Proposed watershed ordinance would make a council accountable to the public

Clallam County, WA - Clallam County Commissioners held a workshop on Jan. 12, 1998 to discuss a proposed Watershed Ordinance has been presented by a group of citizens which would require a public vote on the creation of a watershed and for elected watershed council representatives.

The Commissioners have recently applied for a grant to establish watershed councils on the Olympic Peninsula. In order to avoid problems throughout the county similar to those associated with the Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT), the ordinance would address a clear process for creating and appointing members to watershed councils.

Brought about as a result of problems with the DRMT which has caused ill-will in the community due to the manner in which it was created and its lack of accountability to the public, the proposed ordinance would:

• Require a public vote on the creation of a watershed planning area.
• Provide for elected watershed council representatives that would serve in an advisory capacity to the county commissioners. This would improve accountability of the watershed council to the public.
• Provide a mechanism to dissolve the watershed planning area and watershed council on a vote of residents within the watershed planning area.
• Describe the duties and authorities of the watershed council, and the manner in which they would conduct business.
• Set a ten year limit on the operations of a watershed council without reauthorization of the voters.