Layoffs Among Clallam County Employees

Clallam County will have to lay off thirty workers in order to balance a $2.4 million budget shortfall.

The eight unions that represent Clallam County employees were asked to either accept a one-year waiver on a pre-negotiated 3% cost of living increase, or take 24 unpaid days off.  They declined both options.  County Administrator Jim Jones said:

“If the unions would agree to that, we would not lay off anybody this year.  We would still be about $800,000 short in being able to completely eliminate the shortfall if that had happened, but we would make up the $800,000. That was a reasonable use of reserves, which would buy us time to look for other ways to raise that revenue, perhaps in the form of a small public safety tax.” 

Debate Between Linda Barnfather and Jim McEntire

Port of Port Angeles commissioner Jim McEntire and Linda Barnfather, former legislative assistant to state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, held a debate in Sequim earlier this week.  They're both running for the Clallam County commission seat currently held by Steve Tharinger, who is not seeking re-election.  McEntire said:


“Now is not a good time to raise taxes.  We need to watch the cost of living in the county very closely now.”

Linda Barnfather cited her experience in farming and property management,and said she favored a balanced approach between boosting the economy and protecting the environment.  She said she would consider a tax increase “when things are at the critical level.”  She also said:

“I care deeply for all of you and where I live.”

Border Patrol Checkpoints on Olympic Peninsula

U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints might get more common on the Olympic Peninsula. There was one the other day near the Hood Canal Bridge, and another one six months ago near Forks.

A Border Patrol agent said “These types of check points have proven to be successful in the past, and we are starting to utilize more checkpoints. We are expecting to begin using them frequently in and around that area, and in places in Jefferson and Clallam counties.”

He didn’t give any specifics, but another Border Patrol agent said Highway 101 north of Forks and south of Discovery Bay would be likely locations between now and mid-September.

Think these checkpoints are a good idea?

Reduced Federal Aid to North Olympic Peninsula

I don’t usually write about national politics at this site (that’s for my other blog). But in this case the federal government’s action (or inaction) will have a direct effect on Clallam and Jefferson Counties.

Bush was already planning to veto the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. But the bill never even made it that far. Last Thursday the bill got defeated in the House of Representatives.

This bill would have continued giving federal aid to counties that have lost money because of reduced logging. This program is now discontinued because of the bill’s defeat.

Last year Clallam County received $1.1 million from this program. Jefferson County received $1.3 million.

Now what?

Cultivating Success

Last Sunday’s PDN had an article (not available online) about this class being offered at Washington State University. It’s a 14-week extension course taught by Curtis Beus.

“Cultivating Success” is a course for beginning farmers. The current class has 61 people; there's a waiting list of 30. Students range in age from twenty-something to 70.

Curtis Beus said: “We had to turn a lot of people away. I'm thinking about doing this course again in the fall.” The course has been taught four times in the past 13 years, but this is the largest crowd yet.

The class teaches sustainable farming: organic farming practices, grazing and water quality protection, pest and weed management, and budgeting.

In the past few decades most of the farms in this area, especially around Sequim, have turned into malls and housing tracts. It would be nice if small locally-owned farms could make a comeback in Clallam County.

Casino For Elwha Tribe

The Interior Department has denied the Lower Elwha Tribe's plan to build a casino West of Port Angeles. The Interior Department ruled that the Tribe's application didn't include environmental assessments.

The Elwha wanted to build the casino on the 16-acre site that formerly housed Adventures Through Kayaking.

They might still be able to build the casino, but they'll have to wait at least five years. The Tribe is not planning to build a casino at Ediz Hook (where they own land) or at Tse-whit-zen, the ancestral village along Marine Drive in Port Angeles.

Do you think they should be allowed to build this casino? Or do you think the 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn is enough for Clallam County?

Ferry Service Between Port Townsend and Seattle

The ferry between Port Townsend and Seattle is scheduled to end on January 6th.

There's a petition being circulated to persuade Washington State Ferries officials to keep this ferry service running permanently. Here's a link to the petition.

