Embattled Washougal mayor withdraws re-election bid

Just a few hours after news broke that Washougal police have asked an outside agency to  investigate a potential harassment case against Washougal Mayor Sean Guard, the two-term mayor has withdrawn his bid for re-election.

Guard, a Washougal native and the town’s mayor since 2010, had been all set to run for a third term. He even filed early the Clark County Elections Office on Monday, May 15.

But just a few days after he filed, the mayor found himself caught in an online controversy when one of his Washougal constituents, businessman Glenn Kincaid, posted what appeared to be dozens of sexually explicit messages between the mayor and an unnamed Washougal woman.

Kincaid said that after his Facebook post went live, he heard from eight other women who claimed to have received similar messages from the mayor.

Last Thursday, Washougal police said a citizen had made a formal complaint against the mayor and that police were in the early stages of an investigation to determine whether a crime — potentially harassment — had been committed.

Today, police said they have asked an outside agency to take over that investigation.
Three other Washougal residents had thrown their hats in the mayoral race late last week, including Washougal City Council member Dan Coursey and former Councilor Molly Coston.

Another contender, Trianna Reed, a 2002 Camas High grad and office manager, also withdrew her bid for mayor today.

“Mayor Guard has done a good job in office, and  it is apparent to me that the allegations made against him are politically motivated,” Coston said on Sunday. “I have not read the Facebook posts, but the fact that the complaint was filed during the candidate filing week is very suspect.”

Coston, 69, said she waited to file as a candidate Friday afternoon, because she wanted to see who else had filed for the mayor’s position.

“I believe that Washougal deserves good solid leadership that is not guided primarily by political agendas, but by experience and professionalism,” she said. “The city has progressed greatly in the past 10 years since I sat on City Council, and I will continue that progress.