PORT ANGELES — Clallam County should not seek reconveyance of its state-managed forest lands, an ad hoc committee has recommended.
The Clallam County Trust Lands Advisory Committee voted 14-1 Friday against a recommendation that the county request the state Legislature to allow it to take back the management of its revenue-producing timberlands.
Instead, the committee will explore ways to help the state Department of Natural Resources maximize returns on 92,525 acres of DNR-managed forests in the county.
“They made an important decision,” Clallam County Commissioner Bill Peach said at Tuesday’s board meeting.
“I look forward to supporting them through the rest of the year as they have their conversation about ‘What are the other options?’ ”
Over the past six months, the 20-member ad hoc committee has heard a series of presentations from state and federal officials on the environmental constraints and regulatory requirements affecting timber sales.
Protections for the marbled murrelet, riparian zones and reduced staffing at DNR were three big reasons why the agency failed to sell some 92 million board feet of Clallam County timber that was supposed to be sold from 2005 to 2014, DNR Deputy Supervisor for State Uplands Kyle Blum told the group in March.
Several have blamed that unsold timber — arrearage — for the demise of Clallam County mills and the loss of millions of dollars to the county and junior taxing districts such as schools, hospitals, libraries and fire departments.
Arrearage helped to motivate a 10-4 majority of the Charter Review Commission to recommend the formation of Trust Lands Advisory Committee last year.
County commissioners tasked the committee to study the “history, issues, benefits, challenges and advantages of reconveyance” and make a recommendation back to the board.
Now that reconveyance is off the table, the committee will “provide guidance to ensure a continual engagement with the [DNR] on how it is promptly and adequately fulfilling its trust lands objectives to Clallam County, its taxing districts and its citizenry,” according to its charge.
One option that will be discussed by the advisory committee is to add a forester to the county payroll.
Peach, who represents 21 timber counties on the state Board of Natural Resources, described the recent vote as “good progress.”
“For them, after a half a year, to come to an agreement and a conclusion that was almost unanimous says that this committee process works,” Peach said.
The vote on whether or not to seek reconveyance was not listed on the committee’s Friday agenda.
The spontaneous action was taken after a free-flowing discussion about the hurdles of reconveyance, including the fact that it would have to be approved by the state Legislature.
Forks City Attorney and Planner Rod Fleck, a committee member and longtime watchdog of DNR trust management, said reconveyance would require years of assessment and a second working group.
Reconveyance was a “very real possibility” in the late 1990s and remains an “interesting exercise” for discussion, Fleck said.
“I think the practical reality is how do we ensure [Blum’s] successor knows every two months, every month, someone gives a flying frig about what their volume is sold in comparison to what they promised to sell,” Fleck said, “and that promise to sell met every one of the most stringent environmental regulations in the nation.”
State Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, who is not seeking re-election this year, has made a “huge effort” to engage trust beneficiaries and understands that “the county is basically just an escrow agent” for the dollars flowing to multiple trust beneficiaries, Fleck said.
In the interest of “checking an obligation off the list,” Green Crow Vice President and Republican Party committee representative Tom Swanson suggested a vote to dismiss the notion of reconveyance.
Fleck suggested that the panel first hear from Grays Harbor County officials who manage their own trust lands.
“For the reasons that you mentioned, Rod, reconveyance is a gauntlet that may not be in the best interest to recommend,” Swanson said.
“While I think the Grays Harbor County presentation would be of interest, I think its relevance to a potential decision by this committee is very low.”
The committee then voted down Jason Cross’ motion to advise the board of county commissioners to seek reconveyance.
Blum and committee Chairman Joe Murray abstained. Three members were absent.
Cross, representing the North Olympic Timber Action Committee, voted yes.
He said the vote removes a “big checkbox” from the committee’s agenda.
“It’s June, and we need to be able to finish by December,” he said.
The Trust Lands Advisory Committee will make a final recommendation to commissioners by the end of this year.
Toby Thaler, a Seattle attorney representing the Olympic Forest Coalition, said he views the committee’s work as “less stressful” with reconveyance off the table.
“I want there to be a collaborative effort to come up with some recommendations to the county that help both the beneficiaries and the ecological condition of the Peninsula,” said Thaler, one of several representatives of the environmental community.
“I don’t think that they’re mutually inconsistent.”
At the county commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, board Chairman Mike Chapman said there could be a “real benefit” to a standing committee advising the board on trust land issues.
“I think it should be a part of the conversation,” Chapman said.
Commissioner Mark Ozias said it “makes great sense” to have a group of experts who are focused on a “fundamentally important revenue stream.”
“I’m thrilled at the direction that the committee is taking and thinking about next steps and other possibilities,” Ozias said.
“That’s a real success, to have taken an issue that is so political, that has the potential to be so political during the upcoming campaign season, and make a decision and feel good about it. To have a positive plan moving forward is impressive.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
