Think of the investments we could make if we paid no taxes, could hunt & fish all we wanted, and get favorable treatment from government.... Pretty rosy, eh? I think this whole issue of Tribal sovereignty needs to be revisited.
The Tribe wants one thing: Profits. They pay no taxes, yet maneuver to benefit from our tax payments. They do not abide by rules that tie our hands when it comes to fishing and hunting. As such, they decimate the salmon populations by using methods illegal for other Washingtonians to use. Soon, they will cite unexpected costs is managing the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and will charge admission. Or, they will monopolize it and exclude outsiders.
Why do they want profits? To buy out others' real estate and eventually displace all non-tribal people. I believe their long-term goal is to own the entire Olympic Peninsula. I don't see the fairness in benefiting from our taxes, meddling in our politics, yet declaring sovereignty and neither paying taxes nor abiding by the rules for everyone else. I do NOT trust them.
“This is about our community and our sovereign rights,” he said. “I don’t need permission of our sister tribe(s) to do things on behalf of our tribe. And the DNR shouldn’t say we need their permission either – there’s no law, regulation, or existing policy on that right. And they shouldn’t interfere to the detriment of our economic goals. Although we believe our Tribe does have a respectful duty to address any concerns about the industry whether it’s environmental or operational.”
I was just sharing with my neighbors how we used to get out to the spit - end of Anderson Road - cut through the woods and down a steep trail - many times carrying a case of beer!
The more informed I become, The less I like the idea of having the tribe involved in anything to do with Clallam County's politics. What they say they are doing rarely jives with the underlying truth. Again our town/county should not partner with any entity we can't trust, and quite frankly you can't trust the tribe! I don't know who, or how many politicians / businesses they control openly or behind the scenes, but I do feel we should steer clear of any future collaborations with them until proven otherwise... Words are cheap as we all know so lets evaluate their actions and what they profit from on the backs of others which seems to be the tribes modus operandi and then see where we stand... It seems to myself and others that the Tribe feels they are owed what was taken from them, and it looks like they are doing everything they can to take it back.
The Dawley property is at the east end of Dawley Road on Sequim Bay with the ODT running through it. The Dawleys also owned on the other side of the highway, but I don't know if that property is still connected. When Helen and Cecil passed away, somehow USFW got it. It needed some work because the bank was reinforced with old tires. The beautiful old brick house has been allowed to deteriorate, but it was stunning when the Dawleys were alive.
The property was deeded to F&W so it remained open space. Helen was a bird enthusiast and there were/are small structures for the feathered friends. The old tires were dumped there. Likely suspect was the auto business that used to be across from the casino. The bank was never reinforced. A dock and boat house were used for entertainmenment. The brick building was elegant in it's time. It became uninhabitable due to an ancient septic tank and the water supply was from a creek and small reservoir on the other side of the highway. Obviously, neither met health laws that came into effect. With no one around much of time, it was a crime magnet. Lots of break ins and the large wooden shop was burned down by arson. I know all this because I was a volunteer who helped maintain the property.
I think Towne Road was always going to remain a county right-of-way owned by the public, the Tribe just wanted it closed and it almost happened. If it's possible to have public land managed by a sovereign nation, then in this county it is possible to have public land closed by a sovereign nation. We nearly saw it happen.
Carla, do you know if JST is trying to commercially farm Olympia Oysters (native, but small)? The vast majority of oysters grown for commercial use in the PNW are the Asian non-native species mainly due to their size.
I could see a conflict with the Refuge messaging about non-native species if the tribe is farming non-native oysters.
Jamestown Tribe is a private for-profit non-tax paying capitalistic entity reaching for power and profit just like so many others who are not restrained by higher values. Not so easy for us to change from the dominant paradigm. People are voluntarily funding the tribe through gambling activities and I can't prove but am certain there is money laundering through the tribe...no accountability, no oversight, no public input...no long term good...get used to more and more infringement and restrictions and limitations and costs. Many have already been hit with $30-60K costs for new septic systems plus expensive annual inspections and expensive complex monitoring systems...many are losing their shallow wells due to changes in irrigation supply systems with similar costs...and the governments run by realtors and chambers of commerce are allowing almost unlimited development (if you can afford it). Years ago there were bumper stickers...Don't Californicate Washington...too late.
