[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6105052,"mediaKeyId","2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095","parentId",2787658,"title","Votes at a glance: Sequim council actions from April 14, 2025 meeting","audioSeconds",2601,"startMs",120000,"endMs",2721000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095&start=120&end=2721","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095/thumbnail_120000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6105052/Sequim/Clallam-County/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-Sequim-council-actions-from-April-14-2025-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105052-6a0750a74ca96adb068fd59bbc33c48c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135485&Signature=A1J7svYWuacvY1N8o1EglL25k5AxxrtqaP-rYUlz4iuz8kjAI0ulLLFkO6s1hXlGMls4nMYmWCLk~5TTVW8xB2MQT4icu-UBofcWKrLDrKrVWyTAZCm7eiTvcfMPoB9dmzZ4lqbUFSRjmbGzdDNdCQrINBEA9As3BmaUlEksA3ThawYAazsM0Vhe6c7Ms0ZQA2IJJF6jFrIitkls7f4yJnjHwJ~aXKy8wPoCrmxMJS4toXGgYjBl1lk8B0rXnMMxON1TDiFxqXC~25r-GMlhSXrC5-ne5Iac3UtO4rQYcAwxMznqV5zVHq21YBFdUr53HhPAqlo9ZVEHSft5tqG10w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sequim City, WA","date","2025-03-27T05:37:03.743Z","article","The Sequim City Council took multiple procedural and administrative actions at its April 14 meeting. Key actions (motions and outcomes) follow; where vote tallies were not recorded in the minutes, the outcome is listed as stated by the chair.

- Final agenda approved: Motion to approve the final agenda was moved, seconded and approved by the council (no roll-call tally recorded at the meeting).

- Consent agenda approved: Council approved the consent agenda. The consent agenda included claim vouchers totaling $951,361.03; City Council meeting minutes from March 10, 2025; repeals and updates to municipal code chapters; grant and project authorizations; and a request to waive competitive bidding to purchase a used vehicle. Motion passed (no roll-call tally recorded).

- Independence Day fireworks: Council heard public comment and staff briefing; council did not take a final vote to cancel or proceed with the 2025 fireworks display and instead directed staff to return with additional technical information (distance to eagle nest, cost options for further environmental review, and vendor cancellation/refund details).

- Junior taxing districts: Council directed staff to present a resolution updating City Council rules of procedure to allow junior taxing districts to request letters of support for ballot measures in accordance with RCW 42.17A.555. Motion to move forward with the resolution passed after council discussion.

- FEMA floodplain amendments: Council directed staff to schedule a public hearing on proposed FEMA floodplain code amendments; motion to schedule the public hearing passed.

- Contracting guidelines: Council approved repeal of outdated contracting resolutions and replacement resolutions to comply with state law; motion passed.

- Comprehensive plan public participation plan: Council waived the second-touch requirement and directed staff to present a resolution adopting the public participation plan for the comprehensive plan on the next consent agenda; motion passed.

- Right-of-way and site-construction fees: Council directed staff to schedule a public hearing and draft an ordinance revising right-of-way permit and related public-works fees (staff described a proposed $160 flat fee for simple ROW permits and larger fees for construction site permits); motion to schedule the hearing passed.

- Hamilton/Scarcella relocation/reimbursement agreement: Council granted the city manager signatory authority to enter into a relocation and reimbursement agreement with the Hamilton-Scarcella joint venture for WSDOT fish-pass project impacts affecting a Sequim sewer line; motion passed.

