Group calls for unity, balanced and transparent approach going forward
Press Release February 11, 2021
Save Our Sequim (SOS) was organized in July 2019 at a community level by a dedicated group of citizens who love Sequim. This unaffiliated group opposed the idea to locate a regional methadone clinic/Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) facility in our retail core. Citizens felt the decision was made without their knowledge or input, and that the project would have a profound impact on Sequim – one that the city was not equipped for, and that the community did not bargain for. Citizens wanted a seat at the table and a voice in the process.
A recent decision by Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden has capped the efforts of SOS by finding that the group, which speaks for a large contingent of our community, does not have legal standing to present its arguments in Superior Court. The merits of our case, therefore, will not be considered. While we are disappointed that our legal concerns were dismissed on these grounds, SOS has always been an organization that respects the rule of law. If nothing else SOS has played a role in bringing to light certain ambiguities in our land use codes, and the importance of a transparent, accessible process. It is now up to our city leaders to remedy these concerns.
SOS is supported by community members both near and far from professionals to blue collar, from addicts in recovery to medical practitioners, working families, retired citizens, rich or poor, and people from every shade of the political spectrum. The common ground we come together on is our love for the beautiful city of Sequim and our belief that Sequim is indeed a town worth saving.
Despite the disagreement between factions of the Sequim community for or against this project, it is our hope that we can embrace this common ground and make a concerted effort to bind the wounds that divide us. It is clear that we are not indivisible as long as factions work to separate our beloved community and marginalize those who simply wish to express their voice. SOS renounces any ongoing effort to further divide us — whether socially, politically, or philosophically. We encourage all citizens of Sequim and the surrounding areas to embrace the spirit of the City’s Proclamation, “The Year of Kindness 2021”, and restore the affection we once had for each other and this small community.
We all hope that the Methadone/MAT clinic will not have detrimental effects to this area we call home, but we realize that hope is not a strategy. SOS encourages the citizens of Sequim to engage in the processes that will define the direction of this community for decades to come. No aspect of our community should be silenced or cancelled. This underscores the importance of applying a balanced and transparent approach to this regional public facility. Our community should never be left without legal defense and without a voice. On this matter we can all agree.
SOS wishes to thank each and every one of the devoted supporters that helped our non-profit organization. Your talents and dedication vaulted Sequim and this issue onto the National stage. We hope that our impact will help expose the need for a more balanced approach to the problem of drug addiction and homelessness, and the impact it has on families and com-munities across the country.
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