As a volunteer for many years at the Wildlife Refuge, I can understand the reaction by some volunteers to not favor the take-over of the management by the tribe. As of this year, I no longer volunteer there, but not just because of the change in management, but because of the change in management while the same for-profit corporation will be operating a commercial oyster farm in the Spit’s lagoon. This is a case of the “fox watching the hen house” in that as part of the permitting process via the county’s hearing examiner’s decision to approve a 5 acre beginning phase (out of approximately 37-38 acres eventual scope of farming) there was a condition that the 5 acre initial phase operation be monitored for impact on birds using the Spit by an independent organization for which the tribe would pay the cost. Recently, at an oyster farming promotion presentation held by the Friends of Refuge (not opposed to the oyster farming) and the Tribe, it was made crystal clear that the Tribe had no interest or intention to have any oversite/evaluation of impact on birds. In a side conversation, the manager of the Tribe’s oyster farming said words to the effect, that if any one wanted to watch or monitor birds they could certainly do so, but we are not.
If you are interested in what the Spit is in for, just do an internet search regarding “oyster farming photos” or anything similar and look at the photos which show the masses of black plastic bags in the shallow waters where these type of farms operate. That is the future of the spit.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Carl. I appreciate reading from someone who has followed this so closely. And thanks for your volunteer work at one of the area's most important assets.
Their commercial fishing footprint prevents any sort of claims of environmentally friendly self sufficient. The Tribe is all about running the political kickback game. They should have led the way to farming more of what our state needs than making the open space, land and water play. When I was younger I appreciated the Jamestown tribe and what Ron and Kurt accomplished...after watching them jump from one foot to the other and joining an international government, Not anymore.
FYI——-Interested in signing petition to Urge Martha Williams, Director of the National Fish and Wildlife, to Halt Handover of Dungeness Spit Management to Jamestown Tribe can do so by going to change.org and then search for Dungeness Spit. Click on the Dungeness Spit item and sign petition. Please pass the site to other interested parties. 488 people have signed….
This article got me hot under the collar or maybe it's just the temps of the last few days. Thank you Jeff for highlighting Ron Allen's newsletter because he spoke of Kurt Grinnell. In my opinion you will find no finer man. He earned my respect, he did not demand it. My father said "respect is earned one person at a time." I get a kick out of people who are against shellfish farming in Dungeness Bay who quickly forget that the clean up of the Bay was possible for one reason only - Governor Gregoire's Shellfish Initiative, carried on by Governor Inslee (who has not earned my respect). The initiative was to reopen shellfish growing areas. I am quite certain every grant written on the Dungeness River and its tributaries has mentioned that shellfish initiative and the downgrade of Dungeness Bay. A few examples of the Shellfish money used to clean up the Bay are 1) The septic systems that are being repaired that Ron Allen referenced in his newsletter come from the pot of money from the Conservation Commission called Shellfish Money allotted by the legislature. 2)Not only septics, the Clallam Conservation District has spent considerable funds on trees for the River's Edge property. Let's hope the pigs don't find them tasty. Now that the Bay is a success story I find it funny the very thing responsible, shellfish farms,are now evil.As far as fish farming I don't know a lot but I did see a presentation by Jamestown Seafood who worked with NOAA on Sable fish pens in Hood Canal and were coming up with some pretty innovative solutions to mitigate the concentrated fish waste. I would rather have my food grown locally rather than import from countries that do not share our environmental standards.
Matt, so correct me if I’m wrong, what it sounds like you’re saying is that grants and taxpayer monies were used to clean up Dungeness Bay so that specifically JST could have a profitable oyster farm? Interesting. It wasn’t about some altruistic desire to have clean healthy ecosystems in our county to benefit every citizen?
As far as net pens… all the WA tribes except JST are against them. It’s not just about the waste they produce, it’s disease and sea lice that spreads to wild populations of salmon, killing wild stock. The product used to curtail sea lice, SLICE, has become ineffective. JST wants to farm native steelhead, not Atlantic salmon, but it still presents a problem to wild populations. This is a good article about the issue, it’s out of Canada, BC, but the concerns are the same.
