The Washington State Conservation Commission will review whether Mike Wiley Jr. should be seated on the Clallam Conservation District board of supervisors at its meeting today during the second day of a two-day meeting in Silverdale.
The commission met Wednesday in a work session and did not take up the Wiley matter, although it was expected to do so.
“We didn’t take any action today,” Commission Executive Director Mark Clark said Wednesday.
“We looked at climate change, air quality impacts, reviewed the strategic plan and resolutions,” he said.
The commission will meet at Oxford Suites, 9550 Silverdale Way in Silverdale.
The commission staff and the Clallam Conservation District board of supervisors have said Wiley should not be seated.
Question of qualifications
They contend he did not fit the qualifications for the position when he defeated incumbent Don Hatler 107-60 as a write-in candidate for the position.
The commission staff and Clallam board contend that Wiley was neither a landowner nor a farm operator at the time of the election.
Hatler, 72, owns land in Sequim.
Wiley, 19, lives in Joyce and attends Peninsula College.
Clark said he expects the 10-member commission will specifically discuss the Clallam Conservation District election as part of a 9:35 a.m. agenda item to certify conservation district elections throughout Washington state.
If the commission does not certify Wiley’s election, the three-year position would automatically go to Hatler.
The disputed election prompted the commission to hold a hearing to collect public comments at a packed meeting in Port Angeles on April 29.
It also may generate reform of conservation district election procedures statewide, Clark said Wednesday.
The commission likely will discuss setting up a subcommittee to address the issue at its July meeting, Clark said.
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Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
