Clallam County Watchdog

Last month, questions were raised about whether the Sequim School District’s partnership with the Wenaha Group was more about selling a school bond than honestly assessing community needs. Now, the results of a public records request are in—and they confirm many of those concerns. Internal emails and planning documents show that campaign-style messaging, political consultants, and coordination wit...

Free food. Free rides. Free housing. But who’s paying—and who’s watching? Clallam County’s spending spree is wrapped in compassion, but the price tag includes unanswered questions, creeping dysfunction, and vanishing oversight. On the eve of the 4th of July, take a closer look at a county that calls it “help”—but leaves taxpayers to foot the bill. County may boost harm reduction budget by $100k Th...

A recent column in the Sequim Gazette raises serious questions about the role of local media—publishing glowing praise for a costly, controversial public project while refusing equal space to those who funded it and lived with its consequences. Journalism has lost its way, ceased serving the people, and begun protecting the powerful. Here’s the proof. When a newspaper becomes a mouthpiece for the...

Local tribes and an NGO are exploring a costly and disruptive replacement of the Hood Canal Bridge—not because it’s failing, but because of concerns that it may confuse migrating salmon. The project, still in early stages, is backed by NOAA and tribal partners like the Jamestown S’Klallam, raising questions about priorities, influence, and who’s really footing the bill in a state already strugglin...

The long-promised Simdars Road Interchange was supposed to bring safer access and economic opportunity to Sequim’s east side—but now it’s delayed until at least 2031. While rural drivers wait, and gas prices rise again, millions from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act are funding EV stations, planning conferences, and grant programs elsewhere. As fuel surcharges hit working families hardest, Clal...

As tribal bloodlines thin and policy debates grow louder, it's time to ask whether the boundaries we draw around ancestry still serve justice—or simply preserve power. Like many who now call Sequim home, Al Courtney didn’t grow up here—but once he arrived, he knew the stories of how the town came to be were worth preserving. In 2000, he helped collect oral histories that were published as Sequim:...

County Commissioners are poised to grant Habitat for Humanity $800,000 to support a housing project in Carlsborg—but questions remain. The nonprofit has sent hundreds of thousands in local donations overseas, struggled through its first-ever development process, and previously planned to steer public funds to Jamestown Excavating without competitive bidding. While that plan may have changed, the l...

Who’s really in charge of the Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir? County officials say Public Works is leading the project—but the County Charter, floodplain laws, and environmental regulations point to the Department of Community Development. As political donations, legal ambiguity, and quiet re-planning swirl around one of the most expensive water projects in County history, the real danger may be...

Crime is rising, budgets are buckling, and public trust is wearing thin in Clallam County. While repeat offenders roam the streets and homelessness spreads, local leaders double down on progressive policies, selective enforcement, and identity-driven initiatives. From taxpayer-funded programs to tribal business advantages— is anyone still focused on the basics: safety, fairness, and accountability...

While Sequim’s city leaders devote time to virtue-signaling proclamations for Pride and Juneteenth, they’ve stayed silent on the fatal assault of a local artist—and forgotten the veterans who made their proclamations possible. In a city unraveling outside its own chambers, it’s time to ask: what do our leaders really value? Drive past Sequim City Hall on any given day, and you’ll likely see the sy...

From abandoned activist camps and political gatekeeping to unchecked tribal influence and public safety risks, this roundup dives into the contradictions hiding in plain sight. Who gets heard? Who gets paid? And who really benefits when transparency gets tossed aside? In Clallam County, the stories that slip through the cracks are often the ones that matter most. Legacy or left-behind garbage? Mit...

The Charter Review Commission was supposed to represent the people—now it’s lecturing them instead. From dismissing public comments as partisan noise to rewriting the rules to silence dissent, a small group of commissioners has taken control of the process. If you think your voice matters, think again—because unless you’re applauding their agenda, they’re not listening. This is how government stop...

