Commissioners' meeting becomes spectacle

Public comment turns lively

Those wishing to observe the workings of county government were witness to nothing short of a spectacle at this morning's Clallam County Board of Commissioners meeting.

Towne Road wasn't on today's agenda but was a common topic during public comment which began at video marker 51:55. Concerns focused on one Commissioners' power to selectively investigate alleged criminal activity of constituents who disagree with his personal views.  Calls for a town hall event and ethics board to investigate the Towne Road Levee Setback Project were echoed by the suggestion of a grand jury investigation.  The environmental impacts of plans to pipe the last remaining open irrigation ditch in Sequim were questioned, as was the county's contract with a provider of ballot-counting software.

Sequim resident Pepai Whipple, who commented via Zoom, empathized with Derrick Eberle's sentiment that he has grown tired of his continued attendance to the commissioners’ meetings.  "We're all tired of it, I'm tired of it, and we wouldn't be going through this if the Towne Road project was managed properly from the beginning."  Whipple then gave a summary of the project's mismanaged aspects.  "All of those things are why we're here today, having to go through this week, after week, after week."  

Below is an excerpt from Mr. Ash's ongoing correspondence with Commissioner Ozias.  To date, he has not received a reply from Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols nor Sheriff Brian King.  Below Ash's email is an additional public comment that was read today.

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Commissioner Ozias,

As you noticed, I attended the working session meeting this morning and left disappointed that I was not interviewed regarding the criminal investigation of my actions due to your individual override of Clallam County resources committed to representing all Clallam County Taxpayers.  At your direction, the Clallam County Sheriff, the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney, and an engagement of the Chief Criminal Detective began an investigation of hundreds of Clallam County taxpayers on the unfounded, evidence free, and salacious charges levied by a single landowner who happens to support your personal "close Towne Road" agenda.  I am one of the taxpayers singled out by you solely because I support the completion of the Towne Road Project as originally conceived and begun, intended to lead to an open Towne Road.

Commissioner Ozias, you responded to my original complaint about you criminally investigating hundreds of Clallam County Taxpayers based on the accusation of an individual who changes who to blame based on need.  I guess, since the following email, they have decided they need it to blame me, and that works for you enough to attack Towne Road supporters.

"From: Derrick Eberle

To:  Mark Ozias

Re: Public Comment During the Upcoming Dungeness River Levee Meeting

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 11:09:21 AM

Thanks Mark, your response is appreciated. I had heard PW mention something similar in the past, and we voiced our concern then, so you can see our discomfort that it continues to advance and now is part of the public discussion.

As for the locks, that is unfortunate to hear. I did notice the chain by Sequim-Dungeness shrinking a few links, but I hadn't heard or noticed the lock cutting occuring. Has anyone asked Nash if he just forgot the code and cut his way through? I'm confident there are more robust components for a gate out there, I come across them in the Park work I do.

Thanks,

Derrick"

Did you launch an email to have the County Prosecutor and the County Sheriff to track down "Nash?"   I doubt it.

Commissioner Ozias, you have a history of taking personal positions and acting on them even above the Clallam County Commissioner obligation to be impartial for the benefit of all Clallam County Taxpayers.  On the Happy Valley gravel pit issue, you took a personal position and used your commissioner power to influence the issue inside and outside the Clallam County Courthouse.  Your actions on your Towne Road Project are so similar to your Gravel Pit position and actions that I have to ask; when there was verified criminal behavior related to the Happy Valley Gravel Pit effort, was a criminal investigation directed and launched against the No Gravel Pit supporters, of which you were one?  I doubt that an investigation was enacted against all those individuals who did not support the gravel pit effort.  There should not have been, yet there is against Towne Road supporters.  Is the fact that you were on different sides of the issue the reason the two groups were treated so differently?

I have three requests that I will introduce during the public comment period tomorrow during the Clallam County Commissioner's meeting. 

1. A disclaimer prior to public comment that advises speakers that if they take positions that do not support the personal position of Commissioner Ozias, they are subject to a wholesale criminal investigation led by the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney, the Clallam County Sheriff, and the Clallam County Chief Criminal Detective.  Also, an update and a timeline status on the criminal investigation you launched against “Towne Road supporters.”

2. A report on the scope of the and timeline of the investigation of the hundreds of the “Towne Road supporters.”

3. I request the remaining Clallam County elected official work together to curb Commissioner Ozias’ actions against the “Towne Road supporters.”

I will also be present for a conversation, questions, or interrogation regarding my accused actions in illegal acts.

Thomas Ash

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Jeff Tozzer, Jamestown Road, Sequim

I'd like to praise Commissioner French for attending the community meeting in Sekiu.  I think that direct engagement between elected officials and their constituents is good for leadership and restoring trust in democracy.  I thank you.

Last week I discovered that during November and December of last year, while residents concerned about public safety in Dungeness were attempting to attract the support of their commissioner to reopen Towne Road, Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias led an investigation into my alleged criminal behavior.  His investigation concerned my alleged harassment and stalking of a family, theft and vandalization of county property, trespassing on private property, threats of arson, and intimidation of people who were recreating upon the Towne Road levee.  Not only did Commissioner Ozias lead the investigation, but he also recruited the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney, Clallam County Sheriff, and Chief Criminal Deputy.  Since no county employee has ever contacted me about my alleged criminal behavior, this investigation may still be ongoing.

Allow me to state for the record:

My in-person encounters with the landowners have been limited to the informational meeting at Carrie Blake Park, and this commissioners’ boardroom.

I have not spoken to the landowners and my knowledge of them comes only from public records.  

I have not threatened to burn any of the landowners’ buildings.

I have not yelled obscenities at the landowners’ children.

I have not trespassed on the landowners’ property or stalked them.  

I have not harassed or intimidated the landowners’ friends or neighbors.

I have not stolen locks from, or vandalized, the gates on Towne Road.   

I have not sat on the levee and intimidated those who recreate upon it.

I'd also like to clarify an allegation in the document that triggered this investigation.  It said that I have a "deep obsession for a county road project."  I would classify my stance on Towne Road as "having a mild to moderate interest."  Here is a list of topics that trigger my deep obsession:

I have a deep obsession with seeing projects that are funded by taxpayers completed as planned and promised.

I have a deep obsession with making sure all constituents are represented equally.

I have a deep obsession with holding county leaders to an honest, transparent, and accountable standard.

And I have a deep obsession with elected officials upholding their oath of office to "fairly and impartially discharge the duties of this office."

I'll close by reading a recent headline: "Justice system and law enforcement weaponized for political gain."

Is this a national headline, or one that we will be reading in Clallam County?