PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Commissioner Bill Peach should put up or shut up, according to county Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis.
The first-term commissioner publicly suggested Barkhuis has acted criminally in her ongoing dispute with commissioners.
“It is unfortunate that Commissioner Peach has, according to various newspaper accounts, accused my client of criminal wrongdoing,” Barkhuis’s attorney, David Alvarez, said in a letter emailed Thursday to commissioners.
The letter also reiterated Barkhuis’ resolve to not release $1.3 million in disputed Opportunity Fund grants that were approved by the commissioners in a 2-1 vote.
Since May, Barkhuis has refused to honor Opportunity Fund warrants approved by the commissioners, saying the board has not acted legally in approving them.
Peach was unequivocal in his criticism of Barkhuis at a June 23 commissioners meeting.
“I would like to officially state that her behavior is unacceptable, she has broken the law and that I won’t tolerate this,” he said without elaboration.
On July 22, Barkhuis emailed Peach demanding an explanation.
“Please elaborate what you mean by these statements via email,” Barkhuis said.
Barkhuis said she did not receive a response.
During an Aug. 10 work session, Peach said Barkhuis’ actions are “not the behavior of a rational individual.”
In a Peninsula Daily News interview later that day, Peach suggested she broke the law by refusing to honor the warrants.
“People have brought to my attention that she may have broken four RCWs that result in a misdemeanor and one RCW that results in a felony,” Peach said.
Alvarez letter
In a letter to commissioners Thursday, Alvarez said: “These allegations appear to be unfounded, since the commissioner has not substantiated or further explained his accusations despite my client’s express request that he do so.
“Personal attacks are a distraction from the legal issues being debated here,” Alvarez said.
Peach did not return repeated calls for comment Friday that were left at his home, office and cellphone.
Commission Chairman Jim McEntire would not comment on Peach’s allegations of illegality on Barkhuis’ part.
Nor would he comment directly on Alvarez’s assertion that personal attacks divert attention from more important issues.
“Boy, would I love to respond to that,” McEntire said.
Chapman would not comment, either.
“Honestly, that’s between Mr. Peach and Ms. Barkhuis,” Chapman said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
