The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about buying $95 gala tickets with taxpayer money. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Upthegrove,
I am writing to ask several specific questions about the Trust Land Transfer (TLT) application that proposes transferring 435 acres of Washington State public trust land in Clallam County to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Based on available public information, several aspects of the application and outreach seem unclear to many residents.
Public Awareness and Outreach:
The application states there is “no known opposition” to this transfer. How was this determination made, given that many residents were unaware of the application until recently? What formal public notice or consultation processes have been undertaken beyond tribal newsletters and internal meetings?
Role of the Board of Natural Resources:
Commissioner Johnson serves on the Board of Natural Resources, which oversees DNR trust lands. Can you clarify what discussions, briefings, or disclosures have occurred at the Board level regarding this parcel and how constituent interests have been represented?
Characterization of the Land:
The application notes that transferring this land would mean it “cannot be developed” but simultaneously places it outside state land-use control and many transparency requirements. What implications does this have for future use, access, and county planning? How will public interests be safeguarded?
Economic and Management Claims:
The narrative in the application emphasizes historical and cultural importance and resource stewardship, yet it also references significant commercial activity tied to the tribe’s operations. Could you provide detail on how economic, cultural, and ecological objectives are being weighed and what metrics are being used to evaluate this transfer?
Community Engagement Strategy:
What additional steps will be taken to inform the broader Clallam County community — including landowners, local businesses, and conservation groups — about this transfer and opportunities for input before any final decision is made?
Thank you for your attention to these questions. Clarity and transparency on matters involving public trust lands are essential for maintaining public confidence in land-use governance and ensuring that community perspectives are meaningfully included.
**Subject:** PAUSE & CLARIFY: Fiduciary Analysis of Sequim Bay 435-Acre Transfer (2027–2029 TLT Package)
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**Commissioner Upthegrove,**
I am writing to formally request an immediate pause on the proposed "Sequim Bay" Trust Land Transfer (435 acres) currently listed in the 2027–2029 TLT application package.
The application for this transfer states there is "no known opposition." I am writing to correct the record. I was made aware of this proposal only through the independent reporting of the *Clallam County Watchdog*, not through any direct notification from the DNR or local government. **There is opposition** because there has been no disclosure of the financial impact on Clallam County’s Junior Taxing Districts.
As the Chair of the Board of Natural Resources, you have a fiduciary obligation to the specific beneficiaries of this land. Before this proposal moves a single step further, I request a direct response to the following three questions regarding your management of our public assets:
**1. What is the Specific Trust Designation?**
Is this 435-acre parcel classified as **Common School Trust** (Grant Land) or **State Forest Transfer** (formerly Forest Board) land?
* *Why this matters:* If this is **State Forest Transfer** land, the timber revenue from these acres is legally mandated to support Clallam County services, not the state general fund. You cannot ethically transfer this land without quantifying the direct financial impact on our local budget.
**2. Where is the "Junior Taxing District" Revenue Impact Statement?**
If this land is removed from the trust base, have you provided a "Lost Revenue Analysis" to the specific Junior Taxing Districts that serve this area?
* **Clallam County Fire District 3** (Emergency Services)
* **Public Hospital District No. 2** (Olympic Medical Center)
* **Sequim School District No. 323**
* **Clallam County Road Fund**
* **North Olympic Library System**
Transferring this land into sovereign tribal trust effectively defunds these local agencies by removing the land from both the tax rolls and the timber revenue trust. Silence on this fiscal impact is not acceptable governance.
**3. How do you define "Informed Consent"?**
The application claims "no known opposition," yet the taxpayers who own this land—and rely on its revenue for public safety—were never notified.
**My Request:**
I ask that you use your authority as Chair to **remove this parcel from the active list** until a public meeting is held *in Clallam County* to present the revenue loss analysis to the affected Junior Taxing Districts.
The permanent surrender of public jurisdiction cannot be justified by a silence manufactured through obscurity—for the absence of opposition is not informed consent when the question is whispered rather than asked.
We await your clarification on the Trust Designation and the Revenue Impact Analysis.
Modeled Response From the Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Lens
Dear Constituents,
To the residents asking questions: you are correct to scrutinize this proposal.
My role as Commissioner of Public Lands is defined by fiduciary duty. State trust lands are managed to benefit designated beneficiaries, primarily K–12 public schools (Wash. Const. art. XVI; RCW 79.10.300). The Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program exists for situations where:
1. Continued commercial management no longer maximizes trust value, and
2. Public benefit (e.g., conservation) justifies legislative replacement funding.
Here are the key governance points:
1. No Land Leaves Trust Without Compensation. Under RCW 79.17.210, trust beneficiaries must be fully compensated at appraised market value before transfer. If this parcel advances, the legislature must appropriate replacement funds equal to that value. No fiduciary loss is permitted.
2. “No Known Opposition.” That phrase reflects the applicant’s submission, not a DNR certification that broad public awareness occurred. Before Board recommendation, the proposal must undergo environmental review (SEPA) and public comment (RCW 43.21C.030). If awareness appears limited, that is something we can address procedurally before final action.
3. Sovereignty and Jurisdiction. If transferred into federal tribal trust status, the land would fall under federal and tribal governance, not state land-use control. That is a structural jurisdictional shift. It is lawful, but it must be clearly understood. The decision before the Board is not whether tribal sovereignty exists — it does — but whether this transfer satisfies fiduciary and statutory requirements.
4. Metrics, Not Narrative. The Board evaluates:
1. Appraised value
2. Replacement funding
3. Long-term public benefit
4. Compliance with statutory criteria
Cultural and conservation narratives do not substitute for fiduciary math. If the numbers do not meet statutory standards, the proposal does not advance.
5. Public Process Commitment. Before any final Board recommendation, I support:
1. Publication of appraisal data
2. Clear public meeting notice
3. Transparent explanation of replacement funding
4. Opportunity for Clallam County residents to testify
The Open Public Meetings Act states that “the people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them” (RCW 42.30.010). That principle guides this process.