Morgan - no - I am saying the shellfish initiative moneys were designed to clean up the Bay and reopen previously closed commercial shellfish beds, it was and is about water quality or lack there of - not specifically for the JST -there were other shellfish beds closed that were privately owned. I managed 400 tideland acres - the largest private owner of tideland acres in the Bay and we could not farm shellfish due to the downgrade of Dungeness Bay. We had some interest from a commercial shellfish farmer who considered putting a geoduck farm in the Bay. Sea lice can certainly be a problem but the problem for Dungeness Bay was the ulvoid smothering eel grass. Filter feeders could help with that problem. You are far more versed in fish pen farming than I am. I have seen the good work and recreational opportunities created by the Colville Tribe, not on the Salish Sea, but on the Columbia River. I don't know that all tribes are against fish pens - I understand they are different waters but I am hopeful there is a place in our ecosystem and food chain for them. I again prefer to consume locally rather than imported. I have no knowledge of Canada's fish pen processes but I believe we can certainly do better.
There’s a pretty united front from the Tribes to keep net pens out of the Salish Sea, only JST has sued the state to challenge the decision to halt net pens. Both sides site treaty rights as to why net pens should or should not be allowed.
You obviously haven't seen what an unsightly cluttered mess any kind of fish farming creates. Take a tour through the beautiful British Columbian waterways CHOKED with fish farms including shellfish. Pollution of plastics and related detritus from those installations are scattered everywhere and many lovely bays are off limits to recreational use. They also employ a lot of 'immigrants' for slave wages. The unintended consequences are never considered where unrestrained capitalism is concerned. There is nothing good (except profit) about any kind of fish 'farming' at a commercial level. Perspective is biased...but facts are facts! Morals and ethics matter more than ever and there is a severe lack in corporations and governments...which are made up of People who choose their values...and then extend them on to the rest of us. Back to Truth, Justice, Liberty!
It looks like the 'natives' have well learned the 'white man's' ways of accumulating power and control by any means... at any cost. Now Port Angeles waterfront is going to be managed by a private non-profit group with a whole bunch of acronyms and multi-letter agencies hiding some kind of agenda. Oh, the more things change, the more they remain the same. What will we do?
Who can we be? There are a lot of people whose full time jobs are engaged in bringing about NWO whether we like it or not. Thanks, Jeff!😤😭🤬🤯😳😟🤓
I was born here 46 years ago. Have lived here my entire life & I’ve watched a lot of things go down. When I say down, I mean DOWN HILL. Snowballing nowadays. The tribe will do NOTHING but destroy that refuge if they take over 💯 In my opinion, that’s really all they’ve done to any of the pies they’ve stuck their fingers in around here. Case in point: Dungeness River Audubon Center. Used to be my favorite place. Now I never want to see it again. Another example? MAT clinic. Enough said there, right?!! Then there’s Towne Rd.. on & on it goes. Those are just the highlights. There is no depth to Ron Allen’s depravity when it’s in the name of his own best interests. The blatantly obvious lack of a moral compass says it all people.
The fact that the tribe will take over ‘management’ of the wildlife refuge is new information to me.
It appears that the tribe is taking back Sequim and Clallam County one business, one organization, one housing development at a time.
Think of the investments we could make if we paid no taxes, could hunt & fish all we wanted, and get favorable treatment from government.... Pretty rosy, eh? I think this whole issue of Tribal sovereignty needs to be revisited.
The Tribe wants one thing: Profits. They pay no taxes, yet maneuver to benefit from our tax payments. They do not abide by rules that tie our hands when it comes to fishing and hunting. As such, they decimate the salmon populations by using methods illegal for other Washingtonians to use. Soon, they will cite unexpected costs is managing the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and will charge admission. Or, they will monopolize it and exclude outsiders.
Why do they want profits? To buy out others' real estate and eventually displace all non-tribal people. I believe their long-term goal is to own the entire Olympic Peninsula. I don't see the fairness in benefiting from our taxes, meddling in our politics, yet declaring sovereignty and neither paying taxes nor abiding by the rules for everyone else. I do NOT trust them.
Thank you. 🙏
You are right on the money!
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/aquaculture/salish-fish-kurt-grinnell-s-legacy-prepares-for-launch-as-cooke-aquaculture-reboots-washington-operations
“This is about our community and our sovereign rights,” he said. “I don’t need permission of our sister tribe(s) to do things on behalf of our tribe. And the DNR shouldn’t say we need their permission either – there’s no law, regulation, or existing policy on that right. And they shouldn’t interfere to the detriment of our economic goals. Although we believe our Tribe does have a respectful duty to address any concerns about the industry whether it’s environmental or operational.”
The “I” in there is extremely narcissistic…. As “tribe” alludes to others observation fails to substantiate the reality.
I was just sharing with my neighbors how we used to get out to the spit - end of Anderson Road - cut through the woods and down a steep trail - many times carrying a case of beer!
Careful Bonnie, only "ol' timers" know that route :)
And who have the skill set to slide down that hill and not drop a single beer 🍺! 🥹
The more informed I become, The less I like the idea of having the tribe involved in anything to do with Clallam County's politics. What they say they are doing rarely jives with the underlying truth. Again our town/county should not partner with any entity we can't trust, and quite frankly you can't trust the tribe! I don't know who, or how many politicians / businesses they control openly or behind the scenes, but I do feel we should steer clear of any future collaborations with them until proven otherwise... Words are cheap as we all know so lets evaluate their actions and what they profit from on the backs of others which seems to be the tribes modus operandi and then see where we stand... It seems to myself and others that the Tribe feels they are owed what was taken from them, and it looks like they are doing everything they can to take it back.
Hmmmm.
Not that it’s the first word that comes to mind but the definition of “monopoly” fits JKT .
Any indication of the tribe's plans for Protection Island and the Dawley Property? They are included in this arrangement.
I haven't heard, John.
Yes John, P.I. and the Dawley property, home site and forest are included in the management agreement. Don't know of any "plans" for either.
Oops tried to edit my comment and deleted it...where is the Dawley property, is that one they bought adjacent to the MAT clinic?
The Dawley property is at the east end of Dawley Road on Sequim Bay with the ODT running through it. The Dawleys also owned on the other side of the highway, but I don't know if that property is still connected. When Helen and Cecil passed away, somehow USFW got it. It needed some work because the bank was reinforced with old tires. The beautiful old brick house has been allowed to deteriorate, but it was stunning when the Dawleys were alive.
The property was deeded to F&W so it remained open space. Helen was a bird enthusiast and there were/are small structures for the feathered friends. The old tires were dumped there. Likely suspect was the auto business that used to be across from the casino. The bank was never reinforced. A dock and boat house were used for entertainmenment. The brick building was elegant in it's time. It became uninhabitable due to an ancient septic tank and the water supply was from a creek and small reservoir on the other side of the highway. Obviously, neither met health laws that came into effect. With no one around much of time, it was a crime magnet. Lots of break ins and the large wooden shop was burned down by arson. I know all this because I was a volunteer who helped maintain the property.
Thanks for the background. Helen and Cecil were wonderful people. I wonder what they would think about how things are turning out.
It sounds like a beautiful spot, hopefully it will stay that way.
Thanks, I was confused because if I remember right a Dawley being owner or part owner of the property that MAT sits on.
I think Towne Road was always going to remain a county right-of-way owned by the public, the Tribe just wanted it closed and it almost happened. If it's possible to have public land managed by a sovereign nation, then in this county it is possible to have public land closed by a sovereign nation. We nearly saw it happen.
Exactly!
Carla, do you know if JST is trying to commercially farm Olympia Oysters (native, but small)? The vast majority of oysters grown for commercial use in the PNW are the Asian non-native species mainly due to their size.
I could see a conflict with the Refuge messaging about non-native species if the tribe is farming non-native oysters.
Jamestown Tribe is a private for-profit non-tax paying capitalistic entity reaching for power and profit just like so many others who are not restrained by higher values. Not so easy for us to change from the dominant paradigm. People are voluntarily funding the tribe through gambling activities and I can't prove but am certain there is money laundering through the tribe...no accountability, no oversight, no public input...no long term good...get used to more and more infringement and restrictions and limitations and costs. Many have already been hit with $30-60K costs for new septic systems plus expensive annual inspections and expensive complex monitoring systems...many are losing their shallow wells due to changes in irrigation supply systems with similar costs...and the governments run by realtors and chambers of commerce are allowing almost unlimited development (if you can afford it). Years ago there were bumper stickers...Don't Californicate Washington...too late.
