The Shore Aquatic Center Board (Mike French, Randy Johnson, Mark Hodgson, LaTrisha Suggs, Greg Shields) did not respond to questions about the potential liability of distributing vouchers which allow homeless drug addicts to shower with families and children. Here is today's email sent to the county commissioners and Viola Ware, the Executive Director of OlyCAP.
Dear Commissioners and Director Ware,
If OlyCAP Executive Director Viola Ware is approving payroll and other expenditures associated with the program, how can she also say she cannot explain where the funding is going? Taxpayers deserve a clear accounting of how the $118,000 is being spent.
From the outside, the program appears to function largely as a jobs program for OlyCAP while serving very few participants. Can the Board provide a detailed breakdown of how these funds have actually been allocated?
OlyCAP has adopted a policy of not engaging with the public, despite the fact that county taxpayers fund these programs. Why is a county-funded contractor permitted to refuse to answer questions from members of the public?
Finally, how does the Board address the appearance of a conflict of interest when a county commissioner serves on OlyCAP's board while the county awards funding to that organization, and OlyCAP's executive director also serves in county leadership roles related to these programs? What safeguards are in place to ensure independent oversight?
Thank you for your time. I would appreciate a response to each of these questions.
The Sequim Safe Parking Program was designed as a temporary, transitional stepping stone rather than a permanent housing solution. That's such a laughable description when I recall Milton Friedman's famous assertion, "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program." His phrase was popularized in his 1984 book Tyranny of the Status Quo. He argued that because bureaucracies and beneficiaries develop strong vested interests in their survival, even failed or obsolete interventions become nearly impossible to eliminate.
I forgot to mention that the church explained there's a 3-month limit to participating in the program, which can be extended another 3 months if requested. Not very much about this seems temporary.
If you divide $118,000 by $125 - which I am sure the county could negotiate as a room rate at a decent hotel somewhere in the county - that equates to 944 nights, where these "needy" people could sleep in a room with a bathroom, and not a vehicle that has to be supervised. So, does this program really make any sense? And what caught my attention was the "mission creep" of "the church may seek additional funding in the future to build roofs over sanitation stations and to pay for guests’ vehicle repairs." So now the taxpayer has to repair a participant's vehicle? What a boondoggle ....
Just ask for a grant money by a NPO/NGO and know a buddy on the Commission, and it shall be granted. Sidebar : Last year the Sequim Warming Center that can serve up to 35 cold people every night when temps are low enough, under OLYCAP management was granted only $22500÷/- to operate for 2 years ($11000/year) . Why the big difference compared to the Park? I think it depends on who you are friends with, on the Commission. We'll never know. Under the table is the way to go... we can only guess based on history.
I found out that NPOs do not have to be audited by State law.
It is truly impressive how this Substack consistently highlights common-sense perspectives regarding the various dealings within our county. WE the people!
Nice work, Patriot's Jeff Tozzer and Jake Seegers~!
I believe that most would agree that if our taxpayer funds are being spent, that the public has an absolute right to know everything about where and how those monies are spent, as well as the justification for spending the money in the first place, and a full disclosure of the results. This would not only be consistent with good & legitimate business practices in general, but I would expect that it should be mandatory when the taxpayers are being forced into paying for anything~! That policy would at least be respectful, considering that all too often the taxpayers are given no vote or say at all in these matters. Anything less creates opportunities for abuses of public funds and suspicion that the funds are being mismanaged and potentially stolen to be used against the best interests of the general public. It is just a simple matter of proper and transparent accounting that I would expect already exists with regard to all other required bookkeeping responsibilities of the church and other NGOs that may be involved, so the fact that these questions should even exist is alarming. I am not exactly sure where or when this highly questionably and suspicious "convenient excuse" came from, that just because the taxpayer funds left the hands of "the government" the funds suddenly magically disappear from the public view for some bizarre reason, however there is old well-established president that actually supports quite the opposite reality! Most Americans are unaware that there is no two-year foreign language requirement to be admitted into college as they have been told all of their lives, and this has always been because the vast majority of colleges in the US accept taxpayer funding in one way or another, which prohibits any colleges that do so from excluding anyone from enrollment based upon a lack of previous foreign language classes. I suspect that in order for someone to be admitted into the St. Andrew's so called "Safe Parking Program", that they are not required to attend any religious services and/or be a member of the St. Andrew's church, which would also be a violation of the law (The American Constitution) regarding the use of American taxpayer funds. As the government corporations here in our community are constantly spending our taxpayer finds on questionable things that many in the community find to be against their wishes and best interests, especially as these same government corporations CONSTANTLY demand more & more taxpayer funding, it would be a simple commonsense decision to establish a transparent accounting process that also validated the expense in these cases~! Enough with the "sleight of hand" accounting and "trust me" BS~!