Thank you for raising these questions. When 435 acres of state trust land in Clallam County are proposed for transfer, the public deserves more than technical compliance — it deserves clarity.
Here is what I see as the real issues:
1. Public Notice vs. Public Awareness. The Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program is authorized under RCW 79.17.200–.210. It does not require counties to initiate the application. However, when an application states “no known opposition,” the question is:
Opposition known to whom? If broader county residents were unaware of the proposal, that signals a transparency gap — not necessarily a legal failure, but a public process weakness. Under the Open Public Meetings Act, deliberations must occur openly (RCW 42.30.030). But meaningful awareness must occur before deliberations begin.
2. Jurisdictional Shift Clarity. This is not simply a conservation decision. It is a jurisdictional conversion:
1. From state-managed commercial forestry land
2. To the federal tribal trust landa
County land-use authority under the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A) would no longer apply. Nor would state transparency statutes govern tribal sovereign land. That change must be explained clearly and neutrally. Residents deserve to understand what governance framework applies before and after the transfer.
3. Fiduciary Obligations. Under Article XVI of the Washington Constitution, state trust lands must benefit designated beneficiaries, including the common schools. The TLT program requires that trust beneficiaries be made whole through legislative appropriation (RCW 79.17.210).
Before public confidence can exist, we should see:
1. The appraised value
2. The replacement funding mechanism
3. Confirmation that beneficiaries are financially protected
Without those numbers, this feels abstract.
4. Representation on the Board of Natural Resources. Commissioner Johnson serves on the Board of Natural Resources (RCW 43.30.205). In that role, the fiduciary duty is to statewide beneficiaries — not solely to Clallam County. That distinction should be explicitly communicated to constituents. Clarity of role prevents misplaced expectations.
What I Will Advocate For:
1. Public briefing before any final Board action
2. Clear SEPA comment timeline publication
3. Disclosure of appraisal and replacement funding
4. Formal opportunity for Clallam County residents to provide input
The public trust doctrine requires not only lawful action, but visible accountability. Four hundred thirty-five acres is not minor. Transparency should match the scale.
Susan, it's either that or I have to go hang myself. PS, I'm not ready to hang myself, the only thing hanging is my breast. I went from my youth being a C cup to now, a double C extra long!
This probably isn’t the place, but gravity keeps women grounded. Just when you’d like to fly and hover over your house to watch the better half stumble through the day. As our depth of knowledge increases, gravity holds! us tight in place. Life could not exist without us, thus our two forward handles are on autopilot. This is one of the weirdest things I’ve written.
Thank you Jennifer, Well, if he has any vote for Jake Seegers signs I will proudly put that on my lawn! I will put a bumper sticker on my car and anything else I need to do to get this man in and have a rally!
Evrita, I'm with you all the way! I'm sure the signs and bumper stickers and whatever is in the process. Jeff, has achieved so much, he'll get Jake elected through truth and transparency. Exciting times, yes?
Jeff : you are tenacious. Like a pit bull with a bone. You know the commissioners have a list of people they will respond to, and you are not on that list. I’m not either but go figure? only 9 voters made the list and they are blood relatives. They had to promise not to ask any real questions and be immensely gracious for all the BOCCC does.
When authority changes hands, transparency must expand; public trust is not measured in acres but in accountability, and silence without meaningful notice is not consent — it is a failure of stewardship.
How very clever of the JTribe to slip another transfer of land into sovereign status. Since the majority of Washington residents know, or probably care about this proposed transfer it is the duty of local residents to share their views on the topic.
Well, that’s how they work behind closed doors and sneak around. What about peoples homes if this proposed deal goes through does that mean that they’re gonna take away peoples homes? Because it will now be tribal lands! This is extremely scary!
Well, then we need to create some opposition by speaking out and maybe getting a petition together. Just a thought. If no one says anything about it, then it will surely go through.
"We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it." That is the mindset we are dealing with, it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission. "I'm a steamroller, baby, I'm gonna rol all over you..." - Steamroller Blues - JT
When is it time to just say NO! No more transfers. No more encroachment on public lands. No more secret deals. Period! As to the idea of Land Back. How about "Possession is nine tenths of the law?" There has never been stable ownership throughout our, note our, United States. Leave things as they are, or consider Land Back for our United States.
To answer your question about then is the time to just say NO. NOW is the time to say NO!!! They say they will pay for this land transfer. That means we will be paying ourselves!!! The money they get is from the government. Am I right or am I right?
One point: If the JKT proposal says the land "cannot be developed" as part of its justification for stealing (oops, I mean obtaining thru a transfer) state trust lands that should be logged at some point to provide revenue for important state projects, but that land then becomes owned by JKT, what's to keep them from doing whatever they wish downstream, including development? Right now, the general public can recreate on this land. Transfer = no more public access. I'm a hard NO.
When MAT was built they told us there would also be a 16 bed psych building (the law says the limit is 16). Fast forward and now they're talking 36 beds and relying on Mark Ozias to make that happen. They say what they need to say to get what they want and when they have it, they do whatever they want.
Denise, "They" aren't even representative of what "they" use to be or think. Once a Tribe cannot understand their own language, it is absorbed into the culture it lives in. I'm Irish, I'll be damned if I understand my ancestors culture or the language, although some recipes have been handed down...and a shot of whiskey!
Fighting so hard to eliminate a professional developer from careless building just to have the tribe take land, no taxes apply. What a slap in the face. I’ve been on reservation property. It was not an example of stewardship. The waste of equipment, boats, fishing gear, housing. Tahola was a perfect example. Now we must compensate for the past?
Susan, I lived in Alaska for more than a decade and spent a lot of time both in the bush and in and around native land holdings all over the state. The examples of waste and abuse were endless. Their "stewardship" of fish and game resources decimated stocks in many instances. Not always, but often enough to make you shake your head and wonder, WTF?
