Camas resident Anna Miller submitted a letter to the editor of Clark County Today urging the Clark County Council to reverse the removal of Councilor Michelle Belcott from the C‑TRAN board. Miller contends that the council acted without a written rule mandating that elected officials vote in line with the council majority.

Missing rule at the time of removal

According to Miller, Belcott was removed because she refused to vote as the council majority instructed her to. However, the council’s own March 12, 2025, meeting minutes show there was no formal rule requiring councilors to obey the majority’s voting direction. A councilor even requested that the council consider adding such a requirement after the controversy erupted.

Rule added after the fact

Subsequently, the council adopted provisions that explicitly address the issue that led to Belcott’s removal. Miller asks why the council needed a new rule after it had already exercised its authority to remove an elected official. She argues that a rule adopted retroactively should apply only to future conduct, not serve as justification for past punishment.

Why reinstatement matters

“Councillors are elected by the people of their districts,” Miller writes. “They have a responsibility to listen to their constituents, consider the facts, and exercise their own judgment. They should not be reduced to voting according to the instructions of other council members.” She stresses that the debate is not about the merits of Belcott’s vote but about whether government follows its own rules and whether those rules exist before officials are punished.

Call to action for voters

Miller concludes that Councilor Belcott should be reinstated to the C‑TRAN board under the rules that existed when she was removed. She urges every Clark County voter to consider the principle that government must adhere to established procedures, not create them after the fact to legitimize past actions.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.