A commendation is in order Jeff, for your steadfastness in pursuing and reporting on this project. You have inspired me and others to keep a watchful eye on the dealings of the county commissioners. I stand by you and hope to be an asset to you in your endeavors. Thanks again for the work you do. As a well known political figure says, FIGHT.
It had been a long, arduous “road” to keep the spotlight on an end goal that serves more rather than fewer citizens impacted.
Congratulations CC Watchdog! Thanks to Clallam County staff and commissioners. The letter from Bruce Emory was particularly pointed and professional. County residents will have the return of a county road for safety and convenience in our daily lives due to keeping a focus on the issue of best services for the most. We owe a debt of gratitude to CC Watchdog’s tenacity in research and publication of all the facts, figures and foibles.
Towne Road taught us how to push things through in Clallam County. 1) Emails DO make a difference, and the commissioners read them and 2) "Butts in chairs" at the commissioner meetings while watching our leaders make decisions can really move the needle. There are a lot of people out there who have become engaged and won't be letting their guard down anytime soon. I'd be surprised if this were anywhere but Sequim; instead, I'm just proud.
As I read this I can't help but think about the root cause of this "debacle" but it's clearly the County Commissioners. Whether you agree or disagree with the result the fact remains the County Commissioners have by omission, or commission, allowed neighbors to fight with one another. It's sad.
An orderly process with clear milestones, one with full disclosure and meetings, could have staved off the majority of this hot mess.
Now admittedly I don't live in the hot zone, I gain nor lose anything by this project. I'd hope that anyone who sees their neighbor in some negative way contemplate that had the County Commissioners run this project professionally then there'd be a higher likelihood that you could still say "good morning" to one another knowing that they didn't agree with the results of it.
And so I'm left with trying to appreciate why the County Commissioners have allowed this. If their actions are by omission, then what we have are leaders who should be judged for these results, should they not? If we have County Commissioners who are acting by comission, then we have a more serious problem because no one acts by commission without a good reason. If the County Commissioners aren't transparent then we don't know what their reasons are and that's a larger problem because it inherently points to personal interest vs public interest. If this is acceptable to you then keep on keeping on. I am not one of those people.
What would it look like if the unified voice at the County Commissioners meetings demanded process and transparency?
Yes. As the comments come in with accolades to you Jeff for your unwavering eye it’s an extremely valuable lesson that we cannot just meander thru our community thinking those we have elected or like myself in the county, have had to standby and watch, friends and fellow citizens be run over by private interest and big fish in a small pond.
No more…. Game over as they say!!!
Thank you so much Jeff and all of the hugely knowledgeable folks who have given insite to historical
Excellent as always! Once upon a time I felt bad for the Eberle family and felt Ozias had "used and abused" them...no longer! Now I see they are all cut from the same cloth and have an aversion to truth and honesty. We all have "Jeff Tozzer with the dozer" to thank for unearthing the truth and seeing a public roadway once again. Jeff, name the time and place to celebrate when Towne Road opens and I will be there!
Wow, I hadn't thought about an official party. If we knew an exact date, we could rent out the Dungeness Schoolhouse and have a band. Maybe even confetti cannons and pony rides. Do you think the Blue Angels would be interested in doing a 45-60 minute air show? This is why no one lets me plan anything. Maybe we just meet in the dead of night, hours before the road opens, and pass around a flask.
"majority of local residents oppose..." The voice of hyperbole and untruth. Get someone from PA to sign your silly petition... They do NOT represent US. No it's all about these people wanting a publicly funded path in front of their properties that only THEY can drive through.
I will be voting FOR Jeff Tozzer, Christine Charters, Sarah Kincaid, Bill Benedict, Derek Huntington, Tom Ash, Karen Wahlsten, Debby Fuson, Karen O’Donnell, Tyson Hester, and Cathy Walde. If anybody has other recommendations, I'm all eyes and ears!
I am more worried about who to vote AGAINST. I am familiar with many of the people you mentioned, but was concerned about the ones you asked to oppose.
