This week in Sundays with Seegers, county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers takes a hard look at the county’s newly touted “Opioid Gaps Report” and the rush to declare victory on harm reduction. As officials prepare to celebrate declining overdose deaths, Jake examines who funded the report, why it surfaced now, and whether national trends and treatment-first interventions are being miscast as proof that a decade of local policy has worked. From Oregon’s policy reversal to Port Angeles’ Shielding Hope program, the evidence points to a different metric of success: recovery and graduation from addiction—not the endless expansion of addiction services.

Premature Medals for Harm Reduction

At an upcoming joint meeting on March 10, 2026, the Clallam County Board of Health and the Behavioral Health Advisory Board will consider the results of Clallam County Health and Human Services’ (HHS) long-awaited “Opioid Gaps Report.”

With this report, the commissioners, the Clallam County Board of Health (BOH), and HHS appear poised to trumpet recent declines in overdose deaths as proof that more than a decade of harm-reduction policies are working — something officials have been quick to do in the past.

After an unexpected drop in overdose deaths in 2024, Commissioner Ozias penned an op-ed for an April 2025 issue of the Sequim Gazette:

“While we don’t yet have causational data, and while there are certainly multiple reasons we’re seeing improvement, last year Clallam County realized a 33% reduction in overdose deaths as compared to 2023. We see a clear trend line correlating the number of visits to the Harm Reduction Health Center, which has been increasing each quarter since it opened, and the reduction in overdose deaths.”

Who Funded the Report — and Why It Matters

The funding and source of the Gaps Report deserve scrutiny.

On September 30, 2025, the Clallam County Commissioners — despite public comments of opposition — unanimously approved $25,000 in funding for HHS to study the efficacy of its own programs.

Funded by Opioid Settlement Funds, which support a wide range of uses, including housing, prevention, treatment, and education, the report’s results will inform future funding allocations for HHS’s harm-reduction efforts.

The timing and sudden urgency of this report are notable. They follow the elimination of federal funding for drug-use supplies and coincide with an unexpected decline in overdose deaths in Clallam County — running counter to prior projections and the long-standing upward trend.

Commissioner Ozias clarified the intent of the study during an October 21 Board of Health meeting, stating it will:

“…inform whether we want to continue with the harm reduction effort as it has been, whether we want to double down on it based on what we learn, or whether we want to consider alternatives…”

But what the commissioners want is made clear by their actions.

The commissioners agreed to backfill the loss of federal funding for the Harm Reduction Health Center’s drug-use supplies by allocating $50,000 for July–December 2025 and an additional $50,000 for January–June 2026, even though life-saving naloxone remains fully covered by federal programs.

Additionally, a March 10, 2025 draft letter from the commissioners to the state legislature pleads for the continuation of Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) funding in the wake of federal cuts. Although the draft was tabled pending further clarity from Olympia, it clearly states the commissioners’ position that harm reduction is responsible for the 2024 decline in Clallam County overdose deaths:

“One of the most impactful successes has been the significant reduction in overdose deaths, a result of our harm reduction program.”

HHS’s internally generated Gaps Report appears designed to provide the “causational data” needed to confirm what commissioners have already concluded: that increased harm-reduction participation is responsible for the recent decline in overdose deaths.

The Decline — and the Broader Context

According to the Clallam County Coroner’s Office, there were 24 confirmed overdose fatalities in 2025 and one pending probable drug-related death. This marks the second consecutive annual decline. Fatal overdoses dropped from approximately 46 in 2023 to 33 in 2024, and that downward trend continued in 2025.

A public records request to the Port Angeles Fire Department shows that 9-1-1 overdose responses are also declining over the same three-year period.

Yet the longer-term correlation with harm reduction is difficult to ignore:

* Overdose deaths in Clallam County have increased by over 400% since 2018.

* Opioid-related ER visits are up 47% since 2019, while population growth only increased 2%.

* ER visits rose another 7% in 2024.

As Clallam’s harm-reduction footprint expanded, so did drug activity, overdoses, and drug-related emergency visits.

Following National Trends

While county leaders may credit harm-reduction policies for recent declines, Clallam is tracking a nationwide trend.

The CDC reports that U.S. overdose deaths dropped by 27% in 2024, followed by a further provisional decline of 23.3% for the 12-month period ending August 2025.

Notably, Oregon’s overdose deaths fell even faster than the national average during this same period.

What Happened in Oregon?

In November 2020, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize drug possession after voters approved Measure 110. The measure was written by the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based advocacy group that spent $4 million on the “yes” campaign.

Harm-reduction supporters praised the move. Haven Wheelock, a harm-reduction specialist at Outside In, said:

“It takes a lot of courage to try something new, and I’m really proud of our state. I’m excited to be a model for other places to show that we don’t have to harm people for being sick.”

But Oregon’s gamble was followed by a 142% increase in annualized overdose deaths — from 787 to 1,907 at the peak in March 2024, according to the CDC.

During the same period, nationwide reported overdose deaths rose only 22% from 91,200 to an earlier peak of 111,466 in June 2023.

Following an explosion in open drug use and overdose deaths, Oregon’s legislature passed House Bill 4002 in March 2024, recriminalizing drug possession and deemphasizing harm reduction in favor of treatment and enrollment expectations.

Oregon’s reported overdose deaths then dropped by over 41% from March 2024 to August 2025.

The Port Angeles Pivot

Locally, the Port Angeles Fire Department launched Operation Shielding Hope in March 2024, with a $350,000 grant from the University of Washington in June.

Port Angeles accounts for approximately 70% of county overdoses, according to HHS.

Shielding Hope’s model is fundamentally different from traditional harm-reduction approaches. Rather than distributing supplies or facilitating “safer” drug use, it uses the critical moment after an overdose to guide individuals toward treatment and recovery.

Community paramedics respond after overdoses, stabilize patients, and build trust.

Before this program, 60% of overdose survivors refused help.

Under Shielding Hope:

* 78% of overdose survivors engaged with services.

* Clallam County overdose deaths dropped by nearly 50%.

The timing and correlation between treatment-focused interventions and better-than-average overdose declines in both Oregon and Clallam County are difficult to ignore.

Measuring the Right Outcomes

Preventing overdose deaths matters — but it should not be the end goal.

A system that celebrates delaying death without providing a clear expectation of recovery is a broken system.

The commissioners, Health Director Allison Berry, and HHS leaders have highlighted rising participant encounters as evidence of success. Monthly encounters at the Harm Reduction Health Center have grown from 212 (2023) to 508 (2024) to 974 (2025).

They define success through inputs rather than outcomes — by tracking rising encounter counts, expanded distribution of drug-use supplies, MAT enrollments, and Suboxone prescriptions.

But if success is defined by the growth of addicted patients, harm-reduction participants, and drug use supplies distributed, those are the numbers that will continue to grow.

Instead, success should be measured by what Clallam County actually needs: graduates from addiction into sobriety.

Celebrating Graduation

Last year, Clallam County Watchdog interviewed Chelsea Jones, a young mother who escaped addiction after years of living in the woods. When she hit rock bottom and her daughter was taken from her, she reached out to a trusted professional who helped facilitate Chelsea’s path to sobriety.

In a recent Facebook post, Chelsea celebrated the one-year anniversary of her graduation from a five-month inpatient treatment program.

These are the outcomes Clallam County should be measuring.

Effective solutions to substance abuse should eventually reduce the need for these programs — not accelerate their growth.

As the March 10 report is reviewed, leaders should remember this: harm reduction has had more than a decade to deliver lasting results — its failure does not warrant a participation medal.

What our community needs now are safe, clean streets; healthy storefronts; and forests and streams that invite economic investment and family life. Those outcomes come from programs that set clear expectations, prioritize treatment, and define success as freedom from addiction—not the continual expansion of addiction services.

"Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them." — Bruce Lee

What can you do?

The March 10 joint meeting is not the end of this conversation—it’s where public accountability should begin. If you believe Clallam County should measure success by recovery, treatment completion, and graduation from addiction, not simply by rising encounter counts, now is the time to speak up.

1. Contact the Board of Commissioners

The most effective way to reach all three commissioners is by emailing the Clerk of the Board at [email protected].

Consider asking:

* What outcome-based metrics will be used to evaluate harm-reduction programs?

* How many participants are entering and completing treatment, not just cycling through encounters?

* Why internally funded reports are being used to justify continued expansion rather than independent evaluation.

2. Contact the County’s Public Health Officer

Dr. Allison Berry, Clallam County’s Public Health Officer, plays a central role in shaping policy recommendations and defining what “success” looks like in public health.

* Email Dr. Allison Berry: [email protected]

You may wish to ask:

* Whether HHS tracks treatment completion, sobriety duration, or recovery outcomes

* How national trends and treatment-first programs like Shielding Hope are being weighed against local harm-reduction assumptions

* Why are declining overdose deaths being attributed to harm reduction when broader data suggest other factors are at work

3. Attend or Watch the March 10 Meeting

The Opioid Gaps Report will be discussed at the joint meeting of the Clallam County Board of Health and the Behavioral Health Advisory Board on March 10, 2026.

Recovery is not a slogan. It is an outcome. And outcomes only improve when the public stays engaged.

