The Two Mike Frenches

The Two Mike Frenches

When Clallam County’s controversial Conservation District parcel fee came up for a vote, Commissioner Mike French cast the lone dissenting vote and portrayed himself as standing up for struggling rural residents. But public records, meeting footage, and even French’s own campaign statements tell a different story. Long before the fee reached the commissioners’ desk, French was one of the Conservation District’s strongest advocates, openly questioning why county government wasn’t doing more to permanently fund the agency. So what changed? The fee—or the politics surrounding it? Here we are in the first year of the Clallam Conservation District collecting its controversial $5-per-parcel fee, a revenue stream projected to transfer roughly $2 million from property owners to the agency over the next decade. The Conservation District has a fresh new website [https://www.clallamcd.org], a polished public image, and ambitions to expand its role. The county commissioners even approved a generous new payscale for district employees. According to an April presentation to county commissioners, however, the agency is still working to determine exactly “where its place is” in county wildfire planning. District leaders also indicated they need to do a better job telling their story and are considering hiring a consultant to help do it. Meanwhile, the agency recently submitted a letter of support to the Washington Department of Ecology backing a Jamestown Corporation proposal to identify alternative irrigation water sources for the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course, including the possibility of drilling deeper wells to keep the 122-acre course green during the driest months of the year. That detail is particularly noteworthy because tribal trust lands—including the golf course—are exempt from the parcel fee. In other words, ordinary property owners are paying the fee while the Conservation District is spending time supporting efforts that could benefit landowners who do not pay into the program at all. Yet perhaps the most interesting story isn’t the Conservation District. It’s Commissioner Mike French. The Vote That Didn’t Match the Rhetoric When the parcel fee came before the Board of Commissioners [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/commissioners-approve-5-ccd-parcel?utm_source=publication-search], the vote was not unanimous. Commissioners Mark Ozias and Randy Johnson supported the fee, while Commissioner Mike French cast the lone dissenting vote. French explained that while he respected the Conservation District and valued its work, he was uncomfortable asking residents in the western half of the county—many of whom live in rural and economically struggling communities—to pay a fee when much of the CCD’s focus appeared concentrated in eastern Clallam County. He challenged the agency to provide more services to District 3 residents, mentioning possibilities such as rainwater catchment programs and septic-related assistance, and repeatedly apologized for voting against the measure. To many observers, it sounded like a principled stand on behalf of rural taxpayers. It was one of the few times the commissioners did not vote in lockstep and one of the rare occasions where French positioned himself in opposition to a new fee. There was only one problem. Just weeks earlier, French had been making the exact opposite argument. Three Weeks Earlier During discussions surrounding the Conservation District on September 2nd, French argued passionately that the agency provided essential public benefits and that county residents depended on its work. “The most essential need that we as humans have is water,” he said. “It’s clean and available water.” French emphasized that both residents and commerce relied on the Conservation District’s expertise and suggested that ensuring stable funding for the organization was an important public responsibility. While he expressed some hesitation about enforcement provisions that could place liens against property owners who failed to pay the fee, he ultimately accepted those provisions because they would help ensure the fee could actually be collected. More notably, French voiced support for the ten-year duration of the fee because it effectively “locks the people in.” That is a remarkable statement for a politician who now frequently campaigns on affordability concerns and the financial pressures facing working families. The same commissioner who later voted against the fee had previously defended the mechanisms that would make the fee mandatory, enforceable, and long-lasting. So which Mike French is the real Mike French? The answer may lie not in the parcel fee debate itself, but in comments French made years before he became a county commissioner. Rewind Four Years To answer that question, it helps to go back to October 2022, when then-Port Angeles City Councilmember Mike French participated in a League of Women Voters virtual candidate forum against incumbent Commissioner Bill Peach. The moderator asked a question that remains relevant today: How can Clallam County ensure a sufficient water supply while continuing to build housing developments? Peach discussed long-term planning and the Dungeness River Off-Channel Reservoir. French’s answer took a different direction. Rather than focusing on a specific water project, French praised the Conservation District extensively and expressed disappointment that county commissioners were not doing more to provide stable funding for the organization. “One question I was disappointed that no Clallam County Commissioner asked was how can we plan on permanently supporting the Clallam County Conservation District’s budget to make sure that they’re not just dependent on grants to make sure that they’re doing the work to preserve our water quality and quantity all the time whether or not a yearly grant cycle doesn’t go their way.” Years before the parcel fee proposal reached the Board of Commissioners, Mike French was publicly calling for permanent funding for the Conservation District. Not temporary funding. Not grant funding. Permanent funding. The parcel fee that eventually came before the commissioners would accomplish exactly what French had argued for years earlier. In hindsight, one could reasonably argue that the commissioner who ultimately voted against the fee was also one of the people most responsible for laying the philosophical groundwork supporting it. What French Believes About Rural Living The debate footage also provides a revealing glimpse into how French views growth, development, and rural communities. During the same discussion, he argued that Clallam County’s high number of private wells was evidence of poor planning. “Clallam County I believe has the most private wells per capita of any county in the state,” French said. “That means that we haven’t done a good job planning around water use in the past.” For many residents, that statement is worth pausing on. French wasn’t simply discussing water policy. He was describing one of the defining characteristics of rural Clallam County as evidence of planning failure. He went on to argue that dense urban housing conserves more water and energy than rural development, stating that “building dense urban housing does more to conserve water and energy than anything else we can do.” Throughout the discussion, French repeatedly emphasized clustering people together in urban areas and limiting suburban sprawl. He argued that suburban development results in people relying on individual wells, driving longer distances, and consuming more resources. “Suburban sprawl is where we lose all of that conservation opportunity,” French said. “Where people have individual wells, where people are driving long distances and using those natural resources.” He continued by arguing that cities are where future density should be concentrated because residents can share infrastructure and resources more efficiently. That perspective may resonate with planners and environmental advocates, but many rural residents would likely see things differently. People do not move to Joyce, Beaver, Clallam Bay, Agnew, or other unincorporated parts of Clallam County because they want to live in dense housing developments. They move there specifically because they do not. The ability to own property, maintain a private well, enjoy open space, and live independently is not viewed as a planning failure by many county residents. It is the very reason they chose to live there in the first place. The comments are revealing because they demonstrate that French’s support for the Conservation District was never simply about water quality. It was connected to a broader vision of land use, growth management, housing density, and how people should live. The Politics of a Dissenting Vote This is where timing becomes difficult to ignore. After Jake Seegers delivered 1,032 signatures from residents opposing the parcel fee, public opposition became impossible to dismiss. The proposal had become controversial, and elected officials knew it. French also knew something else. The votes were already there.Ozias was going to support the fee.Johnson was going to support the fee.The measure was going to pass regardless of how French voted. A dissenting vote suddenly carried very little risk. The Conservation District would still receive its permanent funding. The fee would still be collected. The agency would still get exactly what French had advocated for years earlier. At the same time, French could position himself as the lone commissioner standing with taxpayers. Whether that was genuine conviction or political strategy is something voters will have to decide for themselves. But it is difficult to ignore the optics. The commissioner who once publicly questioned why the county wasn’t permanently funding the Conservation District became the commissioner who voted against the funding mechanism only after it became politically unpopular. With reelection looming, many observers viewed the vote less as a principled stand and more as a carefully calculated political maneuver. French could now claim he sided with the people while knowing the fee would pass anyway. What the Record Reveals The Conservation District got its funding. The fee passed. Property owners will continue paying it for the next decade. What remains is a question of leadership. As Mike French asks voters for another term, they will have to decide whether his opposition to the fee reflected a genuine change of heart or a politically convenient vote on a measure that was already guaranteed to pass. The answer may say less about the Conservation District and more about the kind of leadership voters can expect in the years ahead. “The politician’s promises are like babies: easy to make, hard to deliver.” — Common political proverb Today’s Tidbit: Protecting Protection Island Some of the very environmental advocates who helped create Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge are now raising concerns about the proposed transfer of the refuge to the Jamestown Corporation. At a recent gathering at Cape George, longtime conservation leader Lorna Smith—who played a key role in the effort to establish Protection Island as a national wildlife refuge in the 1970s and 1980s—joined her husband Darrell Smith and others to discuss both the refuge’s history and unanswered questions surrounding the proposed transfer. Also attending were family members of Eleanor Stopps, one of the women credited with helping save the island through a grassroots campaign that ultimately won bipartisan support and President Ronald Reagan’s signature. The Smiths questioned why ownership needs to change when the Tribe already receives federal funding to co-manage the refuge and tribal leaders have previously described the co-management arrangement as successful. They also raised concerns about future aquaculture activities, regulatory authority, public oversight, and whether future tribal leadership could make decisions that affect the refuge’s wildlife habitat without broader public input. Whether readers agree with their concerns or not, it is important to recognize who is raising these questions. These are not anti-environment activists. They are people who dedicated decades of their lives to protecting Protection Island and Dungeness Spit in the first place. For those interested in learning more about the history of the refuge and the concerns being raised, consider following and subscribing to conservation advocate Al Bergstein’s blog [https://olyopen.com/2026/06/01/meeting-held-to-discuss-protection-island/], where he continues to provide updates and commentary on this issue. 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]

Ann Soule Wants Someone to Blame for High Gas Prices. She Forgot to Mention Washington State.

A recent letter to the editor by League of Women Voters activist Ann Soule blames oil companies, the President, Congress, the Supreme Court, and nearly everyone else for high gasoline prices. What her letter never mentions is Washington State's own role in creating some of the highest fuel costs in America. The omissions raise an uncomfortable question: when activists support policies that directly increase fuel costs, can they fairly complain about the consequences those same policies create? Many Clallam County residents recognize the name Ann Soule. She serves on the County’s Marine Resources Committee, which recommended to the commissioners [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/county-advises-retreat-or-removal?utm_source=publication-search] that flooding in the Three Crabs area should be dealt with by “retreat or removal” of the homes and road. Through the League of Women Voters, she has pushed for the creation of a county Water Steward position. She has participated in Peninsula Behavioral Health initiatives, including turning the first shovelful of dirt at the NGO’s North View low-barrier, luxury, permanent housing complex [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/dishpan-hands-a-barrier-to-success?utm_source=publication-search] — a publicly funded project that offers harbor views, rooftop terraces, a dog-washing station, and other amenities, with an average price of $350,000 per unit. Recently, Soule authored a Peninsula Daily News letter titled “Oil Repercussions,” arguing that oil companies are reaping excessive profits while consumers struggle under high gasoline prices. In her view, political corruption, insider trading, corporate greed, and Republican leadership deserve much of the blame. What was missing from her analysis, however, was perhaps the single largest state-level factor affecting fuel prices in Washington: Washington State government itself. The Missing Piece of the Story Washington routinely ranks among the most expensive states in America for gasoline. At the time of this writing, only California has higher average fuel prices. Neighboring Idaho is more than a dollar per gallon cheaper. If corporate greed alone explained the difference, one would expect similar prices throughout the region. Instead, Washington has spent years layering taxes, regulations, and climate policies onto the cost of fuel. The most significant of those policies is the Climate Commitment Act. The CCA established a cap-and-invest carbon auction system that requires fuel suppliers to purchase emissions allowances before bringing fuel to market. Those costs are then passed through the supply chain and ultimately to consumers. “It’s not as though their costs have gone up; they’re playing the market because they can.” — Ann Soule Whether someone supports or opposes the Climate Commitment Act, the basic economics are not controversial. The program increases the cost of fuel distribution in Washington. A Return on Investment What costs working families more money at the pump can simultaneously become additional revenue elsewhere. State Senator Marko Liias, who represents the 21st Legislative District in Snohomish County—not the Olympic Peninsula—was one of the leading advocates for the transportation package that increased Washington’s gas tax by six cents per gallon last year. Campaign finance records show that the Jamestown Tribe made the maximum allowable contribution to Liias’ campaign in 2023. At first glance, it raises an obvious question: why would a tribe on the Olympic Peninsula financially support a legislator from the Seattle-area suburbs? One possible answer is that policy matters more than geography. For most Washington residents, the six-cent gas tax increase means higher costs every time they fill their tank. But the impact extends far beyond gasoline. Because nearly everything on the Olympic Peninsula arrives by truck, fuel taxes become a hidden cost embedded in groceries, baby formula, building supplies, farm products, restaurant deliveries, and countless other necessities. Families pay the tax directly at the pump and indirectly through higher prices on everyday goods. For some tribal fuel retailers, however, the equation looks different. Under existing fuel-tax compacts, tribal gas stations can retain 75 percent of the state gas tax [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/fueling-funding-shortfalls?utm_source=publication-search] collected on fuel sales. That means a six-cent gas tax increase translates into roughly 4.5 cents per gallon in additional retained revenue for qualifying tribal stations. If a high-volume station such as Jamestown’s Longhouse Market sells 400,000 gallons of fuel per month—a figure that is not unreasonable for a major highway fuel stop—that increase could generate approximately $18,000 in additional monthly revenue, or more than $216,000 per year. Viewed through that lens, a $2,400 campaign contribution begins to look less like political generosity and more like a remarkably good investment. The Tax Activists Support A repeal effort targeting the Climate Commitment Act reached Washington voters. Among those campaigning to preserve the program [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/joined-at-the-hip?utm_source=publication-search] was Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias. That support was hardly surprising. The Climate Commitment Act generates billions of dollars that flow to government agencies, environmental programs, nonprofits, and tribal governments, including projects involving the Jamestown Corporation, Ozias’ top campaign contributor. The Water App Nobody Talks About One example of a CCA beneficiary is the League of Women Voters’ Future of Water Committee [https://lwvcla.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=851536&module_id=450073], which helped develop a digital app allowing users to monitor Dungeness River flow conditions. The project was presented as a community education tool and, on its face, appears civic-minded and useful. What received far less attention was where the funding originated. According to publicly reported information, software development was financed through a grant administered by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe using money that ultimately came from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act funding stream. That means a project promoted by Soule and her colleagues was funded, at least indirectly, through revenues generated by the same climate policies contributing to Washington’s unusually high fuel prices. Just Buy an EV? Perhaps the most striking portion of Soule’s letter comes near the end, where she offers a solution to rising fuel prices: buy an electric vehicle or hybrid. That recommendation may sound reasonable from the perspective of environmental activists, but for many Clallam County families, it reflects a disconnect from economic reality. Median household income in the county hovers around $60,000 per year. Families are already struggling with housing costs, insurance increases, utility bills, inflation, and grocery prices. Telling those families that the answer to expensive gasoline is purchasing a $40,000 vehicle is a bit like telling someone worried about food prices to buy a second refrigerator and start shopping in bulk. Even used electric vehicles can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Many households simply do not have that kind of money available. Selective Outrage None of this means global events do not affect fuel prices. They do. Wars matter. Supply disruptions matter. International instability matters. But acknowledging those realities does not require ignoring state policies that also increase costs. What makes Soule’s letter noteworthy is not that she criticizes oil companies. Many people do. What stands out is the selective nature of the criticism. When oil companies make money, she sees profiteering. When government-backed climate programs increase costs but fund projects supported by the “nonpartisan” League of Women Voters, those costs disappear from the conversation. When working families struggle with higher energy expenses, the solution becomes buying a different car. When policies supported by environmental activists create financial burdens for residents, responsibility is assigned elsewhere. If gasoline prices are too high, every contributing factor should be on the table, including Washington’s carbon auctions, fuel taxes, regulatory costs, and the sovereign, governmental, and political interests that benefit from them. Ann Soule’s letter points toward oil companies, politicians in Washington D.C., and events happening thousands of miles away. It says very little about the policies, taxes, and beneficiaries much closer to home. If we’re going to follow the money, the trail shouldn’t end when it becomes politically inconvenient. "People are more likely to notice what is wrong with others than what is wrong with themselves." — Leo Tolstoy Today’s Tidbit: Emily Randall If you’d like to see how Congresswoman Emily Randall’s town hall in Chimacum went last week, the entire event was recorded and posted on YouTube. 5:30 — How can young people help?9:25 — Transfer of National Wildlife Refuges to Jamestown Tribe #1.16:50 — Transfer of National Wildlife Refuges #2.19:20 — Can you help with kidnappings by ICE?26:05 — How do we restore the Voting Rights Act?31:00 — Lethal removal of seals and sea lions.34:45 — Also, the lethal removal of marine mammals. 38:15 — Infectious diseases.43:20 — Artificial Intelligence.47:50 — Nationalizing Artificial Intelligence.49:40 — Military Industrial Complex. Here is the Port Angeles Food Bank van mentioned in the podcast: The real estate video also mentioned in the podcast: 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]

Johanna Bartee Turns the Tables on Jake Seegers

In this special edition of Sundays with Seegers, what begins as Jake Seegers interviewing local businesswoman Johanna Bartee quickly takes an unexpected turn. Bartee, a lifelong Clallam County resident who returned home after nearly two decades away, flips the script and puts the candidate in the hot seat. The result is one of the most personal and revealing conversations yet about the District 3 County Commissioner candidate. Listeners will learn about Seegers’ upbringing, his family’s roots in nonprofit medical work, his education, his year working in Manhattan’s financial world, and his current consulting role with a family investment company. For those wondering whether Seegers is really a “real estate investor,” the conversation explores his actual professional background in finance, portfolio management, business analysis, and family investments. Bartee draws out stories about Seegers’ journey from Montana State University to Ohio State business school, his experience in New York finance, and ultimately why he chose to trade a high-powered career path for life on the Olympic Peninsula. The discussion also explores what motivated him to enter local politics after years of feeling that residents were being ignored by their elected officials. The conversation goes beyond campaign talking points. Seegers explains his priorities for county government—public safety, economic development, fiscal responsibility, and affordability—and repeatedly emphasizes the importance of measuring outcomes rather than simply counting inputs. He argues that government should focus less on how many services are provided and more on whether those services actually improve lives. Listeners will also get to know Johanna Bartee. She shares her perspective as a business owner, commercial property owner, and community volunteer who chose to return to the place she grew up. The discussion explores the challenges facing downtown Port Angeles, including public safety concerns, rising costs, and the struggle many small businesses face just to survive. Bartee also discusses the importance of financial literacy, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and why so many young people leave Clallam County and never return. Together, the two examine the question that weighs heavily on many local families: Why aren’t more people able to build successful careers and raise families in the communities where they grew up? The answers touch on affordability, economic opportunity, entrepreneurship, education, and the future of the North Olympic Peninsula. This episode also serves as the public unveiling of much of what voters will soon see in Seegers’ official voters’ pamphlet statement. While District 3 voters typically narrow the commissioner field to two candidates during the August primary, only two candidates have filed for the position this year. That means the August vote will not determine who advances, but it will provide the first indicator of voter sentiment heading into the general election. In November, voters across Clallam County will decide who will occupy one of the most influential positions in county government. For anyone wanting to understand not just what Jake Seegers believes, but who he is, where he came from, and what experiences shaped those beliefs, this conversation offers a detailed look behind the campaign before ballots begin arriving in mailboxes. “There are a lot of very interesting, intelligent, talented people that I grew up with that have a lot of potential, but they choose to build their lives elsewhere for a lot of different reasons.” — Johanna Bartee The Voters’ Pamphlet Elected Experience: None Professional Experience: Portfolio Manager, Palomino Investments; Real Estate Investor; Founder, operator, former owner, The Natchez Pearl Inn; Buy-side analyst, Wilson Capital Management. Earlier roles: General manager and server, Mackenzie River Pizza Company; Substitute teacher; Preschool Spanish teacher; Ranch hand. Education: MBA (Investment Finance/Accounting), Ohio State University; BS, Biomedical Sciences, Montana State University. Community Service: 4PA clean-up crew; 4PA Campus Committee; Surfrider and CoastSavers beach clean-ups; volunteer at Harbor of Hope. As a teenager, Jake served alongside his parents providing healthcare to the Tarahumara people in the mountains of Northern Mexico. He continues to pursue solutions directly with community members experiencing homelessness. Candidate Statement: It’s time for common-sense leadership. County government must focus on its core mission, which is to deliver essential services and empower efficient, community-driven solutions. If you elect me, every decision will be guided by two questions: Is it essential? Is it effective? Public safety is my top priority. Failed policies have fueled homelessness and open drug abuse in our neighborhoods, parks, and watersheds. Instead of measuring inputs—beds filled, meals served, supplies distributed—we must measure outcomes: recovery from addiction and graduation from homelessness to self-sufficiency. I will work to make Clallam County a magnet for high-quality, high-paying employers. Safe, clean public spaces, streamlined permitting, and skilled workforce development will give businesses confidence that their investments are protected and their partnerships valued. Housing must be attainable for working families. I will push back on costly mandates, work to reduce county fees, and empower local solutions that expand affordability. Drawing on my business background, I will restore oversight to the county budget. I’ll demand transparency and measurable results for every taxpayer dollar. I’m running to restore public safety, economic opportunity, affordability, fiscal responsibility, and trust in local government. Together we can return to common-sense leadership. 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]

The NGO Revolving Door: The Commissioners Keep Writing Checks While Taxpayers Get Locked Out

A simple email exchange between a Clallam County resident and Habitat for Humanity reflects a growing frustration across the county: taxpayers fund projects, commissioners celebrate the spending, and nonprofits ask for more money, but when citizens ask basic questions about results or accountability, the answers become vague. From stalled housing projects to nonprofit financial failures, the same pattern keeps repeating itself while residents asking questions are treated like the problem. “The Project Is Not at the Stage to Share This Information Yet” A short email exchange between a Clallam County resident and Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County may perfectly capture the culture that now defines local government. The resident asked a simple question: What project was using the $800,000 the Clallam County Commissioners approved for Habitat through the county’s Opportunity Fund? The money, Habitat explained, was going toward “Lyons Landing,” a proposed 45-home development in Carlsborg. Then came the obvious follow-up question: Can taxpayers see the grant numbers, project numbers, and cost centers to understand how the money is being spent? That answer was different. “The project is not at the stage to share this information yet.” Habitat’s CEO, Colleen Robinson, was copied on the exchange more a week ago and, as of publication, has not responded to the resident’s questions. It has now been a year and a half since county commissioners approved the funding. Aside from a ceremonial groundbreaking photo opportunity featuring county officials, Habitat leadership, and tribal representatives standing together with shovels in a vacant lot, little work has occurred on the property north of Sunny Farms in Carlsborg. And that response — “we’re not ready to share that information yet” — says a great deal about how Clallam County now operates. Public Money, Private Transparency To be fair, Habitat for Humanity is legally within its rights. It is a nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Once taxpayer money leaves county government and is handed to an NGO, much of the public transparency disappears with it. Citizens cannot demand internal budgets the way they can from government departments. Public records laws no longer apply in the same way. The money may have originated from taxpayers, but once it changes hands, public visibility ends. That is exactly why oversight before funding approvals matters so much. The controversy surrounding Lyons Landing began in late 2024 [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/the-advantages-of-being-disadvantaged?utm_source=publication-search] when the Opportunity Fund Advisory Board recommended awarding Habitat $800,000 for the project. The Opportunity Fund collects a portion of local sales tax revenue and distributes it to economic development projects throughout the county. Problems emerged after it became public that Habitat did not intend to competitively bid major portions of the development. Instead, significant excavation, surveying, and concrete work was expected to go to Jamestown Corporation businesses. The issue raised eyebrows because Jamestown Corporation had also donated $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity. The county paused the award for months while legal review examined whether public funds could legally be used in a project structure that appeared to bypass traditional competitive bidding requirements intended to protect taxpayers and ensure fair pricing. Eventually, the funding was approved. Today, the property still sits vacant. That makes the public’s questions entirely reasonable. What work has been completed? How much of the $800,000 has been spent? What exactly are taxpayers funding? Instead of answers, the public is increasingly told to simply trust the process. When Journalism Starts Reading Like Advertising At the same time taxpayers are being denied answers, local newspapers continue publishing glowing nonprofit-written features celebrating community partnerships, fundraising dinners, wine tastings, and awareness campaigns. One recent Habitat for Humanity article spent far more time discussing silent auctions, wine festivals, and “turning strangers into supporters” than it did discussing measurable housing production. Readers were told repeatedly how important Habitat’s mission is and why the organization needs continued support. What readers were not told was how many homes Habitat is currently delivering annually, how much each completed housing unit costs, how long projects are taking, or how much taxpayer money is now flowing into the organization from local government sources. Another detail stood out as well. Many of Habitat’s major fundraising events are hosted at Jamestown Corporation properties, including Cedars at Dungeness. That raises a reasonable question: do other local venues ever have the opportunity to host these high-profile nonprofit events and receive the economic benefit and exposure that comes with them? Or are these relationships increasingly concentrated among politically connected organizations and tribal enterprises? The question becomes even more relevant given Habitat’s emphasis on its Native American Housing Liaison program [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/habitat-for-humanity-or-habit-for?utm_source=publication-search] and its close partnerships with Jamestown entities. These are not unreasonable questions. In a healthy civic environment, they would simply be part of public accountability. Instead, people who ask them are often treated as troublemakers. The Humane Society Warning Signs Everyone Ignored This same pattern has repeated itself across Clallam County for years. One of the clearest examples occurred during a December 2023 Clallam County Commissioner work session involving the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society. Executive Director Luanne Hinkle appeared before commissioners requesting an increase in county funding from $104,000 annually to $125,000 annually. Hinkle opened the presentation by explaining that her goal was to show commissioners that county money was “very well spent.” Commissioners asked one of the most basic financial questions imaginable: what is the cost per kennel? Hinkle said it was difficult to calculate. No estimate was provided. No follow-up pressure came from the commissioners. During the presentation, Hinkle acknowledged that animals were regularly transferred into the shelter system from outside Clallam County. The discussion relied heavily on emotional appeals about vulnerable animals, overcrowding, and community tensions, but offered little hard financial analysis. The commissioners praised the organization anyway. Then came perhaps the most revealing moment of the entire meeting. As the discussion wrapped up, Commissioner Randy Johnson’s final question was not about costs, operational efficiency, or financial sustainability. “Are you and your husband planning a trip when you retire?” he asked. Within months, the Humane Society suffered a financial collapse [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/humane-society-hits-ruff-patch?utm_source=publication-search] that shocked much of the community. The Bark House facility shut down. Dog intake operations effectively stopped. Reports surfaced alleging serious internal dysfunction [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/inhumane-society?utm_source=publication-search], including claims involving employee treatment and controlled substances intended for animals. Financial records showed that while revenue had significantly declined, salaries and compensation had surged. IRS Form 990 filings showed total revenue dropping from roughly $1.5 million to $1.18 million in a single year, while salaries, compensation, and benefits increased from approximately $758,000 to more than $1 million. Luanne Hinkle’s compensation jumped nearly 50 percent in one year, rising from about $95,000 to nearly $142,000. At the same time, tax documents showed that only 8% of total spending went directly toward animal care itself. Yet despite all of this, the Humane Society had already received taxpayer support, public praise, and minimal scrutiny from county leadership. The Weekly NGO Parade And that is the broader story here. Every week, nonprofits rotate through county commissioner meetings asking for taxpayer money. Housing nonprofits. Behavioral health nonprofits. Arts nonprofits. Food nonprofits. Animal nonprofits. Outreach nonprofits. The presentations are almost always emotional. The scrutiny is almost always light. The commissioners routinely thank the organizations for their work, praise their missions, and approve additional funding. Sometimes those same commissioners simultaneously sit on boards connected to the very nonprofits receiving public money. One recent example is OlyCAP’s “safe parking” program [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/the-olycap-illusion-public-money?utm_source=publication-search] in Sequim, where over $118,000 in taxpayer funding was approved for what amounts to three overnight parking spaces. Residents asking where the money is going and what measurable outcomes justify the expense have struggled to get clear answers from either OlyCAP or the county. The silence is especially troubling because Commissioner Mike French not only voted on funding connected to OlyCAP, but he also sits on OlyCAP’s board [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/when-county-commissioners-fund-the?utm_source=publication-search]. That dual role creates an obvious expectation for transparency and accountability, yet residents increasingly feel they are met with silence. Questions about measurable outcomes, operational efficiency, and financial accountability are often secondary to narratives about compassion, partnerships, and community investment. Meanwhile, taxpayers increasingly feel like the only people ever told “no” are the citizens asking for transparency. The Disappearance of the Local Watchdog The larger problem is cultural. Local journalism once acted as a watchdog over government and public spending. Increasingly, many local publications now resemble public relations platforms for government agencies, nonprofits, and publicly funded initiatives. Residents are constantly told how transformative programs are, how critical funding is, and why even more taxpayer support is necessary. What is often missing are measurable outcomes and adversarial scrutiny. How many homes were built?How many people exited homelessness permanently?How much did each project cost taxpayers?What are the actual performance metrics?What happens when organizations fail? Those questions are becoming rarer and rarer. Instead, the public is asked to trust institutions that increasingly resist transparency while continuing to demand larger amounts of taxpayer money. This Is the Culture Now This has become the norm in Clallam County. Government praises nonprofits. Nonprofits praise government. Local media amplifies both. Taxpayers fund the entire system while struggling to obtain basic answers about where the money went and whether any of it is actually working. Commissioners get to look compassionate and generous while handing out public money. NGOs receive funding, glowing media coverage, and reduced scrutiny. Meanwhile, residents asking hard questions are portrayed as cynical, divisive, or anti-community. And while millions continue flowing into studies, outreach programs, partnerships, consultants, and nonprofit initiatives, many residents increasingly feel the county’s most basic responsibilities — public safety, infrastructure, accountability, and transparency — are slipping further out of reach. This is not an isolated incident. It is the culture. And until voters demand something different, the revolving door will continue spinning exactly as it does now. “The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.” — Oscar Wilde Today’s Tidbit: Jake in Joyce Join County Commissioner candidate Jake Seegers this Saturday at the Joyce General Store for a casual Community Conversation focused on the future of Clallam County. Stop by anytime between noon and 2pm to meet Jake, share your concerns, pick up a yard sign, and sign the growing petition [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/reopening-the-elwhaa-community-led?utm_source=publication-search] to restore access to Olympic National Park by reopening Olympic Hot Springs Road into the Elwha Valley. The petition effort is calling on state and federal leaders to prioritize restoring one of the county’s most important recreational and economic corridors. Reopening the road is about more than access — it’s about supporting local tourism, protecting gateway communities, and reconnecting families to one of the most iconic areas of the Olympic Peninsula. Residents are encouraged to stop in, ask questions, and be part of the conversation about public safety, government accountability, economic priorities, and the future direction of Clallam County. 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]

How a Double Murder Fugitive Lived Here for Over a Decade

For years, Port Angeles residents reported the same man wandering into traffic, trespassing, exposing himself, and generating constant police and medical responses. No one realized the familiar figure from the local street scene was allegedly a fugitive tied to a nationally publicized 2008 double murder cold case once featured on America’s Most Wanted. Now sitting in the Clallam County Jail, Johnny Steven Talbert’s arrest is raising difficult questions about public safety and how someone accused of such horrific crimes could spend more than a decade cycling through local systems unnoticed. For over a decade, Johnny Steven Talbert drifted through Port Angeles as one of the familiar faces of the local street scene. According to police records, Port Angeles officers had contacts with him going back to at least 2011, while residents on social media were documenting incidents involving him as far back as 2017 and likely earlier. Now, Talbert sits in the Clallam County Jail as a fugitive wanted in North Carolina for a 2008 double murder and armed robbery cold case that once appeared on America’s Most Wanted. He was arrested in the 2300 block of West 18th Street in Port Angeles. The Serenity House homeless shelter is located at 2321 West 18th Street. According to the Peninsula Daily News [https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/2026/05/25/cold-case-arrest-made-in-port-angeles/?_gl=1*pbkhxr*_up*MQ..*_ga*Mjg2MjAyNjk0LjE3Nzk3NDQwNzE.*_ga_67F2FQKKNL*czE3Nzk3NDQwNjkkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzk3NDQwNzAkajU5JGwwJGgw*_ga_N128JVS01Q*czE3Nzk3NDQwNzAkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzk3NDQwNzAkajYwJGwwJGg1MDA1MjUyNjE.], Talbert is accused of killing Donna Barnhardt, a longtime office manager at the Sun Drop bottling plant, and Darrell Noles, a church choir leader who had simply stopped by to apply for a job. Police believe nearly $10,000 was stolen during the robbery. In a detailed news release, the Concord, North Carolina Police Department described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the nearly 18-year-old “Sun Drop Murders” cold case. Investigators said Talbert was identified after detectives reexamined evidence, pursued previously undeveloped leads, and continued forensic testing as technology evolved over the years. Concord detectives reportedly contacted the Port Angeles Police Department in December 2025, then traveled to Washington earlier this month as the investigation intensified. Talbert was arrested May 21, 2026 by Port Angeles Police without incident and is currently awaiting extradition to North Carolina on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon. What’s puzzling is that somehow, Talbert ended up almost 3,000 miles away in Port Angeles. Why Clallam County? Why do people from across the country with severe instability, criminal histories, addiction problems, warrants, or untreated mental illness keep finding their way here? For years, local residents repeatedly documented Talbert wandering into traffic, trespassing, exposing himself publicly, causing disturbances, requiring welfare checks, sleeping in stairwells, and generating constant police and medical responses. Social media scanner pages show incident after incident stretching over years. The scale of these interactions is staggering. According to the Olympic Herald [https://www.olympicherald.com/p/local-suspect-arrested-in-2008-north?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=7532798&post_id=199393071&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1013wj&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email], a review of Port Angeles Police Department records showed approximately 288 contacts with Talbert since his first documented police contact in Port Angeles in November 2011. Those records reportedly include 14 arrests, two of them felonies. Every single incident consumed scarce public resources. Police time. Jail bookings. Court appearances. EMS responses. Outreach contacts. Behavioral health interventions. Shelter systems. Food programs. Transportation assistance. Public sanitation. Taxpayer-funded nonprofit services. Public defenders. Hospital care. Repeat contacts over and over and over again. Residents are now asking how many local outreach workers, social workers, nonprofit employees, volunteers, and publicly funded agencies had interactions with Talbert over the years without knowing they were dealing with a man now accused of a double homicide. And residents are also asking a larger question: Does Clallam County’s growing homelessness and addiction infrastructure unintentionally advertise itself as a safe harbor for people trying to disappear? Free food. Free transportation. Free medical care. Free paraphernalia. Housing prioritization. Outreach teams. Safe parking programs. Hygiene vouchers. Permanent supportive housing. When Peninsula Behavioral Health’s new luxury permanent supportive housing complex [https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/dishpan-hands-a-barrier-to-success?utm_source=publication-search] opens, officials have already stated that individuals with frequent incarceration histories will be prioritized for placement. That reality lands differently now for many residents reading about Talbert’s arrest. Some residents are bluntly asking whether Clallam County has unintentionally created a system where unstable and dangerous individuals can survive indefinitely on taxpayer-supported services while drifting deeper into addiction, mental illness, criminality, or violent behavior. Others are asking how many more people hiding in plain sight may already be here. And perhaps the hardest question of all: How does someone wanted in connection with a nationally publicized double murder cold case spend well over a decade cycling through contacts with law enforcement, outreach systems, nonprofits, medical systems, shelters, and behavioral health environments in a small town without the larger system ever connecting the dots? “When a society tolerates disorder for the sake of tolerance, eventually it gets neither order nor tolerance.” — Thomas Sowell Today’s Tidbit: Randall in Chimacum Tomorrow Congresswoman Emily Randall — the elected official now helping advance the Jamestown S’Klallam Land Transfer Act through Congress — is coming to the Olympic Peninsula for a public town hall Thursday night in Chimacum. Campaign finance records show Randall previously received a $2,000 contribution from Jamestown Corporation CEO Ron Allen and another $3,500 contribution from the Jamestown Tribe. Now, she is helping lead legislation that would permanently transfer federally protected wildlife refuge land into tribal ownership. In a recent message to supporters, Randall wrote: “I can’t wait to answer your questions about my work in Congress, and hear about what matters to you most.” The town hall will be held tomorrow, Thursday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. at Chimacum High School Auditorium, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. For many residents concerned about the proposed refuge transfer, it may be one of the few opportunities to publicly ask direct questions about the future of public lands, public access, and political influence surrounding the proposal. 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]