PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Board of Health on Thursday delayed for at least a year the launch of a state-mandated septic system operations and monitoring program.
Responding to public criticism and confusion in recent weeks, the board kicked back the proposal to Jefferson County Public Health staffers for revamping and streamlining.
A revised proposal is to be brought back to the board on March 21 for review.
The move to slow the program’s initiation was praised by several residents who had been among those who protested the original proposal — especially the fees that would be charged homeowners with septic systems — during a Feb. 14 hearing in Chimacum.
While about 200 attended that forum at Chimacum High School Auditorium, about 50 showed up for the Thursday board meeting at the Pope Marine Building downtown.
Those attending the meeting — the third on the proposal — were diverted from the usual entrance to the Pope building to a side entrance where four Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies greeted them.
Police and fire officials were called into an unruly health board meeting at the Public Health conference room in January.
That meeting was postponed after an angry crowd jammed the room.
