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Jeff Tozzer's avatar

The commissioners did not reply to yesterday's email, but Sheriff King, Chief Smith, and Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols did. Here is today's email:

Dear Commissioners,

Before approving the Conservation District’s funding mechanism and related contracts, what specific financial review or audit did the Board conduct of the CCD’s budget, staffing levels, and pay scales? Is there an independent analysis on record that supports these compensation levels and justifies the long-term funding commitment?

In a related matter, I want to note that Prosecuting Attorney Nichols, Sheriff King, and Chief Smith have already responded that they are open to participating in the town hall discussed in yesterday’s email. To date, however, the Board of County Commissioners has not responded. Can the Board explain its position and whether it is willing to engage in that same public forum?

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Denise Lapio's avatar

Fantastic, Jeff, to get willing responses from 3 key people to participate in a town hall. With or without the BoCC, there should still be one.

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Jennifer's avatar

MR. TOZZER WILL GET OUT HIS ANGRY MOB

CCWD has been upgrading itself in the last few years from “A LAP DOG” to “A CROTCH DOG” to “A SMALL SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY” and now the ultimate recognition “AN ANGRY MOB”. You betcha!

There are other individuals and groups who are also contributing immensely, and one is Virginia Shogren. She has been fighting voter fraud for a while with a big personal effort and use of her own monies. As we know, fighting our leaders takes not only money but can be physically and emotionally draining. You win some, you lose some. THANK YOU VIRGINIA SHOGREN!

https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/washington-ag-wins-sanctions-against-attorney-behind-voter-fraud-lawsuit-2022-06-01/

Shogren has also jumped into fighting the Clallam Conservation Districts who have/and are pushing to pipe the irrigation ditches (NOTE once again, it’s all about the fish tied into the water, tied into the Tribe’s ultimate goal to manage our waters) Bye Bye Irrigation Festival.

https://www.sequimgazette.com/news/plan-to-pipe-sequims-original-irrigation-ditch-draws-ire-of-shareholders-neighbors/

So, let’s give a toast to the individuals, groups and CCWD who have gain the status of ANGRY MOB clink clink

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Brian Hilderman's avatar

Does that make us mobsters?

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Jennifer's avatar

Brian, Fuggedaboutit, we are merely close associates (Goombas) of CCWD, so let’s make em an offer they can’t refuse

Omertà – Code of silence, no snitching ; )

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Brian Hilderman's avatar

"You know, we always called each other good fellas." — Henry Hill

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Jennifer's avatar

Brian, What do you call a mafia comedian?

A wise guy.

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Someone Someone's avatar

You don’t have to eat a lobster to be a mobster.

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Jennifer's avatar

SomeSome What’s a mafia boss’s favorite type of pasta?

Fettucini Al-forget-about-it.

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Someone Someone's avatar

As a former East Coaster, I have known people who were, you know. Connected.

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Jennifer's avatar

SomeSome, they could be closer to you here than you think. Rumors about the papermill that shut down and something about gambling, just talk. My husband is from Italy, it's so infiltrated it's now part of the culture.

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Someone Someone's avatar

You mean the tribal mafia?

I think the mill will end up sitting vacant for years and end up kind of like a ward of the federal government, like the old Superfund sites.

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Denise Lapio's avatar

On fire, Jennifer! Prost!

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Kristin's avatar

This was a fun thread to read of hers.

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Jennifer's avatar

Girls just gotta have fun : )

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Ed's avatar

What I'm seeing here is a very obvious connection between many of these Democratic lead organizations and those that have oversight on them. Looks like and acts like a Good Ole Boys club syndrome. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours! Then if anyone questions them they change the rules to hide from them or start calling those asking for accountability an "angry mob"!

It's time to reign in the frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars and put those dollars where they benefit the majority of Clallam County taxpayers, not just a handful. If the CCC doesn't start doing this the day of reckoning will happen and our county's economy will collapse. There are several people in this county's administration that appear to be positioning themselves to run for offices in Olympia and they're willing to do that on the backs of CC taxpayers by only aligning and supporting certain people and organizations under their supervision that back them and not the taxpayers. That carries down to those "certain" people leading those organizations to do the same tactics thus you have a well oiled "Good Ole Boys Club" with no accountability! Time for change is way overdue!

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Jennifer's avatar

ED, you put it in a nutshell, " There are several people in this county's administration that appear to be positioning themselves to run for offices in Olympia"..............

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Denise Lapio's avatar

1,000+ signatures on a submitted petition telling the BoCC NOT to approve the CCD's $5 parcel fee and rate increase request. At the BoCC's hearing, Virginia Shogren testified in written and oral form regarding her lawsuit. Yet it passed 2 - 1. And the BoCC can't understand why we think very little of them and feel frustrated and belittled. The water steward issue is designed to follow the same procedural creation as the CCD. We've all seen it happening. More tax proposals are coming along with more resolutions against property rights. Next year is already revving up to be one heck of a year. Keep us posted, Jeff. Thank you!