I will DEFINITELY NOT SUPPORT Rae Heselbach, Jamie Porter, Charles Main and Jim Stoffer who fought hard against Towne Road remaining a road and were founders or supporters of DLTA. The candidate list is posted here (thank you, Jeff) https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/code-of-ethics
As always, Jeff, you nailed it, rocked it and thanks to you, won it! Special interests and a crooked commissioner have been defeated. Good job! Once the road is completed and open, I suggest we form a caravan to SILENTLY celebrate the victory and drive the .6 miles of “road/trail” in honor of your hard work.
You're welcome, Gayle, but no amount of flattery will make me forget the dinner you promised me if Towne Road opens. Let me specify: I refuse to go through the drive-thru. It will be inside dining, and I want to supersize my meal. I also get to spend as much time in the ball pit as I want.
Thank you for the important work you do for our community.
Mr. Jeff Tozzer: THANK YOU! You're the last best journalist in Clallam County. You epitomize what a free press does for a free society. Thorough research, deep analyses, and straight-forward journalism posted on an open forum are the cornerstones of a democracy. Jeff, you saved Democracy! Clallam County is grateful for a man who can stand up for his principles against an onslaught of derision. I know there are more controversies to come; but for now, it's nice to know that our community is strong and going forward in the right direction. Gratitude and grace be with you.
"County staff spent months drafting at least five versions of the stormwater mitigation plan, as demanded by the Jamestown Tribe. The Army Corps’ issuance of this final permit has depended on the Tribe’s approval"
WTF does the non-tax-paying entity have ANY say in the matter, that has already been paid for and resolved by TAXPAYERS. Maybe we should seek Uruguay's or Zimbabwe's approval too? This is the part that bugs me-- the Tribe should have LESS clout than taxpayers, not more. Yet, Ozias kisses their asses for election money. Arghhh! How can we be letting this happen under our noses? The Tribe's position should have been noted, just as yours or mine, then tell them to take a flying leap if they don't like what TAXPAYERS decide.
This will not be the last time this happens. We need to nip this bullshit in the bud for future issues and projects.
Great reporting, Jeff! Thank you. Please let me know when I can drive on Towne Road with my middle finger in the air! Grrrrrr! (I wonder how much these delays cost me in taxes....)
You are welcome N.O.I. I hope you get to offer your salute by the end of August. Time to put a fresh coat of wax on your Ferrari and prepare for a victory lap.
We don't have a board of ethics with teeth to make 'officials' accountable and eliminate special fundraising contributions. We (taxpayers) should provide the venues for open dialogue and debate...no private fundraising allowed in ANY election...hand count multi-partisan ballot processing...this is a battle for basic rights and freedoms. Any patriotic lawyers interested in leading a formation of a board of ethics? If we showed up by the hundreds or preferably the thousands and demanded a board of ethics with the ability to remove traitors and incompetents from office without waiting years for due process, we could have it. The 'tribe' has long term ambitions to run the entire Olympic Peninsula...and they will if we don't stop them.
One small step for mankind. The evildoers and do-nothings are still in position... unfortunately everything is an uphill battle for common sense and true science to be leading factors.
THANK YOU, JEFF AND ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN TRUTH, JUSTICE and LIBERTY!
You are so welcome. I hope you (and everyone) realizes that this took the entire community, and we all played a part. I know I don't have to tell you this, but there is something special about the people who live in Sequim.
The levee, if left as a trail, would have exemplified the best of Sequim and drawn in tourists to help the local economy. The trail combined the river, views of adjacent farmland, and the abundant wildlife in the marshes and forest, and views overhead of sea birds--all a short drive from Sequim's downtown. Such a trail is exactly what most city tourists crave, and it would have been accessible without a long drive farther west, then an easy return to shopping and restaurants. The area is still beautiful, but the road ruins the quiet contact with nature that the trail could have provided to both locals and tourists. The push to have the road was short-sighted for business.
