From flooded neighborhoods and tents on sidewalks to $100,000 pilot programs with no participants and tribal empires crying poverty during a shutdown, this week’s stories reveal a pattern: when government talks about “resilience,” it usually means residents are the ones left to adapt. Public interests keep taking a back seat to politics, partnerships, and press releases. CC Watchdog takes a closer look at ten moments that show how Clallam County’s leadership keeps missing the point — and how citizens can step up where officials fall short.
King Tides, Higher Ground, and Lower Accountability
With King Tides expected this weekend, Clallam County Commissioners have finally announced their plan to address flooding in the 3 Crabs neighborhood. Flooding that residents say was made worse when the County and Jamestown Tribe partnered to remove an armored dike and reengineer Meadowbrook Creek — a project that has caused repeated flooding of homes and roads, resulting in thousands of dollars in damage to insulation, drywall, septic systems, and landscaping.
Commissioner Mark Ozias explained that Public Works is still trying to secure FEMA dollars to explore “engineering improvements.” He also said the commissioners are not able to effectively discuss the issue without the Department of Community Development Director, Bruce Emery — who, despite working across the hall, has delayed the conversation until the Comprehensive Plan update is finished. Much of that plan is being revised behind closed doors by the North Olympic Development Council (NODC), a NGO led by it’s president, Mark Ozias.
Commmissioner Mark Ozias said he anticipates discussing 3 Crabs “next year” with the Marine Resources Committee, which has advised the County to relocate residents and remove 3 Crabs Road entirely, a move that would displace roughly 600 people. For now, the County’s only flood response is Commissioner Ozias’s reassurance that “Public Works plans on having the Kirner Pit open for people who might want to make some sandbags.”
When government partnerships cause damage, and the only solution offered is a shovel and sand, it’s hard not to wonder whose interests are really being protected.
Flashback: Compare Commissioner Ozias’s response to flooding in 3 Crabs with his treatment of Towne Road residents — and decide for yourself whether all constituents are being represented fairly and impartially.
A $100,000 Empty Lot: Sequim’s Safe Parking Program Stalls
Commissioner Mike French offered an update on the Safe Parking Program at Sequim’s Trinity United Methodist Church — a project intended to provide three to five parking spaces for people living in their vehicles. The two-year, $100,000 taxpayer-funded program now amounts to roughly $33,000 per parking space.
Initially, the program was promoted as a refuge for senior women and transgender individuals forced to live in their cars. Today, it’s open to everyone — including men — and offers Narcan for overdose reversal. “At this point,” French said, “I don’t think they have had anyone actually successfully go through their intake process yet.”
The program involves six major agencies — Peninsula Behavioral Health, Serenity House, Olympic Peninsula Community Clinic, Re-Discovery, OlyCap, and Clallam County Health & Human Services. If the need was truly as urgent as advertised, why can’t these agencies find a single person to use a $100,000 public investment?
Paved with Good Intentions: Trails Over Traffic Safety
The County’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan is nearing completion, and Commissioner Mark Ozias says the most public feedback hasn’t been about flooded roads or dangerous intersections. Instead, “the one [item] I’ve received the most comments about is the potential for building a north-south trail along Diamond Point Road.”
This new 3.5-mile trail would connect Diamond Point to the Olympic Discovery Trail near Highway 101 — despite residents already having access to 2,800 acres of trails in nearby Miller Peninsula State Park. With county reserves being tapped to pay bills, it’s worth asking: should we be prioritizing trail wants over road needs?
After two years of fighting to keep Towne Road from being converted into a trail, it seems those same trail advocates have found a new project — one that diverts attention and dollars from safety issues and the importance of roads in rural areas.
Downtown Sequim’s Shuffle
Sequim City Councilmember Kelly Burger responded to concerns about the homeless encampment outside Sheeler Dental, across from City Hall and the Police Department.
The encampment you see outside of the denture clinic is the are two people who frequent Seal Street Park. After Sequim PD talked with them over the summer about the concerns about them being at Seal St, the gentlemen took it upon themselves to move their belongings and stay across from the transit center on the weekends which are typically busier in the downtown area. Apparently they discussed this with the business owner and they only stay there when the business is not open on the weekends. While maybe not ideal, it does address some general concerns about Seal St Park.