When the Jamestown Tribe breached a Dungeness River levee before Clallam County’s replacement was built, it triggered a $15 million emergency, real flood danger to local residents, and exposed just how powerless the County is when dealing with sovereign tribal authority backed by the federal government. Emails obtained from the US Army Corps of Engineers reveal how the Tribe called the shots, the...

He spent decades creating breathtaking art — but died before he could show it. Now, the Sequim community has a chance to give Richard Madeo the gallery opening he always dreamed of. Join his family and friends on June 29 to honor a life of creativity, craftsmanship, and quiet brilliance. He poured his soul into his art, but never got to show it. Now, we finally can. On Sunday, June 29 , the Sequim...

The Charter Review Commission promised a public survey to “listen to the people.” Instead, it manipulated the questions, buried the results, and is now trying to downplay what the public actually said. Two powerful amendments—one on district-only voting, another on political conflicts of interest—have overwhelming support, but commissioners are stalling. The much-hyped community survey from the Cl...

The Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir is being managed as a public works project—but should it be? Clallam County’s own Charter says watershed planning belongs to the Department of Community Development. So why is an unelected deputy running a project meant to restore streamflows and protect salmon? This quiet transfer of authority raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and whe...

Five years after protests and powerful promises of justice and “real change,” a closer look at water rights, tax policy, and tribal influence raises serious questions. While local residents are metered and taxed, a sovereign corporation flourishes—untouched by the rules that bind everyone else. Is this the equity we were promised, or a new kind of double standard? A lot has changed in the last fiv...

The lights are dimming in Clallam County. While our neighbors to the east are investing in jobs and industry, Clallam is downsizing education, turning its back on economic prosperity, and handing over control of key public institutions to unaccountable interests. The signs are everywhere—just not where county leaders are looking. We’re losing our tax base, our young people, and now even our volunt...

A buried agreement proves Clallam Conservation District knew ditch piping could dry up wells—yet only the wealthy got mitigation while the public got silence. Now, the truth is out. The Clallam Conservation District (CCD) has long downplayed the risks that piping open irrigation ditches might dry up nearby wells. In their publicly posted FAQ , the agency admits that groundwater drawdown is possibl...

Sequim voters passed a $145 million school bond to upgrade aging facilities—but was it also a payday for the consultants who helped sell it? The Wenaha Group, a private firm that specializes in crafting bond campaigns and then managing the resulting construction, is poised to cash in. With property taxes set to rise and public records still missing, residents are asking: Was this bond about school...

Habitat for Humanity’s good intentions are clear—but as millions in public funding flow in and political partnerships deepen, the questions get harder to ignore. With Feel Good Fridays on hiatus, the good news is that there’s another local blog to highlight the positive. Enter Clallam County Solutions , a Substack by Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County Vice President Danny Steiger. In a recent...

In Clallam County, justice, taxation, and opportunity increasingly depend on who you are—not what’s fair. See how violent crimes go unpunished, how tax dollars and gas prices are manipulated to benefit political insiders and tribal enterprises, and how local media spins the narrative to keep you distracted. From downtown assaults to multi-million-dollar gas station windfalls, this roundup asks the...

The Canoe Journey is a powerful celebration of Indigenous culture—but this year’s landing at Jamestown Beach highlights a deeper issue. While the Tribe isn’t required to get permits or pay fees, local groups hosting similar events must navigate costly red tape. If cultural heritage matters to all, why are there two sets of rules? Dive into the double standards—and calls for equity. It’s hard not t...

A powerful coalition of government officials, tribal leaders, and environmental activists is advancing a controversial “Water Steward” position—potentially reshaping Clallam County’s control over water rights. With backroom coordination, conflicting roles, and rising public concern, residents are left wondering: who’s really calling the shots on our most vital resource? The Dungeness River Managem...

As Clallam County leaders push agendas around reconciliation, drug policy, and water rights, the tangled web of public spending, tribal influence, and ideological posturing is becoming harder to ignore. From harm reduction supplies shipped to private homes, to lawsuits threatening the state’s food supply, and to bizarre behavior at local government meetings—this county might be losing more than it...