Commentary by Sue Runyan
The Mark Ozias, ( MO), 7 page “Open Letter”, www.markozias.org/an-open-letter, is the inspiration for this communique about what he knew, about blame or lack of blame, and FYI. I have used a page.paragraph reference system so that page 3, para 6 in MO’s letter is presented as “3.6” so that you may cross-reference.
Out of the mouth of MO- when he took office in January 2016, he had no idea he would have an involvement in the regional behavior health system but it turns out to be the subject on which he has spent the most time and energy, (pg 2.2).
Additionally, he is the local elected official who most often sits at the table with OMC, Peninsula Behavioral Health, the North Olympic Healthcare Network, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and others, (pg 2.3). Yet, in para’s 1.5 and 1.4, MO says he is deeply troubled that many feel left out of the process and that the work has taken place in private. Yet, out of the mouth of MO, he has been deeply involved with this Regional Planning for 3.5 years before most of the people in Sequim knew about it. MO was mum! Perhaps we would not feel left out had we not been left out.
MO believes that local government only works when citizens participate. I agree. Then MO lists several ways to participate in the process. The Clallam County Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, (pg 2.7). Executive Board/Advisory Committee of the Salish Behavioral Health Organization which is about to sunset and transition into integrated Managed Care (pg 3.1, 3.2). Olympic Community of Health, www.olympicch.org, is the regional organization to help manage the health care transition (pg 3.6). MO states every single one of these forums is open to the public (pg 3.8). And indeed, that may be true, and no-one at these open meetings thought the MAT to be of interest to the public. Really? With all his information, why was MO so mum and not share the news with his constituency?
And where does MO put the responsibility for us not knowing? 1. He puts it on us for not being involved. 2. The local paper can’t and doesn’t cover everything.
- Considers himself not responsible because local elected people don’t always know how a given issue is perceived. (Pg 1.5, 1.6). 4. Then back to the local paper and us because “due to its complexity, these conversations don’t lend themselves to a sound bite or a standard newspaper article.” (Pg 2.6). I guess MO thinks we are too stupid to understand and the newspaper is too ill informed to write an article. He may be correct about the newspaper, but as the public was never informed, the subject must be too complex for MO. Had we known . . .
MO, (pg 6.4), states nobody can predict what will happen. MO references Anacortes as an example. The MAT center is circled in red. 
But Anacortes is a poor example! It’s MAT is 4.5 miles away from downtown, roughly the distance from downtown Sequim to the casino. It is not located next to shopping, churches and homes.
The consequences of abuse, are not new. Since the beginning of mankind, the consequences have been predictable, ousted from the family, stealing, physical abuse, peeing and pooing in public places, exposing themselves, etc. It would appear that MO thinks that because we have not had a huge MAT center in Sequim, these consequences will not happen here. It is already happening here. Furthermore, MO states it is an obligation to follow the science. What science? And why does he think he can obligate us? (pg 5.4). It is clear that he is indifferent to what his constituency thinks or wants. Just shove it into their lives. Abuse?
MO has used the overused and misused word discrimination to characterize those who disagree, as well as stating that the strategies of division being utilized by SOS organizers and supported by the participants of Save Our Sequim, a non- profit organization, will destroy what makes us special. (Pg 5.9, 7.7). It seems that MO thinks that MAT isn’t divisive and won’t change Sequim. MO is mum on the strategies used to get our Sequim so agitated. Let me state that SOS is a non-political group. Yes, there are individuals who side with one of 2 political parties, but that is not so for the whole group. I can say that the Clallam County Republican newsletter states that this is a local matter and that the Republican Party has not taken a position on this issue.
FYI – MO illuminates that Washington State is organized in “Accountable Community of Health” areas. Our ACH is Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties. (pg 4.3). Mo states that Sequim makes sense due to its location and appropriate zoning, (pg 4.7). It is my understanding that the zoning was changed on the acreage before the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe purchase. But let us pause to consider what makes Sequim a logical location. Is it proportionally central by abuser location, drug arrests, overdoses, drug related crimes or illegal drug availability? If you think “YES, it’s Sequim!” then this little hot bed of geriatric radicals is out of control! No, not so much, at least not after 8PM. Obviously, none of those metrics, or any of a half dozen others, were considered.
And now there are plans to extend streets to accommodate the planned opioid center. Logically, first comes the MAT, then the need to provide traffic management. Not in Sequim, somehow the street extensions are concurrent, not consecutive as logic demands. MO was on the Sequim Planning Commission in 2005. Just saying, MO knows how it works.
Question – Since MO was so mum for 3.5 years, what has he obfuscated within his unnecessarily wordy 7 page letter? Me thinks he protests way, way too much. Maybe nothing. Maybe something. It is apparent, from his references to his being at the Big Boy table to converse about the befuddling complexity of health needs, that MO believes he is smarter than his constituency (medium age of about 59) because we would not understand the “health needs” as they are so complex. Mo didn’t, but anytime during his first 3 years, MO could have released a news item to the local paper like, “Clallam County considering putting a regional opioid center in Sequim, behind Costco. Public hearing planned.” So, why didn’t he? MO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THAT HIS FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT 1. Although MO says in several paragraphs on Pg 6 that he values the participation of people, plainly he only likes the participation of those who agree with him. Because MO slimed the more than 2100 voters of SOS fame who have spoken up, he is undeserving of our trust and our vote. Personally, I don’t believe he has the work experience or formal education to be an effective leader. MO has no military experience, no science or business degree. MO moved here from the urban I-5 corridor.
MO has asked us to join with him to ally our fears, resolve differences and work constructively toward a better resolution. Does that mean we can return to that day just before MO voted to accept MAT and we can reverse that decision? To be concise, we do not want a Regional Opioid Center and if we did, it would not be at the currently planned site behind Costco!
Consider the upcoming election, including District 1 Commissioner, let us not repeat our mistake. I say “NO MO!”
Recent Comments