Procedural notes: Multiple items were advanced on single motions (waive second touch and present ordinance/resolution). When the record did not show a roll-call vote, the chair called for opposition and recorded \"seeing none,\" which the clerk recorded as the motion passing. No contested roll-call tallies were given in the minutes for the items above.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Regular Session - March 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved the final agenda and consent agenda and took a series of procedural and administrative votes, including scheduling public hearings and directing staff on code and fee updates.","taxTitle","Sequim, Clallam County, Washington","taxId",72051,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105057,"Sequim reports steady public-records volume; body-worn camera review requires substantial staff time",784,5365000,6149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095&start=5365&end=6149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095/thumbnail_5365000.jpg","/articles/6105057/Sequim/Clallam-County/Washington/Sequim-reports-steady-public-records-volume-body-worn-camera-review-requires-substantial-staff-time","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105057-59ac83d2d87dbae6b462cf124c0835eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135485&Signature=m6cfgeb6kUBj-DYMQzZ9TfHiX7iLEqDfww9gocBVWpqe2PKMTBMXNkDWv5TqtdMHH9UE~qVInjGwSUEL6BLoQIKyrsnuwPN3idOcDnns-16Zx4Yfa4d-3of4Pzur5mOKKwFZ~dl-19yBk0GnNULd73iJD9vZ5x-CJf1ntbVMv8itYaQ1Ls-8AaFXdUUmh5w8HROT9vTEvPtK0DdEEBMr40RGD8hprZa11u9sz60Ewwn~Y8gjZqt0JhD8Ckb2wevHJ0q83xdYUpI151VhLGaM2bGVI4vuLVuqARJe9c0LitBtIb~7WHgTmzotFxVh8ZtSUEHOpm9DbI6WIdCsfgvR8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sequim’s records officer told council the city processed a comparable number of public-records requests in 2024 and that certain request types—particularly body-worn camera footage and large email searches—consume large amounts of staff time.

Talina Sandene, the city’s records officer, described the request workflow: all requests are logged and tracked in the NextRequest portal, subject-matter departments search for responsive records, and the certified public-records officer coordinates review and redaction. Sandene said that complex requests may require hours of review: for example, one request involving 37 body-worn-camera clips took more than 10 staff hours to process, and another email search returned 6,900 messages with only 260 responsive items after review.

The city now charges for large requests consistent with RCW and its fee schedule: paper copies above 50 pages, electronic copies beyond a free threshold, and a 75¢ per minute staff-review charge for noninvolved-party body-worn-camera footage. Sandene said the Laserfiche and NextRequest portals have improved efficiency and redirected many routine inquiries to self-service, but she warned a new dash-cam rollout could increase camera-footage processing time.

Staff time reported across departments totaled several thousand hours in 2024 for public-records work. Sandene said the city will continue encouraging self-service and electronic access and that council should expect staff to raise FTE requests if public-records burdens continue to grow.

Why it matters: public-records transparency is legally required and resource intensive when requests require redaction, multimedia processing or searching large email sets. The city’s plan to expand self-service portals aims to reduce staff time and costs while preserving public access.","The city presented its annual public-records report showing steady request numbers and a significant staff time burden for body-worn camera and large-email search requests; staff recommended better self-service portals and noted potential future staffing needs if volumes grow.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105062,"County wins grants to replace failing sewer in Flores Acres; Sequim may take over water system",364,8328000,8692000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095&start=8328&end=8692","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095/thumbnail_8328000.jpg","/articles/6105062/Sequim/Clallam-County/Washington/County-wins-grants-to-replace-failing-sewer-in-Flores-Acres-Sequim-may-take-over-water-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105062-16437bbfe2bc7bc93d7248e18984a897/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135485&Signature=MRV1FF7TsEY5DIuTlGyTCiIefaa2v9SsumvP1-R5Tc9inCfBjNx4cqjeibT4VmrwQFxCsl9ZWfF4PPb769gOeaYyYr~z0RaNHyoc8YgffmZ81IxVO6pXhZxmzYP5HxXvxTYEQG3lC~2q9syMk2-XSlC4NX29~022EJVmKM2YAg5XoSogaRPjzRaajhy5yjNV3jxNDSxmQPR47Oym5Ls3ZEE~yCwbw6ffgpar0zvKMDU07Td-AiKTPlAq-mPiOUnOlvjbVu5Is-z4aBNLW1I6pr9zWpEPON1dB3SUtB3OqyW4qrYDZrbHQLmWVg-g0-qNh08sr6hPeG937J0eqjm4Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Clallam County has been offered a Department of Ecology funding package to replace the failing sewer infrastructure in the Flores Acres enclave surrounded by the city of Sequim, public works staff told council. The combined approach could include city takeover and upgrades to the neighborhood’s aging water system if complementary grants are awarded.

