This is the statement issued this evening by Vancouver Police:
On October 3, 2019, at approximately 2:09 pm, Vancouver Police responded to a call of a shooting at 515 Washington Street (Smith Tower Apartments). When officers arrived, they located three victims in the lobby of the apartment building suffering from gunshot wounds. Two female victims were transported to area hospitals for medical treatment and one male victim was deceased.
Officers determined the suspect, Robert E. Breck, 80, a resident of the building, was inside his apartment, refusing to come out. Verbal communication was established with the suspect by officers from the crisis negotiation team while other officers and SWAT members evacuated residents. At approximately 4:45 p.m. the suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Robert E. Breck was booked into the Clark County Jail on one count of Murder I. and two counts of Attempted Murder I.
All residents have been given the clearance to return to their apartments.
The investigation is continuing and nothing further will be released at this time.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07075413/CDF303A7-F1D6-4388-9914-768FD5FA5EE7.jpeg411720Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-03 19:24:432019-10-03 19:28:27Vancouver Police Issue Statement on Smith Building Shooting; Suspect in Custody
Washougal High School Advanced Culinary students were put to the test on September 26 when they created and served a special lunch entrée for students and faculty.
In addition to preparing ingredients and cooking the meal, students were asked to market the lunch special using posters, Instagram, announcements, and Twitter.
“This was the first time for many of the students to participate in this type of activity,” said Brenda Hitchins, WHS Culinary Arts teacher. “They applied organizational skills, teamwork, sanitation, time management, cooking methods, presentation, and making sure everything was cleaned up at the end.”
The lunch offer was “Pasta Pronto” and featured penne pasta with either marinara or alfredo sauces and a choice of other delicious additions such as red onions, sliced olives, fresh spinach, and sausage.
“Culinary students sautés the ingredients, toss in penne pasta, and finish with their choice of sauce,” Hitchins said. “It takes teamwork and coordination as they pass the pan down the line for each step. The dish is finished and placed in paper boat and topped with a whole wheat breadstick. Students can add parmesan cheese and chili pepper flakes if they choose.”
Regular school lunch pricing applied.
“Lunch numbers have been low, so we partnered with Mark Jasper of Sodexo to put on this event,” said Hitchins. “We had a goal to serve more than 230 lunches and we brought the number up to 208.”
“This lunch project was a great opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in class to a real-world situation,” said Margaret Rice, WSD Career and Technical Education Director. “The experience gave them the chance to serve peers, practice what they know and assess how it went so they can improve upon their skills. We hope this is the first of many opportunities like this.”
Students were required to first complete “Introduction to Culinary” and “Baking and Pastry” classes to enroll in “Advanced Culinary I and II”.
“Our biggest challenge is setting up the stations and get the food ready before the event,” Hitchins said. “Students are giving up their lunch time to participate in these school lunches as well as their part of their fourth period class to help breakdown and clean.”
Hitchins believes participation in these type of events builds student self-esteem and confidence.
“Our goal this year is to teach them how to quantify what skills they have so they are able to present this information on different platforms such as a resume, job interview, and volunteer service,” she said. “Some students struggle to be at school. My goal for this class is not only that they are learning a life skill, but they are finding a reason to want to come to school and participate.”
Moving forward, students will work more with Jasper and Sodexo in creating other lunch offerings. They will forecast ingredients needed, do complete station set up, food prepping and all while meeting the school lunch program standards.
“Students will run the event and learn about planning, how to make sure they are prepared, delegating duties to others, and reflecting on the event so they think about their learning and assess their performance objectives to see how they have grown,” said Hitchins.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/07075421/0995EF21-5601-4BB6-BBD8-3C64FDFBFCFF-e1570139891241.jpeg7742025Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-10-03 15:00:022019-10-03 15:00:12Washougal High School Advanced Culinary Students Serve Up Lunch
Vancouver, Wash. — In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness month in October, Vancouver Police Department personnel will be wearing purple ribbon lapel pins to show their support of domestic violence victims and raise awareness about domestic, spousal, and teen dating violence. The department has also outfitted a vehicle with a purple police logo which will be driven to community events and presentations where officers will be providing information on domestic violence, the danger signs of this crime and resources for victims.
