By Lois Krafsky-Perry for Citizen Review
January. 13, 2020
Sequim, WA – Enthusiastic members of Save Our Sequim (SOS), a local citizens group of approximately 2500 people, gathered at Sequim City Council hall, on January 8th, to meet the three 24th District State legislators. The local group is not in favor of the longtime planned Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) facility, which has been designated by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, for its location, on South 9th Street, in the heart of the busy downtown area. Approximately 200 people gathered inside the room and throughout the adjoining entryway.
The local group had requested a meeting in Olympia, but the legislators countered with a trip to Sequim instead. Representatives Mike Chapman (D) of Port Angeles, Steve Tharinger (D) of Port Townsend, (formerly of Sequim) and Kevin Van De Wege (D) of Sequim, stated that they came to listen only and would not be discussing, according to Van De Wege’s announcement.
Van De Wege entered the room early and helped set up the speaker area, and also visited with citizens. Tharinger and Chapman entered the room later and did not make themselves available to visit before or after the meeting.
“This is a town worth saving,” stated Jodi Wilke, organizer of SOS. She asked for a fair and impartial impact study.
Wilke presented the legislators with t-shirts and a copy of a booklet that SOS has put together and will soon be available to the public.
George Noa of Sequim, described what he heard presented by the Tribe at their August 8 community meeting, and explained the problems with the comparison, which they stated was from a model in Anacortes with the Swinomish Clinic.
Noa shared a map comparing Sequim and Anacortes and their locations, which is entirely different than Sequim. The Swinomish facility is away from schools and the main part of their city – 4.5 miles away from downtown Anacortes – and located near a Shell refinery. The Sequim facility would be located in the heart of Sequim and located near stores, schools, churches, major highway and retirement centers.
Jenna Rose a mother, grandmother and senior caretaker, noted many comments made by the Tribe, which she referred to as the “developers”.
“The developers made reassuring statements such as: it will be okay, there will be local people [patients], and it will not increase crime.” She then shared statistics from other areas, where crime has increased due to these programs and homeless addicts coming into local areas. She stated there are already other areas in Port Angeles and Sequim that offer these services including a facility on E. Front Street, Baymark, OMC, and Jamestown’s clinic, in Sequim.
“There is no long line at Jamestown and it has an 80 percent success rate. If it works, don’t fix it,” suggested Rose. She insisted that Sequim will have a loss of peace and safety.
Wendy Goldberg of Sequim, a scientist, supplied a chart with many statistics. She said that only 9 percent of Opioid overdoses were in Sequim and 91 percent were west of Port Angeles, according to a report from January 1 to June 30, 2019. “Sequim is the wrong location for a MAT clinic”, she affirmed. She listed the cost of the recommended project and stated taxpayers would be paying $141,900 a year for one person, which is equivalent to three EMTs’ (Emergency Management Technicians) salaries. Goldberg suggested that SEPA (State Environmental Protection Agency) should terminate the application.
“We need to have a study.. If you are going to bulldoze forward, [we] need to know what you are up to,” she announced.
SOS member Henry Howe said, “Follow the money…[it’s] a tug of war.” He discussed migration and relocation of homeless people and the problems created by those who fund them, which causes more problems by furnishing trips to many locations, as Seattle is doing.
Howe explained how junkies and drug peddlers are moving people across areas and making money as they do this. He said the local police can’t and won’t do anything about the problem.
“We ask for a fair and impartial study of a MAT center in downtown Sequim,” demanded Howe.
Robin Pangborn of Sequim shared how she had recently worked in a senior health center in Atlanta, Georgia. She reminded the legislators of the many seniors in Sequim who are affected by the projected MAT facility. She recommended a book by Rachel Greene Balldino, “A whole culture of crime blossoms around Methadone clinics,” which was recommended in a Baltimore study.
“We need a study” urged Pangborn.
The last speaker was Margaret Bailey of Sequim, a retired nurse, who had experience with drug patients and also worked with Swedish/Ballard Addiction Rehabilitation. She also reminded the legislators that there are three areas in Port Angeles with no waiting list, to help patients. “Are we prepared for 550 heroin addicted patients?” asked Bailey. She urged the legislators to stand up for what is right for the people of Sequim. Van De Wege said earlier that they intended to stay only one hour as they had things to do and places to be, but Wilke stated that they had important things to share and may go over the hour. The meeting lasted approximately 80 minutes. As the legislators left the building, several wondered, “although the representatives came to listen, did they really hear what the citizens had to say?”
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