PORT TOWNSEND — About 40 demonstrators marched from downtown Port Townsend to the Jefferson County Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to demand that the county pull its assets out of Bank of America and invest in a local bank.
“Jefferson County has large accounts at Bank of America, and we ask that these be emptied and closed,” the Occupy Port Townsend demonstrators chanted outside Treasurer Judi Morris’ window.
“We also ask that any monies you place under control of the Washington state treasurer be moved elsewhere until the state ceases using Bank of America as a financial institution.”
The demonstrators began at Pope Marine Park and marched down Water Street, detouring through the Bank of America drive-up lane.
They continued onto Sims Way before turning up the hill on Washington Street to the county courthouse.
Port Townsend Police Sgt. Troy Surber followed the demonstrators as they walked in the southbound lane and did not allow any traffic to pass for the 20 minutes it took them to cover the route.
Surber said that the police had received some traffic complaints but decided to allow the demonstration to proceed unimpeded.
The marchers walked into the courthouse and went to Morris’ office where they presented their letter, which Morris said she had read earlier in the day.
They crowded into the hall and began singing to Morris to the tune of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”
“Hey, Judy, don’t keep things bad, take our money from Bank of America,” the protesters sang.
“Remember that you can think for yourself. And you can help to make things better,” they continued.
In the letter, the demonstrators said that a banking relationship can be terminated with 45 days’ notice, something Morris said she will not do.
“We have a contract with Bank of America through the end of 2013,” she said.
“Next summer, we will put out an RFP and any bank can bid for the service at that time, but the county’s finances are very complicated and can’t be easily changed.”
In rallies across the North Olympic Peninsula, Moveon.org and Occupy movements have urged people to move their money from large nationally operated banking organizations that received federal bailouts in 2008 to local institutions.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
