85 Comments
User's avatar
Jeff Tozzer's avatar

The commissioners and Health Officer Berry did not respond to yesterday's email asking why information was delayed about a dangerous new drug arriving in Clallam County. Here is today's email to the commissioners:

Dear Commissioners,

Where is the line when it comes to the Board of Commissioners stepping in?

We’ve seen situations where action was taken—private, taxpayer-funded security for Charter Review Commissioner Jim Stoffer arranged after a tense public comment, and even direction to investigate Towne Road supporters based on concerns from a Tacoma family that ultimately weren’t substantiated. Those were treated seriously and quickly.

What happens when the threat runs the other direction?

If an activist publicly celebrates the assassination of a political figure and says they’ll do everything in their power to stop a candidate from winning, does that rise to the same level of concern? Does that trigger any response from the Board, or is that something you choose to stay out of?

People are trying to understand whether there’s a consistent standard here—or if it depends on who is involved.

John Worthington's avatar

Young people stepping up to oppose bad government and paying the price. Thanks.

I love that more than the smell of napalm in the morning..

We have bad people in government and bad policy. I tried for years to get them to do what made perfect sense. Look what I got. Thanks Jeff, Jake and Stacy. Its nice to see somebody elses' head on a stick at the end of Clamem County.

Its pretty easy to see why someone would want to be part of a pack with complete power. But its also easier to see when someone is drunk on it.

The reality is, that is what you have to do to make it here. Be wiling to answer Mike French's civil disobedience dog whistle...Be part of the retribution, gang stalking pack. Making sure no other packs can make a kill...starve them out...take their property...distribute it evenly to all the oppressed Olympians...

Jeff Tozzer's avatar

You're a young pup yourself, John. Remind me: Who discovered the $369,000 contract that the county commissioners "forgot" they had signed? It was YOU John!

4 reasonable development's avatar

If you are a tax payer in Clallam County and vote “YES” for higher taxes, you might as well shoot yourself in the foot!

MK's avatar

Nothing new here. We're in Clallam County, an extension of Olympia and Seattle for the controlling types giving us clear examples of what ails our county. These examples just lack the finesse of how the Charter Review Commission operated.

Most damning, we're 16 years into a 10 year plan. So we've been lied to, why? The homeless industry is a money making machine, and disrupting that lopsided policy isn't going to easily accepted by those who aren't really interested in helping those they claim to want to help.

Vote for the wedge. Vote for Jake.

TLL's avatar

Well stated!

vote for the wedge (WE THE PEOPLE) .Vote JAKE!

Susan C Bonallo's avatar

16 years may as well be 60.

When you have no plan and no leadership (Jake could have inspired change) then just give up on keeping track of the time . Seriously, what is the point? Counting years of do nothing failures. Pretty easy thing to do in Clallam County, there are so many choices.

CW's avatar

Brilliant article. Thank you!

This investigative journalism is what we used to get out of our news.

They no longer seem to care about the people...just the power and maintaining the status quo.

We so despirately need a change in local leadership!

Geoff Fox's avatar

Did you all notice how the most recent PDN weekend issue carried all those letters supporting the library levy?

CW's avatar

Not surprising!.......Stopped my PDN subscription 10 years ago.

Geoff Fox's avatar

Dropping the PDN and Sequim Gazette Easy peasy.

Susie Blake's avatar

all while they cue up the next levy lift for fire district 2

Glen Parker's avatar

Good morning Jeff and Doggers,

I hope we can keep our dynamic duo safe through all the process of getting Jake elected. So many topics in the air , I hope the letter to the BIA doesn't get overlooked. Our Commissioners in this county are good at the blame game. I just want it simple and ask for representation.

Please keep it up and get Jake the seat on the bench!

Thank you all and have a great day.

claudia a nash's avatar

Very sorry to read of this happening, yet somehow, not surprised. Thanks for another very informative piece, Jeff and my admiration goes out to you, Jake and Stacy and others for standing up and out on these hot and contentious issues.

SC's avatar

Things like this can trigger some feelings of instant emotion. But it's important to stay grounded. Our comments on this forum can get used against us and ultimately take away from the real intent of the conversations we should be having.

We can’t control how everyone else behaves- but we can control whether we lower ourselves to the same tactics.

Jake Seegers and Stacy Richards are speaking up because they care about this community. You don’t have to agree with them, but doxxing or spreading personal information isn’t accountability- it’s intimidation.