Forwarded to me by Mark Curtis, and permission to share here. His email to the Commissioner of Public Lands (cpl@dnr.wa.gov).
"Commissioner,
I strongly oppose the transfer of 435 acres of state trust land to the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe. The transfer request states that there is no public opposition to the transfer. How can the public appose something when they were never informed in the first place?
I live in Clallam County. An under served and under funded county. We can’t fund our schools, fire districts or hospital without significant junior tax district funding from timber revenue. This will permanently remove 435 acres of timber from ever funding our junior tax districts. If the DNR wants to transfer our tax revenue to the Jamestown S’Kallam tribe then the DNR should compensate Clallam County for the full value of the 435 acres. This would be fair compensation considering the Jamestown S’Kallam tribe will be able to harvest that land for their own profit.
State trust lands are there for the benefit of the county in which it exists. It’s not appropriate for the state to give away OUR tax revenue without even informing the taxpayers that it impacts or compensating us for the loss.
I would like a response to my opposition especially since the citizens of Clallam County have not been informed to this point.
The present day S'Klallam Tribe is distinctly divided into three separate bands - The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe. Their Consolidation areas include both Clallam and Jefferson Counties.
The Plans to acquire land is strategic and done through silent whispered negotiations benefiting the the players involved in a slow moving Coup de grâce. The final death blow will be acquiring the water rights (coming soon). The map in the Jamestown Comprehensive Plan is to own the water rights include the Dungeness River and Morse Creek. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribes have their own Comprehensive Plans.
Click on the site below, go to page 14. The land colored in purple is the land the Jamestown Tribe fully intends to own. It is by design, not by opportunity. WE WILL THEN TRULY BE GUEST ON A SOVEREIGN NATION’S LAND, without a voice or recourse. This is a fight for our decendents, are we ready for it?
IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT, BUT THE SIZE OF THE FIGHT IN THE DOG!
This area was approved by the United States Department of the Interior as the place in which the Tribe will CONCENTRATE LAND ACQUISITION and economic development efforts, and within which lands may be designated as Tribal trust land. The land area was based on Tribal population proximity, environmental and conservation concerns, historical sites and the Tribe’s usual and accustomed fishing, hunting and gathering areas. THE TRIBE’S LAND CONSOLIDATION AREA SPANS APPROXIMATELY 32 MILE EAST-TO-WEST, 36 MILES NORTH-TO-SOUTH, AND COVERS 363 MILES OF LAND.
LAND Page 18
The Tribe owns more than 400 acres in Blyn in a mix of reservation, trust and fee status, making it the single largest landowner in Blyn. AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE, ALL OF THIS PROPERTY WILL LIKELY BE IN RESERVATION/TRUST STATUS, AND THEREFORE NO LONGER UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CLALLAM COUNTY OR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Page 29
Economic development officials in the Tribe’s local jurisdictions have identified certain areas of economic development that seem to have the best chance for success in the region The primary growth industries which we believe will create new employment and career opportunities are tourism, high-tech businesses, healthcare and medical supplies, marine services and commercial/residential construction
SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF-GOVERNANCE Page 30
The Tribe continues to expand our programs and services at a time when OUR FEDERAL SELF-GOVERNANCE FUNDING LEVELS have remained fairly constant. This requires that we become more creative in how to best meet the community goals, while also working with the Administration and Congress TO REQUEST INCREASED FUNDING to meet basic needs and enact legislation TO EXPAND OUR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES.
GOVERANCE GOALS Page 42
Reacquire additional homelands and when appropriate, submit for conversion to trust/reservation status.
Okay Jennifer, I blame you for referring us to to the 54 page declaration and future plans booklet. You know me, I read the whole damn thing. A constant theme was opportunities presented themselves but not acting on them was the fault of other people. If you have a “way” with words, you can conceivably write a compelling argument that England is to blame for all our woes, since TIME IMMORAL! Thanks Jennifer. I must need fine, labor intensive reading, can’t seem to put it down. If that document represents the way the”Tribe” views the history and future of being forced to live amongst such heathens, well God help us. What a roller-coaster of a read. The fiction took you to another dimension, the facts were blurred within sloppy finger pointing. I really enjoyed some of it.
You know what they say about “believing your own story”? Well I did get that wave of nausea, you know the feeling. I guess the commissioners and the tribe took the same creative writing class they offer adults in continuing education, (night school)for those still working on their GED’s.
PS yes I will be holding a class on being an amateur paleontologist and learning all the eras the planet has been through. Anyone using “time immemorial “ incorrectly will be forced to scrub floors and seating areas of our 3 Amigos. Hazmat Suits provided.
Susan, I think some of your nausea came from TIME IMMEMORIAL, I just know how much you love that phrase!
It's all been planned, but at each acquisition (when Jeff lets us know) the responses don't coincide with the fact ie "it's land that can't be developed, so lets let the Tribe have it, they get funding to do with it what we can't afford to do"
When the land acquisition (square areas at a time) becomes checkerboarded enough, it gives the Tribe additional power
to advance their desire to make the whole peninsula a reservation (it's complicated but doable)
Right now it's the water rights that should be the most alarming...by hook or crook, they are hell bent on either owning or being in charge of every drop.
You know the county has been right in the middle of putting meters on people’s wells, and controlling all the irrigation. They aren’t doing that to make the residents feel more comfortable, just the opposite. The little company that bought up the water rights at Diamond Point, is non other than NW Natural Gas (
and utilities)It just was buried under a handful of other names.
I bet there is so much back dooring going on, they could turn Girl Scout cookie sales in to an income stream. When you
don’t trust the 3 little
pigs, where exactly do we turn. Ozias is in so deep he’s sprouting tail feathers. And when we get restless and ask questions, it’s full time cone-of-silence.