Domestic violence affects millions of men and women of every race, age, religion, culture and status. Domestic violence is not just physical violence; it’s yelling, humiliation, stalking, manipulation, coercion, threats and isolation. Since the Violence Against Women Act was signed into law in 1994, over $7 billion in federal grants have been sent to state and local governments to facilitate programs that prevent domestic violence, sexual assault and dating violence. The Vancouver Police Department has been the recipient of multiple grants related to domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and police response and investigation of these crimes.
Statistics around domestic violence:
On a typical day, more than 20,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year and 90% of those are witnesses
1 in 3 women and 1 in 14 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner
19% of domestic violence involves a weapon
1 in 3 high school students experience either physical or sexual violence, or both by someone they are dating
More than half of women (69.5%) and men (53.6%) who have been physically or sexually abused or stalked by a dating partner, first experienced abuse between the ages of 11-24
If you are afraid your internet and/or computer usage might be monitored, please use a safer computer, or call the local hotline at the YWCA Safe Choice (360)-695-0501, the Washington State Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-562-6025 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
I live just outside the City of Camas in rural Clark County, but if I were in the city, I’d be voting no on the proposed $78 million city owned swimming pool. It’s not government’s role to build recreational aquatic centers that unfairly compete with the private sector. $78 million for a community pool? (Editor’s Note: the total bond is asking for $78 million; the estimated pool build cost is $37 million). That’s outrageous! Residents are already overtaxed today between local levies for fire districts, local school levies and bonds, libraries, and enormous never-before-seen gigantic property tax hikes passed by the Washington State Legislature to fund massive public education increases. Where does it end? Most people are fed up with their property tax bill as it is.
Furthermore, imagine how much it will cost annually to maintain and operate a $78 million recreational pool! Where is that money going to come from? Don’t forget about all those new government workers that will also be needed to operate the facility. They come with huge legacy costs, not just new salaries, but new pensions and new benefit costs that taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for.
If the recreational aquatics center is such a brilliant idea, why aren’t private sector businesses clamoring to get in on this business model?
Instead of building extravagant public swimming pools that most citizens cannot afford, I recommend city leaders focus on attracting more family wage jobs to our industrial areas so that more residents can work where they live. In doing so, more industries will help shoulder the property tax burden now crushing many of our working families. More good jobs in Camas will also reduce commuter traffic on SR 14 and across the river into Oregon. City leaders would also be wise to prioritize improving transportation congestion within the city to manage the choke points resulting from the thousands of new houses they keep approving! Quality of life in and around Camas is diminishing from traffic problems at peak times.
Camas has been a beautiful place to live for many generations of working class families. With recent actions, it almost appears as if City leaders want to relegate Camas forever as an overpriced bedroom community where only the wealthiest families can afford to live. There’s an election coming up. City taxpayers should pay attention to those on the ballot that continue to advocate for higher spending as opposed to those who insist Camas live within its means.
Pike is a three-term Washington State Representative.
It was standing room only at Thursday’s annual Camas State of the Community at Lacamas Lake Lodge, which featured addresses from Port of Camas Washougal Director Dave Ripp, City of Camas Mayor Shannon Turk, and Camas School District Superintendent Jeff Snell.
Camas School District School Board President, Doug Quinn, served as Master of Ceremonies while the Camas School Orchestra (Rose Hinchliff, Ireland McGree, and Luke Martinez) performed the prelude music and Autumn Sterle sang the National Anthem.
State of the Port of Camas Washougal
At the onset of his address, Ripp said the Port receives income from three sources: 1) Grove Field airport ($153,837 net); 2) The CW Marina ($417,859 net); and 3) Property/commerce center leases ($1,660,988 net).
