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Clark County Councilor David Madore moved with purpose toward the podium at the county’s Republican convention.

Would he, or wouldn’t he?

“If you will have me, I will be glad to continue to represent you.”

The county GOP chair would later describe the crowd reaction as “really excited. Cheering.”

It was polite applause.

So there you have it. The most toxic politician our county has seen in decades was all in to retain his seat.

Fasten your seat belts.

• • •

Love him or hate him, most political observers would agree that Madore is an odd duck.

When he came into office three years ago, he was a fresh face on the scene. No one was quite sure what they were voting for when they put him into office, except that unlike many elected officials, he wasn’t a career politician.

The results? Well, let’s just say it hasn’t been pretty.

Since his election, Madore has endured a string of embarrassing political defeats, including the vote to change our form of government to weaken his hold over us and his unsuccessful run for the county chair seat.

So it wasn’t an automatic conclusion that he would opt to run for re-election. He could have finally decided that enough was enough and fade into the background forever more.

Fat chance.

• • •

Madore actually signaled his re-election bid by the way he has been acting on the council. There was some hope — after the last election pushed him into a minority position — that he would accept it with respect. He did not.

Instead, he wanted to show voters he would fight —  and fight hard — for his beliefs. And that fight would result in his creating chaos and angst.

Madore justifies his inappropriate behavior toward other council members as him faithfully representing the people. His people. They need a voice, he tells himself. And if that voice is sometimes crude and rough, so be it. He has embraced our local right-wing bloggers’ approach to life: To gain attention, you have to make people squirm.

He would not go quietly into the night, he told himself. He would make those who oppose him … pay.

• • •

That payback began even before the two new county councilors were seated. Remember, our new form of government pushed the board from three members to five. And Madore was able to do the math. He was going from being in a 2-1 majority to being in a 3-2 minority.

Madore had a few months left while he was still in the majority, and he used that time to push through a bunch of gunk that he knew wouldn’t stand up with the new majority.

But that didn’t matter. His plan was to force that new majority to undo all his stuff in the hopes of embarrassing them.

Remember. Pain — not good governance — was Madore’s goal.

That left the new majority — Councilors Julie Olson and Jeanne Stewart, and Council Chair Marc Boldt — no choice but to fall into Madore’s trap. They didn’t like the game Madore was playing, but they were determined to right the ship.

And they did.

Can he repair image?

One might wonder if Madore thinks all his shenanigans help his re-election bid. To an outsider, it’s obvious it doesn’t. But clearly, Madore must think it does.

But how could Madore think that? Easy. He’s delusional.

Delusion is a beautiful thing. It allows us to convince ourselves whenever we do stupid stuff … it really isn’t stupid stuff.

I’m guilty, as well.

The Benton hire

For example, Madore has now convinced himself that he did not hire County Environmental Services Director Don Benton. Benton couldn’t tell the difference between wastewater and watermelon, but that didn’t matter to Madore and his sidekick, Councilor Tom Mielke. They hired Benton anyway. And Madore simply has not been able to shake this disastrous decision. It was so bad, in fact, that sources said Madore tried to convince Benton to resign. But Benton’s mama didn’t raise no fools. No way Benton gives up that fat county paycheck.

So with that painful daily reminder that Benton is still on the county payroll, Madore is shifting gears. He now claims it was actually the then-county administrator who hired Benton. Of course, what really happened was Madore wanted the county administrator to rubber-stamp his hiring of Benton. But he refused to play along with Madore. So Benton got the job without the county administrator getting his hands dirty. It was all on the M&M boys, then. And their slick little move to hire Benton not only resulted in this continual PR disaster for them, it cost county taxpayers $250,000 to settle with a county employee who actually was qualified for the job.

Going it alone

Madore has also convinced himself that even if he has to go it alone, he will continue to fight what he sees is the good fight. Madore concludes that history has proved that people who believe in a cause and have to suffer because of it have been rewarded later. A political martyr, if you will.

Of course, he’s just being delusional again, justifying his caustic, often bitter approach as a necessary evil.

Fellow R’s

As it happened, we had several local Republican state representatives in for an editorial board meeting Thursday. We had a great discussion on important state issues. But as the meeting concluded, I asked if we could talk a little local politics. I asked about their view on Madore. Reps. Brandon Vick and Liz Pike took a cautious approach to the topic.

