Clallam County Watchdog

Five years after warning that housing affordability was nearing a breaking point, Clallam County’s commissioners are still blaming the crisis—while quietly fueling it. Guest contributor Jake Seegers notes that as home prices soar, the commissioners have backed policies transferring over 50,000 acres from private ownership into state, corporate, and conservation control. From Meta-funded carbon for...

Public frustration is rising in Port Angeles after revelations that City Councilmember LaTrisha Suggs’s reelection campaign is heavily financed by special interests and the Jamestown Corporation. Tribal official Paula Allen has leapt to her defense — not by addressing policy, but by invoking family lineage and heritage. In a city losing industry, jobs, and trust, residents are asking why represent...

This week’s developments across Clallam County highlight a growing concern among residents — that local leaders are prioritizing political comfort and selective causes over public accountability. From talk of layoffs and tax increases to closed-door meetings, selective inclusivity, and costly projects with little oversight, the pattern is clear: public trust is eroding. A tax hike, a threat, and a...

When Sheriff Brian King told the County Commissioners that Clallam County has just 0.8 deputies per 1,000 residents—far below the national average of 2.4—it wasn’t just a statistic, it was an explanation. From convicted felons to sex offenders who fail to register, our county has become a magnet for those escaping justice elsewhere. The question isn’t how they get here—it’s why we keep letting the...

From rising property taxes and tribal land exemptions to city bureaucracy blocking business growth, Clallam County residents are seeing firsthand how accountability often falls short. This collection exposes hypocrisy, fiscal mismanagement, and decisions that favor insiders over taxpayers, while highlighting candidates and community voices working to restore common sense and public trust. Former s...

Weeks before asking voters to voluntarily raise their property taxes , the Clallam County Commissioners will issue a proclamation today condemning “the prejudice and discrimination stemming from colonization.” The gesture, delivered with moral superiority, implies that today’s residents — the very people funding county government — still bear collective guilt for the actions of centuries past. In...

Each of these stories — from the misuse of buzzwords like “self-reliance” to tone-deaf leadership and unchecked spending — points to a deeper issue: the quiet erosion of accountability. Clallam County’s struggles aren’t unique, but they’re magnified when those in power forget whom they serve. Good governance doesn’t begin in Olympia or Washington, D.C. It begins here — with residents who question,...

Guest contributor Jake Seegers explains how some people give, while others take—and Clallam County’s commissioners have made a career of taking. This November, they’re asking voters for another $3.25 million in a “levy lid lift,” claiming the 1% tax cap has tied their hands. But the numbers tell a different story: county spending is up 52%, grant revenues have more than doubled, and taxes have alr...

From hospital losses to tribal land deals, costly bike projects to revolving-door justice, Clallam County residents are left wondering: whose interests are really being served? OMC’s missing millions At Olympic Medical Center’s latest board meeting, interim CEO Mark Gregson shared alarming news: the hospital’s finances have collapsed. What was a $6 million surplus in 2021 is now projected to be a...

Why is a county commissioner writing the news instead of being questioned by it? Last month, Commissioner Mark Ozias used his Sequim Gazette column to showcase the Dungeness River Management Team—without disclosing that he sits on its executive committee or that the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, his biggest campaign donor, co-chairs the group. While taxpayers fund millions in “collaborative” water pr...

Public safety, housing, healthcare, schools, and accountability — all touchstones for our community. Yet too often, taxpayers end up footing the bill while priorities drift elsewhere. Here are ten stories that raise questions about leadership, fairness, and whether public interest is really being put first. Breaking News: Sequim Security Firm Takes Washington State to Court Security Services North...

Citizens are forced to track what officials won’t: repeat offenders arriving from Seattle and beyond, straining our limited resources. How long can Clallam County afford to look the other way? After Monday’s article highlighting two recent arrests of criminals who appeared to be new arrivals in Clallam County, one subscriber pushed back: “Two arrests a couple of days does not demonstrate the cause...

