Washougal council appoints Szyplinski to position vacant since Coston’s death

The Washougal City Council has appointed a longtime business developer and project manager — and yet another David — to its ranks.

On Monday, David Szyplinski was sworn in to the city’s No. 5 council position, which has been vacant since the Nov. 18 death of Molly Coston.

“Dave has really strong attributes, and I think (he’s) going to bring a lot to the council,” Washougal Mayor David Stuebe said via Zoom from Olympia, where he’s attending the 2026 Washington state legislative session in his role as representative for the state’s 17th legislative district.

Szyplinski has worked as a project manager for Vancouver-based Western Construction Services Inc. since 2016. Before moving to Washougal, Szyplinski worked as a firefighter for the city of Andover, Md., and “held leadership roles in professional associations, nonprofit organizations, and civic groups,” according to his application letter.

“I have the time, and I think I’m capable of jumping right into some of the things that (the city is) already working on,” Szyplinski said Monday. “I bring a lot of past experience and skills … that I’d like to share with the community.”

Szyplinski previously applied for the council’s No. 7 seat, which went to Ernie Suggs, in 2018. He’s currently a member of the city’s planning commission.

“My professional background in construction and development has provided me with a strong understanding of land use, infrastructure, and growth-related issues that are directly relevant to municipal governance,” he wrote in his application letter. “I am currently serving on the Washougal Planning Commission, including participation on multiple subcommittees, where I gained firsthand experience reviewing development proposals, considering public input, and applying city policies and regulations. This experience has prepared me to contribute effectively and responsibly as a member of the city council.”

The city invited residents to apply for the position and received applications from 12 Washougal residents — Chuck Carpenter, Walinda Horton, Robert Krieger, Nell Perry, Tabitha Schmer, Jason Scott, Jerry Soehl, Dave St. Clair, Camron Stevens, Szyplinski, Louis Williams and Tammy Windham.

The councilors interviewed 10 finalists (Krieger and Stevens didn’t attend the meeting), then went into an executive session to deliberate amongst themselves for about 10 minutes. Upon returning to the room, the councilors conducted a roll call vote, which yielded four votes for Szyplinski and two for Windham. Councilor David Fritz then summoned Szyplinski to administer an oath of office.

“I (will) serve with integrity, transparency, and respect for differing perspectives,” Szyplinski wrote in his application letter. “I am committed to responsible growth, fiscal stewardship, public safety, and preserving the quality of life that makes Washougal a strong and vibrant community.”

Szyplinski joins a city leadership team that already includes three Davids — Stuebe, Fritz and city manager David Scott.

“Yeah, wow,” Stuebe said with a chuckle after realizing that he’s being joined by another David. “That’s really going to confuse everything.”