Last week, Jake Seegers asked readers whether they support shifting trust forestlands toward carbon credits and ecosystem services rather than traditional timber harvesting. Of 174 votes:

* 87% said, “No, timber and jobs are too critical.”

* 10% said, “For added revenue, not replacement.”

* 3% said, “Yes, climate change is a priortiy”

Editor’s Note: CC Watchdog editor Jeff Tozzer also serves as campaign manager for Jake Seegers during his run for Clallam County Commissioner, District 3. Learn more at www.JakeSeegers.com.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

This week’s potpourri highlights a familiar pattern across Clallam County: selective outrage, selective transparency, and selective accountability. From candlelight vigils held for distant causes while local victims go unacknowledged, to public safety warnings with a DEI twist, to tax structures and policies that quietly benefit institutions rather than communities, the throughline is hard to miss. These are not isolated stories—they are signals. And they deserve closer scrutiny.

In the podcast: Highlights from Tuesday’s Commissioners’ Forum.

Different Deaths, Different Responses

This week, the Sequim Gazette encouraged residents to attend a candlelight vigil for two protesters killed while interfering with federal law enforcement—an incident that occurred closer to New York than Sequim. The event was framed as a moment of solidarity and collective mourning, promoted prominently to the local community.

Notably, this same newspaper had no such urgency when violence struck at home. When local artist Richard Madeo was fatally assaulted in Sequim last year, the Sequim Gazette did not report on his death until eight days later, and only after a small local blog had already broken the story. No front-page call to gather. No community reflection encouraged. No editorial pause to acknowledge a life lost in Sequim itself.

Notably, the Sequim City Council refused to acknowledge the tragedy that had happened in their own city. Yet on Monday night, multiple councilmembers took time to deliver prepared remarks about deaths that occurred more than 1,700 miles away.

Councilmember Dan Butler opened by saying he felt “compelled to speak into our record” about the killing of Renee Good, followed by another victim, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis. He spoke at length about federal law enforcement actions, expressed concern for how Minneapolis officials must be processing events in their city, and wondered aloud how their priorities had shifted. He emphasized his gratitude for Sequim’s police department, praised the professionalism of local law enforcement, and closed by referencing more than 20 deaths in immigration custody nationwide, urging compassion regardless of legal status.

Councilmember Harmony Rutter followed by describing a protest she had witnessed in Sequim, thanking participants for their solidarity with people across the country, and expressing hope that future gatherings would remain peaceful and friendly. Councilmember Rachel Anderson added that while Butler spoke eloquently, she herself felt “rage,” sparing the audience from her expletives and thanking him for saying what she could not.

In Sequim, it appears sympathy travels well. Accountability, remembrance, and action at home—not so much.

High-Potency Cannabis, Public Safety, and Who Pays the Price

According to a report from KONP Radio, Clallam County Sheriff’s deputies responded to three separate incidents in a single week involving individuals experiencing extreme behavioral health crises. In each case, deputies said the individuals posed a serious danger to themselves or others, requiring immediate law-enforcement intervention.

These were not minor or isolated disturbances. The incidents involved extensive property damage, injuries to deputies, and criminal behavior severe enough to require jail bookings or emergency mental-health detention. Each event placed additional strain on public safety resources and underscored the real-world consequences when behavioral health crises turn violent.

Investigators reported that each individual had consumed high-potency THC cannabis concentrates prior to the incidents. In a public release, the Sheriff’s Office cited recent studies linking modern high-THC products to increased psychosis, paranoia, and violent or erratic behavior—particularly among adolescents and young adults. Research from 2024–2025 shows daily users aged 18–34 are nearly twice as likely to engage in violent behavior compared to non-users.

That warning matters because today’s cannabis market bears little resemblance to what legalization advocates discussed a decade ago. High-potency concentrates now dominate retail shelves, with THC levels far exceeding what many people historically associated with marijuana use. Locally, the Jamestown Corporation operates Cedar Greens, which offers a full lineup of concentrates—including diamonds, live rosin, hash, kief, RSO, and vape cartridges—with many products exceeding 70% THC and some labeled 80–90%+ THC.

No one is claiming a single retailer or operator is “causing crime.” But the policy picture becomes more complicated when taxation is considered. Washington State imposes a 37% cannabis excise tax, plus sales and B&O taxes, pushing the effective consumer tax burden well above 40%. On tribal land, however, cannabis sales operate under tribal-state compacts, with tribes typically imposing an equivalent tribal cannabis tax that is retained by the tribe, not remitted to the state. For consumers, the price looks the same—but as communities absorb public safety, enforcement, and health-related costs, it is fair to ask whether the current system aligns responsibility with revenue, and whether it truly serves long-term community well-being.

Coffee With Colleen—Ask Away

Every Wednesday morning, locals can tune into “Coffee With Colleen,” a live Zoom hosted by Colleen McAleer, Executive Director of the Clallam Economic Development Council. Next Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., the guest will be Bruce Emery, the elected Director of the Department of Community Development.

Audience questions are often pulled live during the session, making it one of the few unscripted opportunities for public engagement. Topics residents may wish to raise include ongoing concerns about code enforcement, the status of pending RV ordinances being crafted by the Planning Commission, and broader land-use policy direction.

It may also be a chance to ask how an elected official approaches public engagement—particularly in light of recent remarks describing engaged members of the public as “rabid” and “abusive.”

Click here to watch live next Wednesday and scroll to the bottom of the page.

When Public Notices Aren’t Public

Reporting from The Sequim Monitor highlights a significant transparency gap: key public notices are not posted on the City of Sequim’s website, despite that website being funded by taxpayer dollars.

A public hearing notice regarding the extension of an emergency moratorium on master-planned overlay applications appeared only in the Peninsula Daily News. When asked directly, the City Clerk confirmed the notice was not available online—only in the newspaper.

In 2026, when digital access is the primary way most residents obtain information, relying exclusively on a paid newspaper is not transparency—it is gatekeeping. The Sequim Monitor documents this issue thoroughly and continues to provide essential civic coverage. Readers are encouraged to read and subscribe.

Ritual Without Results

Land acknowledgements have become routine across Sequim City Council meetings, Sequim School Board meetings, and county advisory boards. The intention may be symbolic respect—but symbolism alone does not fix budgets, infrastructure, or policy failures.

A widely shared video from Toronto captures a taxpayer reframing the ritual entirely. Instead of acknowledging land, he acknowledged the people who fund government itself—the taxpayers—and challenged city leaders to account for spending, outcomes, and priorities.

His message resonates locally: respect without accountability is empty. If land acknowledgements are the opening act, residents are increasingly asking what follows.

Wildfire Planning, Foggy Numbers, and Mixed Priorities

This week, county commissioners approved an extension of a contract with SWCA Environmental Consultants to continue work on Clallam County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan—an essential document for a rural, timber-heavy county increasingly vulnerable to wildfire.

What remains unclear is the cost. Earlier pricing materials from 2024 referenced an amount written as “$15,0000.”

That leads to a broader question: are we getting the best expertise for local wildfire risk?

SWCA is a national environmental consulting firm, and wildfire planning for a remote peninsula with limited evacuation routes demands deep local knowledge and practical realism. Yet the company prominently highlights its DEI metrics, noting that 55% of new hires identify as female and 22% identify as non-white. Those statistics may matter in corporate reporting, but as smoke approaches a home, residents are likely more concerned with plan quality than values statements.

If SWCA is the right firm, the county should be able to explain the price, the qualifications, and how this plan will protect people on the ground.

To learn more about SWCA’s DEI commitments, click here.

Betting on Campuses, Ignoring the Consequences

Ron Allen, Chair and CEO of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the Jamestown Corporation in Sequim, testified in Olympia in support of Senate Bill 6137, which would expand sports wagering in Washington to include games involving in-state colleges and universities. While the bill would bar bets on individual athletes, it would still open the door to wagering on collegiate events—an important shift with real-world consequences.

Allen told the Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development Committee that the bill is needed so tribal operations can participate in sports betting tied to Washington universities. Supporters also argue that illegal online gambling already occurs and that allowing bets through tribal casinos would provide better oversight and monitoring.

But critics, including Washington State University, warn the change could make things worse. WSU representatives pointed to reports of student athletes being harassed by gamblers, both online and in person, and questioned whether expanding betting into college sports is responsible. At a time when leaders say they are trying to address addiction and mental health, adding universities to the sports betting market looks less like harm reduction and more like a gamble with consequences.

“The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket.” — Kin Hubbard

You Don’t Request a Ballot, You Don’t Vote

The Clallam Conservation District election is approaching—and it is structured in a way that requires proactive participation. This is a mail-only election, with no in-person voting, no election-day ballot pickup, and strict deadlines.

Ballots must be requested by February 18, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Election Day is March 17, 2026, closing at 4:00 p.m. If you do not request a ballot, you will not receive one—period.

The CCD has significant influence over land-use policy and private property practices. Regardless of who the candidates are (we still don’t know), failing to request a ballot guarantees silence. Details and updates are available at clallamcd.org.

Paying Consultants to Tell Us What We Already Know

The North Olympic Library System has issued a request for proposals for a compensation study, seeking a consultant to determine appropriate pay levels for employees.

