PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners will hold public meetings on Charter Review Commission recommendations in the first quarter of next year.
The three commissioners agreed Monday to gather public feedback on ideas to hire a county forester, require 5G wireless companies to comply with federal environmental law and take immediate steps to address the lack of affordable housing in the county.
Commissioners will consider public comment before drafting responses to each of the recommendations in the second quarter of 2021, according to a timeline proposed by Chairman Mark Ozias.
Each response will include timetables for action or reasons for not pursuing the recommendation.
“The proposal dealing with affordable housing is something that’s pretty near and dear to my heart,” Commissioner Bill Peach said in a virtual work session Monday.
“I believe that it’s going to take a number of approaches to make a significant difference down the road.”
Commissioner Randy Johnson, chair of the county’s Homelessness Task Force, said his main issue was making affordable housing available to the greatest number of people possible.
“I don’t want to have a planning session that doesn’t get things done,” Johnson said.
“We all recognize there’s a need, but the question that I always have is how do I get the greatest benefit with the dollars that we have available.”
The process for responding to the Charter Review recommendations is outlined in the county’s home rule charter.
Given the county’s current focus on the 2021 budget, the general election and the administration of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, Ozias suggested early 2021 for the board to hold public meetings on the recommendations.
“Right now, I’m thinking we slot in the county forester in January, the wireless in February and affordable housing for March,” Ozias said.
A Charter Review Commission is elected every five years to propose changes to the county charter.
This year, it proposed six amendments for voters to consider in the Nov. 3 general election and forwarded three separate recommendations to the board.
The three recommendations were:
• Hire a county forester to increase monitoring of the state Department of Natural Resources’ management of county trust lands.
• Take all required and necessary legal actions to ensure that any franchise associated with new radio frequency devices or systems operating in the micro or millimeter wave frequency — 5G — be accompanied by a scientific study determining that the device of system is in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
• Immediately take active leadership to reclaim and renew the board’s primary leadership role in engaging a group of public and private organizations and businesses to creatively increase affordable hosing availability, apply forward-thinking ideas proven to be successful in communities that have reduced the experience of homelessness effectively and report progress back to the community every six months.
The recommendations were sponsored by Charter Review Commission members Joe Murray, Tony Corrado and Candace Pratt, respectively.
Charter Review Chairwoman Sue Erzen said the proposed timeline seemed “very realistic.”
“We’re going to be there, not as formal commissioners, but as citizens who would be supporting you in this effort,” Erzen told commissioners.
Ozias said the housing recommendation would likely be the most complex and involve the largest number of stakeholders.
Johnson said the issue involves organizations like Peninsula Housing Authority, builders, banks and cities within the county.
“That entire group needs to be working together, and I totally agree with their thoughts about this,” Johnson said of the Charter Review’s recommendation.
“We need to ramp this up, but it needs to be, again, something that’s sufficient and gives the greatest good for the greatest number of people. I’ve said that more than once, but I really believe that.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
