Sequim councilors direct staff to send letter on federal decision impacts after adding local examples

Sequim City Councilors on April 28 discussed a draft letter addressing the local impacts of recent federal decision‑making and funding uncertainty and directed staff to finalize and forward a revised, bullet‑point version for mayoral signature.

Council reviewed two draft formats and preferred a concise, bullet‑point presentation of impacts. Members suggested adding concrete local examples to make the case more tangible: a news report about a longtime local business that is facing raw‑material sourcing issues and an example from St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, which won a federally‑sponsored security grant whose reimbursement now faces uncertainty because of federal timing, staff told council.

Councilor Dan Butler suggested adding lower‑level examples and named a recent Peninsula Daily News article about a local manufacturer expressing supply‑chain concerns. Other councilors proposed adding the library, food‑bank impacts, utility‑service cost instability and nonprofit grant uncertainty to the list of consequences that flow from federal funding or policy pauses.

Action: Councilor Nicole Hartman moved (seconded) that staff revise the draft into the agreed bullet‑point format incorporating the suggested examples and proceed to present the revised letter to the mayor or deputy mayor for signature on behalf of the council. Council consensus was recorded and staff were authorized to finalize the letter; the mayor or deputy mayor will sign on behalf of council, staff said.

Ending: Staff will circulate a revised draft to council leadership and proceed to send the signed letter. Council did not adopt additional motions beyond directing staff to finalize and obtain signatures.