Ripp then discussed the Port’s work on the Washougal waterfront development.
“We’ve been working on this since 2010,” said Ripp. “The site was originally a lumber mill, which closed down. We wanted to do something that enhances what’s there and have the public enjoy it.”
He explained obtaining the site was possible through a grant, which has two phases: 1) Cleanup; and 2) Planning. In 2014, the Port did the full cleanup, and in 2015, they built the park and trail, and purchased the remaining portion of the Killian site. Once the trail was finished, they looked at master planning, hired an outside firm, and then presented the public with three options, all of which include public access to the waterfront.
Master plan at Washougal Waterfront.
“In 2021 we want to put a shovel in the ground to get it moving,” said Ripp. “On June 7, the natural play area was opened to the public on June 7. This is our crown jewel of waterfront trail park.”
Ripp then explained the growth and success of the Steigerwald Commerce Center, which received $3 million in grants allowing the Port to double the building’s size. Six businesses are presently there, and the center is operating at 100 percent occupancy. They are now looking at Building 19, a 27,000 square foot facility purchased this year.
The new roundabouts are very helpful with business trade at the Commerce Center, said Ripp, though he acknowledges neighbor frustration.
State of the City of Camas
In her first State of the Community address, Mayor Shannon Turk spoke about four topics:
Infrastructure improvements
Economic development
Recreation opportunities
Communication
“The infrastructure improvements that we will be working on this year enhance safety and traffic flow on our roads and ensure the availability of clean water.”
Significant improvements will be made on Brady Road from 16th Avenue to Pacific Rim Boulevard, which include the following:
Widening the roadway
Addition of bike lanes
Street lighting and landscaping
Center turn lane/median
Utility work begins this fall thru winter
Final work/paving — late summer 2020
A two-million-gallon reservoir will be built at NW 18th and Tidland to help the city maintain its commitment to providing clean, quality water to all areas of the city.
Turk also provided an update on the Lake/Everett Road roundabout, scheduled for construction from 2020 to 2021, and showed a fly-over traffic simulation, as seen here: https://youtu.be/iFlQ51XrSyM
The North shore subarea plan (the area north of Lacamas Lake) furthers the vision of our city leaders in the 1980s, she said, and is “setting up our city for the next three to four decades.” The area contains 800 acres of land, of which 160 acres is owned by the city for legacy land open spaces and land preservation (along the north shore).
The North Shore plan creates new developments including homes, shops, and master planned commercial development.
“It shows where we need to invest,” said Turk. “Visit www.camasnorthshore.com, where you can learn more or provide input by taking a survey.”
During the next portion of her talk, recreation opportunities, Turk discussed the Community Aquatics Center and Sports Field bond measure. The 78,000-square-foot multi-use facility includes a recreational pool, lap/competitive pool, community spaces, multipurpose gym, locker rooms, child watch area, and many other amenities. Turk worked with Camas City Council to put this project to vote, known as Proposition 2, on the November ballot. During her presentation, she explained the need for the new facilities, cited decades-long support for the project, and encouraged all Camas residents to continue to provide input on the design, location, and features of the project, which will continue to be refined after November 5.
“This provides an opportunity for seniors to be active and socialize, as part of an aging-in-place strategy,” said Turk. “It gives our children and teens an opportunity to play sports for fun through intramural programs, increasing their activity and connecting them with friends, instead of what they hold in their hand. And it allows us to ensure that all of our children in our city know how to swim and view our community center as a destination for fun diving, instead of swinging off rope swings or jumping off rocks. This is a 78,000-square-foot facility that is designed to highlight the natural surroundings. This is our concept and it is beautiful. That does not mean that things will not be tweaked or changed, but right now this looks awesome.”
“We did put a bond on the ballot and we are asking you to pay for this,” said Turk. “There’s $72 million for the center, $37.2 million of that amount goes to building the facility itself. The rest goes to offsite and onsite improvements including parking at Heritage Park, a roundabout that will help you get in and out of Heritage Park and proposed Community Center easily. It includes a light at Lake Road and Sierra … These costs are in here.”
