Former Woodland Mayor and Washington State Patrol trooper William Finn is the subject of investigations into private business card misuse and the destruction of public records during his time in office. According to reporting by KGW, the allegations involve both Finn and his wife, Heather Finn, and stem from their management of short-term rental properties in Woodland.

According to reporting by The Reflector, the theft investigation centers on a business relationship between Heather Finn and Michann Bond, the owner of Third Street Villas. Bond told investigators she provided Heather Finn with a debit card to cover property expenses between September 2019 and April 2024. Bond alleges the couple used the card for approximately $20,000 in unauthorized personal expenses, including groceries, dog food, and restaurant bills.

KGW reports that the allegations also include a trip to Mexico. While the Finns reportedly told investigators they had permission to use the business card for the travel, Bond denied authorizing the expense. As of early 2025, prosecutors were reviewing the investigations to determine whether to file formal charges of first- and second-degree theft.

Parallel to the theft investigation, authorities examined William Finn’s conduct during his tenure as mayor from 2016 to 2023. According to reporting by The Columbian, Finn is accused of destroying public records by wiping his city-issued work phone. Finn allegedly told investigators he deleted the data because the mayoral race between himself and current Mayor Todd Dinehart had become "nasty."

Finn later provided a USB drive to a detective, claiming it contained all city data from his personal computer. However, investigators noted in their report that they had no way to verify if the drive contained the complete record of city business from the deleted device.

While KGW reported that the Finns appeared in court on a Wednesday to face charges, records from The Columbian and The Reflector indicate that as of late March 2025, the Cowlitz County Prosecutor’s Office had not yet established a timeline for a charging decision. The case remains under review by prosecutors.

Source: Former Washington mayor faces slew of charges, including theft, identity theft and injury of public records