,” said Smith, who currently represents Camas and Washougal on the board.

Former Chairman Jack Burkman, a Vancouver city councilman, now serves as vice chairman.

The board has 14 members who represent general purpose governments, special purpose districts, governmental agencies, or political subdivisions that are part of the governing interlocal agreement.

The RTC serves as the metropolitan planning organization for Clark County and conducts the federally required transportation planning process that is a condition for the receipt of federal transportation funds.

RTC also serves as the regional transportation planning organization, as required by the State Growth Management Act, for Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties.

Smith, who has been served on the City Council since 2004, has been a member of the RTC board since 2013. According to an inter-local agreement approved in 2012 between Camas and Washougal, joint representation alternates between each city every two years. A term can be extended when an appointee is progressing through board leadership chairs, if agreed to by both cities.

In the vote to appoint Smith chairwoman of the board, Clark County Commissioners David Madore and Tom Mielke voted “no,” while the “yes” votes came from Smith, Burkman, Port of Vancouver Commissioner Nancy Baker, Oregon Department of Transportation representative Kelly Brooks, Washington Department of Transportation representative Bart Gernhart, Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow, Vancouver City Councilman Larry Smith and Clark County Commissioner Jeanne Stewart.

The next RTC meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 4 p.m., at the Clark County Public Service Center, 6th floor training room, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver.