Activists at the Table, Taxpayers on the Sidelines
A small group of insiders enjoys direct access to public resources and endorsements—while most residents are shut out
Under the current board of commissioners, local government is increasingly cozying up to socialist-leaning activist groups and using taxpayer-funded institutions to advance their agenda. Olympic Climate Action’s endorsement of Commissioner Mike French perfectly illustrates the pattern. Meanwhile, the County Health Department handed out morning-after pills and oral contraceptives at a family-friendly Pride event hosted in collaboration with the library and a socialist activist farm.
In local races across Clallam County, a clear pattern has emerged: select activist organizations enjoy close working relationships with sitting officials and publicly funded institutions, while everyday residents and opposing candidates often remain sidelined.
Olympic Climate Action’s recent endorsements offer a textbook example. The group has endorsed incumbent County Commissioner Mike French.
Commissioner French’s reelection platform prominently features the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The County has tasked Olympic Climate Action with helping deliver the Community Wildfire Resilience Workshop.
When an activist organization is given county-supported work tied to a commissioner’s signature issue, and that’s followed by the organization’s endorsement of the same commissioner, it raises fair questions about the boundaries between government and advocacy.
In Clallam County, this arrangement appears to be standard operating procedure rather than an anomaly.
Though the Olympic Climate Action claimed it “carefully reviewed candidates” before endorsing them, the organization did not reach out to Jake Seegers, the candidate challenging French for the seat. On the day the endorsements were released, Seegers was participating in a cleanup of an encampment along Tumwater Creek — a salmon-bearing waterway that has suffered repeated environmental damage from unsanctioned camping.
Here’s the irony: county policies under Mike French are enabling the persistence of these homeless sites through permissive land use and funding for harm-reduction supplies, while his challenger spends time cleaning up the aftermath.
Sticker Campaigns and Boutique Politics
Parallel efforts show the intensity of the push against Seegers. Indivisible, supported by the League of Women Voters, recently announced that new anti-Seegers stickers were in production.
According to a Reddit post, those new stickers are now available at The Pine & Eight boutique grocery on 8th Street in Port Angeles.
The Pine & Eight grocery store is managed by SisterLand Farms, a local operation known for its activist orientation and socialist leanings.
SisterLand members frequently participate in public meetings to defend controversial county harm reduction policies promoted by Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry.
Last month, SisterLand collaborated with the North Olympic Library System — a taxpayer-funded entity that recently secured additional levy funding — to host a Pride event focused on library cards and harm reduction.
The group also conducted an informal poll at the event.
The poll revealed strongly progressive views among attendees, with overwhelming support for “Tax the Rich,” “Land Back,” “Abolish ICE,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Masking Saves Lives,” and “Healthcare for All.” Notably, “Free Palestine” also enjoyed near-universal backing.
This stance carries irony for a Pride event. Across the Palestinian territories, LGBTQ individuals face severe social stigma, discrimination, and the threat of violence, with little to no legal protection. In Gaza, homosexuality remains illegal, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and the environment under Hamas is especially hostile. Traditional and religious norms leave many gay individuals at risk of family rejection or “honor violence.”
Roughly two-thirds of the polsters identified as pro-abolition, though some respondents admitted uncertainty about the term. One in four reported feeling unsafe or threatened being out, yet the only group expressing no worry was under age 22.
The library’s participation in an event with clear political overtones prompts questions about balance. Public institutions serve all residents; selective alignment with one ideological lane risks eroding trust among the broader community.
Also present at the SisterLand Pride event was Clallam County Health and Human Services, which had an official presence. The county booth distributed oral contraceptives, morning-after pills, safe sex literature, and promotional frisbees — all at taxpayer expense.
Interconnected Networks
SisterLand Farms maintains visible ties across local institutions. Individuals linked to the farm participate in Washington State University Extension programs supported by county contracts.
The farm has also received multiple “Farm of the Year” recognitions from the North Olympic Land Trust. These connections illustrate how activist networks can gain influence not through broad electoral support, but through sustained engagement with funded entities and government-adjacent organizations.
For many Clallam County residents — regardless of background — the central issue is representation. When a vocal activist class secures seats at the table through workshops, library events, retail outlets, and direct endorsements, the vast majority of working taxpayers and property owners can feel shut out of the conversation. This dynamic appears less about left versus right than about insiders versus outsiders in local decision-making.
Voters will ultimately decide whether these arrangements reflect healthy civic engagement or something narrower. In races like the commissioner contest between Mike French and Jake Seegers, the contrast in priorities and approaches is now on full display. The question is which vision better serves the entire county, not just its most organized voices.
Today’s Tidbit: A Note on Other Endorsements
Olympic Climate Action chose not to endorse Independent candidate Marcia Kelbon in her race, opting instead for Democrat Kaylee Kuehn. Kelbon highlighted her environmental credentials in a recent interview with the Olympic Peninsula Environmental Newsletter, which did endorse her.
A longtime advocate for practical conservation, Kelbon has completed three solar-powered home builds, including her own residence. She has been actively involved with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group in habitat restoration, noxious weed abatement, and salmon run monitoring. She also regularly participates in highway litter cleanups. Raised visiting national parks across the country and having served as a Girl Scout leader, she brings a personal and family-oriented commitment to environmental stewardship.
While Kelbon supports the goal of addressing climate change, she believes the Climate Commitment Act has fallen short—delivering limited environmental gains while imposing significant costs on rural residents. She advocates for greater investment in developing alternative energy sources as a more effective path forward.
Given her practical environmental record, it raises the question: why was Marcia Kelbon passed over for endorsement by Olympic Climate Action?
What Can You Do?
If you believe county government should remain neutral and serve all residents equally, now is the time to speak up.
Consider emailing the Clallam County Commissioners to express your view that Clallam County Health and Human Services should not participate in partisan activist events, and that a clearly partisan group like Olympic Climate Action should not be tasked with helping craft or deliver the Community Wildfire Protection Plan—especially when one of the benefiting commissioners is running for reelection.
All three commissioners can be reached through the Clerk of the Board: loni.gores@clallamcountywa.gov.
If you’d also like the North Olympic Library System to avoid clearly political events, contact the Library Board (which is appointed by the county commissioners) at LibraryBoard@nols.org or Executive Director Noah Glaude at Director@nols.org.
Public input matters. Let your commissioners and library officials know where you stand.