Clallam County Watchdog

The “Angry Logger” Speaks Out

In this week’s Sundays With Seegers, county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers sits down with longtime logger, tree faller, and social media personality Mitch Zenobi — a towering local voice some inside county leadership have reportedly nicknamed “the angry logger.” Standing nearly seven feet tall and backed by tens of thousands of followers online, Zenobi has become one of the county’s most outspoken critics of local leadership, homelessness policy, and harm reduction strategies. The conversation dives far beyond politics. Zenobi recounts a chilling early morning encounter at a Port Angeles fuel station where he believes he was moments away from being attacked by multiple individuals armed with clubs, a machete, and what appeared to be a makeshift spear. “I was like, this might be it… This is the closest encounter I’ve come to either being jumped, mugged, truck stolen.” What follows is a raw and deeply personal discussion about crime, addiction, public safety, government response, forestry protests, and the frustration many residents quietly express behind closed doors. Zenobi explains why he finally decided to stop staying silent. “It’s either say something or move — and I don’t want to move… I want to fight for the area, and I want to make it better in any way that I can.” The interview also explores the growing divide between elected officials, law enforcement, and ordinary residents who feel the realities they experience every day no longer match the messaging coming from government agencies. Zenobi speaks candidly about what he sees driving through Port Angeles before dawn, why he believes local policies are normalizing dangerous behavior, and why he finally decided to become outspoken. “I just decided to go scorched earth… I need to be a little bolder about it.” Whether listeners agree with him or not, this episode offers an unfiltered look into the mindset of a growing segment of Clallam County residents who feel unheard, frustrated, and increasingly vocal about the direction of their communities. Listen to the full episode and decide for yourself why the “angry logger” has become one of the loudest grassroots voices in local politics. Editor’s Note: CC Watchdog editor Jeff Tozzer also serves as campaign manager for Jake Seegers during his run for Clallam County Commissioner, District 3. Learn more at www.JakeSeegers.com [http://www.jakeseegers.com/]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com [https://www.ccwatchdog.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

“People Who Use Drugs Deserve To Get AIDS and Die?”

At Tuesday’s Board of Health meeting, Clallam County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry sharply criticized opponents of harm reduction, suggested fear about public safety is being amplified for political purposes, and made the explosive statement that she hopes critics are not implying that drug users “deserve to get AIDS and die.” Meanwhile, residents continue asking for measurable outcomes after years of needle distribution, safer-use supply programs, and growing public concern over encampments, addiction, and public safety. “There are a couple different funky bugs that are in the news,” Health Officer Allison Berry said Tuesday during the monthly Board of Health meeting [https://clallamcowa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/292/media]. “Two different funky bugs,” Berry explained before discussing Hantavirus related to the cruise ship outbreak. She said the risk in Clallam County is “incredibly low,” but acknowledged that the public is no longer reassured by communications from the CDC using the term “low,” because it was also used in 2020 to describe COVID. “I think it’s worth acknowledging the loss of trust that came from them saying that, and saying that longer than they should have,” Berry said. But she acknowledged that “low” is accurate in this case. Berry said she has treated patients for Hantavirus through her part-time work for the Jamestown Corporation at the Healing Clinic and the Family Health facility. The second concern discussed was Ebola, which Berry said, “we don’t think that’s going to come here, but it’s worth being aware of.” She explained that the outbreak in Sub-Saharan Africa has been worsened by “massive cuts to USAID,” which allowed it to spread farther before being diagnosed. Harm Reduction Without Metrics Clallam County Health and Human Services still is not publicly providing meaningful outcome data regarding how many people are entering treatment, leaving homelessness, achieving sobriety, or successfully transitioning out of addiction and instability. Instead, the county highlighted success stories and “participant encounters.” One slide showed: * 668 participant encounters in April * 21 reported overdose reversals * 61 participants connected with partner services Dr. Berry explained that the department may explore telehealth access for Suboxone prescriptions through the Harm Reduction Health Center. Commissioner Randy Johnson noted that earlier public comment included criticism from residents upset about the program and asking where the data is. “When we talk about specifics of our program, it would be nice to be able to track our specific program,” Johnson said. That raises an obvious question many residents have been asking for years: How many decades into embracing harm reduction are we, and we are just now discussing establishing meaningful metrics? How many tens of thousands of meth pipes, crack pipe cleaning kits, boofing kits, foil kits, and needles has the county dispersed while only just now discussing how to measure success? Commissioner Mark Ozias said one of the most common public concerns involves the distribution of safer-use supplies and the perception that the county is encouraging drug use. “My understanding of that strategy is that that’s a communicable disease prevention strategy,” Ozias said. Berry explained that