This kind of behavior usually comes from strong emotions and a desire to shut the other side down. But responding in kind only escalates things and drives more reasonable voices out of the conversation. We need to be diligent about not writing out emotionally driven responses that people can use out of context.

I stand behind anyone who chooses to speak up to help this community thrive. That should be encouraged, not punished.

And if people are being threatened or targeted, that’s not just “part of the conversation.” It’s crossing a line. Document it, report it, and take it seriously.

We can disagree. But we shouldn’t lose our standards in the process.

MK's avatar
Apr 22Edited

While I try to stay away from national politics, it is what's dragging us down locally. It's a tit-for-tat who can sink the lowest to engage emotions. One side thinks the other, or their leader, is the most despicable person and to counter it they act like the person they hate and think that by sinking lower themselves that it's going to solve anything. It lacks finesse, it lacks the ability to discuss, and it lacks a fundamental understanding of what causes real change in people.

John Worthington's avatar

Polarized politics. Its always the most polarized that rise to the top of either party. But the center has to take the blame. Most of the time they don't vote and the participation is lacking. The state, county and city can't employ everyone. A state can't survive without people with ideas who are willing to make an idea work. Red states are going to be the first states to use robotics, and make things easier for the people to afford the basics. The blue states will choke on their world economy based residential only communities. They will have to pack the Supreme Court to keep the world economy and Soros afloat environmentally.

John Worthington's avatar

A standard of losing...We don't counter protest well enough. The Republican party isn't effective enough. Wind them up and they trot out with the same ole message that has earned them their place at the bottom. Their platform does not effectively target the new independents that arose when the Socialists and Communists took over. Voting issues are obviously there but instead of backing Virginia Shogren they were worried about whose spurs would be going jingle jangle jingle for everyone to see. All it takes is one voting confirmation push whereby our biggest opposition party offers to confirm the votes prior to the County process. They should have already asked for National money to do this. That is the hard evidence that is needed without voter rolls. I can't sit by and run the Republican "standard." It wasn't good enough. My standard is I will file that administrative process I will file that civil suit. The Republicans here are great people and I would definitely rather sit next to them on the bus, but their inability to work effectively has made it so I can't afford to get on the bus.

jedjennings50's avatar

I once again am appalled at the NOLS needing money. I received an email from Marlo who oversaw the construction at the New Sequim facility. They were having issues with lighting controls and she commented what a shame that this was happening to a beautiful taxpayer project. How does she have the audacity to say that after their wasteful $6.2m at least spending on this. I wonder how much the end price was after almost a year late in finishing. I look at Shipley Center and private money being built for $2m at the old JCPenney building in Sequim that is almost triple in size and includes pickle ball

,gym, restaurant, meeting rooms, and more.The library was offered VE scenarios way before construction and they did not pursue the reduced costs. Now they want more money. What will they spend it on or is it to recoup what they had in cost overruns on the new library? PLEASE vote NOOOO on levy. I look forward to Shipley due to open this December.

MK's avatar

Always appreciate the information you bring to the discussion. A definite NO

jedjennings50's avatar

And your comments are enlightening and with compassion. We are in this fight for justice together.

SC's avatar

Didn't Copsey do the build on the library? That could explain some things lol

jedjennings50's avatar

No Hoch was the General and they are out of Sequim but the architect and lighting lab were the reason for construction costs to be so high.it was a Seattle based planning on a Sequim overpriced project. Sad our money was wasted.

Evrita Romero's avatar

Well, then, I guess I better be ready to get Doxed after my interview with Calamity Jen, and you know what I’m not afraid of these jerks if they come after me. These people are nothing but a bunch of bullies and you know what happens to bullies eventually. I have a few aces up my sleeve if they mess with me. I don’t like the fact that people being out and out threatened they could be arrested for that you know, and as far as posting peoples address maybe theirs could be posted as well. Just sayin.

Susie Blake's avatar

Someone Someone is correct- the local Homeless Industrial Complex has advocates who will threaten and intimidate individuals even for something as simple as offering to help someone get a message to their family member involved in the local drug scene on the streets. I wonder if they realize their behavior pushes people the opposite direction of their goals? I deleted most of my social media accounts because of such harassment and the perpetrator brining my family into it, but I won't hide either. I've been intimidated for photographing illegal activity, followed agressively in my car, had cars sitting in the alley early morning looking at my house.

