PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners began their Tuesday meeting with a celebration.
Many of those in the packed commissioner hearing room were there to honor one of their own: Sgt. Darrell Bryant of the Clallam County Corrections Facility, who is retiring after 33 years of service.
Sheriff Bill Benedict pinned a sheriff’s star on Bryant and then read from a proclamation: “Sgt. Bryant performed his duties in the jail with skill, energy and dedication that exemplifies the best in community service and professionalism.”
Following the festivities, commissioners got to work.
During a public hearing after their regular Tuesday meeting, they voted to approve two 2022 surface transportation block grant funding (STBG) applications.
One application — for $400,000 out of a total project cost of $969,773 — will fund construction of about 3,700 feet of Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) in Sequim from Michigan School Road to Old Blyn Highway. The segment of the ODT is part of an overall 130-mile, non-motorized, multi-use trail system that spans from Port Townsend to the Pacific Ocean.
According to information from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which applied for the STBG, portions of the trail that have not been developed require cyclists to ride on the narrow shoulder of U.S. Highway 101.
The improved trail will offer a 10-foot-wide paved surface to provide for two-way traffic from both bicycles and pedestrians and a 4-foot-wide gravel path for horse riders.
Said Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Chair Ron Allen, who attended the public hearing virtually: “We are dedicating some more of our property for this trail, and we’re very excited about it. … It’s a big deal, and we will continue to do our part here in Clallam County.”
The other STBG — applied for by the city of Sequim for $776,311 out of a total project cost of $897,469 — will fund a North Sequim Avenue arterial overlay project from Washington Street to Deytona Street.
According to information from the city of Sequim, the overlay on heavily traveled North Sequim Avenue, the primary north-south arterial through Sequim, will help facilitate local connections to public facilities, commercial businesses and residential areas, and serve as part of the route for through traffic between U.S. Highway 101, Old Olympic Highway and the greater Clallam County region as it becomes Sequim-Dungeness Way.
In other action Tuesday, commissioners approved a statement of work agreement allowing Verkada Development Services to install a new door access control system and security cameras to improve physical security at the Clallam County Courthouse.
The project will replace obsolete equipment, improve the quality of security footage and provide software to improve incident investigation. Project cost is $372,770.66.
Morse Creek
Commissioners also approved an application through the state Recreation and Conservation Office for funding to study Morse Creek — near the east boundary of Port Angeles in Clallam County — with the goal of eventually restoring it to an estuary.
According to Rebecca Mahan, a habitat biologist with the Department of Community Development, the creek has historically contained all five Pacific salmon. They include Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed Puget Sound chinook, Puget Sound coho, chum, pink and sockeye.
Also inhabiting Morse Creek are ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead and species of concern Pacific lamprey.
The feasibility study is of particular concern to the Four Seasons Ranch Homeowners Association.
“They would like to see a restored, functioning, estuary,” Mahan said. “Morse creek is virtually non-functioning as an estuary at the present time.”
The board approved vacating a portion of county property near Lincoln Avenue (platted in the early 1900s but never built) north of Highway 101 close to Smith Plaza (near Safeway shopping center.) The vacation will allow the owner of the adjacent property to favorably purchase the right-a-way property.
“We don’t need 120 feet of right-of-way, so we are vacating some portions to the adjacent property owner, and she is purchasing it at half the market value,” said Kaia Moore, county right-of-way agent.
Hotel-motel tax fund
Commissioners also approved authorizing expenditures from the county’s hotel/motel tax fund.
A total of $253,208 received from the consumer fund — which is designed to promote tourism or construction and operation of tourism-related facilities — will go to five county entities.
They are: Lincoln Park BMX Association, $19,570; Peninsula Trails Coalition, $20,000; Port Angeles Waterfront Center, $145,000; Forks Chamber of Commerce, $53,638; and Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau, $15,000.
Commissioners approved adopting budget emergency fund allocations for the following county departments: Parks & facilities related to COVID-19 for goods and services expenditures incurred in March and expected to be reimbursed through FEMA, $17,121; Human Resources — workers compensation claims insurance premium increase, $60,000; Human Resources additional funding for the administrative specialist position approved in the April 11 BOCCC work session on April 11, $70,000; General Fund reserves transfer of $60,000 for local Crime Prevention Compensation and maintain current staffing levels.
Commissioners adopted a resolution for two budget revisions — one for the Sheriff’s Office — Emergency Services to help cover the cost of two license plated reader units for $9,853; the other for Parks & Facilities for reallocation of funds to help cover additional expense of the access control system project, $227,000.
Commissioners approved supplemental appropriations — increased expenditures due to unanticipated federal, state and local funds — for three funds. They are: $13,823 for the sheriff’s office — emergency services for purchase of two license-plate reader units, and funding for grant coordinator salary and benefits; $35,007 for parks & facilities to upgrade the courthouse access control card readers, and recording and camera systems; and $13,520 for the sheriff’s office — operations for the remainder of a COVID Emergency Supplemental Funding Grant not spent in fiscal years 2020 or 2021.
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Paul Dunn can be reached at reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at paul.dunn@soundpublishing.com.