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veronica's avatar

My head is spinning. I have been doing all I can to reduce spending, make my home, my land more efficient. I own 7 acres, modest home and an ADU. A couple years ago the county put 5 acres in agricultural, which saved some on property tax. My neighbors fields are infected with daisy's so I have had to quit having hay baled and turn to irradicating the daisy's. The county sent me a letter demanding receipts from hay sales so I could keep my exemptions. I wrote them back explaining the process, sent pictures of myself treating the hay field, etc. Nope !!

They didn't like that, took away my exemption and told me to pay 300.00 to "re-file" I said I would not pay.

So, the county demands I produce hay to keep my exemption

The county calls the daisy's a noxious weed

The county does not address the current daisy situation at all. (neighbors fields)

BUT the county says my land is not agricultural, so....

I pay more, I cannot build on it, but I pay $ 542.00/month on a modest income.

WHAT EXACTLY CAN I DO WITH MY PROPERTY? They only want their money , and every branch of this county govt. that pays 80.00/hour, is to blame. If I earned near that amount, the 542/mo. wouldn't bother me.

They take, take, take, in order to pay for their "special" hires.

I am sick to death of it and do not know how I can stay here.

I can't grow hay, I can't get an exception on 5 acres of clear agricultural land, yet I get a tax increase every year and assessed for every shed or building. And, I'm told I cannot build on my own land. It is too much.

My neighbors down the road live in a crap hole. Trash, junk cars, car parts, etc. Police there all the time, transients, and more. The county sure hasn't responded to THAT. ! I am a much easier target.

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AFB's avatar

Have you contacted the Noxious Weed Control Board? https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/760/Noxious-Weed-Control-Board

And turn in your neighbor if you haven't already done so... I sympathize with you - this is not right...

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veronica's avatar

yes, I have and the neighbor has been turned in many times. It always comes down to , well, " it's really hard to prosecute on these things, and when they burn, you need to get pictures of what they are burning up close". So, they want me to enter that yard while they are burning? LOL not hardly.

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AFB's avatar

urggh! Very frustrating! Yeah, wouldn't want to step foot on the property. And, we have daisies EVERYWHERE, too! The daisy problem was really bad this last year. They even come up in the winter! Jennifer is right - Please vote and vote these CC people out, and vote NO on any new taxes!

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Jennifer's avatar

AFB, it sound good. It sounds like it should work, but it isn't. Turning in a neighbor only creates more problems and retaliation...enter lawyers. It's the system that is turning neighbor against neighbor. The system should already have taken care of the neighbor problem without her being involved. Instead, the system is going after money they can pull from low hanging fruit.

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AFB's avatar

Maybe I used the wrong term. Not 'turning in your neighbor', but finding out why there is a discrepancy between the neighbors and her property. Pointing out to this person:

"The board employs a coordinator who educates and informs the public about noxious weeds, conducts ongoing early detection surveys,"

and asking them about the situation and what she could do. Was not thinking of retaliation, but I guess many people do.

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Jennifer's avatar

AFB, "The board employs a coordinator who educates and informs the public about noxious weeds, conducts ongoing early detection surveys,"

They have no authority, plus the obvious, nothing is being followed up on. I don't mean to challenge you by any means, but it isn't working. We have to fight for our rights to enforce the laws equally. People are getting super pissed off now. I just got bills that have raised my insurance, water and electric, park fees, fishing permits, insurance etc. Wait for 2026 for Wa voters, the shit is going to hit the fan......and the shit is going to hit our 3 county commissioners when they can't pay the bills because everything went over budget.

AFB, I feel much better now that I have dumped on you LOL Sorry about that ; ) I'll just blame it on menopause.

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AFB's avatar

LOL! I get it. Nothing is working in this county and state! I didn't intend to placate in any way, just really sympathize with her and anyone that is paying these outrageous taxes, including gas taxes!

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Kathleen S's avatar

I have spent years trying to get rid of toxic daisies, too. These weeds have taken over every hayfield in the valley except those who use tons of pesticides or hundreds of dollars in soil amendments. Why can we not get low interest loans from one of these agencies to help us get rid of these noxious weeds? Agricultural possibilities have been greatly diminished. The CCD and county have done nothing to help us get rid of daisies! To my knowledge the conservation people have provided nothing useful that we can’t all find on google.

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MK's avatar

Those and now poison hemlock is blowing across the lands.

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Jennifer's avatar

verionica, fight it all you like with the county, but your true voice will only be heard by voting in people who actually care about our county and land rights. I fought the property tax hike in 2022 with everything required including "comparables" (it has since become even more complicated) nicely phrased letter back "we have reviewed and found you do not qualify". Of course you can contest, but forget it without a lawyer which will cost you your first born child.

I'm so glad you shared this with us. You verify what is happening and one more true story that is bringing our county to bankruptcy.

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Kristin's avatar

This is so very very wrong!