$32,000 for our new septic system because the old one was deemed a failure. And we have to pay $150 each year to have it inspected.
Lol I love the words “they will” and “must be followed”…. Glowing at first…. But somehow their pony fatigues in the race and then never seen again…
As a volunteer for many years at the Wildlife Refuge, I can understand the reaction by some volunteers to not favor the take-over of the management by the tribe. As of this year, I no longer volunteer there, but not just because of the change in management, but because of the change in management while the same for-profit corporation will be operating a commercial oyster farm in the Spit’s lagoon. This is a case of the “fox watching the hen house” in that as part of the permitting process via the county’s hearing examiner’s decision to approve a 5 acre beginning phase (out of approximately 37-38 acres eventual scope of farming) there was a condition that the 5 acre initial phase operation be monitored for impact on birds using the Spit by an independent organization for which the tribe would pay the cost. Recently, at an oyster farming promotion presentation held by the Friends of Refuge (not opposed to the oyster farming) and the Tribe, it was made crystal clear that the Tribe had no interest or intention to have any oversite/evaluation of impact on birds. In a side conversation, the manager of the Tribe’s oyster farming said words to the effect, that if any one wanted to watch or monitor birds they could certainly do so, but we are not.
If you are interested in what the Spit is in for, just do an internet search regarding “oyster farming photos” or anything similar and look at the photos which show the masses of black plastic bags in the shallow waters where these type of farms operate. That is the future of the spit.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Carl. I appreciate reading from someone who has followed this so closely. And thanks for your volunteer work at one of the area's most important assets.
Their commercial fishing footprint prevents any sort of claims of environmentally friendly self sufficient. The Tribe is all about running the political kickback game. They should have led the way to farming more of what our state needs than making the open space, land and water play. When I was younger I appreciated the Jamestown tribe and what Ron and Kurt accomplished...after watching them jump from one foot to the other and joining an international government, Not anymore.
Unfortunately a 96% No vote and 4% Yes vote doesn’t really mean anything when it come to sovereign nations
550 tribal members benefit from any/all resources deemed to be "mine".......sickening - enough already!
FYI——-Interested in signing petition to Urge Martha Williams, Director of the National Fish and Wildlife, to Halt Handover of Dungeness Spit Management to Jamestown Tribe can do so by going to change.org and then search for Dungeness Spit. Click on the Dungeness Spit item and sign petition. Please pass the site to other interested parties. 488 people have signed….
This article got me hot under the collar or maybe it's just the temps of the last few days. Thank you Jeff for highlighting Ron Allen's newsletter because he spoke of Kurt Grinnell. In my opinion you will find no finer man. He earned my respect, he did not demand it. My father said "respect is earned one person at a time." I get a kick out of people who are against shellfish farming in Dungeness Bay who quickly forget that the clean up of the Bay was possible for one reason only - Governor Gregoire's Shellfish Initiative, carried on by Governor Inslee (who has not earned my respect). The initiative was to reopen shellfish growing areas. I am quite certain every grant written on the Dungeness River and its tributaries has mentioned that shellfish initiative and the downgrade of Dungeness Bay. A few examples of the Shellfish money used to clean up the Bay are 1) The septic systems that are being repaired that Ron Allen referenced in his newsletter come from the pot of money from the Conservation Commission called Shellfish Money allotted by the legislature. 2)Not only septics, the Clallam Conservation District has spent considerable funds on trees for the River's Edge property. Let's hope the pigs don't find them tasty. Now that the Bay is a success story I find it funny the very thing responsible, shellfish farms,are now evil.As far as fish farming I don't know a lot but I did see a presentation by Jamestown Seafood who worked with NOAA on Sable fish pens in Hood Canal and were coming up with some pretty innovative solutions to mitigate the concentrated fish waste. I would rather have my food grown locally rather than import from countries that do not share our environmental standards.
Matt, so correct me if I’m wrong, what it sounds like you’re saying is that grants and taxpayer monies were used to clean up Dungeness Bay so that specifically JST could have a profitable oyster farm? Interesting. It wasn’t about some altruistic desire to have clean healthy ecosystems in our county to benefit every citizen?
