Outspoken Washougal councilman rules out 2013 run

Here’s a bit of news from Washougal or #ShougWa, as I affectionately call it on Twitter:

Washougal councilman Jon Russell told me Wednesday he would not seek reelection when his term ends in 2013.

“I’m term-limiting myself in two years when my term is done,” he said. The council first appointed him in 2006, meaning he would have served more than seven years by term’s end.

Russell is an avid supporter of term limits, as his quote suggests. Washougal council members are not bound by term limits.

Russell’s comments came during an interview about his decision to back a challenger, Connie Jo Freeman, against one of his fellow council members, Molly Coston. The council needs “fresh faces” and “new ideas,” he said multiple times.

Does Russell’s departure from city politics mean he will take another crack at state government?

He unsuccessfully ran for the Washington House of Representatives in 2010. He lost the 18th District Republican primary to Ann Rivers of Center. Rivers later won the general election.

“Who knows what I will be doing in two years?” Russell said. However, he did pledge to groom a possible city council replacement.

LAGNIAPPE*:No word yet on whether Russell will commission a billboard that reads, “Fresh faces. New ideas. Washougal!” Or for the Twitter set, “Fresh faces. New ideas. #ShougWa!”

*Lagniappe means “a little something extra” in Cajun French. And you thought you were not going to learn anything in this post. Humph!