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Teresa 2's avatar

$52.62 per hour to handle an office of 4! The Office Administrator herself makes it 5 total employees. Ridiculous! Any business office that small would have a part-time person, and pay them 1/2 of what this person gets. Talk about generous to a fault...to their friends.

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MK's avatar

Times 2080 hours per year.

$149,011.2

$165,672

$85,217.6

$158,412.8

$109,449.6

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AFB's avatar

3 of those salaries are more than my NP's! Come on, man!?

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Robert's avatar

Do those numbers include benefits??

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MK's avatar
20hEdited

That was all an assumption based on the hourly. Burden rates can range up to 75% of salary, most I've read are in the 50-60% range.

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UFOCCWD's avatar

Whenever and wherever radical ignorant liberals takeover a county like clallam co, trouble all across the board will come into effect and the counties will start to decay with unnecessary county positions, high taxes and crime.

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Denise Lapio's avatar

Yep, small town, big city problems.

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Someone Someone's avatar

So CCD elections should be monitored by a neutral third party. I have an idea! How about the CC League of Women Voters? They have a member who is a former judge would be GREAT for this, right?

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Geoff Fox's avatar

Stupid me. I'd think that a matter, like taxing a diminishing minority into oblivion, would require a ballot from the county auditor! Stupid me.

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AFB's avatar

Yep. Include me in that "diminishing minority."

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John Worthington's avatar

Congratulations Virginia. Very impressive to mount a major offensive....while she is on the defensive from the Democratic machinery. You have to be running on all cylinders and great working filters to be doing what she is doing now.

Schaler ruled for Arthur West in the WSLCB case and raised the ire of the empire..Now she is going to get the less exceptionally well qualified when she seeks re-election.

We need less of a retribution lens on these matters.

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4 reasonable development's avatar

John you are another stepping forward and filing and your very important complaint being accepted, thank you from the citizens of Clallam County! Both of these issues are what our elected officials should be doing, and getting paid for, to protect the citizens of our County! Instead citizens are having to take legal action for legal rights!

Something is seriously wrong!

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Someone Someone's avatar

Speaking of “land conservation,” look at what Randall, Murray and Cantwell are doing — sponsoring a bill to transfer more than 1000 acres of federal land to the Lower Elwha Tribe.

https://randall.house.gov/media/press-releases/randall-cantwell-murray-bills-place-lower-elwha-klallam-tribe-and-quinault

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Kathleen S's avatar

Virginia Shogun’s legal appeal to the CCD March 2024voting irregularities is absolutely stunning! The amount of time and effort she has provided is noteworthy as she points out the amateur style of running the CCD election. The conflicts of interest are abundant and the piping of our irrigation ditches fraught with contradictory (questionably factual) claims about benefits to residents and the river and the fish. The piping project, which left out local citizen questions and concerns, has proceeded unchecked until recently largely thanks to Shogun and interested individuals. So far the project has caused affected residents tens of thousands of dollars to repair damages and tens of thousands to dig new wells that have gone dry due to aquifer recharge being disrupted. No compensation has been offered to affected property owners and the ability to request compensation was quickly nullified by legal formation of protected group. I see “the CCD team” has increased their wages, but I don’t see any data that convinces any positive outcome.

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Kristin's avatar
21hEdited

One thing that really gets me is how Suggs just ignores the rest of her blood. She acts like she is only one thing.

I am a heinz 57 so I do not lean to one or another since lots of blood runs through these veins so treat ALL as humans.

This was a great one Jeff and thank you!

Golly I wish JT had won!!!!

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MK's avatar

When you've got nothing else, you go low.

"The Court also rejected the Commission’s claim that Shogren lacked standing, affirming that electors have the right to challenge elections that are not administered fairly or lawfully."

To even utter these words about standing demonstrates the mindset that is the CCD.

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Kirsten's avatar

To be "othered" means to be treated as an outsider, fundamentally different, or less than human by a dominant group, creating an "us vs. them" dynamic based on traits like race, gender, beliefs, or disability, leading to marginalization, prejudice, exclusion, and dehumanization.

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Jeff Tozzer's avatar

I knew the definition would get me riled up! Thank you :)

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4 reasonable development's avatar

I love definitions! They don’t change or disappear. There are those who keep trying and trying and trying to make it so……they ignore and dismiss until they are slapped back into the real world of reality 🤗

Courage takes grit & knowledge. It is up to all of us to protect our protectors. Stand up, speak up & don’t give up, never, ever!

More to come…..it’s coming, we are all watching.

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Clallamity Jen's avatar

Anyone writing letters to government officials is welcome to CC me clallamityjen@gmail.com. Letters I receive will become published on Clallam County Letters to preserve a public record of civic correspondence. Thank you! https://clallamcountyletters.substack.com/

Thanks for all the meeting updates in the podcast! It’s incredible to think they had to break it into two sessions. Thank you to all who attended and gave their time to speak out!

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