This raises a straightforward question: why does this require outside consultants at taxpayer expense? Comparable jurisdictions exist. Salary data is public. Internal staff are capable professionals.

At a time when public services are strained, and budgets are tight, hiring consultants to study compensation—rather than making transparent, in-house comparisons—feels less like a necessity and more like a habit.

Comparing Notes, Finding Each Other

Community leaders may not always respond directly to CC Watchdog inquiries—but they are responding. And readers are sharing those exchanges at Clallam County Letters, creating a growing archive of public questions and official answers.

The value isn’t just in the responses; it’s in the shared experience. Seeing what others are asking—and how officials reply—reminds residents they are not isolated or unreasonable.

If you want to compare notes, stay informed, and feel a little less alone in asking hard questions, subscribe to Clallam County Letters. Send your letters to [email protected].

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

A respected museum director with decades of service was quietly removed from Clallam County’s Heritage Advisory Board — replaced by a politically connected appointee whose name never appeared on the public agenda. When residents caught the omission and objected, commissioners didn’t pause, explain, or reconsider. Instead, they handed out a proclamation and moved on. The result: another avoidable erosion of public trust, and another reminder of whose voices matter — and whose don’t.

Something was amiss with the commissioners’ agenda, and Sequim resident Denise Lapio noticed it immediately.

During public comment, Lapio pointed out that the agenda item for the Heritage Advisory Board appointments did not list the names of the individuals being appointed.

“All it says,” she explained, “is resolution appointing members to the Heritage Advisory Board.”

To find the names, the public had to turn to page 34 of the agenda packet. There, Lapio read aloud the three individuals being reappointed — and then one name that stood out as a new appointment:

Derrick Eberle.

Lapio then pointed out something else: this omission was not standard practice.

Earlier in January, when the commissioners approved appointments to other boards, names were clearly listed on the agenda.

The same was true on the December 16 agenda, where board and committee appointments included names.

In fact, Lapio said the only other instance she could find where names were not listed was March 19, 2024, when 34 people were appointed to the Revenue Advisory Committee.

“I can understand why,” Lapio noted.

So the question became unavoidable: Why weren’t three reappointments and one new appointment — Derrick Eberle — listed on the agenda?

The most logical answer is also the simplest: because Derrick Eberle is controversial.

That Old Towne Road

Eberle has been politically aligned with Mark Ozias for years, most notably during the prolonged fight over Towne Road— where Eberle supported closing a public county road and converting it into a park, a position that aligned with Commissioner Ozias’ largest campaign donor, the Jamestown Corporation.

For nearly two years, Eberle fought for an outcome that would have directly benefited his private interests. Under the plan Commissioner Ozias supported, the closed public road would include a one-lane access route atop the levee, protected by three taxpayer-funded electronic gates — one at each end and one at the entrance to Eberle’s 300-guest wedding venue located on his property off Towne Road.

To say Eberle has prioritized private benefit over public interest would be an understatement.

That context explains why his name was absent from the agenda — and why the commissioners likely hoped no one would notice.

But someone did.

A County Position With a Commute

When Lapio raised the issue days before the appointment, Commissioner Ozias was in Washington, D.C. Commissioners Mike French and Randy Johnson proceeded anyway, approving Eberle’s appointment without discussion, despite the fact that all public comments provided that morning had opposed it.

Much of that concern centered on residency.

Eberle works in Tacoma. He owns a home in Tacoma. He receives mail in Tacoma. His social media suggests his children attend school in Tacoma. Yet his application to the Heritage Advisory Board — a public record — has his mailing address redacted by the county.

Instead, the application relies on language like, “I maintain an active farm in Dungeness.”

Maintaining property is not the same thing as living in a community.

Out With the Old

And who was removed to make room for him?

Judith Reandeau Stipe — a Sequim resident and Executive Director of Sequim Museum & Arts, widely regarded as one of the most qualified individuals to ever serve on the Heritage Advisory Board.

After hearing concerns about residency, transparency, political favoritism, and the deliberate concealment of the appointment, did the commissioners pause? Reconsider? Commit to reopening the position?

No.

Instead, they announced they would be honoring Stipe with a proclamation — before removing her.

Then came one final public comment, from Katherine Vollenweider, which deserves to be read in full:

“I think this is an outrage. How can you brutally kick off the only person, albeit a woman, to build a museum in this county for over 40 years?

Judith Stipe has assisted in hundreds of local projects throughout this community. Why would you want to oust a person with such talent? You want someone proven and tempered by time.

We hold people accountable, and I think that’s the true reason she was asked to step down. She held this board to the highest standard. Now, operating under the cloak of non-transparency, the will of a commissioner crushed experience, talent, and success in a deceptive manner unbecoming of an elected official.

One person in particular wanted her off because he wanted new blood. If you want new blood, slaughter a rooster. You know who you are. If you want a museum director.”

Vollenweider urged the Board of Commissioners to reconsider and offer Stipe a permanent emeritus position.

“You do her no service by giving her the golden handshake,” she concluded.

Then Commissioner Ozias read the proclamation.

He invited Stipe to the podium.

Stipe explained how the Heritage Advisory Board is funded — through one dollar from every $5 document recording fee, money the county had collected for 15 years without realizing it.

She described the integrity required to uncover the funds and ensure they were used properly.

“We can’t forget the past,” Stipe said. “It designates what we are today, and it is a form for where we are going tomorrow.”

Then she added:

“I think Mark made a mistake by removing me and putting a new person on — but I’m not gone yet.”

Commissioner Ozias checked his watch.

“When merit is ignored, mediocrity is rewarded.” — Walter Lippmann

How to Right a Wrong

Judith Reandeau Stipe comes from a pioneer family. She understands that integrity built this community — and that integrity will outlast any board of commissioners.

It would have cost the commissioners nothing to acknowledge public concern. Nothing to pause. Nothing to reconsider. Instead, they charged full steam ahead, trading transparency for convenience and eroding yet another pillar of public trust.

There is still a solution:

* Offer Judith Reandeau Stipe an emeritus position

* Rescind Derrick Eberle’s appointment

* Advertise the opening broadly and transparently

Only then can Clallam County credibly claim it is seeking the best steward of its heritage, rather than rewarding political alignment.

Residents who wish to weigh in can contact all three commissioners by writing to the Clerk of the Board at: [email protected]

The public noticed this time. And they’re not forgetting it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

Clallam County officials keep asking the public to trust “the experts” while accountability quietly disappears. Costs rise, repeat offenders cycle through the system, and scrutiny is dismissed — leaving taxpayers paying for decisions they never approved.

“Ask the Experts” Isn’t Oversight

An email to Commissioner Mike French pressed him on a very specific claim he made: that the North View luxury permanent supportive housing complex in Port Angeles will serve people not actively using substances, while also asserting Washington landlord-tenant laws “do not allow a landlord to evict solely because of substance use.”

CC Watchdog asked Commissioner French to identify the actual legal authority: which statutes, case law, or formal guidance supposedly prevent eviction in cases of ongoing substance use.

French declined to clarify by email, then addressed it publicly by conceding he’s not an expert in housing law and offering this fallback: “I would invite you to ask the experts… the information that they gave us was, ‘this kind of housing works.’”

That’s the problem. Peninsula Behavioral Health received major public funding for North View, its four-story luxury homeless housing complex, yet its presentations take place during work sessions where public comment isn’t allowed. If residents try contacting PBH directly, PBH has no obligation to respond. When PBH’s claims turn out to be wrong — like the past “dishwashers are required by the state” assertion — the incentive to engage disappears.

That’s not governance. That’s outsourcing accountability.

And it’s exactly how public projects drift into scandal when “nobody is minding the store” — the same failure model residents saw when the William Shore Memorial Pool ended up under state fraud scrutiny (and yes, Commissioners French and Johnson served on that board during the alleged fraud scandal).

Empty Beds, Empty Parking Spots

On an average night, Serenity House reportedly has dozens of shelter beds open — yet the county approved $118,000 for a three-car “safe parking” site at a Sequim church that (so far) hasn’t had a single participant.

So why are people still camping outdoors in Sequim?

At some point, the question stops being “do we need more money?” and becomes: do we need better management and enforcement of what already exists? If capacity is sitting idle while the problem persists, the system isn’t underfunded — it’s underperforming.

The New Tax Push Nobody Mentions Locally

The Washington Legislature is considering HB 2559, which would allow cities and counties (starting April 1, 2027) to impose a local excise tax up to 4% on short-term rentals to fund affordable housing.

In testimony, the Washington State Association of Counties signaled enthusiasm — with a WSAC policy consultant saying counties “love the idea,” even floating that they’d be open to more than 4%.

Here’s the part Clallam County residents should not miss:

WSAC is led by its president, Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias. Representing Clallam County on WSAC’s legislative steering committee is Commissioner Mike French. And Clallam County’s WSAC involvement isn’t theoretical — it’s funded by hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars through county dues.

So let’s say it plainly: Clallam taxpayers are paying voluntary membership dues to an NGO lobbying apparatus that is advocating for new taxing authority — and two commissioners sit in WSAC leadership circles while not a word of this gets aired in a way that resembles transparent local debate.

That’s not “representation.” That’s using your money to lobby against you.