You couldn’t set up a better system to dupe the public. Hard to report egregious behavior when the fox is guarding the hen house. Just an analogy. None of them are “fox worthy”! Bet Loni Gore could spin our heads with what passes over her desk. It’s clever that a gas polluting industry player is the sole owner of the water
Do you ever get the feeling that maybe you shouldn’t know too much? Would I be happier or feel like a sell-out? When I warned about land trusts on Nextdoor, every person with a phone jumped on my ass like I had just killed a baby Orca. Somehow I do not feel vindicated, I feel sad.
If we do not circle our wagons, we will lose the foot hold of Clallam County. Playing without the usual laws and restrictions gives much power away.
Susan, F Nextdoor! You're in a group who would never do that. I do read Nextdoor, but have never felt the need to join, I just hover around it like a fly.
I'll bet you've never heard or seen people get together and become a force like CCWD. We will take back Clallam County, I do not doubt it.
What March? I am in on that!!! Let me know!!! I guess we should all go to the Clallam County Commissioners meetings and email that other guy listed here?
"In describing its management capacity, the Tribe writes that it is well versed in resource stewardship and land management, “having lived in this area since time immemorial.” That is patently not true. No/none/"0" of today's JST members lived in time immemorial. If their right to gifted land is based solely upon ancestral practices, how did they learn the use of powered vessels, cell phones, computers paved roads and sanitation systems ? I harbor no ill will toward anyone claiming JSK ancestry, but showering those claims with gifted land, resources, grants, tax advantages and special rights is both without logic and incompatible with equality. Sovereign, being treated identical to all sovereign nations, or a citizens, but not both.
I might hazard a guess here, and that is, why the Sequim City Council (at whose behest?) put a moratorium on land development under its purview which just happens to include the John Wayne family owned land. Guessing that this land will be the next target to move to the tribe (see TJ's comment). And with the moratorium continually being extended by 6 months, gives the tribe more time to get its shellfish in a row.
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe eyes marina on Sequim Bay Published 1:30 am Friday, May 10, 2019
SEQUIM — The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is exploring the purchase of John Wayne Marina from the Port of Port Angeles — if other options do not work out — Tribal Chairman Ron Allen said Thursday.
“If we discover that it does not make sense to work with Sequim or the proposal does not work for us, WE MAY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ACQUISITION BY OURSELVES," Allen said.
Its still federal land. It isn't tribal land if they have a bad relationship and have opted out of the terms of the Point Non Point Treaty of 1855.
I am too male and too pale. I have a bad relationship. But it matters not because I am a colonizer... Its time their Oppression Olympics language find its way to the federal courts.
The Land Back movement is just getting started. Unfortunately, the supporters of this movement were given a path forward with 110 years of international law, economic justice, and ethnic equity behind it. This will sound crazy but, the Balfour declaration in 1917 said that the Jewish people had a right to take back lands that they "deemed" historical homelands from anyone who had settled there in the last 2000 years all because they had been horribly wronged. We are now seeing the results of 110 years of the greater Israel project as they extend their "homelands" as far as they can, all with the blessings of the international community and through use of ethnic guilt. I hate to say it but the coming land back movement for the Native North American inhabitants who claim to have been here since "time immemorial" may be unstoppable. Clallam County is ground zero as tribes all around the country watch and try to replicate what the Jamestown Corporation is accomplishing.
All of our state and federal reps are on board or are part of the program so there’s no use appealing to them. I think we need to find someone who will listen in the US Department of the Interior who can intervene at least on federal lands.
The adults are not coming Jeff. We are on our own. I know you dont want to hear this, but we are not going to vote ourselves out of this mess. Its time for people to start thinking outside the box. Sorry for the black pill. PS, that poem was great!
It is discouraging, isn't it? We are trying to enjoy ourselves while here - sun coming out and all; but are planning a move.... too tough on us old white folks....
So what's new?? Citizens are left out of decisions that affect them. Randy Johnson and the Ozias pack have become dictators and rule over us, making decisions without our knowledge or input. Good going guys!! Just wait till the next election--You're out!
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about buying $95 gala tickets with taxpayer money. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Upthegrove,
I am writing to ask several specific questions about the Trust Land Transfer (TLT) application that proposes transferring 435 acres of Washington State public trust land in Clallam County to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Based on available public information, several aspects of the application and outreach seem unclear to many residents.
Public Awareness and Outreach:
The application states there is “no known opposition” to this transfer. How was this determination made, given that many residents were unaware of the application until recently? What formal public notice or consultation processes have been undertaken beyond tribal newsletters and internal meetings?
Role of the Board of Natural Resources:
Commissioner Johnson serves on the Board of Natural Resources, which oversees DNR trust lands. Can you clarify what discussions, briefings, or disclosures have occurred at the Board level regarding this parcel and how constituent interests have been represented?
Characterization of the Land:
The application notes that transferring this land would mean it “cannot be developed” but simultaneously places it outside state land-use control and many transparency requirements. What implications does this have for future use, access, and county planning? How will public interests be safeguarded?
Economic and Management Claims:
The narrative in the application emphasizes historical and cultural importance and resource stewardship, yet it also references significant commercial activity tied to the tribe’s operations. Could you provide detail on how economic, cultural, and ecological objectives are being weighed and what metrics are being used to evaluate this transfer?
Community Engagement Strategy:
What additional steps will be taken to inform the broader Clallam County community — including landowners, local businesses, and conservation groups — about this transfer and opportunities for input before any final decision is made?
Thank you for your attention to these questions. Clarity and transparency on matters involving public trust lands are essential for maintaining public confidence in land-use governance and ensuring that community perspectives are meaningfully included.
Here is my Gemini Ai Pro-created official letter emailed to Upthegrove and the applicable taxing districts impacted by this:
**To:** `cpl@dnr.wa.gov`
**Cc:** `randy.johnson@clallamcountywa.gov`, `jgrider@ccfd3.org`, `jnicholas@ccfd3.org`, `rnickels@sequimschools.org`, `BoardAdmin@olympicmedical.org`, `LibraryBoard@nols.org`, `jennar@portofpa.com`, `web_roads@clallamcountywa.gov`
**Subject:** PAUSE & CLARIFY: Fiduciary Analysis of Sequim Bay 435-Acre Transfer (2027–2029 TLT Package)
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**Commissioner Upthegrove,**
I am writing to formally request an immediate pause on the proposed "Sequim Bay" Trust Land Transfer (435 acres) currently listed in the 2027–2029 TLT application package.
The application for this transfer states there is "no known opposition." I am writing to correct the record. I was made aware of this proposal only through the independent reporting of the *Clallam County Watchdog*, not through any direct notification from the DNR or local government. **There is opposition** because there has been no disclosure of the financial impact on Clallam County’s Junior Taxing Districts.
As the Chair of the Board of Natural Resources, you have a fiduciary obligation to the specific beneficiaries of this land. Before this proposal moves a single step further, I request a direct response to the following three questions regarding your management of our public assets:
**1. What is the Specific Trust Designation?**
Is this 435-acre parcel classified as **Common School Trust** (Grant Land) or **State Forest Transfer** (formerly Forest Board) land?
* *Why this matters:* If this is **State Forest Transfer** land, the timber revenue from these acres is legally mandated to support Clallam County services, not the state general fund. You cannot ethically transfer this land without quantifying the direct financial impact on our local budget.
**2. Where is the "Junior Taxing District" Revenue Impact Statement?**
If this land is removed from the trust base, have you provided a "Lost Revenue Analysis" to the specific Junior Taxing Districts that serve this area?
* **Clallam County Fire District 3** (Emergency Services)
* **Public Hospital District No. 2** (Olympic Medical Center)
* **Sequim School District No. 323**
* **Clallam County Road Fund**
* **North Olympic Library System**
Transferring this land into sovereign tribal trust effectively defunds these local agencies by removing the land from both the tax rolls and the timber revenue trust. Silence on this fiscal impact is not acceptable governance.
**3. How do you define "Informed Consent"?**
The application claims "no known opposition," yet the taxpayers who own this land—and rely on its revenue for public safety—were never notified.
**My Request:**
I ask that you use your authority as Chair to **remove this parcel from the active list** until a public meeting is held *in Clallam County* to present the revenue loss analysis to the affected Junior Taxing Districts.
The permanent surrender of public jurisdiction cannot be justified by a silence manufactured through obscurity—for the absence of opposition is not informed consent when the question is whispered rather than asked.
We await your clarification on the Trust Designation and the Revenue Impact Analysis.
Respectfully,
**Dr. Sarah, EdD, MBA**
Clallam County District III Resident
Triple S Consultants, LLC
Modeled Response From the Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Lens
Dear Constituents,
To the residents asking questions: you are correct to scrutinize this proposal.
My role as Commissioner of Public Lands is defined by fiduciary duty. State trust lands are managed to benefit designated beneficiaries, primarily K–12 public schools (Wash. Const. art. XVI; RCW 79.10.300). The Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program exists for situations where:
1. Continued commercial management no longer maximizes trust value, and
2. Public benefit (e.g., conservation) justifies legislative replacement funding.
Here are the key governance points:
1. No Land Leaves Trust Without Compensation. Under RCW 79.17.210, trust beneficiaries must be fully compensated at appraised market value before transfer. If this parcel advances, the legislature must appropriate replacement funds equal to that value. No fiduciary loss is permitted.
2. “No Known Opposition.” That phrase reflects the applicant’s submission, not a DNR certification that broad public awareness occurred. Before Board recommendation, the proposal must undergo environmental review (SEPA) and public comment (RCW 43.21C.030). If awareness appears limited, that is something we can address procedurally before final action.
3. Sovereignty and Jurisdiction. If transferred into federal tribal trust status, the land would fall under federal and tribal governance, not state land-use control. That is a structural jurisdictional shift. It is lawful, but it must be clearly understood. The decision before the Board is not whether tribal sovereignty exists — it does — but whether this transfer satisfies fiduciary and statutory requirements.
4. Metrics, Not Narrative. The Board evaluates:
1. Appraised value
2. Replacement funding
3. Long-term public benefit
4. Compliance with statutory criteria
Cultural and conservation narratives do not substitute for fiduciary math. If the numbers do not meet statutory standards, the proposal does not advance.
5. Public Process Commitment. Before any final Board recommendation, I support:
1. Publication of appraisal data
2. Clear public meeting notice
3. Transparent explanation of replacement funding
4. Opportunity for Clallam County residents to testify
The Open Public Meetings Act states that “the people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them” (RCW 42.30.010). That principle guides this process.
Sincerely,
Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Modeled Clallam County Commissioner's Lens
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for raising these questions. When 435 acres of state trust land in Clallam County are proposed for transfer, the public deserves more than technical compliance — it deserves clarity.
Here is what I see as the real issues:
1. Public Notice vs. Public Awareness. The Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program is authorized under RCW 79.17.200–.210. It does not require counties to initiate the application. However, when an application states “no known opposition,” the question is:
Opposition known to whom? If broader county residents were unaware of the proposal, that signals a transparency gap — not necessarily a legal failure, but a public process weakness. Under the Open Public Meetings Act, deliberations must occur openly (RCW 42.30.030). But meaningful awareness must occur before deliberations begin.
2. Jurisdictional Shift Clarity. This is not simply a conservation decision. It is a jurisdictional conversion:
1. From state-managed commercial forestry land
2. To the federal tribal trust landa
County land-use authority under the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A) would no longer apply. Nor would state transparency statutes govern tribal sovereign land. That change must be explained clearly and neutrally. Residents deserve to understand what governance framework applies before and after the transfer.
3. Fiduciary Obligations. Under Article XVI of the Washington Constitution, state trust lands must benefit designated beneficiaries, including the common schools. The TLT program requires that trust beneficiaries be made whole through legislative appropriation (RCW 79.17.210).