SC is also right, on the need to stay focused on goals and not stray into comments that can be twisted against the issues.

It's scary that there are people like Fermankis coaching the mentally ill and homeless. Think about it. My adult children have firm instructions if anything were to happen to me to records request every city and county email and public comment and every call I ever made to police and turn it over to the federal level because I think the forces that want to maintain the status quo in the homeless/addiction industry here in the county are widespread and dangerous.

be safe, stay kind, but keep fighting

MK's avatar
Apr 22Edited

If you can damage property with impunity then it's not a stretch that it emboldens other behaviors that are not justified by laws, but what's in someone's head. That's Anarchy.

SC's avatar

It’s troubling that someone in a position meant to help others find their voice is displaying that level of online conduct. Public posts don’t come with immunity from accountability, and it’s completely valid for community members to bring those concerns to the attention of their employer.

UFOCCWD's avatar

If anybody is threatened just make a CCWD request and i will help.

ABeetlebaum's avatar

I think these people are suffering from a form of Stockholm Syndrome. Like remember Patty Hearst?? Similar to TDS...

Susan C Bonallo's avatar

Really it’s perfect that Fermankis is coaching mentally ill and homeless.

Know your audience.

Carmen Obrien's avatar

What I fail to understand is this: if property assessments raise as they have in the past 10 years (many homes over double) and we have added levy’s that are calculated by a set percentage, then my math says that they are already getting perhaps twice the amount that they were received ten years ago. Most of the people that I have spoken with about their property taxes have assessments that far exceed the actual sellable price, so every percentage that is delegated to the library, police, homeless, city budget is already inflated at all non indigenous home owners expense. Explain that for me

Jeff Tozzer's avatar

This has been explained to me so many times, and I can't understand it. I asked AI, and it's still murky to me:

What’s confusing—and honestly frustrating—is that in Washington, rising property values don’t automatically mean agencies like the North Olympic Library System are bringing in a lot more money. State law limits them to about a 1% increase in total tax revenue each year, so when home values go up, the tax rate usually drops to keep their overall collections fairly flat. That means even if your assessment has doubled, the library isn’t necessarily getting double the revenue—but your individual tax bill can still go up if your property value rose faster than others. So from your perspective it feels like you’re paying way more (especially if assessments seem inflated), while from their side they argue their budget hasn’t kept up—both things can be true at the same time, which is why these levy increases feel so out of sync with what taxpayers are experiencing.

Nickm's avatar

my understanding of the 1% max increase is its a 1% max of what they are already collecting. 2027 if the levy passed would be $7,800,000 and in 2028 it would go up to a max of 1% which which would be $78,000 for a total of tax revenue collected for 2028 of $7,878,000. Now this doesn't take into account all the other funding sources the library gets. If the pattern and money stays the same the library would have about a $15 million dollar budget in 2027 if the levy passes. The part i am not finding in detail is the salaries and benefits breakdown. In 2025 the library had $4.6 million in salaries and benefits. To me at a high level that seems high for 4 branches but again i don't have the breakdown.

Jeff Tozzer's avatar

Thanks Nick! Much easier to understand.

John Worthington's avatar

The Assessor is one of the Foxes guarding the hen house. Foxes always now how to build the perfect hen house.

UFOCCWD's avatar

My guess is board commissioners that want to keep squandering more $$$ every year make up a projected future county budget and give it to pam and expect her to make property increases to keep squanderers happy.

John Worthington's avatar

Oh well, I’m the type of guy who wants a school in every town

Where learing centers open, well, you know I’m a ‘round

I fund ’em and I build ’em ’cause its Trump that's who to blame

I was caught up in a fraud by Nick Shirley was his name.

They call me the squanderer

Yeah, the squanderer

I'll run you down and down and down. and down and down

ABeetlebaum's avatar

Sing it, Dion! LOL

SC's avatar

🎶🎶🎶

ABeetlebaum's avatar

The county needs to cut THEIR expenses, ie. high salaries/raises, hiring more people, spending on harm reduction, etc.

Jeff Tozzer's avatar

Worth watching three times, I think I get it.

Carmen Obrien's avatar

Note that in this explanation it is said that the assessment of property is usually about 1/3 of the market value…..now look at your tax assessment. Ours is over 100% of the sale able amount

UFOCCWD's avatar

The liberals will always be begging for more $$$ to squander.