This pilot program should have only involved the church. Local gov't should not have been involved. If the church sees a community need for safe parking areas or repairing someone's vehicle, then that's its business. But the church involved the taxpayers, and so it is our business. We will be persistent until questions are answered and programs function with voter and taxpayer approval. Thank you Jeff and Engaged Citizens for asking the hard questions.
Great article, Jeff. This is all about expanding services for Viola Ware's empire. The Safe Parking Program also got a $1,500 check from Sequim's Blue Whole Gallery in December. Where did that money go? I'm still waiting on my records request regarding why a salary increase of $3,282 was approved. Both French and Ozias are big supporters of OlyCAP and have both held past OlyCAP board positions. It wouldn't surprise me if both French and Ozias socialize with Ware and her Public Health harm reduction community. OlyCAP just filed its 2024 990 form. 2024 was another banner year with $13 million in revenues, almost double from 2015. I'm no CPA but would encourage anyone reading this to examine OlyCap's recent 2024 990 form on ProPublica. It appears all volunteer hours have a calculated amount and are tax deductible. I wondered why the church is building their volunteer base when OlyCAP staff manage the one or two participants that can come and go freely. Seems like a very expensive babysitting service. Per the Sequim Police, on any given night there are a number of people sleeping in their cars, and they don't bother them.
And they aren’t sneaky, it’s just another day at the office juggling books and stashing tax dollars. Nope, there’s nothing to see here, move along folks……busy bodies act like it’s their money. Oh well, it is after all !
I am sure there are others we don't hear about. This county is a haven for predators. I feel I must live in Grandma Bear mode at all times here. Children come first always.
This article sold me, AGAIN, on why I'm voting for Jake.
Financial accountability.
In this case it's clear that Mike French is protecting the underhanded scheme he personally supports via public money by refusing to require NGO'S receiving that money to be as transparent with it as a government entity would be required to be. How is it that the voters tolerate this?
In my mine, all this Graff and corruption and slite of hand, the house can't loose except we the tax payers. THE QUESTION is who do they work and represent? They need to read there oath and get a UA. Vote for the Wedge and Common sense VOTE JAKE
They still have not answered the ? Of who is a member at the church and on the council. How did they pick this church? Was there a bid process? How much did it cost to make this a safe parking lot? When they get caught in their little scams they try to cover up and no transparency. Surprised? NOT.
No wonder they are getting the money. I wonder if he counts that as his tithing to the church and writes it off on his taxes.When does the good old boy corruption stop?
There was no bidding process. TUMC was approached by Christine Dunn who a coordinator for CC Health and Human Services. I don't think any local churches are interested in hosting a safe parking program.
Selling chocolate eggs and polliwog chocolates is a side hustle. This is a full-blown government contract disguised as local charity. 118 grand buys a lot of chocolate eggs and polliwog chocolates.
I am re-creating his yell at the Charter Review Commission's question on how to pronounce his name. STAH! is being reflective of his emphasis on how his name should be pronounced...It should be in all caps. STAH--FER! to emphasis he was yelling...
Between the mandatory "consulting fees," the endless oversight, and the budget lines for program management, it's amazing there is any money left over for a couple of portable toilets. It is truly inspiring to see a house of worship master the art of bureaucratic grant writing, inside networking, and bypassing the separation of church and state all at once. STAH-FER!
I heard Tim's Place was really nice. Good for the church and for clients. TUMC is a great community contributor, and a lot of good things as they should. Great friendships develop in that church.
If tax money goes to NGOs, they must open their books to public scrutiny. Please write a law to do this. Otherwise, our tax dollars go into black holes.
Yes! That's why there's no accountability. NACo, the Nat'l Assoc of Counties (Comm. Ozias is on the Board) has authored a form letter to the OMB in hopes that the public will participate in pushing back on stricter and more necessary rules for grant distribution and accountability. It starts on page 112 in today's BoCC Work Session packet. I'm writing my own letter.
even if these programs were legit and not taking tons of county money does no one look at the location these will be hosted at and the type of folks that will be there? trinity Church is basically Carrie blake park and St Andrews in Pa is between the high school and a wooded area. alThis is how our public areas get taken over. one of the biggest issues with this county is every thing is based on reaction and not being proactive. something really bad has to happen to get change and thats just wrong.
The wooded area east of St Andrews is part of ONP headquarters. The cul-de-sac directly south is the block where a convicted child pornographer owns 2 homes that he rents by the room via Serenity housing rent assistance programs, often to clients with criminal records. If overflow from any of these housing assistance situations (or anyone else for that matter) is improperly utilizing the NPS property for drug consumption or smoking, contacting ONP LE directly is the best way to address as they will enforce the law and protect the park property.
