Public institutions run on trust — but trust requires honesty, accountability, and leaders who take their responsibilities seriously. Here are ten stories that cut through the PR fluff and highlight what’s really happening across Clallam County and the Olympic Peninsula. From violent crime swept under the rug, to taxpayer-funded junkets, to dubious “leadership conferences,” to mismanaged public funds, OPMA violations, and the quiet monetization of holiday cheer — here’s what residents deserve to know.
Local Media is Silent on the Attack of Melvin Swagerty
Local outlets stayed noticeably quiet about the case of Nicholas Wells, who walked out of Clallam County Jail only to stab local athlete and delivery driver Melvin Swagerty hours later. Fox 13 ended up reporting what local media did not: Swagerty said that as he was being stabbed, Wells told him, “Why won’t you die?” Swagerty flatlined during surgery at Harborview before being revived. Meanwhile, Wells’ wife told investigators she feared people were after them because her husband supposedly knew a “secret biker dope recipe.”
Residents questioned the earlier decision to release Wells — especially given that he had already been doing donuts in a Safeway parking lot with seven children in the car and had been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Had authorities simply kept him in custody, this violent attack may never have happened.
While much of the community was horrified by the near loss of a gold-medal Special Olympian, one elected official was strikingly dismissive. Charter Review Commissioner Jim Stoffer — the only commissioner with a taxpayer-funded private security guard — downplayed the incident as merely an “unfortunate event,” suggesting the public focus instead on the “positive events” in our community.
That’s an easy statement to make when you’re allowed taxpayer-funded protection others don’t get.
Commissioners Cancel Meeting to Attend Taxpayer-Funded Conference
This Tuesday’s regular commissioner meeting is cancelled. The reason? All three commissioners are attending a three-day Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) conference — a lobbying group that is pushing for property tax increases and a pay-per-mile tax without public votes.
WSAC is also led by none other than Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias.
Clallam County taxpayers spend tens of thousands every year so county leadership can participate in WSAC, an organization that champions cost increases for those same taxpayers. WSAC’s annual “County Leaders Conference” brings together hundreds of officials, administrators, planners, public health leaders, and department heads from across Washington for networking, training, and policy grooming.
Perhaps when our commissioners return from this leadership conference, residents will finally see some leadership — ideally the kind that doesn’t involve skipping public meetings and advocating for higher taxes without voter approval.
$1.18 Million More for a Low-Barrier “Luxury” Homeless Complex
This week, the commissioners will approve another $1,183,203.82 in taxpayer money for Peninsula Behavioral Health’s North View complex — a “luxury” homeless project featuring panoramic water views, a rooftop terrace, dishwashers, and EV chargers.
PBH CEO Wendy Sisk has said the complex is “not exclusively dry,” meaning drug and alcohol use will be tolerated on site.
On Facebook, a resident of Port Townsend’s “Pat’s Place”, also in recovery, warned that living with active users is destabilizing for people trying to rebuild their lives. She described tiny-home residents as “mentally ill, in a fragile mental state, getting sober, recently out of domestic abuse, or physically disabled.” Having active users placed outside their door, she said, is “extremely triggering.”
The message was simple: compassion does not mean forcing recovering people to live next to active addiction.
The Jamestown Tribe’s Holiday Lights Go Commercial
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s annual Christmas light displays are already dazzling the Peninsula. Last year, 7 Cedars Resort CEO Jerry Allen described the lights as a “nice way to say thank you” to the community. This year, the display is no longer just a gesture — it’s a paid attraction.
Guided “Holiday Light Tours” now run daily from the 7 Cedars Hotel, with shuttles making stops at tribal properties including the campus, clinic, Longhouse Market, Cedars at Dungeness, and Railroad Bridge Park. The cost is $15 per person and includes a holiday gift, a coffee voucher, and a 75- to 90-minute guided tour.
The lights remain spectacular, but it’s hard not to notice the shift: what began as a gift to the community has evolved into yet another revenue stream. Holiday cheer is wonderful — but residents deserve to be aware when “community gratitude” becomes a commercial product.
Port Townsend Lawsuit Shows What Happens When OPMA is Ignored
Jefferson Healthcare’s board and CEO were hit with an OPMA lawsuit (Open Public Meetings Act) alleging secret meetings, undisclosed negotiations, improper executive sessions, and a “super-board” scheme to consolidate control over regional healthcare. Commissioner Matt Ready, excluded from much of this, publicly blew the whistle and confirmed what many feared: the board had strayed far from open governance.
The story is a warning for the entire region — including Clallam County. Here at home, the Charter Review Commission has been repeatedly accused of OPMA violations. Chair Susan Fisch and County Commissioner Mark Ozias arranged taxpayer-funded private security for their friend, Commissioner Jim Stoffer, outside public view. Three separate times, discussion of this security detail was added to the agenda — and three times, the executive board (Susan Fisch, Chris Noble, and Mark Hodgson) removed it.
When public officials block transparency and silence discussion, lawsuits often become the only path left for citizens. Port Townsend shows what happens when secrecy becomes the norm — and Clallam County is trending dangerously in that direction.
Public Agencies are Already Funding the Local Newspaper
Sound Publishing, owner of the PDN, Forks Forum, and Sequim Gazette, gave a presentation to the Port Angeles Chamber about supporting local journalism. The PDN now has about 6,000 print subscribers and 2,000 digital — compared to CC Watchdog’s 3,626 subscribers accrued in two years.
But taxpayers already “support” local media — whether they know it or not. According to public records, struggling Olympic Medical Center has paid Sound Publishing tens of thousands annually for ads:
2023: $44,561.72
2024: $50,427.99
2025: $46,275.19 YTD
Fiscally troubled Clallam County government has also paid:
2023: $46,611.92
2024: $56,136.53
2025: $19,955.18 so far
So when Commissioner Mark Ozias muses about “finding a way for local government to support media,” he may not realize he has already succeeded — with taxpayer dollars.
Chaos in the Clallam Conservation District’s Books
A recent public comment submitted to the Clallam Conservation District Board highlighted a pattern of miscalculations, missing check numbers, duplicate reports, and contradictory statements about who the District Treasurer actually is. This dovetails with Jake Seegers’ discovery that many CCD documents contain glaring accounting errors.
The 2000 resolution doesn’t name the Auditor as Treasurer; rather, it requires the District’s financial-accounting employee to serve as Treasurer. Yet staff have implied District Manager Kim Williams serves in that role — while supervisors claim it’s Wendy Rae Johnson, who is not a CCD employee. No resolution designates either person legally.
Treasurer’s Reports for 2025 show repeated anomalies: identical reports spanning multiple meetings, check numbers missing or out of order, and reports submitted anonymously when the supposed treasurer wasn’t present. The District was warned they cannot lawfully receive or disburse public funds without a properly designated treasurer — and yet no corrective action has been taken.
The county commissioners just handed the CCD another $2 million in taxpayer money. Given how disconnected they were from the William Shore Memorial Pool’s financial mess, why should anyone feel confident about the CCD managing a $2 million increase?
Utah’s “Homeless Campus” Model Shows New Approaches — Where is Ours?
Utah recently unveiled a massive new “homeless campus” site after a lengthy search. The plan consolidates services, treatment, shelter, and law enforcement coordination into one well-managed location — an approach meant to humanely support people in crisis while also preventing the uncontrolled sprawl seen in West Coast encampments.
The proposal acknowledges a reality Clallam County continues avoiding: scattering tents across residential neighborhoods doesn’t help people stabilize, doesn’t reduce crime, and doesn’t create pathways out of homelessness. Centralization does. Utah leaders chose a model that keeps services accessible but maintains community standards and safety.
With Clallam County continuing to push low-barrier housing into residential neighborhoods — even over the objections of people in recovery — maybe it’s time to look at models that are working elsewhere.
Sequim Schools’ “Free” Meals Come With a Nutrition Question
Sequim School District provides “free” breakfast and lunch to all students — but taxpayers cover the cost. The bigger issue: what exactly are our kids eating? Breakfast kits include Trix, Lucky Charms, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Lunch options lean heavily on pizza, cheeseburgers, and popcorn chicken.
There are vegetables available, but realistically, what child is choosing carrot sticks over pizza? And what educator truly believes a morning sugar bomb sets students up for academic success? High fructose corn syrup, refined carbs, and ultra-processed options dominate the school menu.
If we’re investing public money to feed every child, the least we can expect is that meals support learning instead of undermining it.
Parody as a Pressure Valve: The Strait Shooter and Clallamity Jen
Parody — when sharpened, not sloppy — can illuminate truth faster than a committee report. The Strait Shooter has become Clallam County’s unofficial court jester, skewering chronic power outages in Forks with headlines like “Forks Residents Vote to Keep Power Out, Embrace ‘Permanent Frontier Living.’” In the story, residents pay utility bills in firewood, the high school switches to “sunlight-based scheduling,” and candle-making replaces town halls.
At the same time, Clallamity Jen has taken a deeper, cutting look at real issues, such as former OMC ER doctor Josiah Hill, combining satire with grounded reporting. Together, the two provide a rare combination: serious public oversight with a sense of humor.
In a region where corruption, mismanagement, and costly mistakes are the culture, a little laughter helps residents stay engaged without burning out — and good satire often hits closer to the truth than any press release.
