Budget gaps and evasive answers

Clallam County's transparency problem

Clallam County’s budget is suddenly in the red—just months after officials assured the public it was balanced. With funding for parks and the county fair now uncertain, residents are left wondering: Where is the money going, and what’s being done to protect these vital community assets?

To understand, the County Commissioners were asked via email:

With budget constraints threatening essential community services like our parks and the county fair, what specific steps are you taking to prioritize funding for these institutions over discretionary projects, and how can the public ensure more transparency in these decisions?

Commissioners Johnson and Ozias did not respond to the inquiry. However, Commissioner Mike French provided the following statement:

As far as I know, there is no budget proposal for 2026 yet. Any discussions that are being held are conceptual in nature. In our 2025 budget, the Board of Commissioners accepted a request from the Clallam County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board to increase funding for their Parks Master Plan that had been identified as a priority by that board. I work regularly with the Parks, Fair, and Facilities Department on improving County park facilities, especially on the West End – in 2024 we made improvements to Clallam Bay West Park (fixing a bridge, improving signage), in 2024 we made improvements to the docks at Lake Pleasant, and this spring we have a major fix planned to restore beach access at Clallam Bay Park. Our staff works diligently to find local and state funding to supplement the General Fund revenue that supports our County Park system and the Clallam County Fair.

I would encourage any member of the public to attend meetings of the two boards that help guide the County Parks and the County Fair – all these meetings are held in public and provide opportunities for public comment. The Clallam County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board meets the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm at the County Courthouse. The Clallam County Fair Board meets the 4^th Wednesday of each month at 6pm at the County Courthouse (the Fair Board meetings do sometimes change, based on the availability of Board members who do an extraordinary amount of volunteer work helping to plan the Fair each year).

While French’s response provides some insight into past investments in county parks and the fair, it does not directly address the key concerns posed in the inquiry.

A closer look at the response

1. Avoids addressing future budget prioritization – The core of the question asks how parks and the county fair will be prioritized over discretionary projects in the face of budget constraints. Instead of providing a concrete answer, French states that there is no budget proposal for 2026 and that discussions are merely "conceptual" and references one park improvement (Clallam Bay Park). This does not indicate whether active efforts are being made to secure funding for all parks or the fair.

2. Deflects to past actions – While past improvements to county parks and fair-related funding are commendable, they do not answer how funding will be protected moving forward. The focus remains on what has already been done rather than on future commitments or plans.

3. Shifts Responsibility to the Public – Rather than outlining mechanisms the government will implement to ensure transparency in funding decisions, the response shifts responsibility onto citizens, encouraging them to attend advisory board meetings. While public participation is crucial, it does not replace clear government accountability in financial decision-making.

The art of avoidance

While Commissioner French’s response provides useful context about past efforts, it ultimately does not address the core concerns about prioritizing funding for parks and the county fair over discretionary projects. Furthermore, it does not clarify what measures will be taken to ensure transparency in budget decisions. Instead, the response leans on historical actions, directs attention to public meetings, and avoids making commitments about future financial planning.

As Clallam County faces budget challenges, community members deserve clear, forward-looking answers on how their essential services will be safeguarded. The lack of direct responses from two commissioners and the evasiveness in the one response received raise concerns about transparency and financial prioritization within the county government.