I feel the same way about the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course. If it were transformed into a 100-acre natural area with trails, just think about the tourism it would bring. The creek running through it, the views, the birds and deer -- it would draw people closer to nature, and just a short drive from downtown. I think the golfers and lawn mowers ruin the quiet contact with nature that people crave. The water usage, fertilization, and carbon emissions from lawnmowing is damaging to the environment. It's so short-sighted to have turned that into a golf course. It only took 98 signatures to stop Towne Road for over two years, is anyone willing to petition that the Cedars at Dungeness become an "outdoor classroom" open for the public to connect with nature?
I assume this is tongue-in-cheek, as the golf course already brings city folks and their dollars to Sequim. Towne Road very well could have been an attraction, with a wee bit of promotion. Why let all those tourist dollars go farther west? Of course we can't turn the entire town into a nature reserve (again, sarcasm from a poster below). But this one spot is beautiful enough it would've been possible and would've helped the whole town, even those who seem to oppose everything the tribe does--like the golf course. Your biases are showing.
I think it's a fair question. I see the road as a necessary and vital rural link between communities, I don't see the golf course as necessary. If the Jamestown Tribe wants to close a taxpayer-funded road and convert it into an outdoor classroom, why wouldn't we consider closing the Tribe's golf course and converting it into an outdoor classroom?
That would an amazing and worthwhile turnaround in our collective consciousness to transform elitist golf courses into nature sanctuaries but won't plan on it this incarnation!😊
The Discovery Trail is an attraction much more beautiful than Towne Road & much longer available to a lot more people=Olympic Discovery TRAIL vs Towne ROAD……trail…..road.
We all have biases Hans. You don't understand the larger agenda about private entities taking control of public resources all over the planet...there is a long term plan to depopulate the Peninsula and make it a wilderness which will only be accessible to those with the right social credit score by lottery...don't know how far they will get but they are pushing hard for it...don't ask who 'they' are. Do some research on your own. Start with Agenda 21 from the U.N....Also W.E.F.'s plans for humanity and environment...Also Larry Fink CEO of BlackRock stating they have to "force behavioral changes" on the public and the world...you may agree with their agendas...but that would make you a fascist tyrant like they are.
Taking care of the environment should be a grassroots educational process, not a cram it down your throat from the top down-special interest-fascists process.
Thanks for your input, try and educate yourself if you want a better world.
I’ll lay you odds not one dang person on the other side of the canal knows or gives a rats patootie about Town Rd. Nor has it been published in any attraction pamphlet for Sequim. Oh look let’s go see the tsunami evacuation route…🤦🏼♀️
Maybe we should do this with all of Sequim. All the concrete, pavement, and unnatural structures detract from the flora and fauna that once roamed the area without all the nasty smog-producing or lithium-filled automobiles. This gorgeous area would have the beauty and serenity of the Olympic National forest. Such an area would be what most city tourists crave.
Just think what an Eden it would be if we converted all the roads into trails. Not my road, though. I need it open to drive to closed roads so I can begin my walk.
Now to resolve the round-a-bouts by DOT on hwy 101. All in the same of safety while adding CCTV sensors-video. Call me a skeptic every DOT project has a political motive like reducing WB hwy 101 a 4 lane road hwy to 45mph at Carlsborg while 2 lane Kitchen-Dick road is 50mph.
A commendation is in order Jeff, for your steadfastness in pursuing and reporting on this project. You have inspired me and others to keep a watchful eye on the dealings of the county commissioners. I stand by you and hope to be an asset to you in your endeavors. Thanks again for the work you do. As a well known political figure says, FIGHT.
Anyone who has seen Eric in action when speaking to the commissioners knows he is an asset to all of us. Thank you.
It had been a long, arduous “road” to keep the spotlight on an end goal that serves more rather than fewer citizens impacted.