distributing safer-use supplies like pipes and boofing kits is intended to move people away from syringes because syringes carry a higher risk of spreading disease. Berry explained that sharing pipes can spread disease too, so that’s why it’s important to distribute more pipes. “Because what’s better than clean needles, is no needles,” she said, adding that “we are seeing people in our community quit using needles.” “I know the rhetoric we see online about it, that maybe we’re encouraging drug use, and the data is just very consistent that having access to these kind of supplies does not increase use of drugs. It does not teach people how to use drugs,” Berry said. Then came the statement that is likely to become the most controversial moment of the meeting. “I’ve heard a lot of this conversation about this idea that we need, like, more accountability for folks and — what’s the phrase? — compassion without accountability, and it’s strange that we’ve gotten wrapped into that in some way, because all that we do is help people not get AIDS and make them less likely to die.” Berry then added: “I hope that when people are asking for accountability, they’re not saying that people who use drugs deserve to get AIDS and die.” That statement reframed criticism of county policy into something far darker. Residents asking questions about public safety, discarded needles, public drug use, overdose rates, or whether distributing safer-use supplies is effective are now implicitly being associated with wanting drug users to “get AIDS and die.” That is an extraordinary accusation from a public health officer. Dream Playground Wasn’t “Misinformation” Johnson again raised concerns about public unease surrounding harm reduction and public safety. Berry responded: “I don’t think that’s happening organically.” She explained there is an active attempt to “build that narrative online” using misinformation and disinformation. “If someone is trying to make you afraid, you have to wonder what they benefit from sowing that fear,” Berry said. She claimed some individuals benefit politically by “sowing fear and distrust with our neighbors” and by creating the impression that there is “a public health catastrophe brewing.” Berry referenced receiving an email from someone who said they would not take their child to Dream Playground anymore because they heard syringes were there. “There are elements who want to build the idea that it’s so much worse than it is, because that serves them politically,” Berry said. But residents may remember that fears about syringes in playgrounds are not hypothetical. In 2018, a three-year-old child was accidentally poked by a discarded syringe at Dream Playground in Port Angeles. The Port Angeles Police Department later issued a public warning explaining that accidental needle sticks can expose victims to bloodborne pathogens and urged parents to conduct safety sweeps before allowing children to play. That incident was not misinformation. It happened. And for many parents, once a child is exposed to that kind of risk, the fear does not simply disappear because officials say conditions are being exaggerated. “Manipulated Pictures” and the Fight Over Public Perception Berry also said one of the biggest challenges facing public health officials is combating what she described as viral misinformation online. “Folks can even manipulate pictures online,” Berry said. “We have folks that are going into places that they know are messy, going in ostensibly to clean it up, but then taking a whole lot of pictures and posting online as if it’s downtown Port Angeles, as if it’s the trails we all take our kids on.” Berry said that portrayal “isn’t accurate” and called it “a disservice” to the community. The comments appeared to be directed, at least in part, toward community volunteers who routinely document encampments, garbage, discarded paraphernalia, and environmental damage in and around Port Angeles. Among them are 4PA volunteers, county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers, and resident Stacey Richards, all of whom have entered camps, removed trash from creeks and greenbelts, and publicly documented what they encountered. Those cleanup efforts have resulted in tons of garbage being removed from public spaces and waterways, including needles, propane bottles, shopping carts, human waste, foil kits, and other drug paraphernalia. Critics of the county’s harm reduction policies argue that at least some of those safer-use supplies originate from programs supported by local government and public health agencies. Berry’s remarks immediately raised another question: Who exactly is she accusing of manipulating photographs? Because many of the images being shared online are, in fact, taken in downtown Port Angeles, along public trails, beside salmon-bearing waterways, and in parks and greenbelts used by local families. The camps are real. The trash is real. The cleanup efforts are real. “If I were a business owner, I would hate that people are making P.A. look like that online,” Berry said. The people documenting the conditions are not the ones creating them. They are simply showing residents what already exists. “Positive Public Use” As a Vaccine Commissioner Mike French added that “Positive public use is kind of like its own vaccine against negative public use.” French argued that discouraging positive public activity can unintentionally create conditions where more negative activity takes hold. To many residents, however, the exchange reinforced a growing frustration with county leadership. Officials appear more focused on criticizing the people documenting deteriorating conditions than addressing the conditions themselves. That tension is why many residents believe photographs matter. If officials insist the images are misleading or exaggerated, then readers can judge for themselves. This is downtown Port Angeles.These are the public trails.These are the public spaces residents are talking about. Fear and Financial Incentives Berry repeatedly suggested that fear is being politically weaponized. But that fear also played a central role during COVID-era public health policy. This is the same Health Officer who supported restaurant shutdowns, vaccine passport requirements, and sweeping public restrictions during COVID, while also working for the Jamestown Family Health Clinic. At the same time, Jamestown-owned businesses operated under tribal sovereignty and were not subject to many of the same mandates and restrictions imposed on local non-tribal businesses throughout Clallam County. Berry also works for the Jamestown Healing Clinic, a Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) provider. As the county expands harm reduction services, overdose interventions, and telehealth Suboxone access, some residents are increasingly questioning whether there is an inherent conflict of interest when the county’s Health Officer also works for an addiction treatment provider that stands to financially benefit from ongoing addiction treatment and federal reimbursements. Those concerns become even more politically sensitive given that the Jamestown Corporation was Commissioner Mark Ozias’ top campaign donor, and Ozias has consistently supported expanding harm reduction. The question residents continue asking is simple: If county policy funnels more individuals into MAT treatment pipelines, who financially benefits? And why are questions about those financial incentives increasingly portrayed as hateful or dangerous? “Folks Who Use Drugs… Are an Easy Group to Get Folks to Hate” Berry argued that criticism of harm reduction often targets vulnerable populations. “Folks who use drugs, folks who are homeless, are an easy group to get folks to hate,” Berry said Tuesday. “There is a strong push to blame that population for anything that’s going wrong right now, and that sells.” Berry said broader economic policies involving housing and wages are driving homelessness. “It’s harder to hate policy, it’s so much easier to hate that person that is right there, who is poor, and who looks it,” Berry said. She also said she personally walks around Port Angeles and is not afraid. “There are folks who want those challenges to feel worse because that serves them,” Berry said. Berry insisted there is no evidence that the county’s harm reduction programs are causing drug use. “Bring the evidence that somehow we have caused drug use,” she challenged. Storytelling Over Statistics Dr. Paul Cunningham, who oversees the Jamestown Healing Clinic and also serves on the Board of Health, suggested officials should highlight more stories from people helped by programs like the Jamestown Healing Clinic. In other words, while data matters, storytelling may be more persuasive in shaping public opinion. That comment may concern residents who believe public policy should be judged primarily through measurable outcomes, not emotional narratives. Because the questions many residents are asking remain unanswered: Are overdose deaths decreasing because of harm reduction?Are neighborhoods safer?Are public parks cleaner?Are more people entering sobriety?Are fewer children at risk of encountering discarded syringes? Or are officials simply becoming better at defending the system already in place? “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” — Aldous Huxley Today’s Tidbit: Follow the Money? While county officials insist harm reduction is simply about compassion and public health, another question continues surfacing in the community: how much money is tied to the rapidly expanding addiction, behavioral health, and treatment industry? A recent job posting [https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/JAMESTOWN-SKLALLAM-TRIBE/Job/JSS-Psychiatric-Medical-Director/-in-Sequim,WA?jid=af2d383848e09d94] tied to Jamestown Corporation operations advertises a salary of $300,000 to $400,000 for a Psychiatric Medical Director as the Tribe moves toward opening its new psychiatric facility in Sequim. The posting repeatedly emphasizes Tribal integration and Native preference considerations, including: * “Partner with Tribal representatives to integrate Tribal culture and values into medical care, training, and policies.” * “Demonstrate cultural humility and awareness when working with American Indian/Alaska Native patients and families.” * “American Indian/Alaska Native preferences apply.” That language has raised eyebrows among some residents because the public has repeatedly been told these behavioral health expansions and taxpayer-supported partnerships are intended to serve the broader community. At the same time, Jamestown Healing Clinic — where Dr. Allison Berry works — continues expanding Medication-Assisted Treatment services while Clallam County expands harm reduction strategies designed to connect more individuals into long-term treatment systems heavily funded through federal and state reimbursements. Residents are now asking how much taxpayer money is flowing into the addiction-treatment system, who ultimately benefits financially, and whether the public is helping fund institutions that may prioritize Tribal systems and hiring preferences over the broader community they were told these facilities would serve. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com [https://www.ccwatchdog.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

"They Know Where We Live"

Anti-Jake Seegers activism is escalating beyond policy disagreements and campaign signs. After stickers labeling Seegers a “carpetbagger” and “out of town real estate investor” appeared at the end of his family’s private driveway — where his children discovered them during a bike ride — questions are now being raised about how far local political hostility is willing to go, and whether some activists are more interested in intimidation than honest debate. Stickers calling county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers a “carpetbagger” and “out of town real estate investor” continue appearing, and not just in downtown Port Angeles. Most recently, the stickers showed up roughly seven miles away from the downtown core — at the entrance to the Seegers family driveway itself. The stickers were discovered by three children riding their bicycles to pick up the family’s mail. The children were Jake’s. The stickers had been placed on signs and posts at the entrance to the shared driveway used by several neighboring families. The message was unmistakable. This was no longer simply, “We disagree with Jake Seegers politically.”The message had evolved into something much more personal: “We know where you live.” Jake’s middle child summed up the moment in a way only a child can: “That’s scary… they know where we live.” That sentence says more about the current state of local politics than perhaps anything else could. A Campaign That Has Intensified With just over five months remaining in the race, Seegers’ campaign has clearly entered a new phase. Jake continues to spend long days meeting with residents, listening to concerns, touring local industries, conducting podcast interviews, writing articles for CC Watchdog, and engaging directly with community members. Jake is putting in 60-hour workweeks while balancing life as a husband, father, volunteer, and friend. But now that the race has narrowed into a two-person contest, another shift has become apparent. The attacks have become less about policy and increasingly about the man himself. Rather than debating county spending, homelessness, public safety, roads, taxes, or economic development, much of the rhetoric online has turned toward labeling, personal associations, and attempts to portray Seegers as politically radioactive. Reddit, Rumors, and Anonymous Politics A lengthy Reddit discussion [https://www.reddit.com/r/portangeles/comments/1t0uns0/comment/okte9pr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/portangeles/comments/1t0uns0/comment/okte9pr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button] about Jake Seegers recently gained traction online after one user reposted what they described as “research” into Seegers’ background, finances, family foundation connections, business relationships, and property ownership. The original post raised questions about transparency, campaign disclosures, out-of-state family associations, grants tied to the Seegers Foundation, Seegers’ involvement with local organizations, and whether certain property ownership interests should have been disclosed in connection with advocacy surrounding Olympic Hot Springs Road. Some commenters described the research as “great work” and argued that Seegers was not being fully transparent. Others used the thread to speculate about broader political motives, national conservative ties, religion, Project 2025, and alleged “MAGA” associations. One commenter referred to Seegers as a “carpetbagger,” while others mocked his background, family wealth, and even his children. The thread also highlighted something increasingly common in modern politics: anonymous online activism replacing direct public conversation. Reddit allows users to operate under anonymous screen names, and discussions can quickly escalate in tone and speculation. In this case, accusations, assumptions, and political labeling rapidly overtook any substantive discussion about county government itself. What makes the situation notable, however, is that Seegers did not avoid the thread. Using his own account, Seegers directly responded publicly: “Thank you for originally raising these legitimate concerns.” He then expanded an open invitation to anyone involved in the discussion to join him for a recorded podcast interview where they could ask any questions they wanted, on the record, in long-form format, with the entire community able to hear both the questions and the answers in full context. He wrote: “Transparency is critical, and this is a way to provide it for everyone interested.” So far, despite the accusations and speculation, no one has accepted the offer. “FTG” One particularly telling comment circulating online suggested creating signs that say “FTG” with arrows pointing toward Seegers at public events. For those unfamiliar with the slang, “FTG” is shorthand for the French phrase Ferme ta gueule, which roughly translates to “shut up” or more bluntly, “shut the f*** up.” That is the level local political discourse is descending toward. Not debate.Not discussion.Not competing visions for county government. Just hostility. From Protest to Intimidation? There is an important distinction between criticizing a candidate’s policies and attempting to intimidate a candidate personally. People absolutely have the right to oppose Jake Seegers politically. They have the right to question his ideas, challenge his proposals, disagree with his priorities, and support another candidate. That is democracy. But when activists begin placing targeted political messaging at the end of a candidate’s private driveway where his children will encounter it, reasonable people begin asking where the line is. Especially when online discussions openly discuss following him to events, surrounding him with signs, and confronting him with nationally divisive ideological litmus tests that have little to do with county government. A Different Response Ironically, just last week, another incident tested the campaign. A person was caught on camera removing and destroying one of Jake’s signs. It did not take long for members of the community to identify the individual involved through social media. The individual later contacted Jake directly and apologized. Rather than escalating the situation, Jake agreed to meet with the man personally to discuss his concerns and ideas about county government. Law enforcement contacted Seegers and asked whether he wished to pursue charges related to the sign destruction. He declined. According to Seegers: “I asked the Sheriff’s Department not to pursue an investigation or press charges. This person appears to have made a poor decision out of frustration and then personally reached out to apologize. That humility is admirable. Additionally, it did not seem like a good use of our limited and already strained law enforcement resources. I look forward to a future conversation with this individual and believe that, like most community members, we can find common ground on local issues.” That response reflects exactly who Jake Seegers is: approachable, willing to listen, calm under pressure, and genuinely interested in hearing from people even when they disagree with him. People may disagree with his policies or question his solutions. That is fair game in politics. But targeting a candidate’s family and sending the message that political opponents are comfortable showing up at the end of his driveway is something entirely different. And many in the community are beginning to notice the difference. “Intimidation and coercion have no place in a free society.” — Harry S. Truman Today’s Tidbit: A Historic Shift Yesterday, for the first time in more than a decade, the Clallam County Commissioners approved a formal response letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding a proposed transfer of land into federal tribal trust status. That did not happen by accident. It happened because members of the public pushed for it relentlessly for more than two years, refusing to let the issue disappear quietly into bureaucracy and backroom silence. Citizens attended meetings, submitted comments, wrote emails, researched federal processes, and repeatedly asked why Clallam County was not formally responding to trust land applications that directly impact taxation, zoning, land use, and local governance. This is genuinely historic. And whether people agree with every word of the letter or not, County Administrator Todd Mielke deserves substantial credit for helping move the county toward finally engaging the issue formally and professionally. The letter itself is surprisingly direct. It outlines concerns about the cumulative loss of taxable land in Clallam County, noting that roughly 70 percent of the county is already publicly owned and exempt from property taxes when federal, state, local, and tribal lands are combined. The county warns that continued transfers into trust status shift increasing tax burdens onto remaining private property owners while reducing the land base that funds schools, fire districts, hospitals, libraries, roads, and local government services. The response also raises concerns about inconsistent zoning oversight once land enters trust status, particularly when parcels are not adjacent to existing reservation lands. The county notes that trust lands are no longer subject to many local land use regulations, potentially creating situations where neighboring properties operate under entirely different rules. Most notably, the county formally requested that the BIA encourage tribes to enter into agreements similar to the “payment in lieu of taxes” arrangement associated with the Quileute Tribe, recognizing the growing strain placed on local taxpayers and taxing districts. For years, many residents were told these conversations either could not happen, should not happen, or were inappropriate to discuss publicly. Now, they are happening in official county correspondence. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com [https://www.ccwatchdog.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Taxes for Thee, Exemptions for Me?

A debate over tourism promotion funding exposed a growing frustration in Clallam County: local hotels and vacation rentals are required to collect lodging taxes that fund tourism campaigns, while one of the region’s largest hospitality empires benefits from those campaigns without paying into the system. What Is LTAC? Tourism promotion in Clallam County is funded largely through the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, commonly known as LTAC. The program collects lodging taxes from hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and Airbnbs, then redistributes those dollars to festivals, events, marketing campaigns, and organizations designed to attract visitors to the Olympic Peninsula. The theory is simple: bring in tourists, fill hotel rooms, boost shopping and restaurant traffic, and strengthen the local economy. At the April 9 LTAC meeting, Commissioner Randy Johnson and committee members reviewed funding applications for 2026 tourism promotion efforts. Several organizations requested support. Joyce Daze sought $5,000 to market its annual festival and draw out-of-town visitors. The Port Angeles Waterfront District requested $50,000 for tourism promotion efforts aimed at increasing regional visitation. The Sequim City Band also requested $5,000 to help host the Association of Concert Bands Regional Connections Event scheduled for July 24–25, 2026. The event is expected to bring approximately 350 musicians and attendees from neighboring counties and other states for concerts, clinics, workshops, and performances hosted at the James Center for Performing Arts in Sequim. Organizers estimate roughly 100 hotel rooms will be rented during the conference. On the surface, it sounds like exactly the type of economic activity LTAC was designed to encourage. Until you look at where much of the event activity and lodging will occur. Who Benefits From the Tourism Push? A significant portion of the conference is expected to take place at the Jamestown Corporation-owned 7 Cedars Hotel and Resort in Blyn, with RV attendees expected to stay at the tribe’s Salish Trails RV Park. Organizers also noted arrangements with Olympic View Inn in Sequim, but the Jamestown Corporation properties are positioned to receive substantial benefit from the tourism campaign funded through county lodging taxes. And that immediately raised a familiar question. Commissioner Randy Johnson was the first to openly acknowledge the issue during the LTAC discussion. “The one item… that this also highlights is the issue of a tribal hotel that doesn’t contribute to lodging tax,” Johnson said during the meeting. He added, “This gives me a reason to send another letter to the tribe.” Johnson was referring to the August 2025 letter [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/commissioners-kick-the-can-on-tribal?utm_source=publication-search] sent by the Clallam County Board of Commissioners to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe requesting a conversation about the tribe contributing property and lodging taxes. That letter has since become a politically sensitive subject. The “Fair Share” Debate At a recent commissioner forum, a resident asked whether the commissioners planned to follow up on the request for the Jamestown Corporation to pay what the commenter described as its “fair share” of property and lodging taxes. Johnson acknowledged he had not sent a follow-up letter. Commissioner Mark Ozias, attending remotely and unable to respond before boarding a flight to Maui, reportedly told the commissioners that he may have contacted someone informally about the issue. Commissioner Mike French then stepped in to defend the county’s relationship with the tribe, explaining that Clallam County’s “sovereign neighbors” operate on different “time scales,” which he described as “often uncomfortable for us, but it is just how their governments work.” French also criticized the phrase “fair share,” calling it disrespectful to tribal sovereignty. “They are a sovereign nation,” French said. “That is not how that relationship works.” While French objected to the wording of a resident’s question as disrespectful, he has previously used nearly identical language himself in other contexts. A Different Standard? In 2020, French posted publicly about illegal marijuana grow operations and black-market activity. In that post, he wrote: “The least concern of all is that taxes don’t get paid — it’s still an issue, people should pay their fair share…” French’s earlier comments argued that tax avoidance harms communities and shifts burdens elsewhere. Why does that principle apply strongly to illegal cannabis operations but becomes inappropriate terminology when discussing tribal-owned hospitality businesses competing directly against tax-paying local hotels, inns, and vacation rentals? The issue extends beyond philosophy. Local lodging businesses throughout Clallam County are required to collect taxes that help fund tourism campaigns and marketing efforts. Those dollars are then used to attract visitors who may ultimately stay at tax-exempt tribal-owned lodging properties. In effect, competitors are funding promotional campaigns that benefit businesses operating outside the same tax structure. “Not My Job” French later stated he would not personally pursue follow-up discussions because he is not the county liaison to the Jamestown Tribe. That explanation frustrated some residents, particularly because all three commissioners signed the original August 2025 letter. While commissioners campaign countywide and make decisions affecting taxpayers throughout Clallam County, responsibility suddenly narrows when politically sensitive issues involving tribal taxation arise. Even more puzzling to some observers was the contradiction. If French believed it was inappropriate for him to follow up because he was not the liaison, why did he sign the original letter in the first place? And if decisions made by the Jamestown Corporation impact the tax burden of residents throughout the county, every commissioner has an obligation to represent taxpayers on the issue — especially in a countywide elected office. Ozias Suggests a Different Path The conversation took another turn yesterday when Commissioner Ozias floated a different approach altogether. Rather than focusing on lodging tax payments, Ozias suggested tribal governments could instead help meet tourism promotion goals through cultural participation — sharing tribal history, storytelling, educational events, and performances that would attract visitors to the region. The concept resembled the type of cultural tourism often marketed in Hawaii — an idea Ozias appeared to bring back from the recent conference he attended in Maui. Supporters may view the idea as collaborative and culturally enriching. However, there is a different dynamic emerging: tribal enterprises remain exempt from lodging taxes while participating directly in tourism marketing efforts that could further increase business at tribal-owned hotels, RV parks, and vacation properties. To opponents, it feels less like equal participation and more like a system where competitors pay into the tourism fund while exempt entities simultaneously benefit from both the marketing and the exemption itself. First, the county loses the tax revenue, then tourism campaigns funded by competitors help drive business toward exempt properties, and finally the arrangement is celebrated as a partnership. The Larger Question For many residents and business owners, the core question remains unresolved: Should businesses competing in the same tourism marketplace operate under fundamentally different financial obligations when public tourism dollars are involved? “When one side bears all the costs and the other reaps all the rewards, it is no longer cooperation — it is exploitation.” — John C. Maxwell Today’s Tidbit: PDN Returning to Balance? Two excellent letters to the editor from the Peninsula Daily News last weekend. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ccwatchdog.com [https://www.ccwatchdog.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Showered With Good Intentions, Drenched in Bad Oversight

