White Salmon City Council hears preliminary budget for 2026

The hearing began with remarks from Mayor Marla Keethler, who reflected on her relationship with public service, shifts in city government culture and set the stage for the remaining two years of her final term.

“I really struggled this year to write a message, and I think it’s because I started to feel very disconnected from why I got into public service,” said Keethler, noting how the collaborative environment in both city hall and the council chambers seemed to be falling apart at times. “I would like to reclaim it.”

“If any of us in leadership roles, whether it’s in this chamber or serving this country or working for a public agency, lose your capacity to love the people we are supposed to represent, we also lose our capacity to lead them — and I think in times of deep change that gets tested most,” Keethler continued. “Grounded in responsibility and growing with purpose has been the compass guiding White Salmon through a year of deep rebuilding, organizationally, financially and culturally, and the 2026 proposed budget is the clearest reflection of yet of that work.”

Finance Director Jennifer Neil projected that White Salmon will generate $11.3 million next year, at least preliminarily, while shelling out $9.8 million, 86% of which will go toward mandatory expenditures like public safety, utilities and emergency management. About 9% will support essential services, including planning, permitting and facilities, leaving 5% to address optional local priorities driven by council.

In terms of additions, a new internship program in partnership with Columbia High School launches next year, offering three seasonal positions split across public works and administration. The city is also budgeting for a new full-time senior accountant, allowing Neil and Public Works Director Chris True to focus more on long-term planning and grant development.

The position will be latest of many changes to city personnel and its internal organization. Not only are Neil and True relatively new to their respective helms, along with City Planner Rowan Fairfield, but Keethler reverted administration back to the “strong mayor” governance system in June, as previously reported by Columbia Gorge News.

Rather than having each department head (public works, police, fire, finance and operations, planning, and clerk) report to a city administrator who then reports to Keethler, the strong mayor structure operates without a city administrator. 

The change after former Clerk Treasurer Stephanie Porter stepped down from her position in January, and Keethler’s removal of former City Administrator Troy Raybrun just prior.

“This past year required city hall to confront and repair the organizational harm created by a former administrative environment rooted in manipulation and dysfunction. That work continues,” said Keethler. “Rebuilding a culture of professionalism, respect and empowerment is not simply an HR [human resources] task — it is essential to delivering effective government.”

The 2026 budget does provide for strengthened outside HR support, but it also sets aside funding for quarterly council policy gatherings, monthly open houses with staff and Keethler and community coffee sessions that rotate around specific topics, all aiming to improve transparency and engagement.

Other key line items include demolition of the old youth center on Jewett, Church Street reconstruction, updates to both the comprehensive plan and Critical Areas Ordinance, completing water infrastructure improvements on Spring Street, sidewalk repair from a Sweet Gum tree, and funding a wastewater system plan, among other initiatives.

While not explicitly set aside in the budget, Keethler emphasized that securing at-home postal delivery and improving wayfinding in the downtown area are key priorities for her.

Apart from the property tax levy and approving the consent agenda, and with Councilor Ben Giant absent, council took no other action that night. Council will keep the public hearing for its budget open through the Dec. 3 meeting and intends to ratify the budget on Dec. 17.