Clallam County commissioners on Dec. 31 authorized roughly $5 million in Opportunity Fund awards to six projects after weeks of review and a contentious public hearing that raised questions about procurement and tribal contracting.

The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution recommended by the Opportunity Fund Board while adding a condition that each grantee’s contract must “meet all legal requirements,” including any public-works bidding or prevailing-wage rules. The commissioners’ action followed public testimony urging either additional legal review or solicitation of competitive bids for a large Habitat for Humanity construction contract that involves partner work by the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.

Why it matters: The Opportunity Fund is a county-directed pool used to support local economic-development and housing projects. Several residents said a Habitat contract awarded to the Jamestown Tribe gave tribal contractors an unfair advantage and asked the county to require a full, competitive bid process before funds are spent. The board’s conditional approval seeks to balance timely grant awards with legal compliance.

What happened: Colleen Mclater of the county’s economic-development office told the board the Opportunity Fund Board used a scoring rubric to evaluate six applications and was given guidance to limit awards to a total of $5 million. Multiple public commenters — including Jeff Tozer and John Worthington — urged stricter bidding requirements and raised questions about alleged tax or regulatory advantages for tribal contractors. Habitat board member Danny Steiger and other supporters said the tribe’s participation provided needed labor and that local needs and funding eligibility influenced the board’s decision.

The county’s prosecuting attorney provided a preliminary analysis during the hearing, saying RCW 39.04 (Washington’s public-works law) “likely would apply” to the work contemplated and that prevailing-wage requirements could also be relevant. The prosecutor advised further legal review before execution of individual contracts.

Key details: The board discussed and then approved awards to the six recommended applicants as listed in the meeting packet; during the floor discussion commissioners enumerated individual award amounts in the motion record (as presented in the packet) and conditioned contract execution on compliance with applicable laws and bidding requirements. The record shows the board expected the contracting phase to include negotiation and legal checks so grantees understand statutory obligations.

Voices from the meeting: “The competitive bidding process promotes efficiency and ensures taxpayers receive the best price,” said Jeff Tozer during public comment. Colleen Mclater said the Opportunity Fund Board used a scoring matrix and deliberated at length to balance economic development and affordable housing priorities. The prosecuting attorney said, “39.04 likely would apply,” urging further legal analysis before a final contracting step.

Next steps: The commissioners authorized the grants now so that applicants can proceed to the contracting stage; county staff and the prosecutor’s office will review each contracting package to confirm bidding and wage law compliance. If a legal review determines a particular award triggers public-works bidding, the county indicated that it will require the grantee to follow the law or decline the award.

The board’s action was unanimous. The public hearing and legal questions make clear the awards will move into a second phase of scrutiny before funds are disbursed.