Congratulations CC Watchdog! Thanks to Clallam County staff and commissioners. The letter from Bruce Emory was particularly pointed and professional. County residents will have the return of a county road for safety and convenience in our daily lives due to keeping a focus on the issue of best services for the most. We owe a debt of gratitude to CC Watchdog’s tenacity in research and publication of all the facts, figures and foibles.
Towne Road taught us how to push things through in Clallam County. 1) Emails DO make a difference, and the commissioners read them and 2) "Butts in chairs" at the commissioner meetings while watching our leaders make decisions can really move the needle. There are a lot of people out there who have become engaged and won't be letting their guard down anytime soon. I'd be surprised if this were anywhere but Sequim; instead, I'm just proud.
As I read this I can't help but think about the root cause of this "debacle" but it's clearly the County Commissioners. Whether you agree or disagree with the result the fact remains the County Commissioners have by omission, or commission, allowed neighbors to fight with one another. It's sad.
An orderly process with clear milestones, one with full disclosure and meetings, could have staved off the majority of this hot mess.
Now admittedly I don't live in the hot zone, I gain nor lose anything by this project. I'd hope that anyone who sees their neighbor in some negative way contemplate that had the County Commissioners run this project professionally then there'd be a higher likelihood that you could still say "good morning" to one another knowing that they didn't agree with the results of it.
And so I'm left with trying to appreciate why the County Commissioners have allowed this. If their actions are by omission, then what we have are leaders who should be judged for these results, should they not? If we have County Commissioners who are acting by comission, then we have a more serious problem because no one acts by commission without a good reason. If the County Commissioners aren't transparent then we don't know what their reasons are and that's a larger problem because it inherently points to personal interest vs public interest. If this is acceptable to you then keep on keeping on. I am not one of those people.
What would it look like if the unified voice at the County Commissioners meetings demanded process and transparency?
One can dream.
Yes. As the comments come in with accolades to you Jeff for your unwavering eye it’s an extremely valuable lesson that we cannot just meander thru our community thinking those we have elected or like myself in the county, have had to standby and watch, friends and fellow citizens be run over by private interest and big fish in a small pond.
No more…. Game over as they say!!!
Thank you so much Jeff and all of the hugely knowledgeable folks who have given insite to historical
Go Sequim! We live in the best little town. I'm overwhelmed when I think about how many people pushed this through.
Insights legalities etc…..
Once again I touched something that published my comment…. It is what it is arggg
Excellent as always! Once upon a time I felt bad for the Eberle family and felt Ozias had "used and abused" them...no longer! Now I see they are all cut from the same cloth and have an aversion to truth and honesty. We all have "Jeff Tozzer with the dozer" to thank for unearthing the truth and seeing a public roadway once again. Jeff, name the time and place to celebrate when Towne Road opens and I will be there!
Wow, I hadn't thought about an official party. If we knew an exact date, we could rent out the Dungeness Schoolhouse and have a band. Maybe even confetti cannons and pony rides. Do you think the Blue Angels would be interested in doing a 45-60 minute air show? This is why no one lets me plan anything. Maybe we just meet in the dead of night, hours before the road opens, and pass around a flask.
"majority of local residents oppose..." The voice of hyperbole and untruth. Get someone from PA to sign your silly petition... They do NOT represent US. No it's all about these people wanting a publicly funded path in front of their properties that only THEY can drive through.
Voters beware that several opposed to opening Towne Road to traffic are running to serve on the Charter Review Commission...OPPOSE THEM!
It would be helpful for their names to be listed so that we can ALL recognize them. Please.
I will be voting FOR Jeff Tozzer, Christine Charters, Sarah Kincaid, Bill Benedict, Derek Huntington, Tom Ash, Karen Wahlsten, Debby Fuson, Karen O’Donnell, Tyson Hester, and Cathy Walde. If anybody has other recommendations, I'm all eyes and ears!
I am more worried about who to vote AGAINST. I am familiar with many of the people you mentioned, but was concerned about the ones you asked to oppose.
