PORT ANGELES — Retired Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty has alleged that current board members Mike Chapman and Jim McEntire may have violated open public meetings law, saying they supported a timberland exchange without proper notice in 2013.
Chapman asked the state Auditor’s Office to look into the accusation Tuesday.
The state Auditor’s Office has agreed to investigate the handling of the August 2013 correspondence on the timber exchange, County Administrator Jim Jones said Wednesday.
Speaking at a Tuesday hearing on board operating guidelines, Doherty said his then-colleagues issued nearly identical letters to the state Department of Natural Resources supporting the exchange while he was out of state.
‘Never even knew’
“This third commissioner never even knew the topic was being addressed,” Doherty said.
“So a majority of the board took a position on a multi-thousand-acre timberland exchange, and as far as I can tell, it was never referenced on a public agenda, never referenced in a public record that was done.”
Chapman said he would make a public apology and accept a fine if he signed a letter in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act.
“Let the prosecutor bring charges,” Chapman told his longtime colleague.
“I mean, you are leveling serious charges.
“You can remove me from office if you like.”
Timber exchange
An audio recording of the Aug. 27, 2013, board work session revealed that Chapman and McEntire discussed letters of support for a 4,000-acre timber exchange between DNR and Green Crow during the correspondence portion of their meeting.
“I’m willing to write the letter on my own letterhead,” Chapman said at that session.
“Obviously, Mike [Doherty] is not here to weigh in. So I don’t know if we should just maybe do our own, and then he can do his own if he wants?”
“Yeah, he can do his own if he wants,” McEntire replied.
“I support it.”
Clerk of the Board Trish Holden then prepared separate letters for Chapman and McEntire to send to DNR.
“I still have a concern that there was no public notice, or no notice to this commissioner,” Doherty said Wednesday.
Jones said the board handled the letters to DNR appropriately.
“It is textbook on what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to do it,” Jones said Wednesday.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong,” Chapman said Wednesday.
“But I’ll let the state auditor make that determination. If I’m guilty, then I’ll pay the fine.”
Doherty at the hearing said he had an issue with the exchange because of a concern about a timber company business model.
Doherty retirement
Doherty retired last December after serving 20 years on the Clallam County Board of Commissioners.
He represented District 3 from western Port Angeles to Neah Bay.
Doherty remains in public office as one of 15 members of the Clallam County Charter Review Commission.
Chapman announced this year that he would not seek a fifth four-year term as county commissioner and would step down from the dais at the end of 2016.
“I’m out looking for work,” Chapman told Doherty.
“I’m not nefarious. If you have problems with me, tell the whole world. Call for my public resignation. I don’t know what you want from me.”
Other issues
Doherty had criticized the board for possible or actual conflicts of interests, past hiring practices, promoting development over water conservation and a “lack of interest” in a climate change impact analysis.
“As I’ve explained several times, my experience hiking as a little kid, an older kid and as an adult with our boys in the Olympics: The large basin snow supply, the cornices, are all depleting come the middle to late summer,” Doherty said.
“They used to be there in the late summer. So it’s a serious problem. The board is I think taking the wrong tact.”
During his exchange with Chapman, Doherty slammed the board for not taking action on a 2013 investigative report into employee complaints against former Community Development Director Sheila Roark Miller.
“I will live with that forever because two board members didn’t want to even read the $80,000 review,” Doherty said.
The report by a former FBI investigator alleged that Roark Miller backdated a building permit, ordered staff to destroy documents, retaliated against employees and sank office morale.
No charges were recommended or filed against Roark Miller, who was defeated by Mary Ellen Winborn in the election last November.
Chapman reminded Doherty that he did read the report.
“After a couple months, you did say that, but in the same discussion, you said: ‘I think she’s doing a great job,’” Doherty said.
“I think every elected official does a great job,” Chapman said.
“It doesn’t mean I agree with everything they do. These jobs are really hard. I try not to publicly denigrate any elected official. I think you did a great job in your years of service.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
