Clark County

Clark County is located in southern Washington. Its county seat is Vancouver. Clark is the 3rd most populated county in the Washington Metropolitan Statistical area yet the 5th smallest county in the state. The county’s land area is 656 sq. mi with twenty-seven square miles of water.  

The county started on 27th July 1844 as the Vancouver District, which included the whole area north of the Columbia River. In 1849 the district’s name changed to Clarke County after William Clark, the explorer. However, the spelling changed to its present form in 1925. 

From the significant windstorms to the county’s geography, registrations, county offices, here’s what you need to know about Clark County, WA.  

Clark County Earth-Science 

Clark County’s climate and landscape are derived from its placement allying the Cascade Ranges and the Pacific coast. The Columbian River valley is U-shaped as a result of glaciation. The pacific coast is primarily volcanic. Thus you have common occurrences of Andisol volcanic soils and fertile mollisols.  

The trees found in the region include red cedar, maple, Garry oak, Douglas fir, silver fir, grand fir, and lodgepole pine. These trees are common in the Gifford Pinchot Forest. Also, Clark county is home to various animals. Such include birds like the bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, barreled owl, native salmon, corvids, osprey, etc.  

The county’s large mammals include the coyote, raccoon, black-tailed deers, and opossum. There are sightings of bobcats, cougars, black bears, the lynx, elk in the Northern part.  

The indigenous tribes like Chinook and the Klickitat tribe enjoy indigenous foods like the Camassia quamash and huckleberry.  

During the cold winters in Clark county, winds passing through the Columbia Gorge bring freezing rain. Plus, it brings a coating of glaze ice that’s clear, also called clear ice, in the areas near the gorge. Later, the counterpart of the glazed ice arrives, which are warm winds that are also called the “pineapple express” by the natives. The winds come from the SW.  

Clark County Services 

Clark County offers various county services. The services include pet & animal control, birth, and death records, auto licensing, business services, children’s justice center, and emergency responses. Also, you have jobs and training, social services, volunteering, and permit licenses and records, among others.  

In animal control, the county ensures that pets are licensed and don’t cause disturbances to the neighborhoods. The auditor’s office oversees all licenses in Clark county on auto licensing, and the state mandates it.  

Clark County has two types of Courts, namely the Superior court and the district court. The superior court is a general jurisdiction court hearing cases of all civil suits and felonies involving 

$75 000 and above. The court also hears probate, adoption, divorce, juvenile, and competency cases.  

The district court has limited jurisdiction; thus, it handles traffic citations of criminals, misdemeanors, traffic infractions, civil cases involving amounts below $100 000, name changes, and small claims. You can also make requests for public records.  

Clark County Offices 

The county offices oversee the various county services in Clark County. The multiple offices include Administration, Assessor, Community development, planning and services, Equalization Board. 

Also, you have the County Clerk, Manager, and Council, Internal Services, District Court, Geographic Information, Children’s Justice Center, Human Resources, Juvenile Court, Public Health, Medical Examiner, Prosecuting Attorney, Public Work, the Treasurer, Indigent Defense, Sheriff, Superior Court, etc.  

Since July seventy, Assessor’s office has been open for in propria persona services to walk-in clients. This service is available on Wednesdays and Mondays. The other office days (Tuesdays, Fridays, and Thursdays) accept appointments only. The office hours are nine am through four-thirty pm. The assessor’s phone is 564.397.2391 

The county Auditor has a 4-year term. He is the chief financial officer and oversees some essential services. The auditor works with state agencies for state legislative processes that affect the citizens of Clark county. The Clark County Auditor’s office phone: 564.397.2241 

Some offices, like the Assessor, have theory services available online. You can find out more about Clark County offices on their website.  

Clark County Business Registration  

Vendors intending to do business with Clark county can register through online MRSC Rosters. The rosters help find the right vendor for specific goods or services the county may need. 

The process of registering as a vendor involved three simple steps. First, create an Account with MRSC Rosters. Second, complete the online application, which requires you to indicate your business contact information, insurance, and license, plus your business references. Here, you must show your business’s specific services and the typical public agencies you want to work with.  

Finally, apply. The application undergoes review on Fridays and Tuesdays by MRSC. This review ensures that all applications fit the requirements. After reviewing your application, you’ll receive an email stating whether your business is on the list or requesting more information. If your business gets listed, it remains so for a year. After which, you must renew the application to stay on the list.  

Please note that you must know the registration requirements before applying to have a higher chance of getting listed. After you get ready, then create the MRSC account and request.  

Clark County WA Government Reporting 

As a concerned Clark County citizen, you can report several crimes, ranging from a neighborhood or a safety concern to fire hazards. Moreover, you can easily report these concerns online.   

However, online reports are effective only if you are not reporting an emergency. For emergencies, please dial 911. Also, if the crime did not happen within the city and you don’t know the suspect consider online reports.  

You can report code violations, nuisance, building violations, and environmental violations to ensure public safety.  

Cities and Towns in Clark County  

Clark county has several towns, including: 

• Camas
• Ridgefield
• Vancouver
• Woodland
• Washougal
• Battle Ground.

Clark County Offices by Type