County residents are at the center of decisions that will shape our economy, public safety, and everyday costs. From soaring utility rates and taxpayer-funded projects to looming threats to local jobs, this snapshot reveals who’s accountable—and why your vote matters more than ever.
Sequim Water App: Who Really Paid?
The Sequim Gazette recently highlighted an app created by the League of Women Voters’ Water Committee that tracks Dungeness River flow.
At first glance, it seems like a civic-minded project—but funding details reveal a more complex picture. The software development was financed via a grant administered by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which itself received the money from the Washington State Department of Commerce.
That money came from the Climate Commitment Act, a hidden tax that has contributed to Washington’s sky-high gas prices and has indirectly inflated the cost of nearly everything transported by truck. Groceries, lumber, and household goods all cost more as a result. In other words, taxpayers footed the bill, the state funneled funds to a sovereign nation, and political allies used the project to appear benevolent—while local media didn’t investigate.
Subsidizing Media: Priorities in Question
Commissioner Ozias has publicly wondered about the county’s role in supporting local press, saying, “I don’t know to what extent local governments can help be a part of helping to maintain local press. I don’t know if that’s an appropriate role for us in any way, shape, or form.”
That uncertainty comes at a time when county spending is climbing with little oversight. Last week, the commissioners approved $3,075 to Sound Publishing, the parent company of the Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette, for “Fair Advertising.”
On paper, the payment covers publicity for an annual event that residents anticipate—but $3,000-plus raises the question of priorities. Are taxpayers getting real value, or is this a quiet way to support media outlets that may soften coverage of local government? Every dollar spent on discretionary media is a dollar not spent on roads, safety, or public services that directly benefit the community.
It’s yet another example of the commissioners prioritizing wants over needs.
Port Angeles Leadership: The Case for Change
Marolee Smith Dvorak has sounded the alarm on Port Angeles’ growing cost burdens. Utility rates, solid waste fees, and permit costs continue to rise even as wages stagnate and the population ages. The city’s population has grown only modestly since 1975—from 16,246 to just over 20,000—but housing and living costs have surged, leaving many residents struggling to keep up.
Dvorak highlights a troubling fiscal culture: revenue growth is not matched by disciplined spending. The city’s 2025 budget projects $158 million in revenue, up 37% from 2019, yet residents face steep rate increases: residential electric charges are set to rise 22%, and dump fees have soared 37% since 2014. Meanwhile, administrative positions remain bloated and long-term planning is largely absent.
This is where Dvorak presents a clear alternative. Responsible leadership means transparency, fiscal restraint, and a government that serves people rather than its own machinery. Her perspective contrasts sharply with Mayor Kate Dexter’s administration, which has overseen growing costs without meaningful reform. For voters seeking a city government that prioritizes residents, Dvorak offers a credible, solutions-oriented choice.
Sequim Budget Hearing: Questions You Should Ask
Sequim residents have an opportunity this Wednesday, October 22, at 5 pm to attend a county budget and transportation Q&A at the Guy Cole Event Center (Carrie Blake Park). Ask about flooding on 3 Crabs Road, frequent accidents at Old Olympic Highway and Cays Road, or why we are paying for a poet laureate.
Public engagement is essential for responsible government. Too often, citizens learn about policy failures only after costs have risen or accidents occur. This hearing is more than a formality—it’s a chance for Sequim residents to make their voices heard and hold leadership accountable.
Economic Alert: Interfor Furloughs
In Longview, WA, Interfor has announced furloughs for 110 employees and the potential closure of additional mills. While this is distant news, it sends a warning for Port Angeles, where the Interfor mill provides one of the few remaining family-wage employment opportunities.
Leadership matters in economic stress. Under Mayor Dexter and Councilmember Suggs, Port Angeles saw the closure of McKinley Paper Mill. If markets shift again, will city leaders protect local jobs? Candidates like Marolee Smith Dvorak and James Taylor offer a proactive approach instead of reacting after the fact.
Clallam County is counting on Port Angeles voters. Your choices will directly impact families, jobs, and the community’s economic future.
Voting Guide: Charter and Local Elections
The upcoming elections present critical decisions. Approving the charter amendment removing the requirement that the Prosecuting Attorney serve as coroner aligns with state law and simplifies county administration. County Proposition 1, however, risks expanding government at the expense of accountability and should be rejected.
Hospital District 2 elections pose more difficult choices. Status quo candidates have avoided transparency, leaving taxpayers in the dark, while challengers bring ideological concerns that may compromise practical decision-making. Sequim School Board races similarly expose a pattern of voter disengagement and entrenched interests, but apathy has led to subpar candidates running unopposed.
Residents need to scrutinize candidates closely, ask questions, and consider long-term implications. It’s time to ensure public services serve the community rather than entrenched political or activist agendas.
Dangerous Drug Activity in Broad Daylight
A viral video shows a man conducting a drug transaction outside the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles. This scene occurs in plain sight, mere steps from the building where officials fund programs distributing crackpipe cleaning kits, meth pipes, and other paraphernalia.
The optics are concerning. Taxpayer-funded programs designed to reduce harm are occurring in a setting where illegal activity is visible and accessible. Citizens should question whether current policies prioritize public safety or inadvertently encourage risky behavior.
Forks Man Charged with Murder
Donald Wayne Rownan, 47, of Forks, was charged with second-degree murder following a deadly crash during a police pursuit in Parkland, WA. The victim, 20-year-old Paola Parbol Arredondo, was killed instantly when Rownan ran a red light. Investigators say Rownan repeatedly violated community custody terms and may have been under the influence of methamphetamine.
This tragic incident underscores systemic failures in supervision and enforcement. Sheriff Keith Swank noted that Rownan had been arrested 36 times with minimal consequences.
County Poet Laureate: Are Taxpayers Getting Value?
Clallam County’s tax-funded poet laureate continues hosting events while essential services face cuts.
Tonight, Lesley Wheeler reads from her poems, which engage with progressive themes like feminism, racial justice, and political critique.
We marched in a cold city
pinked by hats with pointy ears,
ever alert to my inhospitable
secret vagina, whether it will
be grabbed or judged not fit
for grabbing. … Countless cartoon uteri
lofted into polity: she, she, she.
Meanwhile, men orate.
This continues to be America. The speaker has brought her daughter, however,
and as dispirited as the mother might feel,
nothing is lost on her daughter,
whose rebel yell is “Gender isn’t real!”
As she quips to her mother,
“you can write the poem
for my swearing-in.”
This, while Clallam County Commissioners stress they need higher taxes to “provide additional funding to continue services which promote safety, health, and the quality of life for citizens in such areas as criminal justice, public safety, public health, and use, and parks.”
Humor Amid Hardship: Jennifer R’s Substack
Finally, some levity: Jennifer R’s Substack adds a much-needed dose of humor to local news coverage. A housewife and meme-maker, she highlights absurdities in politics and local governance with wit and insight.
In tough times, humor is more than entertainment—it’s perspective. Jennifer R’s work reminds readers to question the status quo while finding joy in the everyday, offering a unique balance to the often grim reporting about county decisions, leadership failures, and taxpayer mismanagement.