As far as net pens… all the WA tribes except JST are against them. It’s not just about the waste they produce, it’s disease and sea lice that spreads to wild populations of salmon, killing wild stock. The product used to curtail sea lice, SLICE, has become ineffective. JST wants to farm native steelhead, not Atlantic salmon, but it still presents a problem to wild populations. This is a good article about the issue, it’s out of Canada, BC, but the concerns are the same.
https://news.mongabay.com/2023/01/as-sea-lice-feast-away-on-dwindling-salmon-first-nations-decide-the-fate-of-salmon-farms/amp/
Morgan - no - I am saying the shellfish initiative moneys were designed to clean up the Bay and reopen previously closed commercial shellfish beds, it was and is about water quality or lack there of - not specifically for the JST -there were other shellfish beds closed that were privately owned. I managed 400 tideland acres - the largest private owner of tideland acres in the Bay and we could not farm shellfish due to the downgrade of Dungeness Bay. We had some interest from a commercial shellfish farmer who considered putting a geoduck farm in the Bay. Sea lice can certainly be a problem but the problem for Dungeness Bay was the ulvoid smothering eel grass. Filter feeders could help with that problem. You are far more versed in fish pen farming than I am. I have seen the good work and recreational opportunities created by the Colville Tribe, not on the Salish Sea, but on the Columbia River. I don't know that all tribes are against fish pens - I understand they are different waters but I am hopeful there is a place in our ecosystem and food chain for them. I again prefer to consume locally rather than imported. I have no knowledge of Canada's fish pen processes but I believe we can certainly do better.
Thanks for clarifying Matt.
There’s a pretty united front from the Tribes to keep net pens out of the Salish Sea, only JST has sued the state to challenge the decision to halt net pens. Both sides site treaty rights as to why net pens should or should not be allowed.
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/commissioner-franz-ends-net-pen-aquaculture-washington%E2%80%99s-waters
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/premium/aquaculture/divergent-outcomes-for-cooke-jamestown-s-klallam-lawsuits-against-washington-dnr
You obviously haven't seen what an unsightly cluttered mess any kind of fish farming creates. Take a tour through the beautiful British Columbian waterways CHOKED with fish farms including shellfish. Pollution of plastics and related detritus from those installations are scattered everywhere and many lovely bays are off limits to recreational use. They also employ a lot of 'immigrants' for slave wages. The unintended consequences are never considered where unrestrained capitalism is concerned. There is nothing good (except profit) about any kind of fish 'farming' at a commercial level. Perspective is biased...but facts are facts! Morals and ethics matter more than ever and there is a severe lack in corporations and governments...which are made up of People who choose their values...and then extend them on to the rest of us. Back to Truth, Justice, Liberty!
It looks like the 'natives' have well learned the 'white man's' ways of accumulating power and control by any means... at any cost. Now Port Angeles waterfront is going to be managed by a private non-profit group with a whole bunch of acronyms and multi-letter agencies hiding some kind of agenda. Oh, the more things change, the more they remain the same. What will we do?
Who can we be? There are a lot of people whose full time jobs are engaged in bringing about NWO whether we like it or not. Thanks, Jeff!😤😭🤬🤯😳😟🤓
You're welcome... you win the award for emoji usage :)
Complex emotions = many emoji's!😊
I was born here 46 years ago. Have lived here my entire life & I’ve watched a lot of things go down. When I say down, I mean DOWN HILL. Snowballing nowadays. The tribe will do NOTHING but destroy that refuge if they take over 💯 In my opinion, that’s really all they’ve done to any of the pies they’ve stuck their fingers in around here. Case in point: Dungeness River Audubon Center. Used to be my favorite place. Now I never want to see it again. Another example? MAT clinic. Enough said there, right?!! Then there’s Towne Rd.. on & on it goes. Those are just the highlights. There is no depth to Ron Allen’s depravity when it’s in the name of his own best interests. The blatantly obvious lack of a moral compass says it all people.
The River Center is another business. Scroll to page 9 and look at the rates you can pay the Tribe to rent what once was a community facility: https://dungenessrivercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Facilities-Rental-Policies.pdf