Before public confidence can exist, we should see:
1. The appraised value
2. The replacement funding mechanism
3. Confirmation that beneficiaries are financially protected
Without those numbers, this feels abstract.
4. Representation on the Board of Natural Resources. Commissioner Johnson serves on the Board of Natural Resources (RCW 43.30.205). In that role, the fiduciary duty is to statewide beneficiaries — not solely to Clallam County. That distinction should be explicitly communicated to constituents. Clarity of role prevents misplaced expectations.
What I Will Advocate For:
1. Public briefing before any final Board action
2. Clear SEPA comment timeline publication
3. Disclosure of appraisal and replacement funding
4. Formal opportunity for Clallam County residents to provide input
The public trust doctrine requires not only lawful action, but visible accountability. Four hundred thirty-five acres is not minor. Transparency should match the scale.
Sincerely,
Commissioner
Clallam County Board of Commissioners
Good morning Jeff,
Maybe all of the CCWatchdog's need to get together for a meeting and see how we’re gonna combat all of this injustice. What are your thoughts on this?
Evrita, I'm with Jake Seegers. Follow his leads all the way to the voting polls. Get him in, and as they say, "they will come".
You always have a way to pump happy into our day!
(Almost Hallmark worthy)
Susan, it's either that or I have to go hang myself. PS, I'm not ready to hang myself, the only thing hanging is my breast. I went from my youth being a C cup to now, a double C extra long!
This probably isn’t the place, but gravity keeps women grounded. Just when you’d like to fly and hover over your house to watch the better half stumble through the day. As our depth of knowledge increases, gravity holds! us tight in place. Life could not exist without us, thus our two forward handles are on autopilot. This is one of the weirdest things I’ve written.
Look at me, so much potential
I dream a dream. It's still inspiring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePBW7NKi9lQ
Thank you Jennifer, Well, if he has any vote for Jake Seegers signs I will proudly put that on my lawn! I will put a bumper sticker on my car and anything else I need to do to get this man in and have a rally!
Evrita, I'm with you all the way! I'm sure the signs and bumper stickers and whatever is in the process. Jeff, has achieved so much, he'll get Jake elected through truth and transparency. Exciting times, yes?
Yes, where can I get a bumper sticker?
Jeff : you are tenacious. Like a pit bull with a bone. You know the commissioners have a list of people they will respond to, and you are not on that list. I’m not either but go figure? only 9 voters made the list and they are blood relatives. They had to promise not to ask any real questions and be immensely gracious for all the BOCCC does.
You've got it figured out, Susan!
If we want to make a difference in Clallam County, it begins with us.
Comments to Clerk of the Board loni.gores@clallamcountywa.gov
Good Governance Daily Proverb:
When authority changes hands, transparency must expand; public trust is not measured in acres but in accountability, and silence without meaningful notice is not consent — it is a failure of stewardship.
Core Governance Elements:
1. Authority shifts → transparency increases
2. Trust land → fiduciary accountability
3. Obscurity ≠ consent
4. Process defines stewardship
5. Scale of change → duty to inform
How very clever of the JTribe to slip another transfer of land into sovereign status. Since the majority of Washington residents know, or probably care about this proposed transfer it is the duty of local residents to share their views on the topic.
Well, that’s how they work behind closed doors and sneak around. What about peoples homes if this proposed deal goes through does that mean that they’re gonna take away peoples homes? Because it will now be tribal lands! This is extremely scary!
Evrita, we won't really know how it will play out in courts, but if there is "no opposition" it can only go one way.
Well, then we need to create some opposition by speaking out and maybe getting a petition together. Just a thought. If no one says anything about it, then it will surely go through.
"We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it." That is the mindset we are dealing with, it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission. "I'm a steamroller, baby, I'm gonna rol all over you..." - Steamroller Blues - JT
When is it time to just say NO! No more transfers. No more encroachment on public lands. No more secret deals. Period! As to the idea of Land Back. How about "Possession is nine tenths of the law?" There has never been stable ownership throughout our, note our, United States. Leave things as they are, or consider Land Back for our United States.
If they get their way, it’ll never be enough. That’s why we have to really go in full force and take a stand.
There you go!
To answer your question about then is the time to just say NO. NOW is the time to say NO!!! They say they will pay for this land transfer. That means we will be paying ourselves!!! The money they get is from the government. Am I right or am I right?
One point: If the JKT proposal says the land "cannot be developed" as part of its justification for stealing (oops, I mean obtaining thru a transfer) state trust lands that should be logged at some point to provide revenue for important state projects, but that land then becomes owned by JKT, what's to keep them from doing whatever they wish downstream, including development? Right now, the general public can recreate on this land. Transfer = no more public access. I'm a hard NO.
When MAT was built they told us there would also be a 16 bed psych building (the law says the limit is 16). Fast forward and now they're talking 36 beds and relying on Mark Ozias to make that happen. They say what they need to say to get what they want and when they have it, they do whatever they want.
Are you a truthful Whitefoot or a lying Blackfoot? The answer is yes!
Exactly! The JKT will do whatever they want even if it against state or federal law. They are a spoiled child.
Denise, "They" aren't even representative of what "they" use to be or think. Once a Tribe cannot understand their own language, it is absorbed into the culture it lives in. I'm Irish, I'll be damned if I understand my ancestors culture or the language, although some recipes have been handed down...and a shot of whiskey!
Thanks for the 36 bed psych building info. I had not heard that. Of course they are "Sovereign" and can do whatever they want.
There was a PDN article stating that and you're right it doesn't matter, because they'll just do whatever they want.
Robert, once it's sovereign, it's theirs, Lock Stock & Barrel
My point exactly.
Fighting so hard to eliminate a professional developer from careless building just to have the tribe take land, no taxes apply. What a slap in the face. I’ve been on reservation property. It was not an example of stewardship. The waste of equipment, boats, fishing gear, housing. Tahola was a perfect example. Now we must compensate for the past?
