Connecting the dots
Which county NGOs will be hardest hit if the grant gravy train derails?
The mystery of the matching letters. Using county resources to kiss up. What finally sparks action from one commissioner. Unraveling the USAID-Clallam County acronym connection. Someone retired and Rockefell-up into an influential position. Watchdoggers prove they’re driving transparency. Doctor G is officially ghosting us.
One year ago, a letter from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), a Portland, Oregon-based non-governmental organization (NGO), was sent to Clallam County commissioners. Written by Dr. Kathleen Guillozet, the letter proposed several changes regarding Towne Road:
Converting the roadbed into a trail.
Removing signs that prohibit pedestrian access.
Using pedestrian visit data from the Jamestown Tribe’s Dungeness River Nature Center to assess public use of the levee trail.
Installing pedestrian counters.
Consulting the Jamestown Tribe on previously made decisions about Towne Road.
A day later, the Jamestown Tribe submitted a similar letter to the commissioners, containing the same language, requests, and data. This raised questions about whether a coordinated effort was in place to oppose the completion of Towne Road. The connection between the Jamestown Tribe and BEF was initially unclear—until now.
USAID and Financial Flows
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been under scrutiny for issues related to transparency, political influence, and potential misuse of funds. A website, www.DataRepublican.com, has developed an interactive charity flow chart that traces the path of USAID funds.
One entity identified in this financial network is the North Olympic Development Council (NODC), where Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias serves as President. The flow chart lists NODC under its lesser-known name, "North Olympic Peninsula Resource."
The chart illustrates USAID funds being allocated to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, George Washington University, and Global Communities before filtering through multiple organizations and ultimately reaching the NODC. Notably, three transactions before reaching Ozias’s organization, funds pass through Dr. Guillozet’s BEF.
In April, at Commissioner Ozias’ request, the Board of Commissioners and Director of the Department of Community Development, Bruce Emery, drafted two letters: one apologizing to the Jamestown Tribe for the delayed response to their request to keep Towne Road closed, and another to Dr. Guillozet acknowledging her letter while reaffirming the County’s commitment to reopening the road. Although the County received letters from other organizations, these were the only two that the Board of Commissioners chose to respond to.
The Jamestown Tribe is the sovereign nation that funded over half of Ozias’s last campaign. BEF funds Ozias’s NGO, allowing him to influence policy in favor of his campaign donor—at taxpayers' expense.
The connection between the Jamestown Tribe and BEF is Commissioner Mark Ozias.
Ripple effects
During Tuesday’s commissioner meeting, Ozias suggested that the Board draft a letter to Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, and Representative Randall to outline the effects the federal funding pause is having on Clallam County. Commissioner French rejected the idea, stating that the relevant offices had already collected adequate information.
This marks the second time in three weeks that Ozias has raised concerns about federal funding, contrasting with his past silence on critical local economic issues. For example, last June, during a roundtable discussion on the impending closure of the McKinley Paper Mill, Ozias was the only participant who did not speak. Similarly, he has ignored constituent requests to inform the Bureau of Indian Affairs about the economic consequences of converting Clallam County parcels into tribal trust land. However, amid a federal funding pause, Ozias appears suddenly motivated to act.
North Olympic Land Trust
The North Olympic Land Trust (NOLT) has emerged as a major land-acquisition player in the region. Under the leadership of Wendy Clark-Getzin, the Jamestown Tribe’s Transportation Program Manager, NOLT was involved in the Towne Road relocation project. While Clark-Getzin advocated for keeping Towne Road closed on behalf of the Tribe, NOLT denies the organization played any role in maintaining the closure under her leadership.
The financial flow chart for NOLT is even more complex. It shows USAID funds moving from the World Resources Institute to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, and eventually to NOLT.
Before planning a workshop that determined beachfront homeowners should be evicted from their properties and offered compensation at below-market rates, NOLT worked with the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC) on a project to re-engineer the Meadowbrook Creek estuary. Homeowners in the 3 Crabs community claim that this project has resulted in increased flooding. According to DataRepublican.com, NOSC receives funding from USAID through the Rockefeller Philanthropy Foundation and the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. Hansi Hals, the Jamestown Tribe’s Natural Resources Director, is a board member of NOSC.
A powerful ally
When U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer announced he would not seek another term, Jamestown CEO Ron Allen wrote a tribute to the congressman in the June 2024 Tribal Newsletter. Allen described Kilmer as “a true friend and champion for Tribal sovereignty.” Allen noted, “As a member of the coveted Appropriations Committee, he [Kilmer] became a ‘go to’ guy to help all Tribes.”
In his farewell letter to constituents, Kilmer expressed that representing the federally recognized tribes in his district was one of the most rewarding aspects of his time in Congress. Last month, Kilmer began his new role as Senior Vice President of US Program and Policy at the Rockefeller Foundation. The President of the Rockefeller Foundation is former USAID administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah.
Watchdoggers contribute every day
CC Watchdog subscribers play a vital role in contributing to articles and research. This article originated when subscriber TJ shared a link to the Data Republican database, which has helped expose interconnected financial relationships and raise critical questions about transparency, influence, and the real impact of these organizations in Clallam County.
In recent weeks, CC Watchdog has attempted to contact Dr. Guillozet, but she has not responded. Staff at BEF confirm that emails are being forwarded to the Senior Director, who previously showed strong interest in ecological issues on the Olympic Peninsula. The silence raises an important question: Are these taxpayer-funded organizations genuinely acting in the public’s best interest, or are they merely catering to special interests?
An unanswered letter
Sun, Feb 2, 2025
Dear Dr. Guillozet,
When we spoke last year, there was concern that Sequim’s Towne Road might not reopen to the public. I’m pleased to report that it has since reopened, restoring a vital connection between Sequim and Dungeness. This reopening has also reduced carbon emissions by eliminating the need for a five-mile detour, benefiting residents, delivery drivers, and school buses.
I am reaching out to inform you about several projects on the Olympic Peninsula that may be relevant to Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s (BEF) interests in salmon recovery, agricultural resilience, recreation, and sustainable development.
1. Commercial Oyster Farming in a National Wildlife Refuge
The Jamestown Tribe has taken over management of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge north of Sequim and plans to develop a 50-acre commercial oyster farm within its protected waters. This project raises several concerns:
The Tribe intends to introduce the non-native Pacific oyster, a species originating from Asia, which could disrupt the local ecosystem.
The Army Corps of Engineers has acknowledged that this private venture will negatively impact fish and wildlife populations, sediment dynamics, eelgrass, and visitor experiences.
Up to 80,000 plastic bags of oyster spat will be submerged in the refuge, disrupting eelgrass beds, preventing native eelgrass growth, and disturbing the seabed habitat. Wildlife has been documented getting trapped under plastic mesh bags.
Given BEF’s previous concerns about 6PPD-quinone contamination in Meadowbrook Creek, the introduction of synthetic materials into sensitive waterways may also be of interest.
2. Wetland Destruction for Commercial Development
The Jamestown Tribe is actively grading and filling in wetlands to expand the driving range at its tribally owned golf course. By issuing its own Tribal Environmental Policy Act (TEPA) permits, the tribe bypasses stringent county and state environmental regulations.
Wetlands play a critical role in climate change mitigation by acting as carbon sinks that absorb and store carbon.
Ironically, the Tribe’s 2013 Climate Adaptation Plan acknowledges the importance of wetland preservation.
3. Pushing for Commercial Net Fish Farming Despite State Ban
Despite Washington State’s recent decision to uphold a ban on commercial net fish farming, the Jamestown Tribe has announced plans to move forward with such operations. This raises several environmental concerns:
Sea lice outbreaks around net pens threaten juvenile salmon, undermining the state’s multi-billion-dollar salmon recovery efforts.
Pesticide and fish waste accumulation creates "dead zones" where marine life struggles to survive.
The demand for fishmeal to sustain net-pen operations contributes to overfishing in marginalized communities in South America and West Africa, disrupting local ecosystems and economies.
Krill harvesting for fishmeal production reduces a vital food source for Antarctic blue and gray whales. Additionally, whales frequently become entangled in krill nets.
4. Carbon Emissions from Seafood Exports
The Jamestown Tribe has argued that local net pen operations could reduce carbon emissions from seafood imports via jumbo jets, even attributing airline emissions to worsening California wildfires. However, their own seafood exports also carry a significant carbon footprint:
In 2023, the Tribe harvested 135,493 pounds of geoduck.
Historically, 100% of their geoduck harvest was exported to Asia.
Transporting that volume of seafood via air freight from Seattle to Asia generates approximately 236 metric tons of CO₂ annually—a considerable environmental impact.
Call to Action
Our community is facing significant ecological challenges. The Tribe has said it is focused on future projects and unable to have a dialogue with residents. Given your connections with local and regional scientists and planning professionals, you could play a key role in fostering dialogue with the Tribe to ensure balanced, science-based decision-making that benefits the environment, the public, and future generations in Clallam County.
Many in our community would welcome meeting with you or collaborating with agency experts on these issues. Please let me know if you are available to discuss this further.
Last week, subscribers were asked whether they believed the Sequim School District’s ballot language was appropriate or unfairly worded. Out of 228 votes:
86% said, “The ballot is worded unfairly.”
14% said, “The language is appropriate.”
I would like to nominate you, Jeff, for the Clallam County Public Service Award. I can't think of any public service more deserving than CC Watchdog and the information provided by you that gives us readers insight in the shenanigans of our elected officials. I think if we all fill out the form, no one else could come close. I have not filled out the form and will wait for your approval or denial.
Finally we have a Government willing to look inward. It is a bloated, self propagating, insatiable beast in dire need of a diet. We have the world's most expensive educational system that produces the world's least educated and locally we just threw more money at it. It is the same with our health care. The most expensive with the worst results. When you have the most expensive and the worst results the answer is more money ? Government departments, agencies and divisions first dedication is to spend their entire budget out of fear of not getting more next time. USAID and our plethora of NGOs whose anacronyms are head spinning have similarly become entities scratching each others backs to keep the money flowing. The usually altruistic stated cause they support becomes secondary to the life of the organization itself. CHARITY IS NOT THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT. There should be no/none/"0" connection between Government and charity. Churches, charitable organizations and philanthropists independent of Government address charity. A "Non-Profit" is a non-profit because any profits are plowed into employee bonuses, more or improved equipment, bigger or better offices or expansion; hence no profit. It appears our local Ozias is the commensurate politician in latching onto multiple Federal, local and NGO teats simultaneously.