Pike, for example, said she hoped when the new board was seated, “there would be a lot more civility.” But when I asked who was the main culprit in that not happening, her answer was, “I think they’re all part of that problem.”

Huh?

Rep. Paul Harris — known as a straight shooter in Olympia — was much more direct.

“I don’t know I appreciate the way (Madore is) presenting himself and the way things have been transpiring. I don’t care who you are. You should be considerate and thoughtful. There seems to be one person that continually seems to be the person having difficulty working with, so I hope that sometime David Madore would sit down and say. … I at least have to be civil in my discourse … completely unacceptable.”

Rep. Lynda Wilson closed out the discussion — and our meeting — by suggesting her working relationship with Madore has not gone as well as she had hoped. At one point, she said, she relayed an African proverb to him:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

No question Madore is going it alone. Now we’ll see if voters agree.

Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sander’s rally in Vancouver on Sunday is prompting warnings of traffic congestion.

No street closures are planned in connection with the rally at Hudson’s Bay High School, 1601 E. McLoughlin Blvd., but the Vancouver Police Department is warning of traffic congestion leading up to the event on East McLoughlin Blvd., East Mill Plain Boulevard and Fort Vancouver Way.

Congestion is expected before the rally, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.,and after the rally, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m. for the event; Sanders is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. The event is free, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Drivers traveling through the area should plan for delays or choose an alternate route if necessary,” police said Saturday.

Police also advised attendees to minimize the impact to the neighborhoods surrounding the school by parking in the various parking lots in the area or by utilizing off-street parking outside of the neighborhoods if possible. Carpooling is encouraged.

In just one short week we set our clocks ahead for daylight saving time, jumped for joy with the Ides of March, wore the green on St. Patrick’s Day and welcomed the new season of spring. And spring rolled in during the night, with the last few daylight hours of winter having plenty of sunshine and afternoon temperatures in the mid- to upper 60s.

Unfortunately, the first full day of spring will see clouds and showers and much cooler temperatures reminding us it is still early in the season. The forecast this week calls for a chance of showers. It may dry out near the end of next week.

As usually happens with spring, we will have periods of sun and dry periods between the weather systems that will likely rotate around a broad trough of low pressure setting up in the Gulf of Alaska. Snow levels will bounce around a bit between pass levels and above.

I heard skiing and snowboarding was great Saturday with spring snow conditions after the powder snowfall. I was asked what the weather would be like on Easter. Typically, it can go either way between clouds and cold showers or sunny, mild weather.

It does come early this year, so it is possible the fickle month of March may keep a dash of winter in its grips next Sunday. But, I will stick my neck out and say partly sunny and in the low to mid-60s for Easter (I know I’ll change that as the week goes on).

Spring break is this week for many students and teachers across the river, with a mixed bag with the clouds and showers I mentioned. It will be rainy in the mountains today but snowy on Monday for skiing.

A bit too early to predict how Clark County spring break will be, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed and a close weather eye out.

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://patricktimm.com

'Resolving conflicting interests'

Natural gas crash

Possible outcomes

Democrats who rose Sunday looking forward to candidate Bernie Sanders’ appearance at Hudson’s Bay High School got a second superstar jolt before long: Word that former President Bill Clinton, the husband of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, would be appearing at Vancouver’s Clark College late Mondayafternoon — just over 24 hours after Sanders’ appearance right across the street.

That’s because Washington State’s Democratic caucus will be held on Saturday. Any local Democratic voters who haven’t made up their minds yet — and even those who have — sure must be enjoying the way the candidates are reaching out to them.

Clinton will appear at two events in Vancouver Monday. The first is a public “Get Out The Caucus” rally at 5 p.m. at the Clark College student union at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way. 

Doors will open at 4:15 p.m. and Clinton is expected to take the stage at 5 p.m. 

The rally is free and open to the public, but please register to attend via www.hillaryclinton.com/events/view/2253825. 

Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said that Sunday’s Bernie Sanders event is expected to prove larger than the Bill Clinton visit. 

“Our first goal is just to get through today,” she said on Sunday, meaning the security and traffic challenges of Sanders’ mobbed appearance at Hudson’s Bay High School. “Today is expected to be on a larger scale.”

The second Clinton event, later Monday evening, is a private fundraiser at the Evergreen Highlands home of Craig Hartzman and Jim Johns, hosted by Hartzman, Johns and Jane and Paul Jacobsen. The prices listed on the website are $2,700 per “champion” and $1,000 per “guest.” “Champions” get their photograph taken with the former president.

Why Vancouver?

Washington State hasn’t gone Republican in a general presidential contest since it helped re-elect Ronald Reagan in 1984, and no Republican presidential candidates visited here before their party’s precinct caucuses in February. But the task of these early caucuses is selecting convention delegates only; both parties will also hold a presidential candidate primary on May 24, and it’s possible that candidates will start barnstorming the state, including Vancouver, to capture votes in time for that. 

Vancouver also has the advantage of being a bistate media market, with news coverage — and political interest — coming from Oregon as well as Washington. That makes Vancouver a two-for-the-price-of-one campaign stop for presidential candidates.

Before he visits Vancouver Monday, Clinton will hold a lunchtime Get Out The Caucus rally at Spokane Falls Community College in Spokane. Then he’ll head west. 

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton herself will campaign in Seattle, Everett and Puyallup. 

Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating a Sunday morning hit-and-run collision that put a pedestrian in the hospital with serious injuries quickly located a parked car with fresh damage that matched the victim’s injuries.

They arrested Treven Perry, a 32-year-old Vancouver resident, on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, at about 1 a.m. Sunday a 20-year-old male was struck from behind by a dark-colored vehicle in the 4000 block of NE 131st Street in Vancouver. The suspect vehicle fled the scene without stopping.

The victim was transported to the hospital via ambulance.

Sheriff’s deputies began looking for a car with front-end damage consistent with the injuries suffered by the victim.

At approximately 8 a.m. Sunday, Detective Chris Luque of the Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Detective Unit spotted a green 1995 Dodge Dakota, with what appeared to be fresh damage consistent with the collision, parked in the driveway of a residence one mile south of where the incident occurred. Perry was contacted there and booked into the Clark County Jail.

The victim remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders brought his message of political revolution to Vancouver on Sunday.

“What this campaign is essentially about is whether or not we retain our democratic foundations or whether we move to an oligarchic form of society,” Sanders told the crowd at Hudson’s Bay High School. “Today, here in Vancouver, we say to the billionaire class, we say to corporate America, we say to Wall Street: ‘No, this country is not going to be an oligarchy.’ ”

The crowd of about 5,000 broke into resounding applause.

Sanders’ speech hit familiar themes: He pledged to raise the national minimum wage to $15 an hour and spoke of the need for universal health care and for campaign finance reform. The Vermont senator said his opponents and “members of the establishment” have likened him to Santa Claus and asked how he plans to pay for free college education.

“I’m going to tell you,” he told his supporters, “and it requires thinking outside of the box. Eight years ago, as a result of greed and recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street, Congress bailed them out.”

As if on cue, the crowd booed.

“Well, I think right now, it’s time for a tax on Wall Street,” Sanders said, with the crowd erupting in applause.

A tax on Wall Street speculation would make college affordable, the senator said. “If Congress can bail out Wall Street, now is the time for Wall Street to help the middle class,” he said.

Roben White, a volunteer with the Clark County Democrats, a Sanders supporter and an enrolled member of the Lakota Tribe, hoped before the speech that the candidate would address both Native American issues and taking care of the environment.

Sanders delivered. He thanked Native Americans for “enriching our culture” and teaching us about the environment we live in, “with nature and not against nature.”

Sanders also addressed climate change.

“Climate change is real. It is caused by human activity and it is already causing devastating problems in this country and around the world,” he said.

His supporters didn’t appear to mind that he was hitting his standard talking points — he was often interrupted by applause or chants of his name.

Sanders spoke of creating an economy that works for the middle class and not just the top 1 percent. He touched on removing marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act’s list of serious drugs that carry stiff penalties. He spoke of rebuilding the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, moving away from using fossil fuels and preventing future water crises like the one that’s gained national attention in Flint, Mich. He touted single-payer health care and the need for immigration reform. 

