PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County commissioners voted to approve certification of the taxing district levy budgets to the assessor this week.
Commissioners during their work session Monday were told the county assessor’s office had put together a list of all the levies for the county’s taxing districts.
“It is the duty of the county legislative authority of each county, on or before Dec. 15 of each year, to certify to the county assessor the amount of taxes levied upon the property in the county for county purposes and on or before the first Monday in December the respective amounts of taxes levied by the board of each taxing district within the county for district purposes,” according to the agenda memo.
The list from the assessor’s office includes the name of each taxing district, their budget or estimated tax amount, the percent the tax levy is increasing and why it’s increasing.
In addition to the county’s levy, there are taxing districts for the North Olympic Library, the cities of Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks, the Port of Port Angeles, hospital districts, fire districts and school districts.
“We’re asking for commissioners to basically certify these taxing district levy amounts based upon the budgets that have been submitted by each of these districts,” Chief Financial Officer Mark Lane said.
The commissioners unanimously voted to certify the levy amounts. The list of more than 20 agencies can be found at tinyurl.com/PDN-County-Agenda.
Federal funds
During Monday’s work session, commissioners also heard about five requests for the disbursement of Title III federal funds under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The county had $156,807 to disburse, Special Projects Manager Diane Harvey said.
For the funds, a subcommittee of the Revenue Advisory Committee met to determine how much would be awarded. The county received five applications, Harvey said.
Clallam County Fire District 2 is set to receive $47,429.71, while Clallam County Fire District 3 will get $78,222.29. Clallam County Fire District 5 will get $10,000 while Clallam County Fire District 6 will get $10,805. Finally, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office will get $10,350.
The commissioners are slated to sign the contracts during their regular meeting today.
Noxious weeds
The work session also included the Clallam County Noxious Weed Control Board’s yearly review, presented by Noxious Weed Control Coordinator Christina St. John.
The board works with private and public landowners to make sure regulated noxious weeds are controlled, according to the presentation.
In 2025, the board performed 605 inspections, sent 287 letters, conducted 61 site tours with landowners and performed 82 treatments to assist landowners to control rare noxious weeds such as hoary alyssum and common tansy. The board also was awarded a $2,500 grant to help private landowners treat shiny geranium in 2026.
Shiny geranium is a class B noxious weed which is required to be controlled in Clallam County, and St. John decided to highlight it for the commissioners.
“We’ve really seen an increase in the last couple years on the Peninsula that has the potential to cause a lot of issues in this county,” she said.
The weed spreads by seed, she said.
“One of the really pernicious parts about this plant is that it will germinate almost all year long,” St. John said. “And so you’ll go through multiple generations in one growing season, which means it spreads fast once it gets established.”
A shiny geranium infestation was reported in the Port Williams area covering about 7 acres.
“This has taken over, really, a couple of different properties out there,” St. John said. “It grows so aggressive and oftentimes these plants will put out chemicals that actually kill other plants around and then prevent their seeds that are already in the soil from germinating.”
St. John said she will bring a grant to the county commissioners in the next month or two that will help address the invasive weed.
“We’re going to be able to do free treatments for willing landowners that are interested in having us help them out to get this under control,” St. John said. “We’ve contacted almost every landowner in this area, and they are interested in that.”
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
