What do spicy wings, skewed surveys, and million-dollar margins have in common? They’re all part of the strange saga unfolding in Clallam County.
From a commissioner dodging hard questions while blocking job opportunities near his home, to a school curriculum that skips over violent tribal history, to a tribal enterprise reporting profit margins that beat Amazon—this investigative roundup exposes how local power players say one thing and do another. If you care about transparency, accountability, and who’s really pulling the strings in Clallam, you’ll want to read this.
Commissioner Ozias: Under Fire
Commissioner Mark Ozias recently sat down with the Port Angeles Food Bank for an interview that combined a discussion of economic challenges with a taste test of spicy hot wings. During the conversation, he highlighted the importance of family-wage jobs and acknowledged the difficulties many working families face.
Notably absent from the discussion was any mention of his role in blocking the reopening of the Happy Valley Gravel Pit near his home—a project that could have created four family-wage jobs—raising questions about how that decision aligns with his stated priorities.
Ozias has voiced support for increased taxes and the Climate Commitment Act, which has contributed to higher gas prices. These positions have sparked concerns about their impact on low-income residents already struggling with rising costs.
While he emphasized the need to fund essential services like hospitals, schools, and fire districts through property taxes, he did not address a growing issue: the increasing number of parcels being transferred into tribal trust land and subsequently removed from the tax rolls. “The thing that’s tricky about property taxes is that when I pay a little bit less, because of an exemption that I might qualify for, that gets redistributed to everybody else,” he explained.
Challengers emerge in Port Angeles City Council race
As the Port Angeles City Council elections approach, candidates Marolee Smith and James Rocklyn Taylor are positioning themselves as alternatives to the status quo. Smith’s recent article discusses the Charter Review, but hints at her support for strengthening ethics in Port Angeles government.
Taylor critiques the council's approach to short-term rentals in his piece, "Good Intent, Poor Execution." Both candidates advocate for more responsive and transparent governance.
Sea-level rise and the 3 Crabs community: A debate over data
The 3 Crabs community faces potential relocation due to rising sea levels, based on recommendations from a county agency. Meteorologist Cliff Mass challenges the basis for such decisions, arguing that recent flooding events are more attributable to natural factors like King Tides and atmospheric pressure than to climate change. He notes that sea-level rise in Seattle has been approximately 2.09 mm per year since 1900, suggesting that attributing significant flooding solely to global warming is misleading.
Charter Review survey: Questions of integrity
The recent Charter Review Commission survey (now closed) has come under scrutiny for changes made during its active period. Notably, the positioning of response options for the ethics board question was altered, indicating manipulation while the survey was live. First, “No” was on top.
Later, “Yes” was on top.
Did the vote counts follow the yes/no when the answers were rearranged?
Also, a statement about the water steward position was presented without a clear question format.
However, the Sequim Gazette's publication of the survey further muddied the waters by rephrasing statements into questions, raising concerns that the newspaper was editing the survey.
Omissions in “Cultural Sensitivity” training
The Jamestown Tribe's cultural sensitivity training for the Sequim School Board has been criticized for omitting significant historical events. Notably absent is the Dungeness Massacre of 1868, where S’Klallam Indians killed 17 Tsimshian individuals in retaliation for a prior offense.
Additionally, historical accounts from the Olympic National Park describe the Klallam as fierce warriors who conducted slave raids and displayed enemy heads on tall poles, aspects not covered in the training. Critics argue that a comprehensive educational approach should include all facets of history.
Clallam County's high school dropout rate alarming
The Community Outcome & Risk Evaluation from January 2025 reveals that Clallam County's high school dropout rate in 2022 was nearly three times the state average.
How can test scores, graduation rates, and attendance be tanking when the average base salary for a full-time Sequim School District teacher is $97,910?
The Sequim School District Superintendent makes nearly a quarter of a million dollars annually—perhaps performance isn’t tied to salaries.
Clallam County Jail implements enhanced security amid staffing challenges
Facing ongoing staffing shortages, the Clallam County jail is continuing its contract with private security and introducing a single-point entry system with airport-style screening. Private security costs the county between $45 and $68 per hour.
Sheriff King reports that approximately 80% of the jail population struggles with substance abuse, mental health issues, or both, contributing to criminal behavior.
Inmate update
Level 3 sex offender Lonnie Priester (featured earlier this week) was booked into Clallam County Jail on June 1 without bail or bond. One day later, on June 2, he was charged with driving with a suspended license. The day after that, came two drug charges.
Jamestown Tribe's financial report raises questions
The Jamestown Tribe's annual report indicates nearly $86 million in revenue for a community with 209 local residents, sparking discussion on Facebook.
“Can someone explain the annual report to me? This looks like the tribe has $86m in revenue including $19m from Federal/State funding, $5m from their own taxes, and $5m in dividends. Most importantly, they had $47m in business revenue with $29.5m in business expenses. $17.5m in operating profit on $47m in revenue is a whopping 37% margin! For comparison, Apple “only” generates a 31% operating margin. Here are the op margins for other leading companies headquartered in Washington. Amazon 11%, Starbucks 14%. Costco 4%. Weyerhaeuser 8%. Nordstrom 3.5%. After Microsoft at 45%, I wonder if the tribe’s businesses are the most profitable business in Washington? Even excluding grants, isn’t this business profitable enough to be self sustaining?”
Clallam Democrats' newsletter honors communist activist
The June edition of "Clallam Democrats Rising" features a profile of Tim Wheeler, a lifelong activist with ties to the Communist Party USA.
While author Paul Pickett celebrates Wheeler’s contributions, the newsletter's praise has sparked debate about the appropriateness of honoring individuals with such affiliations, especially given the party's emphasis on political alignment and the complex history of communism.
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