Susan, I lived in Alaska for more than a decade and spent a lot of time both in the bush and in and around native land holdings all over the state. The examples of waste and abuse were endless. Their "stewardship" of fish and game resources decimated stocks in many instances. Not always, but often enough to make you shake your head and wonder, WTF?
Forwarded to me by Mark Curtis, and permission to share here. His email to the Commissioner of Public Lands (cpl@dnr.wa.gov).
"Commissioner,
I strongly oppose the transfer of 435 acres of state trust land to the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe. The transfer request states that there is no public opposition to the transfer. How can the public appose something when they were never informed in the first place?
I live in Clallam County. An under served and under funded county. We can’t fund our schools, fire districts or hospital without significant junior tax district funding from timber revenue. This will permanently remove 435 acres of timber from ever funding our junior tax districts. If the DNR wants to transfer our tax revenue to the Jamestown S’Kallam tribe then the DNR should compensate Clallam County for the full value of the 435 acres. This would be fair compensation considering the Jamestown S’Kallam tribe will be able to harvest that land for their own profit.
State trust lands are there for the benefit of the county in which it exists. It’s not appropriate for the state to give away OUR tax revenue without even informing the taxpayers that it impacts or compensating us for the loss.
I would like a response to my opposition especially since the citizens of Clallam County have not been informed to this point.
Mark Curtis
Sequim Washington"
Great letter, Mark!
Whoohoo! Well done, Mark!
The present day S'Klallam Tribe is distinctly divided into three separate bands - The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe. Their Consolidation areas include both Clallam and Jefferson Counties.
The Plans to acquire land is strategic and done through silent whispered negotiations benefiting the the players involved in a slow moving Coup de grâce. The final death blow will be acquiring the water rights (coming soon). The map in the Jamestown Comprehensive Plan is to own the water rights include the Dungeness River and Morse Creek. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribes have their own Comprehensive Plans.
Click on the site below, go to page 14. The land colored in purple is the land the Jamestown Tribe fully intends to own. It is by design, not by opportunity. WE WILL THEN TRULY BE GUEST ON A SOVEREIGN NATION’S LAND, without a voice or recourse. This is a fight for our decendents, are we ready for it?
IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT, BUT THE SIZE OF THE FIGHT IN THE DOG!
https://jamestowntribe.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Comprehensive_Plan_Revised_in_2016_Final.pdf
Tribal Land Consolidation Area (map on page 14)
This area was approved by the United States Department of the Interior as the place in which the Tribe will CONCENTRATE LAND ACQUISITION and economic development efforts, and within which lands may be designated as Tribal trust land. The land area was based on Tribal population proximity, environmental and conservation concerns, historical sites and the Tribe’s usual and accustomed fishing, hunting and gathering areas. THE TRIBE’S LAND CONSOLIDATION AREA SPANS APPROXIMATELY 32 MILE EAST-TO-WEST, 36 MILES NORTH-TO-SOUTH, AND COVERS 363 MILES OF LAND.
LAND Page 18
The Tribe owns more than 400 acres in Blyn in a mix of reservation, trust and fee status, making it the single largest landowner in Blyn. AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE, ALL OF THIS PROPERTY WILL LIKELY BE IN RESERVATION/TRUST STATUS, AND THEREFORE NO LONGER UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CLALLAM COUNTY OR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Page 29
Economic development officials in the Tribe’s local jurisdictions have identified certain areas of economic development that seem to have the best chance for success in the region The primary growth industries which we believe will create new employment and career opportunities are tourism, high-tech businesses, healthcare and medical supplies, marine services and commercial/residential construction
SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF-GOVERNANCE Page 30
The Tribe continues to expand our programs and services at a time when OUR FEDERAL SELF-GOVERNANCE FUNDING LEVELS have remained fairly constant. This requires that we become more creative in how to best meet the community goals, while also working with the Administration and Congress TO REQUEST INCREASED FUNDING to meet basic needs and enact legislation TO EXPAND OUR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES.
GOVERANCE GOALS Page 42
Reacquire additional homelands and when appropriate, submit for conversion to trust/reservation status.
Remember, this Comprehensive Plan was in 2016, it has become more aggressive in its scope since then.
I’m ready to fight!
Okay Jennifer, I blame you for referring us to to the 54 page declaration and future plans booklet. You know me, I read the whole damn thing. A constant theme was opportunities presented themselves but not acting on them was the fault of other people. If you have a “way” with words, you can conceivably write a compelling argument that England is to blame for all our woes, since TIME IMMORAL! Thanks Jennifer. I must need fine, labor intensive reading, can’t seem to put it down. If that document represents the way the”Tribe” views the history and future of being forced to live amongst such heathens, well God help us. What a roller-coaster of a read. The fiction took you to another dimension, the facts were blurred within sloppy finger pointing. I really enjoyed some of it.
You know what they say about “believing your own story”? Well I did get that wave of nausea, you know the feeling. I guess the commissioners and the tribe took the same creative writing class they offer adults in continuing education, (night school)for those still working on their GED’s.
PS yes I will be holding a class on being an amateur paleontologist and learning all the eras the planet has been through. Anyone using “time immemorial “ incorrectly will be forced to scrub floors and seating areas of our 3 Amigos. Hazmat Suits provided.
Susan, I think some of your nausea came from TIME IMMEMORIAL, I just know how much you love that phrase!
It's all been planned, but at each acquisition (when Jeff lets us know) the responses don't coincide with the fact ie "it's land that can't be developed, so lets let the Tribe have it, they get funding to do with it what we can't afford to do"
When the land acquisition (square areas at a time) becomes checkerboarded enough, it gives the Tribe additional power
to advance their desire to make the whole peninsula a reservation (it's complicated but doable)
Right now it's the water rights that should be the most alarming...by hook or crook, they are hell bent on either owning or being in charge of every drop.