Kyle Montgomery is a Port Ludlow resident who's been commuting to Seattle for ten years via Bainbridge Island. He's been leading the campaign in King, Jefferson and Clallam Counties to make the ferry service permanent. He said: “The message to Clallam County and to the West is here is an opportunity for Port Townsend to be the gateway instead of congested Bainbridge or Kitsap County.”

It’s questionable whether the State of Washington could or would come up with the money for this, even if there are enough petition signatures. But getting to Seattle via Port Townsend would be a lot easier than driving to Bainbridge Island.

The End of the Crazy Fish?

This could be the end of an era — a loss for Downtown Port Angeles and the Clallam/Jefferson County music scene.

The Crazy Fish — 229 West First Street, Port Angeles — is for sale. The owners, Cypress Vollmer and Molly Tucker, are burned out after the Crazy Fish’s four-year run. Hopefully they’ll find a buyer who will keep the business going.

Stephen Farr, who's in charge of Karaoke Night on Tuesdays, said: “"This is the most diverse, fun bar in Port Angeles. It's the only bar I'll work at. It has entertainment for the older crowd and the younger college crowd too. We should do whatever we can to keep it here.”

The Crazy Fish has a jazz/blues jam on Wednesday nights; open mic on Thursdays and live bands (including a lot of local groups) on Friday and Saturday.

Out of the three businesses in that same building that preceded the Crazy Fish, none of them lasted longer than a year. And here's some Port Angeles history: the Lady of the Lake was last seen alive in the upstairs hotel of the building that’s now the Crazy Fish. And the Lady of the Lake is the name of one of the Crazy Fish’s most popular drinks.

“Simple Majority” for School Levies

Even before all votes have been counted, the “simple majority” requirement for school levies has apparently passed. (Clallam County voters rejected it.)

With two Port Angeles schools closing, do you think the local school district still needs more money? Should school levies be passed by just 50.1% of the voters, or should we have kept the 60% supermajority requirement?

Growth in Clallam County

As you’ve probably read in the PDN (the articles aren't available online), there's been a showdown over growth between Clallam County and the City of Port Angeles.

Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman is in favor of rural growth zones known as Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRDs). Some of these rural growth zones include Deer Park Road at Rt. 101; Bell Hill near Sequim; and the Hungry Bear Café in Beaver.

Port Angeles City Planner Nathan West and City Manager Mark Madsen are opposed to any new urban development outside of incorporated cities. Mayor Karen Rogers is in favor of preserving the current LAMIRDs but is against enlarging them (according to what Mike Chapman said.)

To make everything even more complicated, a Seattle-based environmental group called Futurewise is suing Clallam County for failing to comply with Washington’s Growth Management Act.

Where is all this going? What do YOU think?

Save Those Gas $$$$$

If you're nineteen or under, you don’t need to keep pouring money into your gas tank. Clallam Transit is offering a summer-long Youth Pass (ages 6 through 19) for $10. No, that’s not a typo. A $10 pass will get you all over Clallam County between now and the Saturday before Labor Day.

Sure you'd rather drive than ride the bus, but with gas prices going through the roof, think of the money you can save.

Clallam Transit is also offering discount monthly bus passes to all Downtown Association members and their employees. The price of these passes has been reduced by more than 75%, and the passes are good for everywhere within Clallam County. To get one of these bus passes, go to the Family Shoe Store on West Front Street, P.A. This is where you get the coupons from Clallam Transit that you'll need. With these coupons you can get your bus pass at either Washington Mutual (Front and Laurel) or at the Transit System office.

Downtown Port Angeles business owners and employees are encouraged to use the parking lot at Zak's (West Front Street, downtown P.A.). You'll need a permit, but this will free up more street parking for downtown shoppers. The DNR parking lot — West of Oak Street, between the transit mall and the estuary — is also up and running and ready to be used (permit only).

P.S. — Bravo to all Port Angeles merchants who are accepting Canadian currency and have a sign in their windows indicating this. Merchants who are doing this have reported an increase in sales.