Brian Wood vs. Eric McCradall Kelso City Council Position 1 Debate—Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News

The first Kelso City Council Cowlitz Dialogue Project debate on KLTV ahead of next month’s election was held last night, featuring incumbent Brian Wood and challenger Eric McCrandall.

Both candidates began by discussing their motivations for running. Wood pointed to his record over the past four years, saying he has helped keep Kelso fiscally sound while promoting economic growth and improvement. McCrandall, a facilities manager at the Family Health Center, highlighted his work on homelessness issues and his service on various local boards, saying he’s long been interested in public service and felt the timing was right to run.

This debate saw a lot of agreement between the two candidates. When asked about the biggest challenge the city is facing, both pointed to infrastructure.

Wood said revitalizing city streets in a sustainable way is his top priority. He said finding city-based funding not dependent on grants or bonds remains the main challenge. McCrandall said upgrades to the water and sewer systems are a major need, adding that funding is difficult, recent rate increases have been painful for many residents, and he generally supports no new taxes.

For street funding, both candidates said they would respect the will of the voters, who rejected a sales tax proposal a few years ago. Wood said that the transportation benefit district the city passed has helped with funding and suggested Kelso could pursue something similar to Longview’s Complete Streets project to bring in outside funding.

On the aging water system, both candidates said they do not want Kelso to rely on Longview’s water supply. They said the current plan being implemented by city engineers along the Cowlitz River should provide a sustainable source for years to come.

On homelessness, both candidates said they support the city’s new ban on camping on public streets and believe Kelso is making progress. McCrandall said he favors “gently pushing” people toward available programs, while Wood pointed to recent affordable housing developments he said that homelessness itself is not a crime.

The two also agreed on the importance of civility in local government. Wood said some division is natural but that councilmembers should remain constructive, while McCrandall stressed the nonpartisan nature of the position and the need for mutual respect.