Turk said the ballot measure also includes $6 million in sports field renovations (new turf, fields, and lighting).
Contractors will be selected for the project through a bidding process. The city expects to receive competitive bids, which will likely come in significantly lower than the estimated $78 million price tag. Private donations could further lower the overall cost. If the final price tag of the project is indeed less, the city will reduce the projected tax rate of $1.04 per $1,000 in assessed property value, and collect fewer taxes from residents. (Any new taxes would not start until 2021.)
Moving on to the final topic her presentation, Turk explained the city’s commitment to improving city communications. She emphasized the reintroduction of council ward meetings, as well as the inclusion of more open house events, surveys, social media posts, and project mailers.
Turk also introduced Camas 101, which is an eight-class program, starting in January 2020, that includes the following:
Learn more about your city
History of Camas
Role of Mayor and City Council
How projects are determined and funded
What the city actually does
Creating a connected and engaged community — wants people to learn about local non-profits.
“We instituted ward meetings in the spring and will do more in the Fall,” said Turk.
State of Camas School District
“Our focus this year is writing our collective story,” said Snell. “You give your best into that school year with all your hopes and dreams. You take each year’s lessons and apply them to the next year. We get to shape what those stories look like. We see and serve each student. Each means each of you will get something out of this.”
He’s also pleased that Helen Baller Special Education teacher, Amy Campbell, was named as Teacher of the Year.
“We’re excited she gets a platform to advocate for special education and to represent Camas School District,” said Snell. “I can’t think of a better person to do that.”
Snell provided a review of the challenges that McCleary legislation created, the stress it placed on levies and that they will continue to work within these constraints.
“We want to inspire them to be learners,” he said. “Standardized tests are one thing, but we need to do the very best we can with our students. They will be making decisions about our community and world.”
He said the Garver Theatre is coming back online from the 2016 bond.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/07075602/C8E5A7EA-03BD-4BD0-BBE9-93E2C8913A48-scaled.jpeg12262560Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-09-21 16:23:162019-09-21 16:23:39Local Leaders Speak at 2019 Camas State of the Community Event
Vancouver, WA — On September 21, 2019, Vancouver, Battle Ground and Washougal Police Departments and Clark County Sheriff’s Office will have additional officers enforcing the DUI laws, in an effort to keep drunk, drugged and high drivers off the road. Officers, who are also drug recognition experts, will be among those conducting these increased DUI patrols. In addition, officers from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis board will also be participating in this emphasis.
Alcohol and drug impaired driving is the leading contributing factor in Washington fatal crashes, with alcohol and cannabis being the most common combination of intoxicants. Getting behind the wheel intoxicated can mean a DUI, if you don’t plan ahead for sober transportation. As a reminder, Uber offers first time users a special coupon code for $25 toward their first trip. Sign up for the Uber coupon code RIDEHOMEVANC at https://get.uber.com/go/ridehomevanc.
Thanks to a grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, law enforcement agencies in SW Washington have extra officers conducting DUI enforcement throughout the year to help keep our roadways safer.
If you are driving and see a suspected impaired driver, call 911.
CAMAS, WA — On Thursday, September 19, leaders from the City of Camas, Camas School District and Port of Camas-Washougal will come together for their annual State of the Community event at Lacamas Lake Lodge, 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
“I encourage absolutely everyone with an interest in the future of Camas to attend State of the Community 2019,” said Mayor Shannon Turk. “Whether you live, work, or play here, I’m confident that you will leave with a new sense of all the wonderful things in store for our three organizations.”
The event will feature presentations by Port of Camas-Washougal CEO David Ripp, Camas School District Superintendent Jeff Snell and City of Camas Mayor Shannon Turk. To round out the City’s presentation, attendees will receive a detailed brochure that reviews the last year and relays helpful information including recent goals and accomplishments and a breakdown of Camas property taxes.