Tucker Kahler: Then and Now

Tucker S. Kahler’s name is back in the recent booking-and-release churn — most recently booked and released the same day on a suspended-license charge.

Here’s the context the public deserves to remember: in September 2020, Kahler was sentenced to four years in prison for third-degree rape of a child (a 14-year-old).

The sentencing judge called the behavior “predatory,” and prosecutors flagged him as a repeat offender.

This is why “catch and release” isn’t an abstract policy debate. It’s a real-world public safety posture — and the community is forced to live with the consequences.

Clallam County Court Chaos

If you rely on legacy outlets, you’re missing a growing body of court reporting from The Olympic Herald that raises serious questions about discretion, insider relationships, and taxpayer-funded decision-making in Clallam County. The pattern is simple: key choices are made behind closed doors, scrutiny is brushed off or attacked, and the public pays for every delay — without ever being asked.

Here are stories from just the past few days:

Judge Basden Appoints Close Friend to Represent FisherJudge Brent Basden selected longtime friend and former law partner Lane Wolfley to represent murder defendant Aaron Fisher at $250/hour, while also presiding over the case. The Herald questions why a close associate was chosen over neutral alternatives — and why taxpayers must absorb the cost.

Basden’s Friends Rally in His DefenseFollowing the reporting, a Change.org petition emerged, and personal allies publicly defended Basden. The Herald notes that loyalty does not resolve conflict-of-interest concerns and instead reinforces insider optics.

Basden Calls Press “Cyberbullies”From the bench, Basden labeled investigative scrutiny “cyberbullying.” The Herald frames this as an attempt to shift focus away from ethics and spending questions.

Appellate Courts Repeatedly Reverse Basden RulingsThe Herald documents multiple appellate reversals tied to jury instructions, juror handling, and improper fees. The takeaway: judicial errors cost taxpayers twice — once at trial, again on appeal.

Fisher Trial Delayed to February 9Basden granted a continuance requested by Wolfley, pushing the Fisher trial back two weeks. The Herald again highlights the cost of delay and the appearance issues surrounding Wolfley’s overlapping compensation arrangements.

Fruin Returns

Remember John Fruin — the out-of-state sex offender from Oregon who landed in Clallam County jail in October on failure-to-register and drug possession charges.

He was released on January 5, then booked back into Clallam County jail on Saturday on felony failure-to-register sex offender charges — and released again yesterday.

Here’s the question the county never wants to answer out loud: how many times do we “process” the same people before someone admits this isn’t management — it’s a revolving service counter? Booking, medical screening, meals, transport, court time, paperwork, prosecutor review — all public expense. And while residents are told “the system is complicated,” the lived reality is simple: repeat churn, repeat costs, repeat risk — with no measurable deterrent.

Three Bookings, Zero Consequences

Labaran Kourtney Mohammed was booked into Clallam County jail on January 19 for possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespass — and released by the prosecutor the very next day.

Mohammed, a registered sex offender from California, is not new to the system here. In November, he was arrested on drug-related charges, and in December, he was booked and released again for a drug-related DUI.

That makes three drug-related bookings in roughly three months. None of it appears to have changed the behavior. None of it appears to have imposed meaningful consequences.

This is what life looks like in a county fully committed to “harm reduction” without accountability. Mohammed didn’t invent the system — he adapted to it. Free food, free shelter, free transportation, free drug supplies, and even taxpayer-funded instructions on safer drug use create a predictable outcome: repeat offenses with no deterrent. And every step of that cycle is paid for by the public, whether they consented to it or not.

When NGOs Become the Newsroom

The media used to be called the Fourth Estate — an independent check on government power. Local newspapers once did the unglamorous but essential work of asking uncomfortable questions, following money, and clearly labeling opinion, advocacy, and advertising.

That line has blurred beyond recognition. County commissioners now publish glowing write-ups about county “successes” without clearly disclosing their elected role. Advertisers are allowed to submit promotional content that mimics reporting, marked only by a faint “paid advertisement” disclaimer. And now, nonprofits that receive millions in taxpayer funding are writing articles telling the public how important they are — without disclosing who they are.

The CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County recently authored an article celebrating a housing milestone, yet nowhere did it disclose that she is the organization’s chief executive. An article praising the Boys & Girls Club of Sequim was written by Mary Budke — again, without identifying her as the CEO. These aren’t neutral observers; they are recipients of public money shaping the narrative about themselves.

When NGOs become both the subject and the author of coverage, and disclosure disappears, the public loses its ability to distinguish reporting from promotion. And when that happens, democracy doesn’t fail loudly — it fades quietly.

Another Frequent Flyer

John Robert Appleby, age 63, was booked into Clallam County Jail last week for unlawful drug possession and disorderly conduct.

A quick look beyond county lines shows a familiar pattern: Appleby has multiple disorderly conduct arrests in the Olympia area over the last two years.

* March 2024, Lacey, out-of-town misdemeanor warrant.

* February 2025, Yelm, suspicion of disorderly conduct.

* November 2025, Lacey, disorderly conduct, and an out-of-town misdemeanor warrant.

Clallam County increasingly looks less like a community and more like a landing zone — a place where repeat offenders learn the system is permissive, consequences are brief, and services are plentiful. Whether Appleby stays or moves on, the pattern is the same: the county absorbs the cost, the disruption, and the risk — while officials tell residents this is “working.”

County Praise Interrupted

Last year, KING 5 ran a glowing report on Clallam County Jail’s Suboxone microdosing program, highlighting zero in-custody overdoses, post-release survival statistics, and a drop in the county’s overdose ranking statewide. On paper, it sounds like a model program.

But here’s the inconvenient timing: Roman Penn, featured in that very report, was arrested last week for DUI-Drugs and released the next day. Another cycle completed. Another statistic polished.

Even the report acknowledges a perverse incentive — jail staff admit some addicts are intentionally getting arrested to access treatment. That may feel compassionate, but it also exposes the absurdity of the system: jail has become a doorway, not a deterrent.

If success is defined as temporarily stabilizing people while they’re incarcerated — only to release them back into the same environment with no enforcement, no consequences, and no expectations — then yes, the program can call itself a win. But for residents living with the fallout, it feels less like recovery and more like maintenance of dysfunction.

“When you stop enforcing the law, you send a message that the law no longer matters.” — Bill Bratton, former NYPD and LAPD Police Chief

When Satire Sounds Too Familiar

If you need a break from officials insisting everything is fine, subscribe to The Strait Shooter. It’s satire — but uncomfortably close to reality.

Their recent piece announcing a fictional out-of-state marketing campaign promising free drugs, free housing, and zero consequences lands because it mirrors lived experience. Free kits, flexible timelines, accountability-free living, endless process, and advisory committees that produce reports instead of results — none of it feels exaggerated anymore.

Satire works best when it doesn’t invent absurdity — it simply rearranges facts until the truth becomes impossible to ignore. When residents can’t tell whether something is parody or policy, that’s not a failure of comedy.

That’s a failure of governance.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

Rabid: having or proceeding from an extreme or fanatical support of or belief in something.

A single engaged citizen, reviewing a replay of a public meeting with zero attendance, caught comments that reveal a troubling pattern in Clallam County governance: when public testimony changes outcomes, it is labeled “misinformation,” “abusive,” or “rabid.” Dr. Sarah’s careful attention underscores why community oversight matters — especially when decisions are being discussed without the public present.

Dr. Sarah, CC Watchdog’s West End correspondent, was listening to a replay of a recent Clallam County Planning Commission meeting when something caught her attention.

The meeting itself was sparsely attended — no members of the public were present in person or online. But during the discussion, Department of Community Development (DCD) Director Bruce Emery recounted the day before, when public testimony forced county commissioners to reject proposed land-use changes and reopen discussion on existing code that restricts RV living, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and vacation rentals that many residents rely on to survive.

What stood out was not simply that public engagement worked — but how it was characterized afterward.

“There was a pretty substantial, what I would characterize as a misinformation campaign against it,” Emery told the Planning Commission.

Emery said some members of the public believed the county was proposing new regulations on short-term rentals, when he said the intent was to expand them. He also said the county was attempting to expand regulations around RVs, rather than tighten them.

He went further.

“It was close to three hours of complete and total abuse,” Emery said, describing the public testimony that ultimately led commissioners to pause the ordinances.

The Clallam County Planning Commission is a citizen advisory body that reviews and recommends land-use policies, zoning regulations, and comprehensive plan updates to the Board of County Commissioners. It does not have final decision-making authority — but its work shapes the rules that affect how people live on their property.

One planning commissioner asked what, exactly, the controversy had been.

Emery replied that the current code is “untenable” — a point many residents would agree with. Large portions of the existing code are difficult or impossible to enforce. But Emery then attributed the public backlash to outside influence:

“I think it was CC Watchdog got ahold of it and said that we’re proposing all these draconian rules and we’re restricting free use of your property and just really spelled it out.”

He continued:

“It didn’t matter. These people were rabid. I honestly was a little nervous about the whole thing.”

He added that commissioners ultimately decided the Planning Commission should re-examine the entire proposal.

Emery also dismissed specific public comments:

“One comment from a gal who was adamantly opposed said, ‘Maybe you should have a regulation that controls generators.’ That sound familiar? It has that… In other words, they didn’t even read it.”