I will DEFINITELY NOT SUPPORT Rae Heselbach, Jamie Porter, Charles Main and Jim Stoffer who fought hard against Towne Road remaining a road and were founders or supporters of DLTA. The candidate list is posted here (thank you, Jeff) https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/code-of-ethics
As always, Jeff, you nailed it, rocked it and thanks to you, won it! Special interests and a crooked commissioner have been defeated. Good job! Once the road is completed and open, I suggest we form a caravan to SILENTLY celebrate the victory and drive the .6 miles of “road/trail” in honor of your hard work.
You're welcome, Gayle, but no amount of flattery will make me forget the dinner you promised me if Towne Road opens. Let me specify: I refuse to go through the drive-thru. It will be inside dining, and I want to supersize my meal. I also get to spend as much time in the ball pit as I want.
Thank you for the important work you do for our community.
Or invite the hotrods down to do burnouts!?🤣
Mr. Jeff Tozzer: THANK YOU! You're the last best journalist in Clallam County. You epitomize what a free press does for a free society. Thorough research, deep analyses, and straight-forward journalism posted on an open forum are the cornerstones of a democracy. Jeff, you saved Democracy! Clallam County is grateful for a man who can stand up for his principles against an onslaught of derision. I know there are more controversies to come; but for now, it's nice to know that our community is strong and going forward in the right direction. Gratitude and grace be with you.
Some days, I can't wait to die just so you can give my eulogy, Denise. Thank you so much.
This all has been a good lesson for what people-- especially TAXPAYERS-- UNITED for a cause, can do. We all need to stick together for future issues.
"County staff spent months drafting at least five versions of the stormwater mitigation plan, as demanded by the Jamestown Tribe. The Army Corps’ issuance of this final permit has depended on the Tribe’s approval"
WTF does the non-tax-paying entity have ANY say in the matter, that has already been paid for and resolved by TAXPAYERS. Maybe we should seek Uruguay's or Zimbabwe's approval too? This is the part that bugs me-- the Tribe should have LESS clout than taxpayers, not more. Yet, Ozias kisses their asses for election money. Arghhh! How can we be letting this happen under our noses? The Tribe's position should have been noted, just as yours or mine, then tell them to take a flying leap if they don't like what TAXPAYERS decide.
This will not be the last time this happens. We need to nip this bullshit in the bud for future issues and projects.
Great reporting, Jeff! Thank you. Please let me know when I can drive on Towne Road with my middle finger in the air! Grrrrrr! (I wonder how much these delays cost me in taxes....)
You are welcome N.O.I. I hope you get to offer your salute by the end of August. Time to put a fresh coat of wax on your Ferrari and prepare for a victory lap.
We don't have a board of ethics with teeth to make 'officials' accountable and eliminate special fundraising contributions. We (taxpayers) should provide the venues for open dialogue and debate...no private fundraising allowed in ANY election...hand count multi-partisan ballot processing...this is a battle for basic rights and freedoms. Any patriotic lawyers interested in leading a formation of a board of ethics? If we showed up by the hundreds or preferably the thousands and demanded a board of ethics with the ability to remove traitors and incompetents from office without waiting years for due process, we could have it. The 'tribe' has long term ambitions to run the entire Olympic Peninsula...and they will if we don't stop them.
Thank you!
You're welcome. Thanks for your public comment and engagement throughout the process... that is what it took to get this done.
Thanks as usual for the update and diligence. It's nice to see a bit of good news.
You're welcome, Christopher. I agree, a little good news every now and then doesn't hurt.
One small step for mankind. The evildoers and do-nothings are still in position... unfortunately everything is an uphill battle for common sense and true science to be leading factors.
THANK YOU, JEFF AND ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN TRUTH, JUSTICE and LIBERTY!
You are so welcome. I hope you (and everyone) realizes that this took the entire community, and we all played a part. I know I don't have to tell you this, but there is something special about the people who live in Sequim.