You know the county has been right in the middle of putting meters on people’s wells, and controlling all the irrigation. They aren’t doing that to make the residents feel more comfortable, just the opposite. The little company that bought up the water rights at Diamond Point, is non other than NW Natural Gas (
and utilities)It just was buried under a handful of other names.
I bet there is so much back dooring going on, they could turn Girl Scout cookie sales in to an income stream. When you
don’t trust the 3 little
pigs, where exactly do we turn. Ozias is in so deep he’s sprouting tail feathers. And when we get restless and ask questions, it’s full time cone-of-silence.
You couldn’t set up a better system to dupe the public. Hard to report egregious behavior when the fox is guarding the hen house. Just an analogy. None of them are “fox worthy”! Bet Loni Gore could spin our heads with what passes over her desk. It’s clever that a gas polluting industry player is the sole owner of the water
rights. WTF?
Do you ever get the feeling that maybe you shouldn’t know too much? Would I be happier or feel like a sell-out? When I warned about land trusts on Nextdoor, every person with a phone jumped on my ass like I had just killed a baby Orca. Somehow I do not feel vindicated, I feel sad.
If we do not circle our wagons, we will lose the foot hold of Clallam County. Playing without the usual laws and restrictions gives much power away.
Susan, F Nextdoor! You're in a group who would never do that. I do read Nextdoor, but have never felt the need to join, I just hover around it like a fly.
I'll bet you've never heard or seen people get together and become a force like CCWD. We will take back Clallam County, I do not doubt it.
Nextdoor is where truth in the written word has gone to die and never come back.
But my what a lovely sunset picture, we’ve never seen that before. 🤮
Awesome comment!!! All true.
Good morning Jeff,
Okay, sign me up to join in on the March !
This must be put to an end. Our voices have to be loud !
Thank you Jeff and Doggers!
Have a great one!
What March? I am in on that!!! Let me know!!! I guess we should all go to the Clallam County Commissioners meetings and email that other guy listed here?
"In describing its management capacity, the Tribe writes that it is well versed in resource stewardship and land management, “having lived in this area since time immemorial.” That is patently not true. No/none/"0" of today's JST members lived in time immemorial. If their right to gifted land is based solely upon ancestral practices, how did they learn the use of powered vessels, cell phones, computers paved roads and sanitation systems ? I harbor no ill will toward anyone claiming JSK ancestry, but showering those claims with gifted land, resources, grants, tax advantages and special rights is both without logic and incompatible with equality. Sovereign, being treated identical to all sovereign nations, or a citizens, but not both.
Count me CONCERNED!
I might hazard a guess here, and that is, why the Sequim City Council (at whose behest?) put a moratorium on land development under its purview which just happens to include the John Wayne family owned land. Guessing that this land will be the next target to move to the tribe (see TJ's comment). And with the moratorium continually being extended by 6 months, gives the tribe more time to get its shellfish in a row.
What sea level rise...
Zero!
Geoff, it's valuable land around that area. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes. It's a magician's trick, "now you see it, now you don't"
https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/2019/05/10/jamestown-sklallam-tribe-eyes-marina-on-sequim-bay/
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe eyes marina on Sequim Bay Published 1:30 am Friday, May 10, 2019
SEQUIM — The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is exploring the purchase of John Wayne Marina from the Port of Port Angeles — if other options do not work out — Tribal Chairman Ron Allen said Thursday.
“If we discover that it does not make sense to work with Sequim or the proposal does not work for us, WE MAY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ACQUISITION BY OURSELVES," Allen said.
Waiting for Ethan to die.
Do you mean Ethan Wayne?
Yes.
Its still federal land. It isn't tribal land if they have a bad relationship and have opted out of the terms of the Point Non Point Treaty of 1855.
I am too male and too pale. I have a bad relationship. But it matters not because I am a colonizer... Its time their Oppression Olympics language find its way to the federal courts.
The Land Back movement is just getting started. Unfortunately, the supporters of this movement were given a path forward with 110 years of international law, economic justice, and ethnic equity behind it. This will sound crazy but, the Balfour declaration in 1917 said that the Jewish people had a right to take back lands that they "deemed" historical homelands from anyone who had settled there in the last 2000 years all because they had been horribly wronged. We are now seeing the results of 110 years of the greater Israel project as they extend their "homelands" as far as they can, all with the blessings of the international community and through use of ethnic guilt. I hate to say it but the coming land back movement for the Native North American inhabitants who claim to have been here since "time immemorial" may be unstoppable. Clallam County is ground zero as tribes all around the country watch and try to replicate what the Jamestown Corporation is accomplishing.
TJ, all true!
All of our state and federal reps are on board or are part of the program so there’s no use appealing to them. I think we need to find someone who will listen in the US Department of the Interior who can intervene at least on federal lands.
https://www.quiverquant.com/news/Press+Release%3A+U.S.+House+Passes+Bills+by+Randall%2C+Cantwell%2C+and+Murray+to+Place+Lands+in+Trust+for+Lower+Elwha+Klallam+Tribe+and+Quinault+Indian+Nation
Upthegrove and Reykdal on that committee, et al, are in the bag.
Trump
The adults are not coming Jeff. We are on our own. I know you dont want to hear this, but we are not going to vote ourselves out of this mess. Its time for people to start thinking outside the box. Sorry for the black pill. PS, that poem was great!
It is discouraging, isn't it? We are trying to enjoy ourselves while here - sun coming out and all; but are planning a move.... too tough on us old white folks....
Very discouraging. I feel the urge to leave as well. Unfortunately our problems are too big to run from.
So what's new?? Citizens are left out of decisions that affect them. Randy Johnson and the Ozias pack have become dictators and rule over us, making decisions without our knowledge or input. Good going guys!! Just wait till the next election--You're out!
Hopefully you'll be signing up to directly support Jake's campaign when the boots on the ground movement is needed.
Absolutely!!
I will be 100% with you all! Boots on the ground!
Hopefully we all know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, etc to get the word out and continue the message to get involved.
Lace 'em up!