Volunteers sought for openings on Clallam trust lands advisory committee

Published 12:01 am Sunday, September 20, 2015

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County is seeking volunteers to serve on an ad hoc trust lands advisory committee that will assess the management of state forest trust lands.

Applications are due Oct. 16.

The committee will review the “history, issues, benefits, challenges and advantages” of reconveyance of forest board lands from the state back to the county, according to a resolution that commissioners passed 2-1 Tuesday.

Ad hoc panel

If reconveyance is not in the best interest of the county, the ad hoc panel will “provide guidance to ensure a continual engagement with the [state] Department of Natural Resources on how it is promptly and adequately fulfilling its trust land objectives to Clallam County, its taxing districts and its citizenry,” the resolution reads.

Action to transfer lands to county management would have to be taken by the state Legislature.

The Clallam County Charter Review Commission voted 10-4 to recommend the trust lands committee to address arrearage, timber that DNR was supposed to sell but didn’t in the past decade.

The first meeting of the ad hoc committee is tentatively planned for the third week of October.

A final report will be issued to commissioners no later than Dec. 31, 2016.

The committee will include one representative appointed by each commissioner from his district.

Other representatives will be chosen by the following groups:

■ Port of Port Angeles.

■ Clallam County school districts.

■ State Department of Natural Resources.

■ A representative of junior taxing districts who is familiar with the DNR trust lands.

■ Society of American Foresters.

■ Granges.

■ League of Women ­Voters.

■ Republican Party.

■ Democratic Party.

■ Olympic Forest ­Coalition.

■ North Olympic ­Timber Action Committee.

■ City of Forks.

■ Environmental groups.

How to apply

To apply or for more information, contact Cindy LoPiccolo at the Board of Commissioners’ office at 360-417-2233 or llopiccolo@co.clallam.wa.us.

Applications are also available online at www.clallam.net under “Boards, Committees and Groups.”