Sanders also held rallies in Seattle and Spokane on Sunday ahead of the state’s Democratic caucuses Saturday. Oregon holds its primary in May.

The senator urged Washington Democrats to vote.

“We win when voter turnout is high,” he told the crowd.

As a line of thousands of drenched supporters of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders snaked its way across the grounds at Hudson’s Bay High School, it became clear early on that not everyone would have a chance to see the candidate inside the school’s gymnasium.

There were just too many people to fit in the nearly 5,000-person gym where Sanders kicked off a tour of Washington state Sunday, nearly a week ahead of Saturday’s Democratic caucuses.

But everyone, even those stuck outside after the gym was full, had a chance to hear Sanders speak.

As rain poured from the sky, Sanders stepped up to a small stage set up on the muddy grounds in front of a cheering crowd hundreds strong.

Parents hoisted their children onto their shoulders to get a better look. Some stood in the bleachers at nearby baseball fields. Everywhere, supporters held their phones high in the air to grab a shot of Sanders.

“We need millions of people to get involved in the political process, so let us stand together,” Sanders urged the crowd. “Let’s transform America. Let’s win a huge victory here in Washington next Saturday.”

Sanders repeated his speech to a crowded cafeteria full of supporters who couldn’t fit inside the gym. Then, at last, came the moment many had waited for hours to see, when Sanders took the stage in the high school’s gym to thousands of cheering and screaming supporters.

In the hours before Sanders’ speech, thousands of rain-jacket-clad, umbrella-toting supporters gathered at the high school. Techno music blasted over the crowd. Dozens came with homemade signs touting their support for Sanders. The occasional collective cheer of “Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!” broke out among the crowd.

For Vancouver couple Tracey Fast, 52, and his partner, Margarita Lazova, 37, this moment was important enough to wait in line since Saturday morning.

“I’ve never been to or contributed to any campaign before,” Fast said, standing at the front of a line that was already hundreds deep early Sunday morning. “This is a first for me. That’s how important I feel this is.”

Lazova said she attended Sunday’s rally “for our kids, for you and for everybody else.”

“I’m here because I’m feeling the Bern,” she said. “I’m here to support Bernie Sanders. Frankly, he’s our only hope right now.”

Dyani Toohey, a 19-year-old from Vancouver, had waited since 6:30 a.m. for the opportunity to hear her candidate speak in her hometown.

Toohey, who wore a purple “Bernie 2016” button that matched her equally vibrant hair, called it a “once in a lifetime experience.”

“He’s just about (how) everybody should be treated the same, and that’s what I believe in,” she said. “Everybody’s equal. It doesn’t matter what your skin color is, it doesn’t matter what religion you practice, you deserve to be treated as well as everybody else does in the country.”

Others drove from out of town to hear Sanders speak.

Jose Soto-Gates, 38, came from his home in Eugene, Ore., to attend Sunday’s rally.

“I’m a huge Bernie fan. … I brought my daughter and her friend. I brought my friend, Tami, who drove two hours to Eugene to carpool up here. And then we drove to Kelso to pick up my mother before we actually came back down here,” Soto-Gates said.

Gregory Gregg wore a homemade T-shirt with a photo of his daughter and her family — all wearing matching Sanders T-shirts — underneath his rain jacket.

“Bernie represents all that’s good in America,” the 69-year-old said. “And we have a choice now between voting for the people we’re told to and voting for Bernie Sanders. And Bernie Sanders represents the people. And the other candidates represent big money interests.”

A convicted sex offender is accused of exposing himself to a 12-year-old boy in the restroom of the Fred Meyer store in Orchards.

Rey F. Leno, 69, of Brush Prairie appeared in Clark County Superior Court on Monday on suspicion of indecent exposure. Leno has several convictions for indecent exposure, court records show. His last conviction was a felony because he is a repeat offender.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the store at 7411 N.E. 117th Ave. shortly before 5 p.m. Friday. The boy’s father told deputies that his son went into the restroom and then came running out. The boy said he was afraid because an older man, later identified as Leno, had exposed himself to him, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.

