Sequim council directs staff to draft city letter affirming Clallam County’s outreach to federal lawmakers

The Sequim City Council directed staff April 14 to draft a Sequim‑centric letter affirming and augmenting a recent Clallam County commissioners’ letter to federal legislators about local impacts from changes in federal programs and funding.

Councilor Dan Butler introduced the item and invited Clallam County Commissioner Ozias to brief council on the county’s outreach to the city’s congressional delegation. Commissioner Ozias said county leaders had heard from the delegation that on‑the‑ground information from local governments is useful to federal lawmakers and that the county intends follow‑up outreach that will call out county‑specific impacts. He offered to coordinate with municipal governments and suggested a coordinated, community‑wide communication could be helpful.

Councilors discussed possible Sequim‑specific additions — including impacts on grants and projects flagged during earlier staff presentations — and asked staff to compile department‑level data and draft a letter that both affirms the county communication and details Sequim‑specific effects. Council directed staff and, if available, the mayor and deputy mayor to prepare the draft, and asked that it be returned to council for review at the April 28 meeting. The motion was seconded and no objections were raised; council did not take a roll‑call vote on the action and staff agreed to return a draft for consideration.

The council also approved, by separate action during the same meeting, the appointment of Councilor Kelly Berger as Sequim’s representative to the Clallam Transit System board (no opposition recorded).