What began as a simple request for help in 2023 quietly evolved into a shower voucher pipeline tied to Clallam County’s Harm Reduction Health Center, all with little public awareness, no clear board approval, and almost no meaningful oversight. Now, instead of shutting the program down after public backlash, the Shore Pool board is expanding it, rebranding it, and pushing forward anyway. A Shower Program Nobody Knew About For nearly two years, the William Shore Memorial Pool District quietly operated a shower voucher program for homeless and unhoused individuals without a formal board-approved policy, without meaningful public awareness, and apparently without some board members even knowing it existed. Now, after public outrage exposed the program, the response from the Shore Pool board has not been caution, accountability, or reassessment. Instead, it has been rebranding. The “Shower Voucher Program” is now the far more polished-sounding “Community Hygiene Access Program.” Because apparently if you rename something, the controversy disappears with it. The board unanimously voted to reinstate the program after briefly pausing it following community backlash. During the latest meeting, commissioners and staff discussed expanding the offerings beyond showers to include hygiene kits with soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and towels. “Having changed the name to the Community Hygiene Access Program, it gives the impression we’re providing more than just a shower,” Director Ryan Amiot said during the May meeting, according to the Peninsula Daily News [https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/2026/05/14/aquatic-center-revising-shower-voucher-policy/]. That part, at least, is honest. Because the Shore Pool is no longer functioning simply as a public aquatic center. It is steadily morphing into another publicly funded social service arm in a city already saturated with them. And taxpayers are rightfully asking: When exactly did families vote for the local pool to become part of the county’s harm reduction infrastructure? The Real Issue Isn’t Showers The issue has never been whether struggling people deserve access to hygiene. The issue is where the vouchers are being distributed, who is receiving them, and why this program was embedded into a family-oriented aquatic facility without transparency or safeguards. The vouchers are being distributed through Clallam County’s Harm Reduction Health Center — the same facility that distributes free drug paraphernalia and supplies to active addicts — as well as St. Vincent de Paul. Meanwhile, Port Angeles already has shelters and facilities specifically intended for serving unhoused populations, many of which already provide showers. The Shore Pool is not a shelter. It is a family recreation facility where children swim, families change clothes, patrons store valuables, and people are often in vulnerable situations. Yet the board’s repeated defense is that they are “unaware of incidents.” That is a remarkably low standard for public safety. So the plan is to wait until something happens? How exactly do you “un-victimize” a child after the fact? One of the more revealing moments during the public discussion came when board commissioner LaTrisha Suggs argued that while transients are using the facility, they could potentially encounter someone who offers them a job. That may sound compassionate on paper, but many residents are asking a more basic question first: Why are vulnerable families and children being placed into an unnecessary social experiment when alternative shower facilities already exist elsewhere? The Board Doesn’t Even Know Where the Vouchers Are Going Even more concerning, the board openly acknowledged they do not actually know where all the vouchers are ending up. Although officials insist only two organizations distribute them, public commenters stated vouchers are also showing up at the library and community feeding events. The board did not seem especially alarmed. One section of the proposed policy states that “vouchers may not be sold, transferred, or reused.” That sounds reassuring until one asks the obvious follow-up question: How would they know? There appears to be no meaningful tracking system, no identity verification, no accountability chain, and no enforcement mechanism. Just trust. Commissioner Suggs also objected to language in the draft policy allowing the board to suspend or terminate the program based on “community impact” because she worried it could stigmatize the program or produce a “fear response.” But “community impact” is precisely what elected boards are supposed to consider, especially when taxpayers are raising concerns about safety, sanitation, operational priorities, and mission creep. The comments from Commissioner Mike French were equally revealing. “I want to highlight a couple of things in this because it’s important to me,” French said. “The program is intended to operate at little or no cost to the facility and during low-use times, so I’m against anything that makes the program more complicated or complex.” In other words: keep it simple. Don’t burden it with too many rules. French also supported allowing the executive director to approve participating organizations without requiring a formal board application process. So the public gets fewer safeguards, less oversight, and more administrative discretion. What could possibly go wrong? Mike French Says He Didn’t Know Perhaps the most astonishing revelation of all is that Commissioner Mike French — who sits on the pool board and also serves as a Clallam County commissioner overseeing the county’s harm reduction programs — admitted he didn’t even know the voucher program existed until social media exposed it. In an email, French wrote: “I was made aware of the program because of information shared on social media; I was not aware of the program before the public was informed.” The program had reportedly been operating for approximately 18 months. A year and a half. And a commissioner serving on both sides of the arrangement claims he knew nothing about it. This is the same pool district scrutinized last year after the State Auditor uncovered fraud [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/state-audit-finds-67000-in-questionable?utm_source=publication-search] involving tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars. Oversight matters. Boards are not résumé builders for those who serve. Members are supposed to supervise public institutions, monitor programs, ask questions, establish safeguards, and protect taxpayer interests. Instead, this program appears to have evolved through informal conversations between social service organizations and pool administrators with little visible board involvement. How the Program Actually Started The paper trail tells the story. On October 24, 2023, First Step Family Support Center employee Riley Slonecker emailed then-director Denise Dawson asking whether the aquatic center offered shower vouchers for a client living without running water. Dawson responded the same day, saying the idea had been discussed previously and suggesting a “pilot program” to see how it would work. At the time, the discussion sounded limited and specific. Slonecker indicated they may have “a handful of clients” who could benefit from shower access. By November 30, 2023, Dawson proposed creating “a shower voucher card (similar to a punch card)” for organizations to distribute to people needing showers. Then management changed. After Dawson left, current Executive Director Ryan Amiot revived the idea in April 2024, apologizing for it “getting lost in the shuffle between management changes” and promising to implement the vouchers. On May 21, 2024, Amiot confirmed the vouchers had been finalized and were ready for pickup. Then, in October 2025, Clallam County’s Harm Reduction Health Center formally requested vouchers for syringe service participants, writing that the population served was “primarily unhoused or unstably housed.” The county specifically requested vouchers to distribute during walk-in hours at the Harm Reduction Health Center. So despite claims this program simply evolved organically to help people in need, the records show something much more structured: a coordinated expansion between the pool district, social service organizations, and eventually the county’s harm reduction apparatus. So What Exactly Is the Board For? That question becomes even more important after another records request response from Executive Director Ryan Amiot. Amiot acknowledged he could not locate prior board approval for the program and instead cited the executive director’s job description as the apparent authority for creating it. The job description does indeed state the executive director may “develop programs and improve operations.” But if a single administrator can independently create public-facing programs involving safety, liability, partnerships with outside agencies, operational impacts, and taxpayer-funded resources without explicit board approval, then residents are left asking a fair question: What exactly is the board for? Especially when commissioners later claim they had no idea the program even existed. The same executive director job description also states that the director is supposed to “keep WSMPD Board fully informed of conditions and operations of the District” and work with the board in developing district policies. If commissioners truly did not know this program existed for a year and a half, either the board was not being informed, or the board was not paying attention. Neither explanation inspires confidence. Mission Creep at the Community Pool Meanwhile, the board continues discussing operational details like color-coded vouchers, reusable towels, hygiene kits, and expanded services. One commissioner worried discarded towels could become litter around town. Another concern raised during the meeting was whether towels used by voucher participants could pose health risks to other patrons. Amiot dismissed those concerns, explaining the towels would simply be washed and reused. There are also new budget questions emerging. On page 8 of a recent Shore Aquatic Center document [https://www.sacpa.org/_files/ugd/1e7324_a6783f2964e14e31952a478aecfe6831.pdf], “shower caddies” are listed as an expense totaling $228, along with another $724 for shower parts. Residents are now asking whether those purchases are tied to the expanding hygiene program. And while the board insists the program operates at “little or no cost,” the reality is that every expansion creates additional operational responsibilities, staffing considerations, laundry demands, sanitation concerns, liability questions, and public safety considerations. At some point, residents have to ask whether local government has entirely lost sight of mission boundaries. The Shore Pool exists because taxpayers approved funding for a public aquatic and recreation facility. Not a satellite arm of the county’s harm reduction system. Not a hygiene distribution hub. Not a soft-entry social service center. And certainly not a place where families are expected to simply accept increased risk because officials insist there have not yet been enough problems to justify concern. Because by the time there is a major incident, it will already be too late. Today’s Tidbit: The Boy in the Tent One year ago, the story [https://mynorthwest.com/seattles-morning-news/9-year-old-tent-aurora/4174872] of the “boy in the tent” shocked Washington state — a child living in a fentanyl-filled tent along Aurora Avenue while systems looked the other way. Now, according to a follow-up report [https://mynorthwest.com/seattles-morning-news/boy-in-the-tent/4237270], his mother has reached five months of sobriety in a recovery-based shelter, and the boy just celebrated his 10th birthday. One detail stands out: her recovery is reportedly coming through structure, treatment, sobriety, and accountability — not continued drug use under the banner of “harm reduction.” It is a reminder that true compassion means helping people escape addiction, not normalize living in it. “Recovery is not for people who need it. It’s for people who want it.” — Anonymous This is a public episode. 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