Budget cuts

Plus: more political grandstanding and Towne Road

“This is hard,” County Administrator Todd Mielke told the commissioners Monday during the 2025 budget overview. The county faces a historic $4.2 million budget deficit, and every department has been asked to slash spending by at least 7%. So far, nine of the 18 departments have presented their proposed cuts, some of which include furloughing county employees.

Mielke somberly explained to the commissioners, “I think there is a general sentiment, in the halls of the county courthouse, that say ‘to what extent is the county funding organizations outside the county but then asking us to cut to the point that even some of us may lose our jobs as a result?’” Mielke also reported that most labor negotiations have not yet been settled. “So, just to emphasize, there is a very high sensitivity right now.”

The sensitivity is warranted from a workforce that struggles to carry out the commissioners’ every impulse. From hiring a poet laureate who performs in libraries and tattoo parlors to doling out $125,000 to the Olympic Humane Society without investigating the price per animal (a staggering $3,000) or knowing that the agency’s board had given the director a 48% increase in compensation.

Reckless spending isn’t limited to pet projects outside the county; there’s been plenty within county government, too.

Last year, Commissioner Ozias had private conversations with a property owner about the fate of a public road. He promised that the County would pay $125,000 to install three electric, automatic, taxpayer-funded gates for the property owner who agreed to host an “Elect Mark Ozias” billboard in his field.

When one family told Commissioner Ozias that they were “inconvenienced daily” by manually opening gates to access their home, Commissioner Ozias promised county funds to purchase three automatic electric gates. Ozias then suggested that further communication should move to his personal device. He contends this was to arrange for his political billboard to be installed.

The gates weren’t installed because they had been backordered for months, but there are other examples of Ozias’ irreverence toward fiscal stewardship.

In a clear example of lawfare, Ozias utilized the Sheriff’s and Prosecuting Attorney’s tax-funded resources to criminally investigate County residents who supported opening Towne Road. The month-long investigation fizzled after yielding zero evidence, but it’s another instance of the commissioner’s careless use of County funds and resources.

In another example, upon Ozias’s urging, the commissioners agreed that a 0.6-mile section of Towne Road needed a curb to protect trail users. That unnecessary splurge increased the project cost by $120,000.

When the unfortunate County employees are let go, they can clear their desks knowing that their employment took a backseat to the commissioners’ desires for a luxury homeless housing complex to have a dog-washing sink or that $330,000 intended for a road was funneled to a top campaign donor.

There was one department whose budget cuts were not discussed on Monday: the Board of Commissioners. In fact, the county administrator is recommending $36,800 in upgrades to the boardroom.

“Wireless mics for main conf room & gallery speakers: addresses multiple public comments regarding ability to hear meetings/speakers either when BOCC is in Work Session format or when people are presenting to the BOCC on the dais.”

Regular attendees know how difficult it is to hear commissioner work sessions. However, it’s not due to the sound system; it’s because those presenting to the commissioners have their backs to the gallery.

On December 4th, 2023, Engineer Donisi, Biologist Lear, and Director Emery, with their backs to the public, discussed Towne Road with the Board of Commissioners. The packed gallery found this arrangement hard to hear.

Other meetings held in the room have tables arranged in a “U” formation, opening to the gallery. This lets the public see who is speaking, and voices are projected toward the gallery.

Charter Review Commission meetings and other departments arrange the tables so the gallery can understand and learn how their government works.

Over the past year, the commissioners have repeatedly been asked to consider using the three-sided table arrangement so people can hear. Chairman of the Board Mike French has explained that work sessions are not meetings for the public; they are meetings for the commissioners that are open to the public. Presenters continue to speak with their backs to the gallery.

It appears the commissioners will not be moving the tables but will instead invest nearly $40,000 in technical upgrades.

Proclamation promotes division

“It’s my honor to read our proclamation recognizing the 2nd Monday of October 2024 as Indigenous People’s Day,” announced Commissioner Ozias. However, the proclamation did much more than recognize that Clallam County has abandoned recognizing Columbus Day.

The proclamation is the County’s attempt to combat prejudice and discrimination stemming from colonization while recognizing that “systemic racism toward Indigenous People perpetuates high rates of poverty and income equality, exacerbating health, education, and social crises.”

Click here and advance to timestamp 6:48 to watch this year’s proclamation.

After reading the proclamation, Commissioner Ozias searched the gallery but found nobody had arrived to receive the proclamation certificate in person. “Do we have anyone joining us virtually?” Ozias asked hopefully. No one had logged on either, unlike last year, when a recipient did attend.

