Washougal Mayor Rochelle Ramos resigns 9 months into 4-year term

Less than one year into her four-year term as Washougal mayor, Rochelle Ramos has resigned her elected position, effective Sept. 17.

Ramos will move to Salt Lake City, Utah, later this month for a new job.

“Really, (it’s) just about growing my career,” Ramos said, adding that she has accepted a position with an aerospace defense company.

“I’ve been in human resources for 18 years and the aerospace and defense industry for 10, and a growth opportunity has always been part of my goals for my career and my planning for my future. This position came up, and obviously it wasn’t my intent to move out of the area and not fulfill my obligation here, but sometimes opportunities (present themselves, and) you just can’t pass them up.”

Washougal residents elected Ramos as the city’s new mayor in November 2021 following a contentious election season that exposed mayoral candidate Derik Ford’s background of domestic violence and culminated in Ford’s arrest on domestic violence charges and subsequent suicide just weeks before the election.

Ramos took a positive stance during the mayoral election, focusing on her volunteerism, service to the community and plans to improve the city known for its natural beauty and position as Washington’s “gateway” to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

“We are grateful for Rochelle’s long history of service in our community,” Washougal City Councilman David Stuebe stated in a news release announcing the mayor’s departure. “We as a city have been very fortunate to have had such a passionate and engaged community member who has done an outstanding job in all her roles, including her current position as mayor. She will be greatly missed.”

Before being elected mayor, Ramos served as a member of the city’s parks board and held board positions with the Camas-Washougal Community Chest and West Columbia Gorge Humane Society.

“I’ve been here since 2006, and right from the beginning, I gave myself to the community, volunteering and trying to make a difference, and that was part of the reason for taking on the park board role and then entertaining the idea of becoming mayor,” Ramos said.

“I never had a personal agenda (and wanted to) give back to my community, so it’s definitely bittersweet. My kids grew up here and graduated from Washougal High. I’ve made many friends, and it’ll be hard to leave it all behind, but it’s a two-hour flight, and I look forward to coming back and visiting.”

Ramos said her time as mayor, though short, has been “a very positive experience.”

“I jumped in right away and tried to contribute and make change and ask questions and be inquisitive,” she said.

“We’ve got money for our sewer system and our police cameras from (Congresswoman) Jaime Herrera Buetler. We campaigned to get a lot of support and letters from the community for the civic plaza. So even though it may not be a lot of specific accomplishments, there’s a lot of things in motion. I think with the change coming out of COVID and more of a positive outlook on things happening, I think you’ll still see some progress move very quickly in the next couple of years.”

Ramos currently works as a human resources director for PLEXSYS Interface Products, a Camas-based software company. She also co-owns the Washougal-based Lunchmoney Skate Park, which will close soon.

“Our personal goal was to give back to the community for about three years, just because we didn’t have another decent skate park here,” Ramos said, referring to her partner and the indoor skate park’s co-owner, John Henriksen.

“And now, with the outdoor skatepark moving forward in Camas, we thought this was the perfect timing to kind of dissolve (Lunchmoney). The owner of the building would love to take over our space, so it all kind of worked out.”

Ramos said she and Henriksen had planned to close the skate park before she accepted the job in Utah.

“Everything is just kind of coordinating together as much as possible,” she said.

Washougal City Council members will discuss the mayoral vacancy and appointment process during their work session on Monday, Sept. 12. The appointed individual will serve as mayor until November 2023, when voters will select a new mayor during the general election.

The newly elected mayor will serve the remainder of Ramos’ four-year term, which runs through the end of 2025.

Stuebe, the city’s mayor pro tem, will handle mayoral responsibilities until the Council appoints a community member to fill Ramos’ vacant No. 1 position.

“I think one of the greatest (things about Washougal) is the small-town feel,” Ramos said. “Anyone has the opportunity to give back and be part of change. I’m one that doesn’t like to sit on the sidelines and just complain about things. I like to step up and try and contribute to the outcome, and I think that’s something you get in a small town versus a larger community, so I’m going to miss that.”