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Sequim council adopts 2027–28 priorities after narrow vote to add ‘environmental’ to sustainability
Summary
After a lengthy staff presentation and debate over wording, the council voted 4–3 to amend the draft to read “environmental sustainability” and then approved the 2027–28 council priorities as amended by a 6–1 vote; members discussed timing with budget and comp‑plan work.
The Sequim City Council on Tuesday approved its draft 2027–28 priorities after a heated discussion about how to describe the sustainability goal.
HR Director Emily Stetnick presented a staff-drafted set of five priorities — infrastructure, housing, sustainability, legislative activity and quality of life — and reminded council the document was a draft intended for further refinement. Council debate focused on whether the third priority should retain the shorter title “sustainability,” read as “sustainability/climate change,” or be renamed “environmental sustainability.”
One councilor argued that dropping the explicit environmental phrasing would lose the council’s prior emphasis on climate and natural‑resource protection. “Putting the word sustainability all by itself…doesn’t capture that spirit in my mind,” the councilor said, pressing for the change. Another member said the descriptive bullets beneath the title would preserve the council’s intent and that a short title with explanatory bullets would suffice for public-facing materials.
Councilor-level motions and votes produced two outcomes. First, a motion to amend staff edits to change item 3 to "environmental sustainability" passed 4–3 after roll-call voting. Later, a separate motion to approve the 2027–28 council priorities as amended passed 6–1.
Council members and staff discussed timing and staff bandwidth: finance staff said budget work starts in June and urged council to avoid reopening the process unless there was broad support, while some councilors asked that the wording be clear because priorities are sometimes published in abbreviated form and may be repurposed across documents.
What comes next Staff will treat the adopted document as the council’s priorities for the 2027–28 budget cycle but acknowledged additional edits or the addition of a single new goal could be brought back for later meetings if council agrees. A separate discussion on whether to revive the People’s Project participatory-budgeting program was tabled until the comprehensive-plan process is complete.
