Clallam County approves dozens of contracts and grants, including $1 million visitor‑bureau agreement and energy‑audit funding

Clallam County commissioners on Jan. 7 approved a slate of contracts, personal‑service agreements and a road resurfacing contract, including a $1,000,000 lodging‑tax agreement with the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau and $237,500 in state association funding to support energy audits of county buildings.

The board approved a set of hotel‑motel tax funded agreements for 2025 that included: - $1,000,000 to the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau to promote year‑round tourism; - $200,000 to Field Arts and Events Hall to support operations and tourism‑related facilities; - $100,000 to Public Works for Olympic Discovery Trail improvements; and - $90,000 to the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Education Foundation for ski, snowboard and tubing park operations. All four agreements were approved by voice vote at the meeting and are funded from the county’s 2025 hotel‑motel tax budget.

The board also approved several other county agreements and actions: a subaward with Washington State University Extension to support drought‑related outreach and a Washington State Department of Health consolidated contract that outlines public‑health responsibilities for 2025–2027 (the consolidated contract did not include financial terms in the meeting packet). The county accepted $237,500 through the Washington State Association of Counties to hire a certified energy‑audit professional to assess energy upgrades for the county headquarters (courthouse) and the juvenile facility under new state energy‑performance requirements.

Public works brought a low bid recommendation for resurfacing the Old Olympic Highway. Public Works recommended awarding the contract to Lakeside Industries of Port Angeles at a total bid price of $854,970 (including tax); the board approved the award.

Public discussion touched on the lodging‑tax approvals and on county accounting practices. Multiple speakers requested clearer public reporting on how lodging‑tax decisions are vetted and measured. One public commenter, Eric Fairman of Sequim, thanked Commissioner Randy Johnson for an explanation about county accounting and transparency, saying, “This is what I think is real transparency.”

County staff explained that the vouchers on the agenda for approval represent interfund journal entries required by the auditor — payments between county funds rather than disbursements to outside vendors. A member of the public, Karen Hammond of Sequim, had asked for clarification; county staff said the entries reflect transfers among county budget lines and that descriptions accompany each line item in the voucher printout.

Why this matters: the lodging‑tax agreements direct locally collected tourist lodging revenue toward operations and promotion that county officials and the lodging‑tax advisory board say aim to increase visits and overnight stays. The energy‑audit funding responds to a new state requirement for public buildings and is intended to identify the scope and cost of upgrades needed to meet Washington state energy performance standards.

Votes at a glance (items approved Jan. 7): - Item 2a: Agreement with Washington State University Extension for drought‑related outreach — approved. - Item 2b: Washington State Department of Health consolidated contract for public‑health services (2025–2027) — approved (contract does not include financials in packet). - Item 2d: Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Education Foundation — $90,000 (Hotel‑Motel Tax Fund) — approved. - Item 2e: Public Works — Olympic Discovery Trail improvements — $100,000 (Hotel‑Motel Tax Fund) — approved. - Item 2f: Field Arts and Events Hall — $200,000 (Hotel‑Motel Tax Fund) — approved. - Item 2g: Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau — $1,000,000 (Hotel‑Motel Tax Fund) — approved. - Item 2h: Washington State Association of Counties — $237,500 to support energy audits for tier‑1 and tier‑2 buildings — approved. - Item 3a: Award road‑resurfacing contract to Lakeside Industries for Old Olympic Highway — $854,970 (including tax) — approved.

Next steps: county staff will administer the lodging‑tax agreements under the terms of each contract and proceed with procurement and audit requirements for capital and operating projects. The energy audit work will be scheduled in coordination with the Washington State Association of Counties and county facilities staff to develop cost estimates for required upgrades under the new state performance standards.