A planning commissioner summarized Emery’s assessment by saying the “well-organized crowd” wasn’t as concerned about living in RVs as they were about renting them out. Emery agreed.

Another commissioner suggested that, going forward, the county should produce a one-page summary of proposed ordinances to prevent what he described as outrage fueled by word-of-mouth.

“People want to be outraged,” he said.

“That, for me, is the takeaway,” Emery replied.

Yes, there has been confusion.

But concern about short-term rental regulation did not emerge in a vacuum.

At a Clallam Bay–Sekiu Advisory meeting last month, Commissioner Mike French explicitly urged residents to contact Bruce Emery if they supported regulating short-term rentals:

“If people do have thoughts on short-term-rental regulation, it’s not enough to just talk about it here… You’ve got to send emails to Bruce Emery. He’s the guy in charge of that.”

He added that regulations could be geographically targeted and need not be countywide.

So when a commissioner publicly encourages residents to lobby DCD leadership for new regulations, it is framed as civic engagement. When residents flood meetings to oppose regulation — and succeed — it is framed as misinformation, abuse, and rabid behavior.

That framing is especially striking given how county leadership has articulated its view of property rights.

Commissioner Mike French has stated:

“The basis of property rights is productive use, so if people are not using their property productively — when they are harming the productive use of adjacent properties — I really hope that we are using those tools that are available to us, that are legal, so that we gain the most leverage that we can to ensure people are not being destructive to their property or harming the productive use of an adjacent property.”

Except when it is the county’s land harming the productive use of the public and neighboring property owners.

That disconnect matters.

It also explains why mistrust runs deep.

Under Director Emery’s leadership, the Department of Community Development played a central role in the Lower Dungeness Floodplain restoration and Towne Road relocation. In February 2023, commissioners defunded the reopening of Towne Road after the Jamestown Corporation intentionally breached the Dungeness River dike ahead of schedule, exposing downstream residents to flooding.

Residents later learned — accidentally — that plans were underway to convert a public county road into a trail, aligning with Jamestown Corporation’s interests. That information was not proactively disclosed. For many, this marked the beginning of deep mistrust in county leadership.

Add to that:

* The Cultural Access Tax, advanced by Commissioner Mike French with the intent of imposing it without a public vote — an effort that has not been abandoned, has never been formally withdrawn, and only became public through leaked emails.

* Ongoing, undisclosed discussions between Commissioner Mark Ozias and Jamestown CEO Ron Allen about transferring management of the Dungeness Recreation Area, one of the county’s most beloved parks, to a sovereign nation.

In each case, the public did not learn through transparent governance — but by chance.

Layered on top of this is how county leadership speaks about the public.

Ron Allen, CEO of the Jamestown Corporation and a major campaign donor to both Emery and Ozias, has referred to concerned residents as “whiners and complainers.”

Commissioner Mike French has dismissed follow-up questions about a $4 million allocation to Peninsula Behavioral Health as “micromanaging.”

Charter Review Commissioner Paul Picket called public commenters ignorant racists for supporting communication between the county and the federal government.

Former Charter Review Chair Susan Fisch infamously shouted “mute her, mute her” when a public commenter criticized Fisch’s close associate, Jim Stoffer.

The pattern is unmistakable: public scrutiny is tolerated only when it is quiet, controlled, and ineffective.

Which is why Dr. Sarah’s role matters so much.

This exchange did not happen in a headline-grabbing hearing. It happened in a low-attendance meeting, discussed casually, after the fact. Without one engaged citizen watching a replay, it likely would have gone unnoticed.

It is also worth noting that Bruce Emery is not merely a hired administrator. He is the only elected Department of Community Development director in the United States. His current term expires at the end of this year, and if he chooses to run for reelection, that decision — and campaign — would take shape this spring.

“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” — Thomas Jefferson

Public participation works — but only if the public stays engaged, even when officials wish they wouldn’t.

Dr. Sarah, thank you for paying attention when most weren’t looking.

Oh, and if Director Bruce Emery truly finds public participation uncomfortable — even “abusive” or “rabid” — the Charter Review Commission has concluded its work, and Jim Stoffer’s taxpayer-funded private security detail is presumably available, should the Director require protection.

At some point, local governance may come to view the public as an asset rather than a liability.

Readers are encouraged to watch the first 15 minutes of the January 21st Planning Commission meeting here.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

In this week’s Sundays with Seegers, County Commissioner candidate Jake Seegers chronicles a rare moment when citizen pressure worked — and issues a warning about the fight still ahead. Public testimony forced county commissioners to reject proposed land-use changes and reopen discussion on existing code that restricts RV living, ADUs, and vacation rentals many residents rely on to survive. Elsewhere, volunteers succeeded where enforcement failed, removing a dangerous bluffside structure and restoring public safety. But no such victory exists yet for timber revenue, as state policies continue to erode the funding base that supports local services. That battle is still unfolding — and it will require sustained public attention before the losses become permanent.

Property Prizefight

Clallam County governance worked well for citizens this week during a long-awaited discussion of ordinances regulating recreational vehicles (RVs), accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and vacation rentals in the commissioners’ boardroom. The gallery overflowed with residents eager to voice concerns over the proposed ordinance changes put forward by the Department of Community Development (DCD), as well as to suggest their own modifications to the County’s existing Title 33 ordinances.

One citizen after another shared personal stories outlining how their families and friends depend on RVs, ADUs, and short-term rentals (STRs) to survive in a county where affordability is increasingly elusive.

Suzie Bliven shared that the vacation rental on her family’s legacy farm is her only source of income outside a small Social Security check. ”I could get rid of my Airbnbs, but then I would only have social security.”

Ms. Bliven leases her 60-acre farm to a young farmer, but the lease rate only covers the property tax and insurance costs. Two long-term rentals on the property are provided at below-market rates — one to a young mother who manages and cleans the vacation rentals.

Elizabeth Batson raised concerns over proposed language that seems to prohibit occupancy of legacy homes and cabins. “Washington State did not adopt a state-wide building code until 1975 – more than 120 years after this county was founded. A significant portion of our housing stock predates code standards,” she said.

Glenda Peterson Schaad spoke about her great-grandfather, who settled in the Forks Prairie at just 19 years old after losing his mother. “He wanted land, and I am the recipient of his bravery and courage.” Her family has farmed and ranched the property since 1882, and she said vacation rentals are essential to keeping the farm in the family in perpetuity.

Rose Marschall from Port Angeles depends on house sharing — short-term leasing of multiple rooms in her house — to make ends meet in retirement. “If you [pass this], I will be homeless because I rent out rooms in my house. I learned today that I can only rent out one room in my house. I have a five-bedroom house, and all my kids are out. I can’t rent out three rooms in my house?”

Concerns were raised that ADU and vacation rental limits are applied uniformly across all parcels, regardless of size. DCD Director Bruce Emery confirmed that, as written, the code makes no distinction between a half-acre lot and a 60-acre parcel — treating vastly different properties as if they were the same.

Gasps reverberated through the boardroom when Director Emery disclosed that a conditional use permit — which would be required under the proposed code language for a property owner to have a second occupied RV or vacation rental — costs the property owner about $3,500.

Randy Simmons summed up the collective sentiment: “This is a taking of land…when you force landowners to do [these] things, that’s a taking of land at [their] expense.”

Mr. Simmons turned to the gallery of over 60 Clallam citizens and posed the most effective question of the day: “How many of you are for this new proposal as written?”

Not a single hand went up.

Commissioner Mike French took time to clarify that some of the proposed ordinance changes would expand property rights related to ADUs in Urban Growth Areas (UGA) and short-term rentals of park model RVs.

The commissioners acknowledged many of the concerns voiced through written and public comment. It was a proud moment for residents in attendance when the commissioners rejected the proposed ordinance changes as written and promised to revisit both the proposed and current code in light of property owners' desires.

This is what a properly functioning local government that serves the people looks like.

Thank you to all members of the public who took the time to email the commissioners and Director Emery, or to provide public comment. Your voices were heard this week.

However, this fight for property rights is not over. The ordinance changes will be revisited by the Planning Commission and resubmitted for review by the commissioners at a future date. Hopefully, future ordinance changes will include:

* An expansion of vacation rental rights to more than one per parcel.

* An allowance for two occupied RVs, with proper sewage disposal, without a Conditional Use Permit.

* An expansion to two ADUs per parcel for larger parcels outside of the UGA

Battle for the Bluff

On the same afternoon, citizens of Port Angeles also won a long-fought battle. Mounting pressure from engaged citizens forced the city council and local law enforcement to act. On Tuesday, January 20th, 4PA was given the green light to remove the precarious cantilevered structure on the bluff behind Country Aire.

All equipment was carried by hand into the steep worksite.

4PA staff and local volunteers worked diligently to dismantle the hazardous structure and clean up the surrounding area.

After two hours of scaling and descending steep slopes slick with mud, the 4PA crew had returned one portion of the hillside to nature’s management.

Here is a time-lapse video of the removal.

Local clean-up non-profit, 4PA, is a sterling example of a community solution to a community problem. Local government should be using its authority, resources, and policy tools to empower and expand efforts like this — not obstruct them or force volunteers to fill gaps created by failed enforcement and policy.

