Resident calls for transparency as Thurston County debt and courthouse plans draw questions

John Pettit, a resident of East Olympia, used his public-comment time Jan. 7 to raise concerns about Thurston County’s outstanding debt and proposed capital projects.

Pettit cited a public document he said lists county debt outstanding as $107,223,587 valid through Jan. 31, 2025, and described portions of prior bond proceeds that he said were intended for courthouse renovations. He told the board the county could be mixing bond proceeds from prior ballots for different projects and urged a pause before spending on new buildings.

He said portions of current costs are being paid daily in interest or rent, and he flagged a proposed $28 million bond component he said could fund a new sheriff’s office and suggested that state law requires the sheriff’s office to be located at the courthouse. Pettit urged the commission to show, rather than tell, fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Pettit also referenced a planned $5.4 million reduction to a warehouse renovation and said he would seek further action related to an appeal the county previously filed against him. The county did not take action or respond during the public-comment period; commissioners did not announce new decisions tied to Pettit’s remarks during the Jan. 7 meeting.