A portion of the evening will be dedicated to answering questions submitted by the public as they arrive at the lodge.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/07075612/EA08E00D-D7C3-4429-9C29-204DB314C4C9.jpeg11802267Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-09-16 19:35:522019-09-16 19:36:09Public Invited to Annual Camas State of the Community Event Thursday
WASHOUGAL, WA — The community is invited to meet the four candidates seeking to replace retiring Police Chief Ron Mitchell at a community reception to be held at the Black Pearl on the Columbia at 6:30 pm Tuesday, September 17. The Black Pearl is located at 56 S. 1st Street, near the Port of Camas-Washougal marina and offices. The reception will provide an opportunity for the community to informally meet and hear from each of the candidates. The community reception will follow a series of interview panels with city and community leaders, and a reception for police department employees.
The four candidates are:
Marc Denney Chief – La Center, WA Police Department
Marc has over 33 years of progressive law enforcement experience, including the last six years as Chief with the City of La Center in Washington, a community of approximately 3,200 residents, where he resides. Prior to coming to La Center, he served twenty-three years with the Cochise County, AZ Sheriff’s Office, holding leadership positions in a variety of roles as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Deputy Commander and Commander. Marc holds an MPA in Justice Administration and a BS from Wayland Baptist University in Ft. Huachuca, AZ.
Charles Goeken Captain – Manteca, CA Police Department
Charles has 25 years of progressive law enforcement experience with the City of Manteca in California, a community of approximately 79,000 residents. During the last ten years he has held the position of Captain serving as both the Operations Division Commander and the Services Division Commander, the position he currently holds. He has held prior leadership positions in a variety of roles as Sergeant and Lieutenant. Charles holds a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and a BS from the University of New York Regents College in Albany, NY. He previously served as planning commissioner, councilmember and mayor for the City of Waterford in California, where he resides.
Wendi Steinbronn Commander – Portland, OR Police Bureau
Wendi has over 25 years of progressive law enforcement experience with the Portland Police Bureau. She has been the Acting Commander and Commander of North Precinct since June 2018, with thirteen years of prior leadership positions in a variety of roles as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Acting Captain and Captain. Wendi holds a BS degree in Business Administration from Portland State University in Portland, OR. Wendi resides in Camas, WA.
Steve Taylor Assistant Chief – Searcy, AR Police Department
Steve has over 28 years of progressive law enforcement experience, including fourteen years as an officer in Michigan and since 2004 with the City of Searcy in Arkansas, a community of approximately 24,000 residents, where he resides. For the last four years he has held the position of Assistant Chief, with prior leadership positions in a variety of roles as Lieutenant and Captain. Steve holds Juris Doctor (JD) and BA degrees from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, AR.
Earlier this year, Chief Mitchell announced his retirement effective in late November. Mitchell has served Washougal as Chief since 2009. He started his career with the Washougal Police Department in 1996. City Manager David Scott will appoint a new Chief, who is expected to start in early December.
When Cassi Marshall decided to run for Camas-Washougal Port Commissioner, District 2, earlier this year, it wasn’t part of a planned career path.
She’s been employed at the Washougal School District for the past 17 years, working first in the highly capable student program, and for the past 13 years as Assistant to the Superintendent.
“To be honest, I wasn’t looking to run for a Port Commission position (a four-year term), but some trusted friends encouraged me to consider it, and I am so glad that they did,” said Marshall. “My learning curve related to ‘All Things Port’ has been pretty steep since May, but the more I learn, the more I’m convinced that it’s an incredibly good fit for me. Our Port contributes to our high quality of life in so many ways — providing space for local businesses to provide local jobs at the Industrial Park, a quality marina and airport, amazing parks and trails, and phenomenal community events.”
She’s running a competitive race to unseat incumbent CW Commissioner Bill Ward.
Why do you want to be a CW Port Commissioner?