One structure remains on the bluff. The occupant was delivered a 72-hour notice to vacate the premises by PAPD.

Timber Industry Under Attack

For generations, timber has been the backbone of Clallam County’s economy and a critical revenue source for the county and junior taxing districts — schools, libraries, hospitals, pools, and fire districts. Washington State lawmakers and advocacy groups are steadily eroding that revenue stream.

Recent non-harvest stream buffer expansions from 50 to 75 feet may look minor on paper — a few extra feet here, a fraction of a percent there — but over time, these changes compound into real, measurable damage to rural economies and the public services that depend on timber revenue.

In Forks, Joel Wilhelm, Fruit Grower’s Washington Timberlands Manager, estimates that buffer expansion rules will result in a 2%–4% decrease in available harvestable acres. With 36,000 acres under Wilhelm’s management, this is a significant hit.

After a pause in various timber sales by Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove and the removal of 77,000 acres from the harvestable land base, only 114,391 MBF (thousand board feet) were sold in Western Washington from July 1 to December 31, 2025 — representing just 25% of the annual target of 459,000 MBF.

According to Clallam County Fire District 2 Commissioner Keith Cortner, this shortfall poses a serious risk to funding public safety. Revenue lost to Fire District 2 and Fire District 3 exceeded $315,000 in 2025.

At the same time, new legislation proposed in HB 2170 represents a more direct shift away from working forests and toward carbon markets and so-called “ecosystem services.” The bill would authorize the Department of Natural Resources to enroll trust lands into carbon offset and ecosystem service programs, enter contracts lasting up to 125 years, and substitute carbon and ecosystem credit revenue for traditional timber harvest revenue.

This is not just diversification — it is a structural change in how trust lands are managed.

Trust land managers have a fiduciary duty to act in their beneficiaries' best interests. That responsibility becomes blurred when additional policy objectives are layered on that may — or may not — align with those interests. HB 2170 allows DNR to pursue goals such as “reforestation, forest health restoration, afforestation, air and water purification, habitat creation, temperature regulation, stormwater management, and disaster mitigation.” While these may be worthwhile public goals, they are not the same as maximizing long-term, reliable revenue for counties, schools, and local services.

Anti-timber advocacy groups, like Elwha Legacy Forests, have already embraced the bill.

Trust lands exist to support counties, schools, and local services. Turning them into long-term carbon banks locks up working forests, reduces long-term harvest potential, and shifts rural communities from reliable, locally generated jobs to speculative, market-driven climate finance.

The likely result is fewer harvest acres, reduced long-term revenue for counties, and increased pressure on already strained junior taxing districts. Without pushback, this won’t stop with a single buffer expansion, timber removal, or bill. It will continue — one rule, one program, one “pilot project” at a time — until the timber industry that built our communities is regulated into irrelevance.

While enhanced revenues from carbon credits layered on top of continued timber management — and the jobs it supports — could make sense, this bill appears to skew toward replacement, not supplementation, of traditional forestry revenue. That shift risks trading reliable, locally generated timber income for speculative carbon markets, with long-term consequences for rural communities and trust beneficiaries.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

What can you do?

* Sign up to testify, note your position, or provide written testimony on HB 2170.

Write your commissioners and ask them to stand up to Olympia in defense of the county’s timber revenue – legal action should not be off the table. All three county commissioners can be reached by emailing the Clerk of the Board at [email protected].

Last Sunday, Jake Seegers asked readers whose rights the commissioners care about most. Of 166 readers:

* 62% said, “Tribal corporations.”

* 18% said, “Substance users.”

* 17% said, “Homeless.”

* 2% said, “Property owners.”

* 1% said, “All Clallam County Citizens.”

Editor’s Note: CC Watchdog editor Jeff Tozzer also serves as campaign manager for Jake Seegers during his run for Clallam County Commissioner, District 3. Learn more at www.JakeSeegers.com.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

A new Port Angeles councilmember tips the balance toward moderation—but the public can’t see how it happened. Meanwhile, climate claims crumble under scrutiny, ratepayers brace for higher bills, and government insiders keep writing their own glowing reviews. Transparency isn’t optional. This week is making that clear.

A Moderate Shift — If You Were There to See It

New Port Angeles City Councilmember Mark Hodgson cast the deciding vote to keep Kate Dexter as mayor, a result that suggests a more moderate council than the one shaped by outgoing councilmember Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin. Navarra Carr was selected as deputy mayor. Substantively, it was a notable shift, and one many residents were waiting to see.

The problem is that most residents never got to see how it happened. Credit goes to Mimi Smith, writing on her Substack, for carefully documenting what went wrong. A failure in the city’s livestream system blocked public access to the first 18 minutes of the meeting—covering Hodgson’s swearing-in, the mayoral nomination, and the actual vote. By the time the public could connect, council was already in public comment.

This wasn’t a minor inconvenience. Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act exists so the public can observe decision-making in real time. When votes happen during an unrecorded and inaccessible portion of a meeting, the public is right to question whether those actions meet the law’s intent—or even its basic requirements.

Things didn’t improve as the meeting went on. City Manager Nathan West acknowledged that the council packet was inaccurate and that previous meeting minutes were incomplete—some duplicated, others missing altogether—preventing approval. At that point, it’s fair to ask how often the city is operating without a complete or accurate public record.

Then there’s attendance. Hodgson missed his first scheduled council meeting (and scheduled swearing-in) on January 6th, citing a work conflict mere hours before the meeting. A public records request shows he worked a normal daytime shift that day as a state trooper, with no overtime. He was off duty at 3:30 p.m., and the council meeting began at 6 p.m.

That raised eyebrows for some residents, particularly since Hodgson also had the poorest attendance record of all 15 members on last year’s Charter Review Commission. Showing up—and being visible—still matters.

Carbon Credits, Political Promotion, and Who Benefits

A recent analysis reported by the Washington Policy Center found that 86 percent of Washington’s claimed climate benefits under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) are likely overstated or unsubstantiated. That finding cuts directly against the claims used to sell the program to voters and justify its ongoing costs.

Locally, the CCA was actively promoted by Commissioner Mark Ozias, who publicly encouraged residents to vote against repeal. The same position was pushed by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which receives millions in CCA funding.

None of this is illegal. But when those who benefit financially from a program are also among its most vocal defenders, that context should be plainly stated. Public policy debates don’t work when material interests are treated as footnotes—or ignored altogether.

Kelso Pushes Back — Will Clallam Do the Same?

The Kelso City Council unanimously voted to direct its lobbyist to oppose HB 2489, a bill that would require cities to allow camping in public spaces unless they can prove sufficient shelter capacity. Cities that fail to meet the standard could face lawsuits.

There was some debate about adding the issue late to the agenda, but councilmembers ultimately agreed the bill posed a serious threat to local authority. The final motion focused on preserving the flexibility cities have gained through recent court decisions to manage public spaces and protect public safety.

Clallam County and Port Angeles may want to decide soon whether they intend to defend that same discretion—or wait for mandates from Olympia and sort it out in court later.

When Government Writes the News

The Sequim Gazette continues to publish Commissioner Mark Ozias’ monthly column praising county government. The column is not labeled as opinion and does not clearly identify Ozias as a sitting county commissioner, blurring the line between independent reporting and government messaging.

In his latest column, Commissioner Ozias emphasizes the importance of the lodging tax as an investment in tourism. What readers are not told is that his largest campaign donor, the Jamestown Corporation, does not collect or remit this tax. Its 100-room hotel in Blyn contributes nothing, and a 200-room expansion is planned.

At the same time, Jamestown Corporation CEO Ron Allen has advocated for demolishing a direct competitor: the Olympic Inn & Suites in Port Angeles—removing 115 lodging-tax-generating rooms—under the banner of salmon restoration. That’s relevant information. Readers deserve it.

PUD Rate Hikes and the Cost of “Customer Experience”

Clallam PUD customers will see electric rates increase 3.75 percent on April 1, with another increase already approved for 2027. Water rates rise 4.75 percent, and wastewater rates jump 9 percent, continuing a multi-year trend.

The PUD cites infrastructure, staffing, and BPA power costs. But project estimates that swing by as much as $10 million raise a basic question: how confident should ratepayers be in the numbers they’re being shown?

“As for the Port Angeles Operations Center in 2026, just under $2.8 million has been budgeted for design scope...staff estimate it to be between $30 million and $40 million.” — Sequim Gazette

At the same time, the PUD is hiring a “customer experience coordinator” with pay reaching $10,612 per month, or nearly $130,000 a year, in a county where median household income is less than half that. When rates go up and payroll expands, residents don’t need a consultant to see the connection.

Nearly 10% More Pay — Is Anything 10% Better?

Three years ago, Clallam County commissioners earned about $108,000 annually.

Today, they earn over $118,000—nearly a 10 percent increase.

That raise came during years marked by budget deficits, layoffs, and warnings about risks to public safety, election integrity, and public health capacity. Residents were repeatedly told there wasn’t enough money.

So it’s reasonable to ask: are services better? Is accountability stronger? Or has government simply made sure it came out ahead?

Representation—or Advocacy for Special Interests?

