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Clark County Council Seeks Plan to Address Unruly Behavior at Meetings
Council members say they will explore policy changes after disruptive incidents during public comment.
Published on Feb. 27, 2026
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The Clark County Council in Washington state said it will look into ways to address unruly behavior at its meetings, following two recent incidents where a person threw paper meant to symbolize soiled toilet paper on the floor and another person shoved someone in the audience after speaking. Council members acknowledged they currently lack the ability to remove disruptive individuals, and are considering policies similar to those adopted by the city of Vancouver to ban or trespass those who misbehave.
Why it matters
The council's inability to address disruptive behavior at public meetings raises concerns about maintaining order, protecting free speech rights, and ensuring the council can effectively conduct business on behalf of the community.
The details
During a recent council meeting, one person threw paper meant to symbolize soiled toilet paper on the floor, while another man shoved someone in the audience after speaking. Council members said they currently lack the tools to remove disruptive individuals, as the sheriff's office has said they won't intervene and the prosecutor won't prosecute. The council is now looking to adopt policies similar to the city of Vancouver, which has banned or trespassed individuals for misbehavior at city council meetings.
- The incidents occurred during public comment at a recent Clark County Council meeting.
The players
Glen Yung
A Clark County Council member who said the council needs to make "fairly significant changes" to address the unruly behavior.
Sue Marshall
The chair of the Clark County Council, who said the council currently lacks the ability to remove disruptive individuals from meetings.
Michelle Belkot
A Clark County Council member who initially disagreed with Yung's proposal, fearing it could be used to silence one side over another.
Wil Fuentes
A Clark County Council member who agreed that the behavior witnessed was "completely unacceptable" and the council needs to find a way to prevent it.
Kathleen Otto
The Clark County Manager, who said she intends to reach out to the sheriff's office and prosecutor's office to discuss the issue.
What they’re saying
“I think we need to look at making some fairly significant changes”
— Glen Yung, Clark County Council member (clarkcountytoday.com)
“We don't have a way to remove people. That's fundamentally the problem”
— Sue Marshall, Chair, Clark County Council (clarkcountytoday.com)
“What happened is completely unacceptable. We need to find and figure out how we can take action to prevent these individuals from being here and potentially behaving in the same way”
— Wil Fuentes, Clark County Council member (clarkcountytoday.com)
What’s next
The Clark County Manager said she intends to reach out to the sheriff's office and prosecutor's office to discuss how to address the issue of unruly behavior at council meetings.
The takeaway
The Clark County Council's inability to maintain order at public meetings highlights the need for clear policies and procedures to address disruptive conduct, while also protecting free speech rights. Finding the right balance will be crucial for the council to effectively serve the community.
