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Sequim council schedules special meeting to consider school levy support after PDC review
Summary
Council scheduled a special meeting to consider a letter or resolution in support of a Sequim School District levy, contingent on guidance from the state Public Disclosure Commission about use of city facilities and equal-opportunity requirements.
The Sequim City Council on Jan. 13 agreed to schedule a special meeting to consider whether the council can legally and procedurally express support for a Sequim School District levy, contingent on an anticipated response from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC).
City staff and the city attorney explained that state law (RCW 42.17A.555) restricts the use of public offices and facilities to promote or oppose ballot measures unless certain conditions are met: the subject must be noticed by title and number and the legislative body must provide an opportunity for approximately equal expression of opposing views. City Attorney Kristina Nelson Gross said she would not interpret the guideline language to make a formal public hearing mandatory for the naming issue, but cautioned that the council’s own rules and the timeframe for notice complicate whether the council could treat the school levy as part of its normal course of conduct.
Council agreed to ask the PDC for a written interpretation and to tentatively schedule a special meeting to consider a letter of support or other council action. After back-and-forth about dates and room availability, council amended a proposed January 21 meeting and ultimately set a special meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m., to be confirmed or canceled depending on the PDC reply. Councilors emphasized they intended the special meeting to provide a public forum with roughly equal opportunity for pro and con statements; staff was asked to include procedural safeguards (speaker limits and advertisement) in the event the meeting proceeds.
The council did not adopt a letter of support at the Jan. 13 meeting. Staff will forward the PDC response to council and, if guidance permits, the council may proceed at the scheduled special meeting.
