Mission Statement: To preserve and publish citizen correspondence with local government as a public record of civic participation.
[This is a response to an email published in Issue No. 68]
From: Brian Smith <Bsmith@cityofpa.us>
Date: Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 10:08 AM
Subject: Follow Up
To: [Redacted]
Hi [Redacted] –
I understand your question. This encampment workflow chart might help you understand things from the Police Department perspective. We deal with people who violate the law all the time. The fact that they are breaking the law does not mean that we (the Police Dept.) are allowing the behavior. It means that at the moment in time we have not been able to stop the activity. This is true of everything we deal with, which includes City Code violations to violent crime to illicit drug use. The distinction is very important. The variable we control is time- which means often Police efforts in successfully addressing a problem takes longer that many people wish. We have limited resources and work inside our legal authority. The Police Department uses a variety of tools to get to voluntary compliance that includes enforcement actions. The Police Department does not decide what public or private property owners want in terms of their property use. We ask everyone to control their property as a part of our community policing efforts but that is often easier said than done.
Also, we have a Code Enforcement report/update in the packet for the Tuesday Council meeting . It will give you a sense of how the Police Department has been spending its time in all areas related to Code Enforcement and how we prioritize our Code Enforcement resources.
Thank you-
NOTICE: This email and any attachments may be subject to disclosure as a public record under the Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56
[This is a response to an email published in Issue No. 68]
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 9:00 AM Brian Smith <Bsmith@cityofpa.us> wrote:
Hello [Redacted]:
Thank you for reaching out with your questions. Based on my understanding of the area the answers to your question #1 is “yes”, to questions #2 and #3 the answer is “no”.
The “encampment” activity to the extent it exists in the area you describe does not have a permit and is not authorized .
Sincerely,
Brian S. Smith
Chief of Police
360 417 4901
— — —
to: Brian Smith <Bsmith@cityofpa.us>
bcc: clallamityjen@gmail.com
date: Aug 14, 2026, 9:35 AM
subject: Re: Critical Areas Ordinance Questions
Thanks for l answering some of my questions. Questions 1, 2 and 3 are simply background I need to understand the legal basis for the ongoing situation and exactly who the responsible official is in allowing an unauthorized land use governed by the City’s Critical Area Ordinance.
I will contact the city attorney if that’s got you stumped.
Thanks for your reply.
[Redacted]
to: ssahady@cityofpa.gov
bcc: clallamityjen@gmail.com
date: Aug 14, 2026, 9:45 AM
subject: Fwd: Critical Areas Ordinance Questions
Ms. Sahady,
It seems that those I’ve contacted at the City regarding the legal basis and Responsible Official for decisions about Tumwater Creek encampments on City parcels are not able to answer my rather straightforward questions.
Please help out here in that the legal basis is something you’ve likely sorted out as the City Attorney.
Surely there’s someone in the City’s chain of command that is ultimately responsible for decisions on how things should be handled there. Most organizations have a clear understanding of who their Responsible Official is and I trust the City has figured that out as well.
I look forward to your reply.
[Redacted]
— — —
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 10:59 AM Sheida Sahandy <Ssahandy@cityofpa.us> wrote:
Dear [Redacted],
It is nice to “meet” you and thank you for reaching out with your concerns about the City.
The City Council provides the policy direction to staff, and the City Manager ensures that their direction is efficiently and effectively implemented. The City Council is intended to serve as the collective voice of the community in guiding how staff allocate their time and efforts, in setting priorities, and indicating how we best serve the community.
Another way to think of it is that the City Council is directly accountable to the people of Port Angeles, the City Manager is directly accountable to the City Council, and the staff are all directly accountable to the City Manager.
I don’t know if this helps but I’d be happy to schedule a time to talk next week to answer any other-or more specific- questions you might have.
Have a great weekend-
Sheida Sahandy
Sheida R. Sahandy
City Attorney
ssahandy@cityofpa.us
This email message and any attachments are confidential and may contain information protected by the attorney–client privilege, attorney work product doctrine, or other applicable privileges. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. Also note that my incoming and outgoing messages are subject to public disclosure requirements per RCW 42.56.