With ballots about to land in voters’ mailboxes, it’s time to look closely at where candidates’ loyalties lie. And in Port Angeles, one City Council race raises serious questions about outside influence, outside money, and whether local voices are being pushed aside. Follow the Money According to Public Disclosure Commission filings , incumbent LaTrisha Suggs has raised $6,673.71 for her campaign....

Seattle’s revolving door of justice is spilling directly into Clallam County. Within a single day of release, offenders with long criminal histories are arriving here—overburdening our jail, our courts, and our community. How much more can we take? It was another busy week at the Clallam County Jail. Two men—both with long records and recent releases from jails in the Seattle area—were booked in P...

Fascism doesn’t always march in uniforms or wave foreign flags—it seeps quietly into local politics through manipulation, double standards, and fear. A series of handmade signs on a Sequim street reminded us how these tactics are showing up in Clallam County today: voter suppression disguised as strategy, loyalty over competence, history rewritten for convenience, and fear wielded as control. From...

From an unprovoked attack on the Olympic Discovery Trail to six-figure salaries for nonprofit executives, from Sequim lawsuits to wildfire warnings ignored in Oregon, these stories all connect back to a single theme: when government and media fail to put the public first, the public pays the price. Trail attack hidden from the public On May 21, 2025, a Port Angeles man was brutally attacked while...

When it comes to Olympic Medical Center (OMC), history isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a warning sign. As the publicly owned hospital faces financial collapse, interim CEO Mark Gregson brings a Colorado track record that sparked petitions, recalls, and community outrage. In 2016, as interim CEO of Estes Park Medical Center (EPMC), Gregson faced organized resistance after hospital leadership was accused...

You did it. Friends and acquaintances have asked me in shock: “How did you collect that many physical signatures?” I didn’t. You did. Envelopes flooded the mailbox - each page and stamp a testament to your efforts. Doors knocked on. Truth spoken. Comfort zones demolished. At last Saturday’s petition drive, passionate community members streamed in, delivering hundreds of signatures and overwhelming...

Clallam County residents packed Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting to oppose a new $5 parcel fee for the Clallam Conservation District (CCD). The measure will require property owners to pay roughly $2 million over the next 10 years, but tribal parcels in federal trust will be exempt. While the commissioners emphasize translating residents’ desires into action, many are left questioning wheth...

Dive into a tangled web of government overreach, conflicting interests, and policies that sideline the public. From questionable funding schemes to personal agendas cloaked as public good, these ten stories uncover the disconnect between our elected officials and the people they serve. Read on for a no-nonsense look at local governance gone astray—and what you can do about it. Jake Seegers’ petiti...

Documents show Charter Review Commissioner Jim Stoffer and his allies pushed for armed guards at Charter Review Commission meetings after a citizen criticized him during public comment. The move, supported by Commissioner Mark Ozias and Chair Susan Fisch, comes at a time of layoffs, deficits, and rising distrust. With no proof of an actual threat, this may be just another way county leaders label...

Guest contributor Jake Seegers continues examining the Clallam Conservation District’s (CCD) push for a $2 million parcel fee. Critics argue the proposal is less about conservation and more about keeping commissioners and special interests satisfied at taxpayer expense. With only $25 raised in public donations last year, CCD has leaned on grants, insider influence, and shifting narratives — from s...

From parcel taxes to NGO salaries, from sidewalk fiascos to the collapse of legacy news, Clallam County is living in contradictions. Your commissioners talk accountability, your NGOs preach compassion, your papers promise “local journalism.” But the fine print tells another story: power plays, double standards, and misplaced priorities — with taxpayers footing the bill. Here are ten stories the es...

This spring’s Clallam Conservation District (CCD) election was sold as a victory for “climate action,” but what has followed raises questions about accountability and hypocrisy. Christy Cox, now Chair of the CCD Board and pushing for a $5 parcel fee on all property owners, campaigned not on policy but identity. While she plays the part of a professional collaborator in public hearings, her private...

At first glance, the Clallam Conservation District (CCD) presents itself as a champion of clean water and farming. But a closer look reveals troubling conflicts of interest, questionable payouts, and a lack of transparency—leaving taxpayers to wonder: who really benefits? At Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Mark Ozias reported on last week’s Dungeness River Management Team se...