PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Board of Commissioners will send a letter regarding recently unpaused timber sales to the state public lands commissioner.
“We support moving ahead with all ‘paused’ sales in Clallam County,” the letter to Commissioner Dave Upthegrove states. “They comply with the Washington Forest Practices Act, the 1997 State Lands Habitat Conservation Plan and with the DNR’s own policies regarding old growth protection, riparian protection and sustainable harvest as well as having undergone SEPA (state Environmental Policy Act) review.”
The sales support $300,000 to Olympic Medical Center, nearly $1 million to fire districts across the county, about $300,000 to the North Olympic Library System, approximately $750,000 to the Clallam County Road Fund and about $650,000 to the Clallam County General Fund, according to the letter.
The Clallam County commissioners plan to sign the letter during their regular board meeting today.
Court security
In other business Monday, commissioners heard about a grant the courts plan to use for security.
The grant, for $39,000, is a reimbursal made available by the Administrative Office of the Courts through a Small and Rural Court Security Matching Program, according to the agenda memo.
“This grant has been approved for Clallam County for funds in the amount of $39,000 for the purchase of providing security services and equipment for courthouse security,” the memo states. “The grant will reimburse up to 70 percent of the costs incurred for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. We plan to use the funds for security services costs.”
Commissioners also heard about the renewal of a contract with the state Department of Agriculture for the removal of knotweed. The contract is for $30,000 and will treat the weed for two years.
It’s the same program the county has been involved with since 2006, commissioners were told.
“I’ve noticed a lot of knotweed growing around a lot of rivers, not just in Clallam County,” Commissioner Randy Johnson said.
Commissioners also heard about the renewal of an agreement with Runbeck Election Services for the maintenance of the county’s ballot sorting machine made by Agilis Software.
The county has had an agreement with Runbeck since 2020. This agreement renewal will be for another four years, commissioners were told.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