Congresswoman Emily Randall has made tribal land and trust legislation a clear priority, aligning herself closely with tribal governments on major land-use decisions affecting the North Olympic Peninsula. That includes not only land-into-trust bills for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Quinault Indian Nation, but also active coordination with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe on federal lands and wildlife refuges. Supporters describe this work as restorative and treaty-driven, and those arguments deserve consideration—but they are not the whole story.

What hasn’t been meaningfully discussed in public is that the Jamestown Tribe is working with Randall not just to help manage federal lands, but to move toward ownership and control of them. That includes Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge. Once land is placed into trust, it is permanently removed from state and local authority. That means no local land-use control, no county oversight, and no meaningful say for the non-tribal residents who live alongside these lands and depend on them too.

At some point, representation requires balance. When a member of Congress repeatedly advances policies that transfer public land and authority to sovereign nations—while everyday constituents learn about it after the fact—it’s fair to ask who is really being represented. Advocating for tribes and honoring treaty obligations does not excuse sidelining the broader public. Constituents in the 6th District deserve to know whether their representative is speaking for them, or for the interests with the most access and influence.

Restore Balance at the Conservation District

The Clallam Conservation District has faced accounting errors, election problems, and the voiding of an elected supervisor position. The board is now accepting applications to fill that interim seat.

This is a real opportunity for residents who value lawful process, moderation, and transparency to step in and help steady the ship.

Apply here. Deadline: February 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

Awareness Is a Civic Skill

Crime Radar allows residents to listen to recent police scanner activity online by ZIP code. One recent call involved a shirtless man armed with a chainsaw and sword at an RV park off Old Deer Park Road.

It’s not about fear. It’s about awareness—another tool for understanding what’s actually happening around us.

“The enthusiasm of readers is what gives a story its real power.” — J.K. Rowling

Watchdog Community: Accountability That Shows Up

There are readers. There are supporters. And then there’s Christine Winans, who puts CC Watchdog decals on her vehicles—and paid twice so the next supporter could get one free.

Decals are available through Strait Signs for $35 ($50 installed), with discounts for groups. Call 360-683-6655 or email [email protected]. Christine hopes you consider paying it forward for the next superfan because accountability doesn’t stay parked.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

A landslide covered Little River Road west of Port Angeles on December 10, 2025. Earth Law Center says it came from the Aldwell clearcut—an area where geotechnical experts warned the state years ago that slope failure was likely. Legacy media hasn’t reported it. The facts raise a bigger question: why some environmental damage sparks outrage, while other known hazards are quietly allowed to worsen.

In the podcast: Commissioners’ refuse RV ordinance plus public comment highlights.

A Landslide Nobody Seems to Be Talking About

On the night of December 10, a landslide slid off the Aldwell clearcut and onto Little River Road. Photos from the scene show a significant slope failure directly above a public access corridor used year-round by locals and visitors.

What’s notable isn’t just the slide itself—but how little attention it’s received. Despite the road being covered by debris, there has been no meaningful coverage from local legacy media outlets.

Earth Law Center, however, says this was not a surprise.

The Warning Came Years Ago

Back in 2022, Earth Law Center commissioned an independent geotechnical report focused on the Aldwell area. That report was submitted to the Washington Department of Natural Resources and raised clear concerns about slope instability.

The report warned that mapped and unmapped landslides, combined with groundwater recharge areas, could send rock and sediment downhill—into a county road and a fish-bearing tributary of the Elwha River.

Local geotechnical engineer Glen Wade of North Shore Geo, based in Port Angeles, submitted multiple comments to DNR reinforcing those concerns. According to Earth Law Center, those warnings were largely brushed aside.

Public Concerns Were Raised—and Then Ignored

This wasn’t just a technical issue raised by consultants. Members of the public and elected officials spoke up, but none of that changed the outcome.

The response from DNR, as described by Earth Law Center, was essentially: it was too late to stop the sale, and there was no need to worry about impacts to water flow.

Logging went forward in March 2023.

Less than three years later, the landslide predicted in the geotechnical report happened.

Who’s Speaking Out

Earth Law Center’s contacts on this issue include Elizabeth Dunne, who has appeared in previous CC Watchdog reporting related to forest policy and environmental litigation.

Another is Wendy Rae Johnson, currently the Auditor for the Clallam Conservation District, who publicly describes herself as a soil advocate and climate solutions educator.

Their concern over the Aldwell landslide is understandable. But it also highlights a growing inconsistency in how environmental harm is addressed locally.

Why Some Environmental Damage Gets a Pass

If slope instability and watershed protection are urgent issues, other areas in Clallam County deserve the same level of concern.

Behind Country Aire in Port Angeles, homeless encampments have been allowed to expand for years on a steep bluff where vegetation has been stripped away. That bluff sits below homes. The slope is unstable. The risk is obvious.

Up Tumwater Creek, an environmental catastrophe continues to grow. Encampments line the banks. Garbage, debris, and human waste are ending up in the creek—much of it tied to harm-reduction distribution. Tumwater Creek is salmon-bearing.

There are no drone photo releases. No urgent press statements. No calls for immediate intervention.

Why?

Where Is the Conservation District?

The Clallam Conservation District now has guaranteed funding—roughly $2 million over the next decade—through a parcel fee imposed without a public vote.

If salmon recovery and soil health are priorities, why isn’t Tumwater Creek a top-tier restoration project?

There are volunteers already doing cleanup work there. Many would welcome collaboration with Earth Law Center or the CCD on real, on-the-ground solutions.

Environment or Political Weapon

This tension mirrors a broader critique from the Washington Policy Center: too often, environmental issues are used as political leverage rather than treated as practical problems that need fixing.

Some activists exaggerate risks to justify expensive policies that burden taxpayers. Others dismiss real environmental concerns entirely because they’ve lost trust in government programs that fail to deliver results.

Both approaches undermine public confidence—and the environment itself.

“Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good.” — Thomas Sowell

The Question That Matters

The Aldwell landslide deserves scrutiny. So does the decision-making process that allowed it to happen.

But so do the environmental hazards officials and advocates have allowed to persist closer to home.

If environmental stewardship is about outcomes—not politics—it can’t be selective.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

Rick arrived in Clallam County six months ago with almost nothing but memories.

After losing his California home to wildfire with just 15 minutes to evacuate, his long-planned move to the Olympic Peninsula suddenly became reality. He came here to rebuild — still missing furniture, still unpacking, still keeping one framed reminder close: an artist’s rendering of the home he lost.

Then Rick heard a podcast.

It was the story of Austin Wolfley — a young janitor commuting by bus and e-bike between Port Angeles and Sequim, who intervened to protect a Clallam Transit bus driver during an assault. In the podcast, Austin briefly mentioned his e-bike had recently been stolen, leaving him entirely dependent on public transit while working the graveyard shift at the Sequim Walmart.

Rick didn’t know Austin. He wasn’t looking for recognition. He simply left a comment beneath the story:

“If there is a fund for him for a new e-bike, I would like to contribute.”

Less than 24 hours later, that single comment — combined with a room full of neighbors gathered at a Community Conversations event held for District 3 County Commissioner candidate Jake Seegers — turned into something bigger. As people mingled to discuss leadership, homelessness, and the future of the county, the real conversation kept circling back to one question: What can we do for Austin?

Someone shared that Sound Bikes & Kayaks had stepped forward immediately, offering to replace Austin’s stolen e-bike at cost. A basket was passed. Cash appeared. Checks followed. Again and again, people said the same thing: “I wish I could give more.”

It turned out they didn’t need to.

So many people gave what they could that all those “I wish I could give more” moments added up to an entire bike — fully funded in a single day.

By Friday morning, Sound Bikes & Kayaks had pulled the bike from the showroom floor, tuned it, and outfitted it with accessories and a lock. By Saturday, Austin was lured into the shop under false pretenses — only to be greeted by the very team who sold him his first bike, the bus operator he protected, his family, Rick, Jake, and a crowd of strangers who knew him simply because they knew his story.

No boards. No task forces. No grants.No six-figure salaries. No mandatory fees or taxes.No waiting.

Just a community that saw a need — and met it.

This is what happens when people lead with character, when local businesses step up without hesitation, and when solutions come not from government programs, but from neighbors choosing to act.

And it all started with one quiet comment — from someone still rebuilding his own life — and a room full of people who believed that doing the right thing is worth showing up for.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” — Martin Luther King Jr.

The Speech at Sound Bikes & Kayaks

Good morning, everyone.

Austin, today is really about you.

A few days ago, many of us heard your interview — the story of what happened on the Clallam County bus. When a passenger became verbally abusive and then struck the driver, you didn’t freeze. You stood up, you stepped in, and you protected someone who needed help. That kind of courage tells us exactly who you are.

You also shared that your e‑bike had been stolen from your rental in Port Angeles. And the moment we heard that, we knew we wanted to do something. Not because of the dramatic moment on the bus, but because of the steady, everyday character behind it — the kindness, the humility, the way you move through the world.

When we reached out to Troy and Maura at Sound Bikes and Kayaks — the folks who sold you your original Specialized — they immediately offered to sell our group a replacement at cost. They told us you’re a shop favorite: always polite, always genuine, someone they were truly upset to see impacted by the theft. Their generosity helped make today possible.

