PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Commissioners are preparing to hold community town halls this spring to gather public input on two recommendations from the 2025 Charter Review Commission.
One proposal calls for creating a Water Resources Specialist position to collect and analyze groundwater and surface water data, track long-term water availability, and help the county plan for future water needs. The role would focus on coordination and planning rather than regulation.
The second proposal recommends establishing a formal county process for responding to state and federal land acquisition requests, including evaluating potential impacts on tax revenue, land use authority, public services, and long-term economic effects.
During a work session this week, commissioners discussed how to proceed, noting that the Charter Review Commission submitted the two recommendations as stand-alone resolutions rather than as part of a broader final report.
Commissioners agreed the next step is to vet the proposals through public town halls, with all three commissioners attending each meeting. Members of the Charter Review Commission and relevant county staff would be invited to participate and help explain the recommendations.
The board tentatively plans to hold three town halls, one in each commissioner district, targeting March. A follow-up work session is expected in early February to finalize dates, locations, and participants.
After gathering public input, commissioners plan to deliberate and prepare a formal response outlining whether and how the county will move forward. Officials said they hope to complete the process by the end of the second quarter.