by Lois Krafsky-Perry and Staff
Citizen Review
December 13, 2019
Sequim, WA – After an hour long rally on December 9th outside Sequim City Hall, members of Save our Sequim (SOS) filed into the city building to hear from local legislative candidates, State Representatives for the 24th District, Steve Tharinger (D) Port Townsend, Mike Chapman (D) Port Angeles, and Kevin Van De Wege (D) Sequim. SOS members also planned to deliver letters and a petition to City Council.
Over 120 people had gathered on Sequim Avenue and the City square to wave signs and protest the proposed MAT [Medication Assisted Treatment] facility which uses methadone to manage opioid addicted individuals. The 15,000 square foot building is to be constructed behind Costco in downtown Sequim.
The legislators were scheduled for the early work session, at 5 PM, with the regular meeting at 6 PM, where public testimony was to be heard.
Before the work session started, it was announced that Rep. Tharinger would not be attending the meeting. City planner Charlie Bush listed questions and comments for the legislators and then an opportunity was given for the council to ask questions, as well.
The citizens present were not invited for questions or discussion.
Some state issues discussed were: 2020 budget, water issues, law enforcement training, bio-fuel, jobs, and several upcoming legislative bills.
After the work session, Chapman and VanDeWege left through the back door and were apparently not available to meet their constituents, many of whom had looked forward to meeting with them.
As the regular 6 PM meeting commenced, Mayor Dennis Smith read the rules and stated that there would be 3 people “for” and 3 people “against” to speak about the proposed MAT facility, with a 3 minute time limit each, and then 3 people could speak on other issues.
Sandy Goodrich from Port Angeles made an appeal in favor of the MAT facility being planned by Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, for Sequim, and then vehemently ranted against Sequim citizens, who have testified that they do not want it located in their downtown area.
Jodi Wilke, representing SOS, said to the council, “We count on you to be the watchdogs for us.” She encouraged the council to listen to the people they are representing.
Wilke and Rose Marschall presented the council with a large box of letters, from the people of the community, who oppose the projected MAT facility and its location choice.
Then a large scroll of 2,600 petitions was unrolled across the floor, aided by George Noe and Cheryl Cuccia.
The petitions were presented to the City Council to be placed in the record.
Karen Hogan, who hails from California and now lives in upper Sequim Valley, refused to give her address, as everyone is required to do during a public meeting, which was not corrected by the clerk or attorney. She stated she is a representative of “Voices for Health and Healing” group, whose half page ad appeared in last week’s local newspapers, hailing the MAT project.
Hogan demanded that the attendees listen to her speech and a reading of a poem that she had apparently written. As people stirred, she said, “Okay children, etc.,” which of course caused people not to listen. As she left the podium, she was met with applause from 5 people, with a room overflow of about 150 people, the majority of which were opposed to the facility. Again, the clerk and/or attorney did not correct the applause, going against the rules as read by the Mayor beforehand.
Henry Howe, with SOS, shared maps of Sequim and Anacortes to show a comparison of how far it would be to walk to town from the two MAT centers, if the Tribe places one on South 9th Street in Sequim, behind Costco. Anacortes is being used as a model for the Sequim MAT planned project.
He stated that to walk from the projected site on South 9th in Sequim would take 24 minutes for the average person, to walk to the main part of downtown. The MAT facility, located outside Anacortes, is a 1-½ hour walk to the city center. It is also located next to refineries, rather than local businesses.
Howe said he researched and found that the clinic near Anacortes has doubled in the number of methadone recipients, from 250 people to 500, and 90 percent of them do not have vehicles. He said the city of Anacortes bought sleeping bags and tents for those apparently stranded in their city. He asked the council if our city is prepared to do the same.
Anacortes also has three hospitals within 20 minutes of their MAT Clinic, which the closest hospital to Sequim is approximately 20 miles away, in Port Angeles.
Howe said that Sequim Costco and Home Depot are already having problems with homelessness and vagrancy.
The next scheduled meeting of the City Council is January 13th, 2020. Newly elected members of the council will be sworn in and take over duties at that time. Bob Lake and Candace Pratt will be leaving the council. They both received a presentation of thanks from Mayor Smith, for their service.
There is a meeting scheduled for the Planning Commission December 31st.
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