Clallam County outreach subcommittee debates special-meeting notice, public-comment requirements

Commissioner Richards raised procedural concerns on May 8 during a meeting of the Clallam County Community Town Hall Committee, saying the special meeting notice did not meet the committee's bylaws and that committee meetings must include two public-comment periods.

"The meeting notice has to be the agenda. And the agenda can't be a draft agenda because you can't change the agenda of a special meeting," Commissioner Richards said. "The bylaws really do require 2 comment periods."

The point matters because, Richards warned, an Open Public Meetings Act violation can carry financial penalties. "I'm just trying to protect us all from a $500 penalty, for the violation and a thousand dollars for the violation," he said.

The meeting convener, Jim (committee member), responded that the session was intended as a work session and that the subcommittee did not have a quorum or plan to take formal action that day. "This is more of a work session. We're not taking any action on anything today," Jim said, noting the subcommittee would instead review materials ahead of the full commission meeting on Monday.

Members debated whether the subcommittee should continue or postpone to avoid a potential Open Public Meetings Act issue. Commissioner Richards recommended postponing the meeting until the county prosecutor prepared a special-meeting notice. Several members said they would continue listening but raised concern about proceeding without explicit prosecutorial guidance.

No motion or vote was recorded on the point of order; the subcommittee did not adopt or change its agenda on the call. Commissioner Richards left the session before it ended; the convener later called the meeting to a close at about 3:03 p.m.

The discussion will carry into the full commission agenda packet for Monday, where members said they expect formal review and clarification from the prosecutor's office.