— — —
to: Sheida Sahandy <Ssahandy@cityofpa.us>
cc: bsmith@cityofpa.us
bcc: clallamityjen@gmail.com
date: Aug 14, 2026, 11:49 AM
subject: Re: Critical Areas Ordinance Questions
Thanks for your prompt reply.
As I understand it, enforcement of the City’s Critical Area Ordinance for private properties falls on Code Enforcement. Does the enforcement of non-conforming land use (camping) on City parcels along Tumwater Creek also fall on Code Enforcement?
I studied the City’s work flow chart for police officers dealing with encampments. Although the chart addresses Sensitive and Riparian areas on private or other properties, it does not address the response for City-owned Sensitive or Riparian areas.
Is that by design or an oversight?
Thank you.
[Redacted]
— — —
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 12:12 PM Sheida Sahandy <Ssahandy@cityofpa.us> wrote:
On code enforcement, one other point that plays into all this is whether the directive is for the Code Enforcement work to be pro-active or complaint based. Different cities take different approaches, and it is a policy call (and obviously heavily based on resources). So, one can’t necessarily make the assumption that just because there is a deviation from the code, someone is actually inherently going to be tasked to be doing something about it.
If it is possible for you to attend the City Council presentation the Chief will be providing to the Council on the 18th (you can come in person or call in if that is your preferred option), that will be an opportunity to learn more about how things are set up to work at this time.
Again, thank you for taking an interest!
Sheida R. Sahandy
City Attorney
ssahandy@cityofpa.us
This email message and any attachments are confidential and may contain information protected by the attorney–client privilege, attorney work product doctrine, or other applicable privileges. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. Also note that my incoming and outgoing messages are subject to public disclosure requirements per RCW 42.56.
— — —
to: Sheida Sahandy <Ssahandy@cityofpa.us>
bcc: clallamityjen@gmail.com
date: Aug 14, 2026, 12:18 PM
subject: Re: Critical Areas Ordinance Questions
Because the Critical Areas Ordinance is in play both on City-owned and private properties, it will be an interesting test whether private property violations will be treated based on complaints, resource driven or pro-actively managed with similar urgency or concern for environmental protection.
Thanks for your additional comments.
[Redacted]
Next Issue: Thursday, August 20, 2026
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
✍️ No Hygiene or Harm Reduction programs at William Shore Aquatic Center in Port Angeles, WA
From the petition:
Please sign this petition to demand that the Clallam Department of Health and the William Shore Memorial Pool Board members Clallam County Commissioners Mike French, Randy Johnson, Port Angeles City Council Members Mark Hodgson and LaTrisha Suggs, and Greg Shields reject a hygiene center and shower voucher program now and in the future.
There are 78 Port Angeles Police reports that document the William Shore Aquatic Center generated far more calls related to social disorder, transient activity, mental health concerns, family disputes, and public safety issues than it did to actual swimming or recreation.
🇺🇸 Response from the U.S. Department of the Interior:
From Clallam Freedom Alliance re: Stop the Transfer of Dungeness and Protection Island Refuges (Sign & share petition here):
A physical mail response came in from Thomas A. Blaser, Chief Adminstrative Judge of the US. Department of the Interior.
He told us to send all concerns to the: Northwest Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 911 Northwest 11th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97232-4169.
As we now know calling is best: 360-291-7684.
✍️ Redress State Legislators in District 24:
Senator Mike Chapman: (360) 786-7646, email form
Representative Adam Bernbaum: (360) 786-7916, email form
Representative Steve Tharinger: (360) 786-7904, email form
✍️ Redress Clallam County Commissioners:
Mark Ozias: Mark.Ozias@clallamcountywa.gov
Randy Johnson: Randy.Johnson@clallamcountywa.gov
Mike French: Mike.French@clallamcountywa.gov
Loni Gores, Clerk: Loni.Gores@clallamcountywa.gov
Find all other Clallam County officials, offices, and employees in the staff directory.
To have your letter published in Clallam County Letters, please include clallamityjen@gmail.com in the BCC field or forward the email after sending.
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I give Shahandy credit for prompt responses, but again, they're just on another round-about of bureaucratic leadership that can't make a decision or answer a question directly. No one knows their job! These letters are proving the point. Thank you everyone.