The levee, if left as a trail, would have exemplified the best of Sequim and drawn in tourists to help the local economy. The trail combined the river, views of adjacent farmland, and the abundant wildlife in the marshes and forest, and views overhead of sea birds--all a short drive from Sequim's downtown. Such a trail is exactly what most city tourists crave, and it would have been accessible without a long drive farther west, then an easy return to shopping and restaurants. The area is still beautiful, but the road ruins the quiet contact with nature that the trail could have provided to both locals and tourists. The push to have the road was short-sighted for business.
I feel the same way about the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course. If it were transformed into a 100-acre natural area with trails, just think about the tourism it would bring. The creek running through it, the views, the birds and deer -- it would draw people closer to nature, and just a short drive from downtown. I think the golfers and lawn mowers ruin the quiet contact with nature that people crave. The water usage, fertilization, and carbon emissions from lawnmowing is damaging to the environment. It's so short-sighted to have turned that into a golf course. It only took 98 signatures to stop Towne Road for over two years, is anyone willing to petition that the Cedars at Dungeness become an "outdoor classroom" open for the public to connect with nature?
Touché!
I assume this is tongue-in-cheek, as the golf course already brings city folks and their dollars to Sequim. Towne Road very well could have been an attraction, with a wee bit of promotion. Why let all those tourist dollars go farther west? Of course we can't turn the entire town into a nature reserve (again, sarcasm from a poster below). But this one spot is beautiful enough it would've been possible and would've helped the whole town, even those who seem to oppose everything the tribe does--like the golf course. Your biases are showing.
I think it's a fair question. I see the road as a necessary and vital rural link between communities, I don't see the golf course as necessary. If the Jamestown Tribe wants to close a taxpayer-funded road and convert it into an outdoor classroom, why wouldn't we consider closing the Tribe's golf course and converting it into an outdoor classroom?
That would an amazing and worthwhile turnaround in our collective consciousness to transform elitist golf courses into nature sanctuaries but won't plan on it this incarnation!😊
The Discovery Trail is an attraction much more beautiful than Towne Road & much longer available to a lot more people=Olympic Discovery TRAIL vs Towne ROAD……trail…..road.
We all have biases Hans. You don't understand the larger agenda about private entities taking control of public resources all over the planet...there is a long term plan to depopulate the Peninsula and make it a wilderness which will only be accessible to those with the right social credit score by lottery...don't know how far they will get but they are pushing hard for it...don't ask who 'they' are. Do some research on your own. Start with Agenda 21 from the U.N....Also W.E.F.'s plans for humanity and environment...Also Larry Fink CEO of BlackRock stating they have to "force behavioral changes" on the public and the world...you may agree with their agendas...but that would make you a fascist tyrant like they are.
Taking care of the environment should be a grassroots educational process, not a cram it down your throat from the top down-special interest-fascists process.
Thanks for your input, try and educate yourself if you want a better world.
I will sign and stand in the rain to get petitions to limit corruption.
I’ll lay you odds not one dang person on the other side of the canal knows or gives a rats patootie about Town Rd. Nor has it been published in any attraction pamphlet for Sequim. Oh look let’s go see the tsunami evacuation route…🤦🏼♀️
🤣👍🏼
Maybe we should do this with all of Sequim. All the concrete, pavement, and unnatural structures detract from the flora and fauna that once roamed the area without all the nasty smog-producing or lithium-filled automobiles. This gorgeous area would have the beauty and serenity of the Olympic National forest. Such an area would be what most city tourists crave.
Just think what an Eden it would be if we converted all the roads into trails. Not my road, though. I need it open to drive to closed roads so I can begin my walk.
🤓🤣🚶🏿♂️I identify as a black/white man so I won't be canceled on my walks!
Now to resolve the round-a-bouts by DOT on hwy 101. All in the same of safety while adding CCTV sensors-video. Call me a skeptic every DOT project has a political motive like reducing WB hwy 101 a 4 lane road hwy to 45mph at Carlsborg while 2 lane Kitchen-Dick road is 50mph.