PORT ANGELES — In his introduction of the nation’s only elected community development director, Dick Pilling emphasized how she seeks to make her office “a help, not a hindrance” to county property owners.
In November, Sheila Roark Miller defeated incumbent John Miller — no relation — to head Clallam County’s Department of Community Development.
“If the director is not responsible to the people, we can fire him. And we just did,” added Pilling, a Realtor and the chairman of the Clallam County Republican Party.
Roark Miller, whose position is a nonpartisan one with a four-year term, delivered a talk titled “Changes, Savings and Service” to Port Angeles Business Association members over breakfast at Joshua’s Restaurant on Tuesday morning.
She began by listing ways she and her 30-member staff have saved money since her swearing-in Dec. 30: leaving 2.7 full-time-equivalent positions unfilled, laying off building official and fire marshal Leon Smith in January and adding his duties to her own and “cross-training with employees,” so workers can do more than before.
“I’ve been instrumental in saving almost $40,000 in wages and benefits,” Roark Miller added.
She’s also sought to reduce miles traveled in county cars and spending on supplies and electricity.
For her constituents, Roark Miller said, she has tried to simplify the permitting process for pole buildings, wheelchair ramps, fences and wood stoves in garages.
In the past, permits weren’t issued for garage stoves, but she knows county residents put them in anyway.
“We want this to be done safely,” Roark Miller said of the wood stove installations.
So she’s intent on letting people know they can now get through the permitting process legally.
The Department of Community Development is facing plenty of big-picture problems as well, such as planning for a Carlsborg sewer system and updating its shoreline master plan.
Pilling, when Roark Miller opened herself to questions, asked why the shoreline master plan has to be updated at all.
The state requires it as environmental conditions change, the director replied.
But “I’m not a state worker. I’m not sure why they make these state rules and regulations.”
In terms of environmental monitoring, “I think for the most part, Clallam County is on the up and up,” Roark Miller added.
“We don’t have a lot of pollution . . . our shorelines are in pretty good shape.”
Port Angeles Business Association President Kaj Ahlburg asked the new director about policy changes made since John Miller left office.
“I’m more responsive to my staff,” Roark Miller said, before turning to Tom Shindler, her newly appointed permit center manager, for his perspective.
Shindler smiled and hesitated. Laughter rose, and Roark Miller acknowledged that she was putting her employee “on the spot.”
“We’ve got a clean slate,” Shindler said finally.
Then Donald Darling, owner of Strait Mail in Port Angeles, asked if the Department of Community Development is in the business of growing its income through increased permit fees.
“We have to meet a budget each year,” Roark Miller replied.
She added that on her watch, the department is saving money by not filling those 2.7 FTEs.
She reminded Darling, too, that if he and other constituents believe the director isn’t managing finances well, “it’s an elected position.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3550 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