Someone Someone's avatar

Getting threatening messages from Clallam’s Homeless Industrial Complex is like being suspended on Facebook and Twitter: If it doesn’t happen once in a while, you’re not posting enough about them. I received threats 4-5 years ago via FB Messenger from a guy who said the HIC knew who I was, where I worked and where I lived -- and that I should stop suggesting that the NGOs were grant-grubbing businesses that support homeless junkie addicts and crime. I reported and blocked that dude, of course, to no avail. I guessed they were entering my name in the Big Black Book of the Clallam Democrats, too.

Michael Heath's avatar

I don't for a second believe that these political signs are being stolen or destroyed by rebellious young folks~! Yes, that may have been the case years ago in some extremely rare cases, but very obviously there are dangerous radical socialists/communists/Marxists/satanists in our community who have made it abundantly clear that they will resort to criminal activity and that they are well capable of property destruction and violence. I would encourage the good folks of Clallam County to set up some traps of cameras that constantly monitor some of these signs, so that they can show the general public exactly what kind of treasonous scumbags that we really have in our community. Copies of the video proof of these crimes should be given to the police, sheriff, state and federal authorities as well, but just to make sure that these so-called "policing agencies" can't deny that they were given the evidence of this kind of very clear election tampering and personal threats & harassment~! The greater impact will be when the general public actually sees the video proof that these really are treasonous anti-American terrorists, who very intentionally use the most evil and threatening thuggish tactics to keep the majority of good folks from changing the local government for the better~! Let us keep doubling down on our efforts and put up even more Jake Seegers signs, to show these bullying criminal scumbags that they are not only greatly outnumbered but actually risking their own safety and lives if they continue to threaten & attack the good and peaceful Americans in their own communities~! These filthy scumbags are absolutely proving that "we" are on the right track, by their own criminal acts that reveal the fact that they are afraid that their "gravy train" of corruption will be stopped~! This makes Jake Seegers look more & more like a great choice for a government management position and that we need more like him~!

Sincerely, Mike

4 reasonable development's avatar

The NORS should shut down a library if they need funds to run their programs instead of jacking up taxes. There is free transportation between Sequim & PA, only 15 miles apart. Most libraries in other cities are further apart than 15 miles. Why fund two buildings, double staffing & double services, etc., close a library and save a lot of dough. Love all the light being shown on wasted tax dollars, keep the information flowing Clallam County Watchdog 👀👁️👀👁️👀👀👁️👀

Garry Blankenship's avatar

I am tired of these feel good altruists and their lived hypocrisy. Save the trees, protect our forests, obstructing State sanctioned logging and then go home to their wood shelter, wood heat, wood furniture, wood cutting boards & utensils, etc. Wood for me, but not for thee. The local liberal leaning foster Lemming behavior. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it, we'll tell you what to do and when. To them independent thinking is a wooden stake in their hearts. The Lemmings don't like the laws of the land, so they demonstrate against the law enforcement we hired to enforce those laws. Lemmings are opposed to only citizens voting in this country. Most, if not all, due to their blind obedience, are against keeping radical theocratic terrorists from acquiring nuclear weapons. To all of them I plea, please go find a different country to hate. Maybe one more suitable to your liking, if that exists. Regardless, PLEASE LEAVE !

Susan C Bonallo's avatar

I don’t think the population is against harvesting dimensional wood for building. It’s sending logs to China and getting back Knick knacks and toothpicks. It’s not leaving forested trees until full maturation and it’s the waste and destruction of the ecosystem under the canopy of trees that sits sometimes for years without being replanted. We are capable of appreciating the timber industry but not agreeing with all the practices. Both can be true.

Joe Schmitt's avatar

Yes Clallam has a few Wackadoodles and OWLs screaming. But the majority of Clallam people are hardworking, law abiding people with common sense. Common sense will prevail.

Im sorry the ones out front that care about our values and our way of life have to put up with the non sense

Someone Someone's avatar

No, they're sheeple who will probably approve the library levy. Then they'll vote for the usual faces this fall.

MK's avatar

Agreed. A few wingnuts show up that normal people will distance themselves from.

ABeetlebaum's avatar

But normal people put these wingnuts into high positions of governmt!

Susan C Bonallo's avatar

Normal people, how do you define that?

ABeetlebaum's avatar

Everyone but me! lol

jedjennings50's avatar

The ones running the County lack common sense