And here’s something important: it wasn’t just Jake, Jeff, and me. The night we shared your story, multiple community members stepped up without hesitation. People donated on the spot. Others pledged what they could. Within 24 hours, the entire cost of this bike was covered. That’s how quickly people wanted to support you.

Austin, you have an army of people behind you — people who see you, appreciate you, and believe in lifting up someone who does the right thing even when no one is watching.

So this bike is more than a replacement. It’s a thank‑you. It’s a recognition of your courage and your character. And it’s a reminder that this community stands with you.

On behalf of everyone who contributed and everyone who was moved by your story, we are honored to give this to you.

Enjoy the ride, Austin. You’ve earned it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com

Clallam County has recreated the Wild West—not with gunmen, but through selective enforcement and policies that reward lawlessness while punishing responsibility. Using real cases from Sequim neighborhoods and public land in Port Angeles, Jake Seegers shows how squatters and illegal structures are tolerated in the name of “compassion,” while tax-paying property owners face relentless regulation. This Sundays With Seegers piece confronts the county’s double standard and asks who is truly being protected when officials refuse to enforce their own laws.

Olympic Outlaws

During the mid-to-late 1800s, large portions of the American West were ruled by lawlessness. In many frontier towns, there was no functioning government, no reliable courts, and no effective policing. In that vacuum, criminals seized property, enforced power through violence, and ruled by fear.

Today, the Wild West is alive and well in Clallam County.

But the outlaws are no longer roving gunmen. They are policies, bureaucracies, and the elected officials who protect the lawless to the detriment of the lawful.

Businesses and property owners now live under constant threat of losing what is theirs — not through violence, but through burdensome taxation, endless regulation, and the steady transfer of authority to self-serving NGOs. State, county, and city leaders cloak these policies in the language of compassion while refusing to enforce their own laws on public property or defend the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Dreams Shattered

Fifteen years ago, a working couple finally purchased their dream home in Sequim. He drove a truck. She cared for the elderly. They lived frugally and saved carefully. With a $250,000 budget, the home she loved almost seemed out of reach — yet their offer was unexpectedly accepted because of the sellers’ divorce court order. The working couple believed they had found their piece of paradise.

About eight years ago, that dream began to collapse.

Their elderly neighbor allowed a young tenant to move in. The tenant soon attracted additional occupants. Trash accumulated, junk vehicles appeared, and midnight disturbances echoed throughout the neighborhood.

According to the neighborhood, the sheriff’s office was called repeatedly to report illegal dumping, noise disturbances, and accumulating vehicles.

Then, in December 2024, the neighbor passed away.

The young tenant immediately claimed ownership. Others moved in. RVs arrived. The house, already in poor condition, deteriorated further.

There is no will. No probate has been filed. The title remains in the deceased’s name. HUD holds the reverse mortgage and will not take possession until foreclosure, which could be six months or more away.

According to a HUD specialist, county officials claim that because no current owner exists, code enforcement cannot act.

“I have received communication from the Clallam County Commissioners who informed [me] their code enforcement has tools at their disposal, but it only applies to homeowners. And, since HUD is not on the title yet, we can’t legally remove the squatters.” — HUD specialist

Meanwhile, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office has responded to over 100 calls at the property, mostly since 2017. According to Sheriff King, CCSO has handled assaults, disturbances, weapons discharges, threats, harassment, noise complaints, warrant arrests, stolen property recoveries, and suspicious circumstances. Arrests occur — and the same people return.

In an email response, Sheriff King stated:

“If [HUD] were to foreclose on the property, and re-list for sale, everyone would be evicted. CCSO has been there a lot and we know that drug use is a theme.”

Meanwhile, the tight-knit Sequim neighborhood feels helpless and abandoned by the very system they finance with their property tax dollars — a system that is failing to protect the dreams they worked so hard to build.

Public Land Outlaws

The absence of clearly identifiable ownership is just one of several situations in which county and city officials decline to initiate code enforcement.

In the modern Wild West of Clallam County, trespassers on county, city, and port land are routinely allowed to break the law, disrupt neighborhoods, degrade property values, and pollute the environment — actions that would quickly trigger fines, penalties, or even foreclosure if committed by tax-paying property owners.

One such example sits on a steep bluff in Port Angeles between Country Aire and the residences above.

The structure was first discovered and reported to the Port Angeles Police Department (PAPD) by the local cleanup nonprofit 4PA on September 30, 2025.

Three weeks later, in the absence of enforcement, the structure continued to grow.

Nearly four months after the initial report, the hazardous, unpermitted structure remains in place. Despite at least two PAPD notices to vacate—both ignored—the occupants have neither been removed nor cited. Instead, construction activity has intensified.

Walls, a pitched roof, Styrofoam insulation, and a front door have been added.

Neighbors endure early-morning hammering and power-tool noise as occupants openly boast that they work when no one is watching.

The growing weight of these additions is supported by cedar branches, one of which is precariously propped up with a car jack.

This is public land. No permits. No safety inspections. No accountability.

Why? Because enforcement might appear “uncompassionate.”

Yet the same officials enforce every code, fee, and regulation against tax-paying property owners — without hesitation.

The Double Standard

During an October 27th, 2025 Work Session, Commissioner Mike French stated:

“The basis of property rights is productive use… when people are harming the productive use of adjacent properties, we must use every legal tool available.”

That standard is not applied to squatters, illegal encampments, or unpermitted structures — nor to county, city, or port properties that violate the very codes imposed on everyone else.

Officials appear to fear litigation while ignoring the massive liability posed by the dangerous, unpermitted structures on the land they steward. Will it take a tragedy before county commissioners and the Port Angeles City Council have the courage to enforce their own codes?

Elected officials continue to promote failed policies that lead to this level of self-harm and environmental disaster. They allow hazardous construction by the lawless on public land while enforcing onerous building codes that the lawful cannot afford.

All three commissioners admit Washington’s new building codes make affordable housing nearly impossible — yet they refuse to draw a hard line with the state on behalf of citizens.

Commissioner Johnson calls defying state mandates “anarchy.”

What does Commissioner Randy Johnson call this?

How long will outlaws be allowed to thrive in the Wild West of Clallam County?

A Better Way

1. Remove the option of living outside on public land.

It is time for city and county officials to enforce their own ordinances on their own land. Unpermitted landfills, open trash piles, dumping in critical areas, improper disposal of human waste, unsafe and unpermitted structures, and ongoing illegal activity would never be tolerated on private property — and they should not be tolerated on taxpayer-owned property either. Public land must be held to the same standards as everyone else.

2. Harness the services property owners already pay for.

4PA is funded 100% by private donations. Yet Clallam County and the City of Port Angeles increasingly rely on 4PA as their unofficial, unpaid cleanup crew for public lands. Every dollar 4PA spends removing trash from areas the government refuses to enforce is a dollar diverted from its housing projects and long-term solutions.

Meanwhile, taxpayers are already paying for clean and healthy waterways.

In 2025, the commissioners mandated that Clallam property owners fund the Clallam Conservation District (CCD) at $200,000 per year, an agency that claims to protect water quality and restore riparian environments. If the public is required to pay for these services, then the public should also demand real outcomes — starting with immediate cleanup of the environmental disasters along Tumwater Creek.

3. End the cycle.

Clean up encampments, enforce the law, and maintain the land — instead of repeatedly cleaning the same sites after months of neglect and new abandonment.

4. Focus resources on the greatest need.

Before the Department of Community Development and the commissioners impose new ordinances on law-abiding property owners, they must first restore the dreams of the neighborhood in Sequim. Every available code-enforcement and law-enforcement tool should be used.

Ownership of the property may be unresolved, but the junk vehicles are not. What enforcement actions can be taken now to address derelict vehicles independent of land ownership?

“Rob a bank, and they throw you in jail. Rob a whole country, and they make you king.” — Jesse James

What can you do?

1. Let the commissioners and city council know that you expect them to manage public land under the same ordinances that they demand of the citizens.

2. Write the commissioners and Director Emery to share how you believe the proposed RV/ADU/Vacation Rental ordinances should be modified to protect—and expand—property rights. Let them know where you stand on short-term rental limits and any further restrictions on property rights. Written public comment must be submitted before the January 20th Board of Commissioners meeting to be considered.

3. Attend the January 20th commissioner board meeting at 10 AM and submit public comment before the commissioners continue to deliberate on RV/ADU/Vacation Rental ordinances. Let them know how you feel about their double standard in enforcement.

All 3 commissioners can be reached by writing the Clerk of the Board at [email protected]. The DCD Director can be reached by emailing [email protected]. The entire Port Angeles City Council can be reached by emailing [email protected].

Two weeks ago, Jake Seegers asked readers if Clallam County should cap or further restrict short-term rentals. Of 86 votes:

* 55% said, “No. This violates property rights.”

* 30% said, “No. Incentives are more effective.”

* 14% said, “Yes. Short-term rentals = less rentals.”

* 1% said, “Only in specific areas.”

Editor’s Note: CC Watchdog editor Jeff Tozzer also serves as campaign manager for Jake Seegers during his run for Clallam County Commissioner, District 3. Learn more at www.JakeSeegers.com.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com