Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
Recent opinion pieces by Rob Anderson of Reform Clark County and articles in Clark County Today have made claims about Fourth Plain Forward (FPF). I would like to take this opportunity to clarify things for your readers.
Several of these pieces describe FPF as a “county contractor.” The County classifies FPF’s CDBG awards as a subaward and FPF as a subrecipient, not a contractor. This classification is written into FPF’s CDBG agreement with the County, which names Clark County as the pass-through entity and HUD as the federal awarding agency.
Paul Burgess
The Oct. 5 opinion piece argues that because FPF is a county contractor, the County Charter required Wil Fuentes to resign from either the County Council or FPF. The Oct. 13 piece says he should give up one position if his employment violates the Charter. Charter Section 8.8 does not define what a “county contractor” is. The Oct. 5 piece also claims the Charter exists to prevent an elected official from having a financial relationship with an organization that receives County money. The only Charter section that limits an elected official’s outside employment, Section 8.8, refers only to county contractors. The Charter does not mention resignation or removal from office as a consequence of Section 8.8, and Section 8.8 does not address recusal. The Oct. 5 piece’s statement that recusal “does not erase a prohibition written into the Charter itself” is an interpretation. It assumes FPF is a “county contractor,” a term the Charter does not define.
The Sept. 16 opinion piece claims FPF received almost $300,000 from the County and kept about $250,000 because only $50,000 went out as business grants. FPF’s County CDBG award is for helping very small businesses, not for housing. CDBG money for small businesses is not just for handing out grants. It can also pay for one-on-one coaching, training, and the staff who run the program. Most of the businesses we work with are just starting out and need help with business plans, bookkeeping, licenses, marketing, and finding money to grow. We are reimbursed only for costs we can show we spent on the CDBG program.
The Sept. 16 opinion piece claims Wil was in a position to help direct these County dollars, and the Oct. 15 article reported his departure from FPF “amid ethics complaints.” Wil Fuentes was not paid with CDBG funds during his time at FPF; his position was funded through other grants. He has never overseen or managed any CDBG-funded program. The end of his tenure this month was prearranged due to the end of the grant funding for his position, a perfectly normal thing for a nonprofit. It was not the result of any individual's claims or ethics complaints. Wil and FPF remain on good terms.
Finally, the Oct. 13 opinion piece and the Oct. 15 article question Ms. Perez’s loan from FPF and whether she qualified for our programs. The $100,000 referenced is a City of Vancouver CDBG award for business assistance; FPF has received City CDBG awards since 2023. FPF provided a loan to Ms. Perez’s business and her business partners in 2026 from a Washington State Department of Commerce grant. This loan fund is not subject to federal income limits. Every applicant goes through the same rigorous process to obtain a loan, just like when you go to a bank. And to be clear, no City of Vancouver funds of any kind were used for this loan, CDBG or otherwise.
Paul Burgess
Executive Director
Fourth Plain Forward
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