The boy told deputies that he went into the restroom and was standing at a urinal, which had short divider walls. Leno was at the urinal to his left, stepped away from the divider and tapped the boy on the shoulder to get him to turn around. Leno’s penis was allegedly still exposed, and he asked the boy, “Do you have the time?” according to the affidavit.

The boy said he became frightened, so he ran and told his father what happened. Leno was reportedly already in the restroom when the boy entered, court records said.

Leno left the restroom after the boy, and the store’s loss-prevention officers followed him outside, where he got into a car and left, according to court documents.

Deputies then went to the registered owner’s home. The owner said he had given Leno a ride to the store. He said Leno was inside the store for 20 to 30 minutes before returning, the affidavit said.

Deputies asked Leno what happened in the restroom, and he admitted to asking the boy what time it was. He denied that his penis was exposed, court records said. He also told deputies that he has prior convictions for indecent exposure, which occurred at Wal-Mart and Winco stores, according to court documents.

On Monday, Judge David Gregerson appointed a defense attorney and set Leno’s bail at $30,000, court records show.

Leno will be arraigned Friday.

A Vancouver motorist who allegedly struck a pedestrian and then fled the scene early Sunday morning appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court.

Treven Perry, 32, appeared in court to face an allegation of hit-and-run injury in connection with the crash at Northeast 131st Street and Northeast 42nd Avenue in Vancouver.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived at about 1 a.m. to find a pedestrian, identified in court records as 20-year-old Ryan Moore, had been struck from behind. The driver fled without stopping, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.

A witness at the scene, Trevor Moore, told deputies the suspect vehicle was a dark green pickup or SUV, the affidavit said.

Moore underwent surgery for multiple injuries, which included a head laceration, concussion, multiple leg fractures and a broken pelvis. He was subsequently placed in the intensive-care unit, court records show. His condition was unavailable Monday. However, he is expected to survive his injuries, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies canvassed the area and located a 1995 Dodge Dakota pickup shortly after 8 a.m. parked in the driveway of 4813 N.E. 128th St. The front left-corner of the vehicle appeared to have fresh damage consistent with the crash, court records said.

Perry allegedly told detectives that he swerved and struck a pole after he had dropped something in his vehicle and reached down to grab it. He said he slowed down afterward and looked back to make sure he hadn’t hit a person. Perry then left the scene and came home to sleep, he said, adding that he planned to report the crash later, according to the affidavit.

During his hearing, Judge David Gregerson appointed a defense attorney and set Perry’s bail at $15,000, court records show.

Perry will be arraigned Friday.

After 10 months of contract negotiations, Battle Ground teachers voted overwhelmingly to ratify a contract agreement between the teachers union and the school district at a general membership meeting Monday night at Chief Umtuch Middle School. Of the 450 members who voted, 97.5 percent voted to ratify the contract.

“It’s very exciting,” said Battle Ground Education Association President Linda Peterson. “It was an awesome feeling to look out at all those members and have them share in the celebration of having finished a very long negotiation process and coming out of that with what they believe to be a good contract.”

The union’s bylaws require a simple majority to ratify a contract. The union represents about 825 teachers. About 54 percent of the members voted.

At the meeting, union leadership went through the contract page by page to show members what language had been changed, Peterson said. After a question-and-answer period, the floor was opened for debate, but there was none. The meeting concluded after 90 minutes.

“I was very hopeful it would pass,” Peterson said. “The district did come forward with a larger TRI package, and that made a huge difference.”

TRI pay is money paid to teachers for extra work they do planning lessons and grading papers outside of the regular school day.

The two year-contract is retroactive to Sept. 1, 2015. The former contract expired Aug. 31.

Details of the agreement will not be released until the school board votes on the agreement at its March 28 meeting. Last week, Superintendent Mark Hottowe said he will ask the board to approve the agreement.

The Battle Ground Education Association and Battle Ground Public Schools reached a tentative contract deal March 16 after 10 months of negotiations that included mediated bargaining sessions.

Although several school districts around the state are still negotiating teacher contracts with their unions, Battle Ground’s teachers were the last in Clark County working without a renewed contract, said Linda Mullen, spokeswoman for Washington Education Association.

“Our members are happy. They know they have a solid contract backing them,” Peterson said.