“I have personal and professional experience with small business and development projects, so I’m eager to learn more about the Industrial Park tenants, products and services … and anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge parks/trails nerd (or maybe “advocate” is a better word), so the recreation related functions of the Port are super inspiring to me. And then there’s the Waterfront Development project! I’d be so excited to get to be part of the team that works to ensure development that complements both downtowns, is efficient and sustainable, improves public access to the water, and provides the amenities that the residents are looking for. I also love that the Port serves the entire Camas-Washougal area, since I’ve had one foot in each community for many years now, and really see the entire area functioning as one East County in so many ways.”
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What role does the CW Port Commission play?
“The Commission meets twice a month, and is responsible for setting the Port’s policies, and Commissioners vote on recommendations brought to them by Port staff members. I’ve learned a great deal about the workings of a publicly-elected board from working closely for many years with the Washougal School District Board of Directors, and also from my time as an appointed member of the Camas Parks Commission. I have a true and deep appreciation of the importance of staff-commission trust and respect, and I think that I work well in such groups — I love the collaborative processes involved in group decision-making! Both WSD and Parks have also taught me how important public input, transparency, and equity are to all public agency decisions — great lessons that I’d love to be able to apply to future Port work.”
What direction is the CW Port going?
“I’m really excited about the proposed Waterfront development, which will have a huge and long-lasting impact in the community. I’d like to bring issues expressed in the community to these discussions — for instance, creating new spaces that complement both downtowns. Proper Port development is a huge boost to all of East County. I’d also like to see more focus on energy efficiency and sustainability in future Port projects, and RKm, the developer currently working with the Port, seems very supportive of such long-term efficiencies.”
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“I’m also looking forward to working with the Port in the creation of new infrastructure and jobs, another really big contribution toward quality of life. Businesses at the Industrial Park already provide about 1,000 jobs, and there is room and demand for growth there. Local work means fewer people having to commute across the bridges daily, meaning less congestion for all. It also concentrates those workers’ taxes and spending dollars here in the community, which is another bump to our local economy.”
“Port taxes are a small percentage of our overall property taxes, but all of these funds collected go toward capital projects. Port staff is really savvy in obtaining matching grants, so they are able to multiply the benefits of these revenues. Plans are in the works to add another building at the Industrial Park, and historically, these spaces have been leased even before construction is completed.”
“The expansion options for Grove Field airport have been of interest in the community for some time. It’s my understanding that the full Commission and Port staff are in agreement that the Waterfront Development is the Port’s primary focus at this time. I don’t believe that there are current plans for a major expansion of the airport any time soon. That said, there are some smaller improvements, like the addition of space for a pilots’ planning office with good internet service, that I think should be a priority. The airport community contributes significant hours of volunteer service, specifically focused on the youth in our community, and I’d like to see them supported with these improvements in safety and convenience.”
Can you elaborate more about your background in public service?
“I’ve lived in Camas for 18 years, most of those in the Crown Park neighborhood. We just recently moved near Forest Home. During that time, I’ve been involved in PTA at Helen Baller, helped coach Little League teams, worked on the Festival of Trees Committee, and the Community Center Development Committee. Most recently, I’ve served on the City of Camas Parks Commission for a number of years now. It’s an appointed position, and we serve in an advisory capacity. I’m pretty active with Parks, as well as our non-profit group, Partners with Camas Parks and Recreation. As our name suggests, we work to support parks, recreation programs, and more. We’re in our third year of tackling our invasive English ivy problem through the Camas Ivy League. We have very dedicated volunteers who come out to multiple events per year, and our goal for 2019 is to remove ivy from (at least!) 2019 local trees.”
Personal Life
Cassi met her husband, Rick, at Prairie High School. After high school, they went to opposite coasts for school with Cassi earning an aeronautical engineering degree from MIT. She took a break from work when they had children, and then decided to work for the Washougal School District, which was a great fit for her family life, and incredibly rewarding work.
