Proposal for fish passage project sent to community development

Published 3:30 pm Tuesday, March 24, 2026

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County received one request for proposals and qualifications for a project involving McDonald Creek.

During Tuesday’s regular meeting, the Clallam County commissioners opened the only submitted proposal received for the McDonald Creek Fish Passage and Irrigation project.

“I am looking at a submission that comes to us from Geosyntec Consultants,” commissioner Mark Ozias said. “And in this, they describe their qualifications for accomplishing the McDonald Creek Irrigation and Fish Passage project.”

The county has designs and funding to construct a new diversion infrastructure for the project, according to county documents. The project includes an additional geotechnical assessment after management actions altered slopes and potentially changed stability and erosion conditions at the site.

“This will help determine if the designs are still feasible and provide alternative recommendations if needed,” the agenda memo stated.

The commissioners voted to remand the proposal and qualifications to the Department of Community Development for review and recommendation.

During the meeting, commissioners also approved a contract agreement amendment between the Superior Court and the state Administrative Office of the Courts for support of the Family Juvenile Court Improvement Plan.

“Essentially what this program does is provide reimbursement to the county for the salary and benefits of a full-time coordinator for that program,” county Administrator Todd Mielke said.

The agreement period is for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The amendment is to reallocate funds to provide an additional $4,000. Of those funds, $3,250 will go toward trauma responsive supports and $750 will go to family reunification day, Mielke said.

Commissioners also approved signing a grant agreement with the Office of Crime Victim Advocacy for funding provided through the Victim Witness DV Specific grant.

“(The grant) covers a portion of the salary and benefits for the victim witness coordinator to better serve victims, survivors and witnesses of domestic violence,” Mielke said.

Commissioners also approved a resolution recognizing March 29 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,” a day originally declared through proclamation by then-Gov. Christine Gregoire on Feb. 2, 2010.

“This is always a difficult day for me because I think about the people I know that are on the Vietnam Memorial and they were friends of mine, and I know many of us have that exact same issue,” commissioner Randy Johnson said. “Let me just say this is a great honor and privilege today to reach this proclamation.”

This Sunday represents the 54th anniversary of the end of the American involvement in the Vietnam War, according to the proclamation, which recognizes that more than 58,000 U.S. service members died during the war and more than 300,000 were wounded in combat.

The proclamation also recognizes that 1,582 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for.

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.