Clallam County parks panel adopts capital priorities despite one dissent

The Clallam County Parks Advisory Board voted 5-1 on June 3 to adopt an updated parks capital plan and a five-year list of priorities to forward to county administrators for consideration.

Board members and staff said the list is a starting point for county budget discussions and does not represent committed funding. Board members identified the top projects and noted many items will require additional study, permitting or external grant funding before work can proceed.

During discussion, one member said the top-ranked project had not received fresh public input and reserved support, while other members said the item had been discussed repeatedly in prior meetings and should remain the board's top priority. The board's vote approved the capital priority list despite that dissent; the clerk recorded 5 yes votes and 1 no vote.

Staff explained most items on the list are intended to be funded from the county's general capital fund, with two items noted as being eligible for REET (real-estate excise tax) funding. The board was told staff will present a recommended capital plan for 2026 and a consolidated county capital request later this summer, at which point projects will be pared to match available revenue.

Board members asked for updated cost estimates on several specific park projects before those items are advanced for grant applications. Staff said some entries on the draft plan still show older cost figures and they will update those numbers when possible.

Next steps: the board's adopted priorities will be included in staff's materials to the county administrator and used to inform grant-seeking and the county's capital budgeting process. The vote was procedural — it set the board's priorities for submission, not an authorization of work or expenditure.