Her two children, Joe and Carly, now in their 20s, both attended Camas schools, Clark College and UW.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/07075637/95AE3CF4-ADF2-43A2-9BBF-3407EFBDA96A-scaled.jpeg12252560Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2019-09-10 19:17:082019-09-13 11:25:07Meet the Candidate: Cassi Marshall Eyes Camas-Washougal Port Commissioner Post
McKeanSmith Law Firm, with offices in Vancouver, Portland, and Hillsboro, continues it expansion with the recent hiring of David Rocker, who specializes in commercial litigation.
Rocker, who’s based in their Portland office, brings 25 years of litigation experience to McKeanSmith, which continues to earn awards and accolades for their work.
“I specialize in commercial litigation, but I have experience with everything from family law to personal injury cases for both plaintiffs and defendants,” said Rocker. “I handle contract disputes, partnership disputes, and I’ve worked on products liability cases — everything from prescription drugs to heavy equipment, and how to defend against lawsuits, how to report product problems, and how to recall the product if it’s having a significant problem.”
Rocker has handled serious cases, including wrongful death lawsuits, and has frequently taken case to trial.
“It’s a risk management culture we live in now,” said Rocker. “Trials are bad for the bottom line and suck up a lot of resources. Most cases do settle out of court, but I think I’ve got one now that’s apt to go to trial. It’s a case against a nursing care facility and the allegation is that they mismanaged the drug protocol, resulting in the death of a young man.”
What brought him to McKeanSmith?
“I worked for 25 years for large law firms, and became fatigued by the business realities of practicing law at a large firm. I wanted to try something diffferent, so I started thinking about joining a smaller law firm. I looked around, and this firm struck me as entrepreneurial with all kinds of great opportunities for growth.”
He says McKeanSmith is a good fit.
“We’re pleased to have David here,” said Collin McKean, one of the firm’s partners. “He has an incredible background in commercial litigation, and we like how he can see so many resolutions to a problem.”
McKeanSmith recently moved into their new offices at the Murdock Tower at Vancouver Waterfront.
Background
Rocker is a local, hailing from Beaverton High School, and graduating from the University of Oregon in Political Science and International Studies. He took a few years between undergrad studies and law school working as a business analyst for Dunn and Bradstreet, and then working as dispatcher and EMT at the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
He returned to U of O where he earned his law degree.
Why law?
“When I was a kid, everyone told me I should be a lawyer,” said Rocker. “I entered debate club in high school and did well in junior and senior year. I did theater too, and these experiences made me comfortable in front of an audience. Growing up, some of my neighbors were lawyers, they seemed interesting and smart, and I guess I just thought lawyers were cool.”
“I try to be a good listener. I’ve been told that I’m a creative thinker. I think I done this long enough that I can see more angles into a program than a less experienced lawyer. I’m not afraid to tell a client they can solve a problem on their own, and I’m not afraid to take a case to trial if we have to. I care less about the business of law and more about the human side of the practice. A client can come to me and know for sure that I’m taking the case because I care about them and the issues, and not just about getting paid for my time.”
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And he also likes to keep moving.
“I have to keep moving around,” he said. “I walk to work everyday. I’ve run Hood to Coast 13 times. I’ve run every leg. I’ve run a marathon, a bunch of half marathons.”
His most interesting case?
“I represented the founder of a nationally prominent chocolate company. He had wanted to grow the business and he got involved with two investors who ended up being completely dishonest corporate partners,” he said. “We were able to turn that around quite effectively and my client received an outstanding financial settlement. Jane Goodall, the famous biologist, was working with us as a character and factual witness. Every time I saw my client he’d give me 20 pounds of chocolate, so that was a bonus.
McKeanSmith was ranked #10 in the Portland Business Journal’s 2019 Healthiest Employers of Oregon in the 2-99 category. The award was created to recognize organizations that are committed to creating a healthy workplace. The assessment is made of six factoring categories and scoring with the help of the academic, medical, wellness, and business communities.
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