The Clallam County Charter Commission Water Committee voted to approve a proposed charter amendment and an accompanying recommendation that would authorize contracting for a water-resources specialist to provide scientific water-data collection and analysis for county decisionmaking.

The committee chair, Paul (director, Department of Community Development), framed the action as a package to send to the full commission for its next meeting. "The amendment we just went through and this recommendation is what we wanna put on the table for the commission's consideration on Monday," Paul said during the July meeting.

Committee members spent more than an hour refining a draft job description and a companion recommendation that describe duties for a contracted water-resources specialist: collecting and compiling water science data, supporting streamflow and aquifer analyses, maintaining a long-term data repository, and providing technical findings to the Department of Community Development and other county departments and water purveyors, tribal nations and neighboring agencies. The draft emphasizes that the role would provide scientific information and would not have land-use or permitting authority.

Members removed or softened language that suggested managerial authority or that the specialist would set policy. Committee member Ron and others pressed to keep the role narrowly technical: "This person would provide scientific information to support establishing streamflow levels based on quantity, timing, and quality of surface water," one committee speaker suggested during edits; the committee agreed to language that the specialist would supply science to inform decisions rather than make them.

The draft calls for filling the position through a personal-services contract or competitive bid rather than creating a permanent new county department. Committee members discussed cost briefly and noted contracting and competitive bidding would limit annual expense; they also emphasized potential savings from reduced ad-hoc contracting for specialized expertise. The committee agreed the recommendation and amendment should be distributed to stakeholders, including tribal nations, the Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT) and others, before the commission meeting.

The committee approved a motion to send the two documents — the proposed charter amendment and the draft recommendation/job description — to the commission for consideration. Paul moved; Nina (staff member) seconded; those voting aloud recorded "Aye," and the chair said the versions would be circulated as clean copies to the commissioners and posted for public review. The committee also directed staff to seek feedback from parties who had previously commented, including the DRMT and local environmental-health staff.

Committee members asked staff to prepare a short FAQ and to make both the clean recommendation and a redline available to commissioners and interested stakeholders. Several members said they would contact outside reviewers, and one staff member said she would send the draft to Sean Hines to distribute to the DRMT. The committee recessed after completing the agenda and confirmed it would present the documents to the commission on Monday.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to approve the proposed charter amendment and the draft recommendation/job description for presentation to the commission on Monday — Mover: Paul (director, Department of Community Development); Second: Nina (staff member). Vote recorded aloud: Aye (mover and second recorded). Outcome: approved.

The committee asked staff to circulate clean versions of the two documents to the commission and invited input from the DRMT, county environmental-health staff and other previously engaged stakeholders before the commission meeting. The committee did not set a new meeting date at the close of the session.