“Unfortunately, for several years, due to colonization, we were victimized,” Jamestown Tribe’s Treasurer Theresa Lehman told the gallery last year. Lehman explained that children had been taken and placed in boarding schools and homes. Some children never returned. “We are now reviewing what has happened to our children. We will never, ever allow our children to ever face these tragedies again.”

Commissioner Ozias handed the proclamation to Lehman who said, “Thank you, I’ll give it to Ron.” Last year’s proclamation can be viewed by clicking here and advancing to timestamp 5:50.

Although no one accepted the proclamation this year, Sequim resident Denise Lapio mentioned it during her public comment. “My comment is about the proclamation for recognizing Indigenous People’s Day. I guess the intent is to replace Columbus Day, and some of the wording in the proclamation disparaged my heritage. I am half Italian myself, and proud of it. I come from a long line of proud Italian people, and I hope to continue that tradition with my children, grandchildren, and all future generations. So, hopefully instead of replacing Columbus Day, we can share it.

That old Towne Road

On Tuesday, a hearing addressed lowering speeds on five roads in Commissioner Ozias’ district. County Engineer Joe Donisi presented his recommendations to the commissioners:

• Gupster and Gilbert Roads be lowered from 35 to 25 mph.

• Lotzgesell Road remains at 45 mph between Hogback and Kitchen-Dick Roads.

• 3 Crabs Road remains at 35 mph.

• Towne Road be lowered from 35 mph to 30 between Woodcock Road and the new levee, which will be 25 mph.

Sheriff Brian King spoke only about Towne Road. “I don’t feel comfortable driving 30 mph on that road. I feel comfortable driving 25,” he said, citing the narrow width and sight distance issues. Sheriff King had met with Towne Road residents, who emphasized that a five-mph reduction wasn’t enough; they wanted a full ten.

Not known for compromise, several Towne Road residents were in the gallery and had submitted a petition. Diane Childs gave public testimony calling for “physical speed structures, such as speed tables or bumps, that would reinforce the 25-mph speed limit.” Childs and the others in the gallery bought their homes years ago when Towne Road was open to through traffic, and the posted speed was 35 mph. A recent county-led traffic study revealed that speeding on Towne Road is indeed an issue; however, since it is currently dead-ended, the speeding drivers are primarily Towne Road residents.

“I support all of the changes as presented,” began Commissioner Ozias regarding the County Engineer’s report. “The exception is the speed limit on Towne Road.” Ozias said that the high level of interest from neighbors combined with the comments from Sheriff King persuaded him to reject the engineer’s 30 mph recommendation.

Interestingly, Dungeness residents expressed much more interest in reopening Towne Road for two years. During that time, Sheriff King provided testimony to Commissioner Ozias that Towne Road should reopen for public safety reasons. However, that did not prevent Commissioner Ozias from attempting to stop Towne Road from reopening ten times.

Sometimes, it depends on who is asking, even when an elected official has sworn to represent constituents impartially.

The Board unanimously approved Engineer Donisi’s recommendations, with the exception that Towne Road should be 25 mph from Woodcock Road to East Anderson Road.

Meetings

Four “budget road show” meetings will be held this month. The Chambers of Commerce will hold three condensed presentations in Sequim, Port Angeles, and Forks. A fourth meeting, with a full presentation and public question and comment period, will be held at the courthouse on October 23rd.

Please note that the County is hosting an open house on October 22nd for the Dungeness River Off-Channel Reservoir.

• Today, Wednesday, October 9th, 11:30 am, budget presentation, Red Lion Hotel, Port Angeles. ($30 fee to attend)

• Tuesday, October 22nd, 11:30 am, budget presentation, Sunland Golf Clubhouse, Sequim.

• Tuesday, October 22nd, 6-8 pm, Dungeness River Off-Channel Reservoir open house, Guy Cole Convention Center, Sequim.

• Wednesday, October 23rd, 5 pm, budget town hall, Commissioners’ Boardroom, Clallam County Courthouse.

• Friday, October 25th, 11:30 am, budget presentation, Blakeslee’s Bar & Grill, Forks.

Meeting update

CC Watchdog apologizes to readers who attended the County’s budget presentation and were surprised by the admission price. The following email has been sent to our commissioners, county administrator, and CFO:

Dear County leaders,

Several attendees were surprised and disappointed to learn upon arriving at the Red Lion that attending the County's budget presentation this morning cost $30 per person. For an entire month, the County has promoted the budget presentations hosted by the Chambers of Commerce as opportunities to learn how local government is spending our money. The mandatory entrance fee was never disclosed.

CC Watchdog will not promote the upcoming meetings in Sequim and Forks but instead encourage people to attend the meeting at the courthouse on October 23rd. Please advise if there will be an admission fee.

Appreciatively,

Jeff Tozzer