More than two months after the Battle Ground City Council voted to terminate City Manager Kris Swanson without cause, the City remains without an interim city manager. That fact was confirmed by a council member during Monday’s meeting.
The ongoing leadership uncertainty raises questions about Council’s decision-making, consistency, and responsibility to City staff and residents.
ππππ πππππππ ππππππππ πππππππ ππππππππππ
On August 5, a majority of Council voted to appoint Rob Ferrier as interim city manager after he agreed to serve. However, subsequent attempts to approve his contract have failed to secure majority support.
Some of the same council members who initially supported his appointment have since declined to approve the agreement necessary to formalize his role.
Councilor Victoria Ferrer voted in favor of appointing Ferrier on August 5. She later raised concerns about understanding the proposed contract. At the September 28th meeting, however, she expressed a preference for opening the interim position to other applicants.
The change in her stated concerns raises questions about what has prevented Council from finalizing an appointment it previously supported.
Mayor Eric Overholser has also repeatedly abstained from votes, including votes related to the interim city manager.
While abstentions can be appropriate under certain circumstances, repeated abstentions on significant leadership decisions raise questions about accountability. Elected officials are entrusted with making decisions on behalf of residents, including when those decisions are difficult or controversial.
The City has now gone more than two months without a formally appointed interim city manager.
Questions also remain about whether Ferrier will receive compensation for work already performed and whether he continues to carry out responsibilities associated with the position.
Meanwhile, City staff continue to maintain essential operations despite the uncertainty surrounding City leadership.
ππππππ π ππ π πππππππππ ππππ πππππππ
Council approved directing staff to move forward with an executive search firm to conduct an internal search for a permanent city manager.
Councilors Shane Bowman and Troy McCoy favored a broader recruitment process that would include external candidates.
During multiple Council meetings, references have been made to an existing City employee who is interested in the position.
The decision to pursue an internal search raises an important question: Will limiting the applicant pool provide the City with the strongest possible selection of qualified candidates?
With an executive search firm involved, residents may also want to know what services the firm will provide, how much the process will cost, and how candidates will be evaluated.
πππ πππππππ ππππππ ππππππππ π ππππ ππππππππππ
The Satanic Temple delivered the first invocation under Battle Ground’s newly adopted invocation policy.
Despite common misconceptions, The Satanic Temple is a nontheistic religious organization whose members generally do not believe in or worship a literal Satan. The organization uses Satan as a literary symbol of individual liberty, questioning authority, and resistance to arbitrary power.
Its stated principles emphasize compassion, empathy, justice, bodily autonomy, and respect for the freedoms of others.
Four individuals gathered outside City Hall to protest the invocation, reportedly under the belief that the organization worships Satan. None addressed Council during public comment.
All available invocation slots for both 2026 and 2027 have reportedly been filled.
πππππππ πππππ ππππππ πππ-πππππ ππππππππππ ππ ππππππ ππππ ππππ πππππππππππππ
Council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing on a proposed six-month citywide moratorium affecting development applications and permits related to the redevelopment of existing mobile home and manufactured home parks.
The proposal could have significant implications for housing affordability and displacement concerns within Battle Ground.
Manufactured home communities often provide relatively affordable housing options, particularly for residents on fixed or limited incomes.
The recent listing for sale of a mobile home park behind Wilco highlights why residents may be paying close attention to redevelopment policies and their potential consequences.
The upcoming public hearing will provide residents a chance to weigh in on the proposed moratorium.
πππ πππππππππ ππππππππ πππππ πππππππππ
Council held two executive sessions during the meeting.
The first involved consultation with legal counsel regarding litigation or potential litigation involving the City.
One possible connection is the upcoming November 2 public hearing involving former City Manager Kris Swanson, whose termination without cause was approved in August. However, no public confirmation has established that connection.
The November 2 hearing is expected to draw large public interest. Residents wishing to participate should be aware that public hearings provide three minutes per speaker, unless the Mayor decides to pull something underhanded to limit public participation.
The second executive session concerned receiving and evaluating complaints or charges against a public officer or employee.
That session may have been connected to an ethics complaint referenced during a Council meeting last month, although this has not been confirmed.
Under Battle Ground’s current ethics process, only a council member may initiate a formal ethics complaint against another council member.
This restriction raises broader questions about public accountability. Should residents have a direct process for filing ethics complaints against elected officials, rather than relying on another elected official to initiate a review?
The City’s Ethics Committee includes Mayor Eric Overholser and Councilors Jeanie Kuypers and Brian Munson.
Overholser recused himself from the matter while stating that he was not required to do so. He subsequently appointed Councilor Victoria Ferrer to serve in his place.
The circumstances surrounding that decision may warrant further explanation, particularly regarding the reason for the recusal and the selection of a replacement.
The subjects discussed during the executive sessions have not been publicly confirmed. Any suggested connections to specific personnel or ethics matters remain speculative.
πππππππππ πππππ ππππππ ππππππππππ
During a discussion concerning water lines and responsibility for infrastructure, Councilor Victoria Ferrer raised questions about which parties are responsible for certain aspects of the system.
Some of the information discussed involves responsibilities that are generally relevant to and known by residents and property owners.
The exchange highlights the importance of council members having a clear understanding of municipal operations during meetings, particularly when addressing policies and services that directly affect residents.
πππππ πππππππππ’π ππππππππ ππ ππππππ ππππππ ππππ πππππππ ππππππππ
Kelso City Councilor Keenan Harvey was again present at the Battle Ground City Council meeting.
According to accounts, Harvey has indicated that he has applied for the city manager position.
Harvey also has reported connections with current and former Longview city council members who were involved in the termination of Kris Swanson during her tenure as Longview’s city manager.
Some of those individuals have attended Battle Ground City Council meetings since June, including the meeting at which Battle Ground’s Council voted to terminate Swanson.
Harvey’s reported application raises questions about the timeline of the submission.
ππππππ ππππππ πππππππππ πππππππ πππππ πππππππ
The central issue emerging from Monday’s meeting is the continued uncertainty surrounding City leadership.
Why has Council been unable to finalize an interim city manager appointment more than two months after terminating the previous city manager?
What responsibilities is Rob Ferrier currently performing, and how will his work be compensated?
What criteria will guide the permanent city manager search, and why has Council chosen to limit recruitment to internal candidates?
Transparency in local government requires more than public meetings. It requires clear explanations of decisions, consistent procedures, and accountability for the consequences of those decisions.
Battle Ground residents and City employees deserve to understand how their government is being managed and what steps Council is taking to restore stable leadership.
Leave a Reply