Public Works Director described Flores Acres as a small subdivision of roughly 54 homes built in the 1970s that is served by a common private well and an aging shared sewer/drain field. Field inspections and video showed the sewer collection piping in imminent risk of failure; staff described individual homes that would lose sewer service if the line collapses and would face emergency pumping or use restrictions.

Clallam County has applied for and received a Department of Ecology funding offer of $2,580,000 to replace the sewer collection system. City staff said approximately $1.9 million of that package is proposed as forgivable principal, leaving roughly $661,000 as repayable principal to be shared among the homeowners through a local improvement district (LID) or similar mechanism. County staff and the homeowners association are pursuing formation of an LID to manage repayment.

Separately, state Department of Health and a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program have funds available to upgrade small water systems. City staff said the city could apply for CDBG and state funds to replace Flores Acres water piping, add fire protection (hydrants) and tie the system into Sequim’s distribution. That path requires sequencing: several grant programs condition awards on combined water and sewer work to avoid digging the same street twice.

If the water and sewer work are completed as a single coordinated project, Sequim staff said the city could then accept ownership and operation of both systems, and residents could be eligible to annex into the city. Annexation would change connection-fee calculations (in-city fees and rates are lower than out-of-city), which staff estimated could reduce the homeowners’ repayment burden substantially. Staff added that proceeds from sale of parcel assets (the drainfield or well site) could also help offset resident costs.

Why this matters: Flores Acres’ utility failure risk poses an immediate public-health and quality-of-life threat to residents; the combination of federal and state funding with county loan support and a potential city takeover offers a financially practical solution that could stabilize service, add fire protection and limit long-term costs for homeowners.

Next steps: county and city staff will continue to coordinate grant applications and project sequencing. Staff said they will pursue grant funding for the water work and, if successful, manage design and construction so both systems are completed together. Council will be asked to approve any annexation or formal city assumption of the water system at a future hearing.

Sources: presentation by Sequim public works staff and updates from county and state agencies provided to council during the meeting.","Clallam County secured Department of Ecology funding to replace a failing private sewer system in the Flores Acres neighborhood; Sequim staff said the city could assume and upgrade the water system if available grants close, potentially lowering costs for residents and creating a path to annexation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105067,"Sequim council pauses decision on July 4 fireworks after crowded public comment and staff briefing",2734,174000,2908000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095&start=174&end=2908","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2787658-920bb514173aac2a980012e36fae9095/thumbnail_174000.jpg","/articles/6105067/Sequim/Clallam-County/Washington/Sequim-council-pauses-decision-on-July-4-fireworks-after-crowded-public-comment-and-staff-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105067-1f5aad99faaf18e88a5fe98dd3572145/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135485&Signature=i1FEFWlp2az~YuA09Vz0JCtSD2SeDm1mmXGrcpm9JDQep~K52Klj~03mAA8hHNQWMMsamRPZ8Qq6F18K4jn1gEFMg2I3X6TfDlkoaU8ma1uqQkRo5qncQXdAu9mok69jp9kFor56Z43WCfWRbWTasRrSbKddBiZ~iFiENpvsaxmu9sEO~zyZcteJb06PTTwns2xhJ6POAr7640Y8vtv43~xhrRnPbYWEvzxWdTdBSIpXISSCAvf8P3dmZibQH~3vGOIvH6u2kPXwaBcMSU-cvo0jWaEFM3xiYlQxDh9T~3y1en-G93E2stDexT-gbqph5u900KGKZTSpA37Ts-r7yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hundreds of residents and several subject-matter speakers urged Sequim City Council to either keep or stop the city-sponsored Independence Day fireworks display while the council requested additional technical information before making a final decision.

Public-comment speakers included residents, wildlife advocates and veterans who gave divergent views on the practice. Justin Greider, fire chief for Clallam County Fire District 3 and Sequim resident, told council the fire district \"is a proponent of a public display\" and said organized displays reduce unsafe private use and let emergency crews stand by on scene. Environmental speakers raised concerns about wildlife and contaminants; Susan Griffin said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service letter in the staff packet emphasizes buffering wildlife from human activities as well as launch site protections.