You can call park HQ and request a call back from park law enforcement if you have a concern about activties on their property. When I brought something to their attention that was problematic they were on top of it pronto. Federal property federal laws apply
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The Rule and the Test
The Establishment Clause: This constitutional rule prohibits the government from establishing a religion or preferring one religion over another. It forms the legal basis for the "separation of church and state.
"The Lemon Test: For decades, courts used this specific legal test to determine if a government contract with a church was constitutional. To be legal, the government funding must have a secular (non-religious) purpose, cannot primarily advance or inhibit religion, and must not result in "excessive government entanglement" with religion.
How It Applies Here
In the case of safe parking programs, municipalities argue they are bypassing this rule legally because they are strictly buying a secular service (homeless sheltering and security) rather than funding religious activities. However, critics argue that giving six-figure taxpayer grants to a church still violates the spirit of the law and creates an unconstitutional partnership between government and religious institutions.
The Constitutional Violation: A Funded Merger of Church and State
The use of public tax dollars to fund the safe parking operation at Trinity United Methodist Church constitutes an unconstitutional entanglement of government and religion, directly violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The constitutional wall between church and state is breached in three distinct ways:
Direct Funding of Religious Infrastructure: While defenders claim the church receives zero dollars, Clallam County tax revenue directly finances the infrastructure—including security, sanitation, and paid staff shifts—necessary to make the church’s own chosen ministry function. Without the state bankrolling the daily operational overhead, the church's program collapses. The government is effectively subsidizing the community footprint and outreach capacity of a religious institution.
Excessive Government Entanglement: The state cannot fund church programs without monitoring how public dollars are spent. Because county-funded staff (via agencies like OlyCAP) are deployed to church property daily, the state is forced into an ongoing, daily operational partnership with a house of worship. This continuous oversight and co-management of church grounds create the exact "excessive entanglement" that the constitution explicitly forbids.
Political Insider Entanglement: The separation of church and state exists to prevent religious factions from gaining unfair access to government power and funds. When church insiders like Jim Stoffer hold dual roles within the church community and municipal homelessness task forces, the process is compromised. It creates a closed loop where church members influence public policy to steer taxpayer resources back to their own congregation's project, obliterating objective secular governance.
By funding the labor and infrastructure required to operate a religious site, the county has moved from secular public service into active state sponsorship of a church-managed program.
When will someone shout, "White Christian Nationalists?"
"According to Ware, the program is managed by Trinity United Methodist Church"
Crickets, because like being the wrong kind of Alphabet person the progressives need to divide the country into in order to survive this is the OK religion.
Well when you put it that way (spelling it out for taking advantage of a situation) it seems very unchristian-like of this church. People will be judged on how they justify sin, if not on this earth but in eternity! Good luck with that!
1. The Critical View: The Sin of "Compromise" and Co-optation Many theologians, pastors, and watchdogs look at churches using NGOs to funnel millions in government grant money (often for migration management, housing initiatives, or international aid) and see a modern betrayal of the Gospel. From this perspective, the theological concerns are severe: Serving Two Masters: Jesus explicitly warned in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money." Critics argue that when a church ministry becomes dependent on government cash, its primary loyalty shifts from God to the secular state that signs the checks. Silencing the Message: To receive secular government funds, religious NGOs are almost always legally required to sign clauses promising not to proselytize or preach the Gospel while administering the aid. Critics argue that taking money to suppress the name of Christ is a disqualifying moral compromise. The Warning of Revelation: In apocalyptic theology, churches that form deep, profitable financial alliances with worldly political powers are compared to the "Laodicean Church" (lukewarm and blinded by wealth) or the system of Babylon. The spiritual warning is that those who participate in corrupt worldly systems face divine reckoning, not an automatic pass..St. Lukewarm...
The Bible does not leave the lukewarm without hope, but the cure requires painful, immediate action. In Revelation 3:19, the directive is absolute: "Be earnest and repent. "For a modern institution trapped in the "NGO money bin," repentance means cutting the financial umbilical cord to the government, rejecting the safety net of tax-funded contracts, and returning to the raw, uncomfortable position of relying entirely on God and the voluntary sacrifices of the faithful.
Whether God will forgive Jim Stoffer—or any public official accused of using religious, educational, or civic institutions for personal or political compromise—rests on an absolute spiritual standard that cannot be bypassed by bureaucratic maneuvering or political survival. The scriptural remedy for a leader accused of turning a righteous mission ("St. Luke") into a compromised, institutional system ("St. Lukewarm") is clear, and it breaks down into three theological realities:1. Forgiveness is Universally Available, But Not Automatic. Christian scripture is clear that no political insider, institutional manager, or "Six-Pack" bureaucrat is beyond the reach of divine grace. From King David to Zacchaeus the corrupt tax collector, the Bible shows that God routinely forgives those who have abused public trust [1 Samuel 16:7].However, theology emphasizes that forgiveness requires genuine repentance (metanoia), which means a complete turning away from the behavior. In biblical terms, Stoffer cannot simply resign from one board, slide into an appointed seat on another (like the OESD 114 board), and expect automatic absolution while continuing to use procedural rules to silence critics or leak confidential files behind closed doors.2. The Mandate of Restitution In the New Testament, when corrupt leaders or compromised officials sought divine forgiveness, it was always accompanied by public, tangible restitution. When Zacchaeus repented, he didn't just ask for a private pass; he publicly declared that he would pay back anyone he had cheated four times over (Luke 19:8).For a modern public official accused of operating a "lukewarm" double standard—such as pushing to censure others for leaks while privately forwarding privileged legal documents to outside entities—the path to forgiveness requires stepping into the light. It requires admitting the institutional overreach, dismantling the "bureaucratic walls" used to hide records from taxpayers, and apologizing to the community for prioritizing system-preservation over the core mission of educating children.3. The Strict Judgment on Leaders Theology places a far higher burden of accountability on those who demand leadership seats. James 3:1 warns explicitly: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ”When a leader uses their position to sanitize a message, protect political allies, or spend taxpayer funds on armed security to wall themselves off from public criticism, scripture views it as a severe spiritual offense. God's ultimate judgment is not swayed by a resume of civic appointments or polished public relations; it looks directly at whether the leader used their power to serve the vulnerable or to protect the establishment. Summary Will God forgive him? Yes, Christian doctrine dictates that God stands ready to forgive anyone. But the remedy for the "St. Lukewarm" disease is never a quiet backroom deal or an administrative transfer. It requires a raw, public confession, a rejection of insider politics, and a total return to transparency and truth.
According to Cress, eight individuals have applied to the program since its launch, five have been approved, four have participated, and three are currently utilizing the site. ---- Yep that sure justifies my hard earned $ to help pay for. :(
If TUMC or any other church/organization wants to provide safe, overnight parking spots for unhoused individuals, that should be at their expense; not the Clallam Co. taxpayer! When is the raping of the Clallam Co. taxpayer going to end? When all the property owners in Clallam Co. have been bled dry? When all the NGOs have gotten their fill from our naive, incompetent government officials? When the tribes have removed enough properties from the tax base that the good citizens of Clallam Co. can no longer afford to live here & must flee their homes & property to survive? How did we get to this level? My parents are rolling over in their graves! I am ashamed of Port Angeles & Clallam Co.! We were taught to work for a living; not suck off the teat of some NGO or other government program. What a dismal disgrace this county is! Time is of the essence. We need change. NOW!
The Shore Aquatic Center Board (Mike French, Randy Johnson, Mark Hodgson, LaTrisha Suggs, Greg Shields) did not respond to questions about the potential liability of distributing vouchers which allow homeless drug addicts to shower with families and children. Here is today's email sent to the county commissioners and Viola Ware, the Executive Director of OlyCAP.
Dear Commissioners and Director Ware,
If OlyCAP Executive Director Viola Ware is approving payroll and other expenditures associated with the program, how can she also say she cannot explain where the funding is going? Taxpayers deserve a clear accounting of how the $118,000 is being spent.
From the outside, the program appears to function largely as a jobs program for OlyCAP while serving very few participants. Can the Board provide a detailed breakdown of how these funds have actually been allocated?
OlyCAP has adopted a policy of not engaging with the public, despite the fact that county taxpayers fund these programs. Why is a county-funded contractor permitted to refuse to answer questions from members of the public?
Finally, how does the Board address the appearance of a conflict of interest when a county commissioner serves on OlyCAP's board while the county awards funding to that organization, and OlyCAP's executive director also serves in county leadership roles related to these programs? What safeguards are in place to ensure independent oversight?
Thank you for your time. I would appreciate a response to each of these questions.
The Sequim Safe Parking Program was designed as a temporary, transitional stepping stone rather than a permanent housing solution. That's such a laughable description when I recall Milton Friedman's famous assertion, "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program." His phrase was popularized in his 1984 book Tyranny of the Status Quo. He argued that because bureaucracies and beneficiaries develop strong vested interests in their survival, even failed or obsolete interventions become nearly impossible to eliminate.
I forgot to mention that the church explained there's a 3-month limit to participating in the program, which can be extended another 3 months if requested. Not very much about this seems temporary.
What if one of the "guests" bought a new car after the 3 month limit. Would they be extended?
If you divide $118,000 by $125 - which I am sure the county could negotiate as a room rate at a decent hotel somewhere in the county - that equates to 944 nights, where these "needy" people could sleep in a room with a bathroom, and not a vehicle that has to be supervised. So, does this program really make any sense? And what caught my attention was the "mission creep" of "the church may seek additional funding in the future to build roofs over sanitation stations and to pay for guests’ vehicle repairs." So now the taxpayer has to repair a participant's vehicle? What a boondoggle ....
Just ask for a grant money by a NPO/NGO and know a buddy on the Commission, and it shall be granted. Sidebar : Last year the Sequim Warming Center that can serve up to 35 cold people every night when temps are low enough, under OLYCAP management was granted only $22500÷/- to operate for 2 years ($11000/year) . Why the big difference compared to the Park? I think it depends on who you are friends with, on the Commission. We'll never know. Under the table is the way to go... we can only guess based on history.
I found out that NPOs do not have to be audited by State law.
That roof and car repair proposed future request from the COUNTY floored me too.
Considering the library is already trying to provide these services it would definitely be redundant. 🤪
It is truly impressive how this Substack consistently highlights common-sense perspectives regarding the various dealings within our county. WE the people!
The controllers know what's coming, and they're desperate to keep their charade going.
Call it what it truly is Graff and Corruption. Growing gov that produces nothing to grow GDP. Absolutely disgusting and evil to us tax payers.
Incentives explain outcomes.
Excellent comment.
Nice work, Patriot's Jeff Tozzer and Jake Seegers~!
I believe that most would agree that if our taxpayer funds are being spent, that the public has an absolute right to know everything about where and how those monies are spent, as well as the justification for spending the money in the first place, and a full disclosure of the results. This would not only be consistent with good & legitimate business practices in general, but I would expect that it should be mandatory when the taxpayers are being forced into paying for anything~! That policy would at least be respectful, considering that all too often the taxpayers are given no vote or say at all in these matters. Anything less creates opportunities for abuses of public funds and suspicion that the funds are being mismanaged and potentially stolen to be used against the best interests of the general public. It is just a simple matter of proper and transparent accounting that I would expect already exists with regard to all other required bookkeeping responsibilities of the church and other NGOs that may be involved, so the fact that these questions should even exist is alarming. I am not exactly sure where or when this highly questionably and suspicious "convenient excuse" came from, that just because the taxpayer funds left the hands of "the government" the funds suddenly magically disappear from the public view for some bizarre reason, however there is old well-established president that actually supports quite the opposite reality! Most Americans are unaware that there is no two-year foreign language requirement to be admitted into college as they have been told all of their lives, and this has always been because the vast majority of colleges in the US accept taxpayer funding in one way or another, which prohibits any colleges that do so from excluding anyone from enrollment based upon a lack of previous foreign language classes. I suspect that in order for someone to be admitted into the St. Andrew's so called "Safe Parking Program", that they are not required to attend any religious services and/or be a member of the St. Andrew's church, which would also be a violation of the law (The American Constitution) regarding the use of American taxpayer funds. As the government corporations here in our community are constantly spending our taxpayer finds on questionable things that many in the community find to be against their wishes and best interests, especially as these same government corporations CONSTANTLY demand more & more taxpayer funding, it would be a simple commonsense decision to establish a transparent accounting process that also validated the expense in these cases~! Enough with the "sleight of hand" accounting and "trust me" BS~!
Sincerely, Mike
This pilot program should have only involved the church. Local gov't should not have been involved. If the church sees a community need for safe parking areas or repairing someone's vehicle, then that's its business. But the church involved the taxpayers, and so it is our business. We will be persistent until questions are answered and programs function with voter and taxpayer approval. Thank you Jeff and Engaged Citizens for asking the hard questions.
A church that pays no taxes.
Despite someone clearly making a profit.
So in a simplified version
Person A - taxpayers
Person B - NGO's
Group C - commissioners
Person A through no choice of their own must give Group C their hard earned money.
Then Group C is the middleman who gives Person B, Person A's money.
But Group C does not need to make sure Person B spends the money wisely for Person A to see how their hard earned money is working.
Makes NO sense at all.
Hope this makes sense since this is being done after only 1 cuppa.
That makes sense sadly.
