Clallam County commissioners on Aug. 18 discussed sending a letter to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Council to open talks about the countywide fiscal effects of recent tribal land-into-trust conversions.
The commissioners said the letter would invite conversation about a possible formal agreement similar to one the county signed with the Quileute Tribe, and asked staff to incorporate lodging-tax language and to prepare a generic response template for future trust-transfer applications.
Why it matters: commissioners said Clallam County has limited taxable upland — roughly one-third private ownership by their estimate — so large transfers to trust status reduce county property-tax revenue that supports general services. They said a voluntary payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) or other formal arrangement could clarify how tribes’ local investments and service agreements relate to county budgets.
County staff presented background and figures, noting a 2001 legislative study (updated 2014) that estimates Clallam County at roughly 65% public ownership of upland. Staff said Jamestown Tribe acreage is much smaller (staff cited “about 1,600 acres”) but that the county wanted public clarity about trends and fiscal effects.
Staff member Todd (last name not given) described the technical process: when an application is filed to place privately owned property into federal trust, county planners receive notice from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and can submit comments. Commissioners said a standing template response would allow consistent, timely county feedback on future trust conversions.
Commissioner comments and follow-up: Commissioners indicated general support for approaching Jamestown with an invitation to negotiate. One commissioner asked staff to add language about lodging tax to the draft; another said the county would welcome tribal participation in the regional tourism marketing body (the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission) and noted tribes vary in views about tourism funding and operations.
Staff next steps: staff agreed to redraft the letter to include lodging-tax language and to circulate it to the board next week for review before sending to Jamestown Tribal Council. They also agreed to draft a generic response template the county can adapt when other trust transfer applications arrive.
No formal vote was taken at the work session; commissioners directed staff to prepare revised language and return the draft at the next meeting.