The debate focused on three practical questions: whether Cary Blake Park is the only feasible launch site inside the city; the relative cost and feasibility of drone shows versus professional fireworks; and whether the city is complying with federal and state wildlife guidance regarding the nearby bald-eagle nest. City staff told council the contracted fireworks vendor would cost $19,000 for 2025, while a comparable drone event would be about $60,000. The city has paid a nonrefundable deposit of $4,750 toward the fireworks show and would forfeit portions of that deposit if the show were canceled late.

Hannah Merrill, Public Works parks and events manager, summarized the current policy posture: the municipal code bans sales of consumer fireworks beginning 2025 but still permits professional displays at city events; commercial, third-party aerial shows could still be permitted under current code even if the city opted not to present the event itself. Merrill said Cary Blake Park and the water reuse demonstration site have been selected for logistical reasons and that staff are not wildlife experts; an environmental assessment would require subject-matter expertise beyond what her office provides.

Public Works staff told council they can determine the straight-line distance from the launch site to the nearest eagle nest using the city’s GIS mapping. Paul (Public Works Director) said staff can gather that distance and perform targeted research of existing scientific studies on fireworks and birds; he warned that a formal environmental assessment could cost ‘‘anywhere from $10,000 to $35,000’’ depending on scope. Attorney Christina Nelson Gross reminded council that the word \"guidance\" used by agencies is often intentional and that some agency recommendations are nonbinding.

After discussion, council members signaled a consensus direction: staff should return with clarified, objective information (the measured distance from Cary Blake Park to the known eagle nest, an estimate of the cost for more detailed environmental work, and options that fall between \"no study\" and a full environmental assessment) so council can make a decision on whether to proceed with the 2025 fireworks or cancel before further deposit penalties apply. Several council members said they were inclined to hold the city show for 2025 if technical review does not identify a clear regulatory prohibition.

Why it matters: Sequim’s July 4 event draws regional visitors and generates lodging-tax–funded supports, but it also places the city at the center of a national debate about wildlife disturbance, human safety and air/soil contamination from fireworks. Council’s next steps will determine whether Sequim keeps its traditional daytime/evening activity mix, shifts to nonpyrotechnic options such as drones, or takes other steps to limit impacts on wildlife and neighborhood safety.

Council direction/next steps: staff were asked to (1) confirm the distance from the fireworks launch site at Cary Blake Park to the nearest active bald-eagle nest using GIS and available WDFW/FWS information; (2) provide a menu of options and prices for additional technical review (ranging from targeted literature review to a consultant-led study) and any associated timeline; (3) list refund/cancellation penalties and the payment schedule for the contracted fireworks vendor; and (4) return to council at the second April council meeting (or the next practical meeting) with that information for a final decision on the 2025 event.

Community voices: speakers included residents representing Protect the Peninsula’s Future, Sierra Club North Olympic Group, the Audubon chapter, the VFW and other citizen groups. Those in favor emphasized tradition, public safety advantages of a single public display, and tourism benefits. Those opposed cited wildlife disturbance, stress to domestic animals and veterans with PTSD, and chemical contaminants in firework particulate.

The council did not take a formal binding vote to cancel or affirm the 2025 display at the meeting; instead it requested the technical follow-up described above. If staff confirm that cancellations prior to a specified date would avoid further forfeiture of deposits, council could act at a later meeting on a formal motion to proceed or cancel.","After more than an hour of public comment and a staff presentation on costs and wildlife guidance, Sequim city staff were directed to gather more information on bald-eagle distances and the cost/scope of environmental review before the council decides whether to host the city fireworks show in 2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Sequim council actions from April 14, 2025 meeting

Sequim reports steady public-records volume; body-worn camera review requires substantial staff time

County wins grants to replace failing sewer in Flores Acres; Sequim may take over water system

Sequim council pauses decision on July 4 fireworks after crowded public comment and staff briefing