Great article, Jeff. This is all about expanding services for Viola Ware's empire. The Safe Parking Program also got a $1,500 check from Sequim's Blue Whole Gallery in December. Where did that money go? I'm still waiting on my records request regarding why a salary increase of $3,282 was approved. Both French and Ozias are big supporters of OlyCAP and have both held past OlyCAP board positions. It wouldn't surprise me if both French and Ozias socialize with Ware and her Public Health harm reduction community. OlyCAP just filed its 2024 990 form. 2024 was another banner year with $13 million in revenues, almost double from 2015. I'm no CPA but would encourage anyone reading this to examine OlyCap's recent 2024 990 form on ProPublica. It appears all volunteer hours have a calculated amount and are tax deductible. I wondered why the church is building their volunteer base when OlyCAP staff manage the one or two participants that can come and go freely. Seems like a very expensive babysitting service. Per the Sequim Police, on any given night there are a number of people sleeping in their cars, and they don't bother them.
I just saw my breath when I read this.
It's all an incestuous group of conniving controllers.
Disappointing isn’t it?
And they aren’t sneaky, it’s just another day at the office juggling books and stashing tax dollars. Nope, there’s nothing to see here, move along folks……busy bodies act like it’s their money. Oh well, it is after all !
Question:
Why put a homeless encampment next to a Public Park where children are playing?
Wasn’t there an attempted child abduction a few months ago?
Jim ??????
yes there was someone hiding in the slide and creeping onnkids recently but don't thinl chargea were filed.
Daniel Sigmon sexually assaulted 2 minor girls at Railroad Bridge park 2025, recently sentenced
2014 child rape near Carrie Blake
Source: Peninsula Daily News https://share.google/5XQnrYKJWd3QCELCW
I am sure there are others we don't hear about. This county is a haven for predators. I feel I must live in Grandma Bear mode at all times here. Children come first always.
I wonder where the local
residents are to share their thoughts..
boy i sure would.
This article sold me, AGAIN, on why I'm voting for Jake.
Financial accountability.
In this case it's clear that Mike French is protecting the underhanded scheme he personally supports via public money by refusing to require NGO'S receiving that money to be as transparent with it as a government entity would be required to be. How is it that the voters tolerate this?
Vote the Wedge. Vote for Jake Seegers.
In my mine, all this Graff and corruption and slite of hand, the house can't loose except we the tax payers. THE QUESTION is who do they work and represent? They need to read there oath and get a UA. Vote for the Wedge and Common sense VOTE JAKE
They still have not answered the ? Of who is a member at the church and on the council. How did they pick this church? Was there a bid process? How much did it cost to make this a safe parking lot? When they get caught in their little scams they try to cover up and no transparency. Surprised? NOT.
I could be wrong but my understanding is it is Stoffers church.
Yes, it is.
No wonder they are getting the money. I wonder if he counts that as his tithing to the church and writes it off on his taxes.When does the good old boy corruption stop?
When we elect honest, common sense people. Vote for Jake Seegers!
STAH-FER!!! 😉
Yes.
There is a good question in this comment.💥
There was no bidding process. TUMC was approached by Christine Dunn who a coordinator for CC Health and Human Services. I don't think any local churches are interested in hosting a safe parking program.
If you don’t ask u will never know. It’s amazing that it’s Stoffers church. Who came up with the $ figure the man on the moon!
Well there is nothing that can bring the respect of a church down faster than when they have a side-hustle.
Good morning, Patriot Susan C Bonallo~!
I LOVE your use of the term "side-hustle" here!
Most appropriate ;-)
Sincerely, Mike
You forgot the word bring DOWN the respect of a church
Selling chocolate eggs and polliwog chocolates is a side hustle. This is a full-blown government contract disguised as local charity. 118 grand buys a lot of chocolate eggs and polliwog chocolates.
Stah-fer!
HolyCAP.
HolyCRAP
good one
Do you mean Stof...?
I am re-creating his yell at the Charter Review Commission's question on how to pronounce his name. STAH! is being reflective of his emphasis on how his name should be pronounced...It should be in all caps. STAH--FER! to emphasis he was yelling...
Between the mandatory "consulting fees," the endless oversight, and the budget lines for program management, it's amazing there is any money left over for a couple of portable toilets. It is truly inspiring to see a house of worship master the art of bureaucratic grant writing, inside networking, and bypassing the separation of church and state all at once. STAH-FER!
Ya think...
I heard Tim's Place was really nice. Good for the church and for clients. TUMC is a great community contributor, and a lot of good things as they should. Great friendships develop in that church.
Tim's Place was wonderful. That program has since moved to Dungeness Community Church and is called "Friend's Place."
....STAH-FER!
@SpeakerJohnson @POTUS
If tax money goes to NGOs, they must open their books to public scrutiny. Please write a law to do this. Otherwise, our tax dollars go into black holes.
I'm going to go out on limb and wonder whether the Rs also use this hide and seek methodology.
Yes! That's why there's no accountability. NACo, the Nat'l Assoc of Counties (Comm. Ozias is on the Board) has authored a form letter to the OMB in hopes that the public will participate in pushing back on stricter and more necessary rules for grant distribution and accountability. It starts on page 112 in today's BoCC Work Session packet. I'm writing my own letter.
Good grief
the nerve!
I don't doubt it
even if these programs were legit and not taking tons of county money does no one look at the location these will be hosted at and the type of folks that will be there? trinity Church is basically Carrie blake park and St Andrews in Pa is between the high school and a wooded area. alThis is how our public areas get taken over. one of the biggest issues with this county is every thing is based on reaction and not being proactive. something really bad has to happen to get change and thats just wrong.
The wooded area east of St Andrews is part of ONP headquarters. The cul-de-sac directly south is the block where a convicted child pornographer owns 2 homes that he rents by the room via Serenity housing rent assistance programs, often to clients with criminal records. If overflow from any of these housing assistance situations (or anyone else for that matter) is improperly utilizing the NPS property for drug consumption or smoking, contacting ONP LE directly is the best way to address as they will enforce the law and protect the park property.
Thanks, Susie.
You can call park HQ and request a call back from park law enforcement if you have a concern about activties on their property. When I brought something to their attention that was problematic they were on top of it pronto. Federal property federal laws apply
Its a collection plate in the blue pages...
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The Rule and the Test
The Establishment Clause: This constitutional rule prohibits the government from establishing a religion or preferring one religion over another. It forms the legal basis for the "separation of church and state.
"The Lemon Test: For decades, courts used this specific legal test to determine if a government contract with a church was constitutional. To be legal, the government funding must have a secular (non-religious) purpose, cannot primarily advance or inhibit religion, and must not result in "excessive government entanglement" with religion.
How It Applies Here
In the case of safe parking programs, municipalities argue they are bypassing this rule legally because they are strictly buying a secular service (homeless sheltering and security) rather than funding religious activities. However, critics argue that giving six-figure taxpayer grants to a church still violates the spirit of the law and creates an unconstitutional partnership between government and religious institutions.
The Constitutional Violation: A Funded Merger of Church and State
The use of public tax dollars to fund the safe parking operation at Trinity United Methodist Church constitutes an unconstitutional entanglement of government and religion, directly violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The constitutional wall between church and state is breached in three distinct ways:
Direct Funding of Religious Infrastructure: While defenders claim the church receives zero dollars, Clallam County tax revenue directly finances the infrastructure—including security, sanitation, and paid staff shifts—necessary to make the church’s own chosen ministry function. Without the state bankrolling the daily operational overhead, the church's program collapses. The government is effectively subsidizing the community footprint and outreach capacity of a religious institution.
Excessive Government Entanglement: The state cannot fund church programs without monitoring how public dollars are spent. Because county-funded staff (via agencies like OlyCAP) are deployed to church property daily, the state is forced into an ongoing, daily operational partnership with a house of worship. This continuous oversight and co-management of church grounds create the exact "excessive entanglement" that the constitution explicitly forbids.
Political Insider Entanglement: The separation of church and state exists to prevent religious factions from gaining unfair access to government power and funds. When church insiders like Jim Stoffer hold dual roles within the church community and municipal homelessness task forces, the process is compromised. It creates a closed loop where church members influence public policy to steer taxpayer resources back to their own congregation's project, obliterating objective secular governance.
By funding the labor and infrastructure required to operate a religious site, the county has moved from secular public service into active state sponsorship of a church-managed program.
The kicker here is that the TUMC church has hired another NGO to manage this grant and thereby be able to avoid the legal entanglements.
It was already a house of NGO cards...jeez.
There is just no shame when bad people think they are covered in the name of Christ.
When will someone shout, "White Christian Nationalists?"
"According to Ware, the program is managed by Trinity United Methodist Church"
Crickets, because like being the wrong kind of Alphabet person the progressives need to divide the country into in order to survive this is the OK religion.
Pfft.
Under OPLYCAP management. Housing payments to Monitors. Really?
For-profit
Well when you put it that way (spelling it out for taking advantage of a situation) it seems very unchristian-like of this church. People will be judged on how they justify sin, if not on this earth but in eternity! Good luck with that!