I actually drove by the transit center today (Tuesday) and there was no encampment in front of the denture clinic.
These particular gentlemen are well known to Sequim PD and local to our area. I even saw one of them trick or treating downtown with what I assume was his family on Halloween. It sounds like they are generally quiet and try to be respectful as possible given their situation.
So to your request, I would not agree with you that this encampment is “being allowed to grow”. What you are seeing are a couple of homeless people who are moving from one spot to another. Sure, the city could ban camping/sleeping, but without an overnight homeless shelter in Sequim we would just be moving them along to be someone else’s problem in a different part of town. In my eyes that does not really solve anything.
Sequim PD continues to emphasize foot patrols in the downtown area and interacts with the homeless people that frequent the area.
Tribal Success or Federal Strain
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe recently posted on Facebook expressing concern over the federal government shutdown and its impact on SNAP food benefits, encouraging tribal citizens to “stay strong” and donate to local food banks.
The message struck some as odd given that the Tribe recently publicly celebrated its success “without federal assistance.” With $86 million in reported revenue last year and only 209 local members, it’s fair to ask why a brief federal disruption leaves the Tribe scrambling to assist its citizens.
When a tribe with a casino, clinics, construction projects, and a golf course can’t sustain basic welfare for a few hundred members during a short-term shutdown, the claim of financial independence starts to look more like a talking point than the truth.
County Parks Need You
Clallam County Parks is asking residents to fill out its Communication Survey — and promises it takes less than two minutes. “We can’t rely on squirrels to spread the word 🐿️,” the County jokes. Take it here.
Public participation is essential, especially as the County develops its 2027 Comprehensive Master Plan. Parks decisions affect local access, recreation priorities, and future spending — so feedback now will shape where tax dollars go later.
Take the survey here. Share it widely, because civic engagement shouldn’t depend on rodent-based outreach.
‘Our Territory’? Tourism or Territorial Claim?
The Jamestown Tribe’s full-page ad in the Peninsula Daily News Visitors Guide welcomes newcomers to “enjoy our territory.” The phrasing may raise eyebrows — “our county” might have sounded more inclusive.
The ad showcases tribal properties like Railroad Bridge Park, the new library, and the totem pole at City Hall, but its language suggests ownership beyond those sites. When a single group refers to all of Clallam County as “our territory,” it risks alienating the very community that supports those attractions.
If any other group claimed the same, the reaction would likely be far less polite. Inclusivity should mean everyone belongs — not just those who can afford to advertise it.
Ballot Watch: Verify Before It’s Too Late
Some Clallam County voters are reporting their ballots are still listed as “pending signature verification” without any contact from election officials.
Don’t wait. You can track your ballot here: https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx.
Your vote matters — but only if it’s counted. Take one minute to make sure your ballot says “Accepted.”
Shop Local, Stay Local: The Holladay Barn Christmas Market
Jake Seegers once reminded readers that local spending doesn’t just solve problems — it fuels prosperity. Every dollar spent close to home multiplies through wages, services, and reinvestment, strengthening the community that makes Clallam County special.
That’s why the Holladay Barn Christmas Market in the historic 1934 Cline Bigelow Barn in Dungeness is more than a holiday event — it’s a celebration of community and local craftsmanship. For two days, the barn will be filled with artisans, neighbors, and a little extra holiday spirit.
You might recall that when the Holladays first planned this market, not everyone wished them well. Instead, it’s turned into a gathering that proves success is best shared. The Holladay family has opened their doors wide, welcoming everyone to take part in the season’s joy. Because here in Clallam County, when you support local, everybody wins — and that’s the kind of comeback worth celebrating.
Levy Lid Lift Loses
With voters rejecting the County Commissioners’ levy lid lift, the board will now face some tough budgeting choices — decisions that could affect everything from the poet laureate program to free pizza for drug addicts to private security for Charter Review Commissioner Jim Stoffer.
Local analyst Clallamity Jen has already crunched the numbers on her Substack to see whether the levy would have actually improved Clallam County’s finances. Here’s what she found:
