SEQUIM — Sequim City Council members approved a $58 million budget with some sizable projects and more staffing.
Council members slated $24.6 million for capital projects as part of the budget unanimously approved Nov. 25.
The West Sequim Bay Corridor Project to bring utilities to that area and build a lift station on Forrest Road is funded at $12.2 million, Sequim’s largest project for 2025.
“(The lift station) coupled with a second developer-built lift station will enable the realization of full zoning planned for the east end of our community for many years,” Sequim Public Works Director Paul Bucich said in an email.
“A new water line will also be brought in that will further reduce reliance on individual wells and provide a solid professionally run water supply to those wishing to connect.”
Nick Dostie, Sequim’s city engineer and deputy director of public works, previously said the project could go to bid in the second or third quarter of 2025, with construction possibly starting in the first quarter of 2026, and pipeline and lift station construction complete in the third or fourth quarter of 2028.
Next year, Sequim has 51 proposed projects with about 71 percent of them unfunded as of the budget’s September draft.
Bucich said staff recently learned Sequim received a grant of $705,000 from the Transportation Improvement Board to replace 62 deficient curb ramps with the city required to contribute $150,000.
Sequim also is on a short list under the Clallam County Opportunity Fund, he said, for the design of a new water pressure pump system up by the reservoir on Reservoir Road to serve upwards of 2,400 new homes in the future.
A few other funded city projects include $300,000 to increase security at city buildings, $126,500 for a transportation master plan/impact fee update study, $500,000 for the development of automatic water meter readers, and $2 million for continued construction of the Silberhorn Road Deep Well.
However, city staff must secure external funding through grants, low-interest loans and/or bonds for projects such as $438,000 for multi-year improvements to the intersection of Fifth Avenue/Washington Street to add turn signals and lanes, and $550,000 for two West Washington Street traffic signal cabinet replacements.
Bucich said they’ve also reevaluated replacing bridges in Carrie Blake Community Park and determined that one of the bridges does not need to be replaced, while the Olympic Discovery Trail bridge is in poor shape and will be replaced.
“We have a firm preparing the plans for construction of a replacement bridge and a new bridge just to the west that will enable our maintenance crews to move large mowers across the street and stay out of the road,” he said.
Impact
Along with the overall budget, city council members approved a 1 percent property tax levy increase allowed by law in a 6-1 vote, with mayor Brandon Janisse opposed on Nov. 18. They also unanimously approved a 3 percent sewer/water increase to utilities that follows a 2020 rate study that proposed a 4 percent water and 2 percent rate increase through 2030. Council members agreed to continue a 3 percent annual rate increase through 2025, with a low-income discount still available.
Since the budget was discussed in September, council members agreed to add $5,000 for seed money to build a Gold Star Memorial in the Ruth C. McCord Memorial Park.
They also agreed to add three full-time equivalent (FTE) employees next year, bringing the total for the city to about 100 staffers.
New positions would include a capital improvement program and development inspector, a temporary West Sequim Bay management and construction inspector and a Department of Community and Economic Development building and plans review specialist.
Sue Hagener, administrative services director, said via email the specialist would be in place to handle the “tsunami of permits we expect next year and new regulations that shorten the time for permit review considerably.”
Staff previously reported 900 homes are in some form of the development process around the city.
Council members also unanimously agreed to support the YMCA of Clallam County with $42,500 to help with a youth and family navigator position that lost its grant funding and helps families connect with needed services.
Hagener said the position does not count toward the city’s FTE total as the YMCA will hire the position, and the agreement is only for one year and will be reviewed in 2025 for 2026 as YMCA staff requested the amount for both years.
Council members discussed funding the position at a few meetings, with a majority saying they’d be fine with funding it for a year and supporting the YMCA to seek sustainable funding for 2026 and beyond.
City Manager Matt Huish said the YMCA’s leadership is consistently looking for grants.
Funding for the position would come out of the city’s Rainy Day Fund with about $940,000 in it, Hagener said.
Discussing the housing aspect of the position, councilor Vicki Lowe said “if there are homeless people in our city, then it’s a city thing.”
“It’s the policies we make that make housing available to people,” she said.
“We live in a city where housing is available to you if you have a lot of income. If not, then you get bumped out of the housing market.”
Council member Kathy Downer said “it’s difficult to vote against something this emotional.”
“I thought one year would be a good compromise,” she said.
With the YMCA position added, community requests for grant funding are budgeted for about $393,000, with $257,000 for social and human services and $136,000 for general programs.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