1. The Critical View: The Sin of "Compromise" and Co-optation Many theologians, pastors, and watchdogs look at churches using NGOs to funnel millions in government grant money (often for migration management, housing initiatives, or international aid) and see a modern betrayal of the Gospel. From this perspective, the theological concerns are severe: Serving Two Masters: Jesus explicitly warned in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money." Critics argue that when a church ministry becomes dependent on government cash, its primary loyalty shifts from God to the secular state that signs the checks. Silencing the Message: To receive secular government funds, religious NGOs are almost always legally required to sign clauses promising not to proselytize or preach the Gospel while administering the aid. Critics argue that taking money to suppress the name of Christ is a disqualifying moral compromise. The Warning of Revelation: In apocalyptic theology, churches that form deep, profitable financial alliances with worldly political powers are compared to the "Laodicean Church" (lukewarm and blinded by wealth) or the system of Babylon. The spiritual warning is that those who participate in corrupt worldly systems face divine reckoning, not an automatic pass..St. Lukewarm...
The Remedy for St. Lukewarm
The Bible does not leave the lukewarm without hope, but the cure requires painful, immediate action. In Revelation 3:19, the directive is absolute: "Be earnest and repent. "For a modern institution trapped in the "NGO money bin," repentance means cutting the financial umbilical cord to the government, rejecting the safety net of tax-funded contracts, and returning to the raw, uncomfortable position of relying entirely on God and the voluntary sacrifices of the faithful.
Whether God will forgive Jim Stoffer—or any public official accused of using religious, educational, or civic institutions for personal or political compromise—rests on an absolute spiritual standard that cannot be bypassed by bureaucratic maneuvering or political survival. The scriptural remedy for a leader accused of turning a righteous mission ("St. Luke") into a compromised, institutional system ("St. Lukewarm") is clear, and it breaks down into three theological realities:1. Forgiveness is Universally Available, But Not Automatic. Christian scripture is clear that no political insider, institutional manager, or "Six-Pack" bureaucrat is beyond the reach of divine grace. From King David to Zacchaeus the corrupt tax collector, the Bible shows that God routinely forgives those who have abused public trust [1 Samuel 16:7].However, theology emphasizes that forgiveness requires genuine repentance (metanoia), which means a complete turning away from the behavior. In biblical terms, Stoffer cannot simply resign from one board, slide into an appointed seat on another (like the OESD 114 board), and expect automatic absolution while continuing to use procedural rules to silence critics or leak confidential files behind closed doors.2. The Mandate of Restitution In the New Testament, when corrupt leaders or compromised officials sought divine forgiveness, it was always accompanied by public, tangible restitution. When Zacchaeus repented, he didn't just ask for a private pass; he publicly declared that he would pay back anyone he had cheated four times over (Luke 19:8).For a modern public official accused of operating a "lukewarm" double standard—such as pushing to censure others for leaks while privately forwarding privileged legal documents to outside entities—the path to forgiveness requires stepping into the light. It requires admitting the institutional overreach, dismantling the "bureaucratic walls" used to hide records from taxpayers, and apologizing to the community for prioritizing system-preservation over the core mission of educating children.3. The Strict Judgment on Leaders Theology places a far higher burden of accountability on those who demand leadership seats. James 3:1 warns explicitly: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ”When a leader uses their position to sanitize a message, protect political allies, or spend taxpayer funds on armed security to wall themselves off from public criticism, scripture views it as a severe spiritual offense. God's ultimate judgment is not swayed by a resume of civic appointments or polished public relations; it looks directly at whether the leader used their power to serve the vulnerable or to protect the establishment. Summary Will God forgive him? Yes, Christian doctrine dictates that God stands ready to forgive anyone. But the remedy for the "St. Lukewarm" disease is never a quiet backroom deal or an administrative transfer. It requires a raw, public confession, a rejection of insider politics, and a total return to transparency and truth.
According to Cress, eight individuals have applied to the program since its launch, five have been approved, four have participated, and three are currently utilizing the site. ---- Yep that sure justifies my hard earned $ to help pay for. :(
What was I thinking? This IS a major success.
Sorry, suck-cess.
If TUMC or any other church/organization wants to provide safe, overnight parking spots for unhoused individuals, that should be at their expense; not the Clallam Co. taxpayer! When is the raping of the Clallam Co. taxpayer going to end? When all the property owners in Clallam Co. have been bled dry? When all the NGOs have gotten their fill from our naive, incompetent government officials? When the tribes have removed enough properties from the tax base that the good citizens of Clallam Co. can no longer afford to live here & must flee their homes & property to survive? How did we get to this level? My parents are rolling over in their graves! I am ashamed of Port Angeles & Clallam Co.! We were taught to work for a living; not suck off the teat of some NGO or other government program. What a dismal disgrace this county is! Time is of the essence. We need change. NOW!