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The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader, 226 Adams Street, Port Townsend, WA (2025)

07/29/2025

State leadership in town

After traveling to the Elwha River fuel spill site that morning, Gov. Bob Ferguson joined more than 200 people at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds for the Jefferson County Democrats’ Salute to Democracy BBQ and fundraiser Sunday, July 20. The gathering was a mix of celebration and a show of unity ahead of the 2025 election season. Present at the event were State Chair Shasti Conrad, State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti, U.S. Rep. Emily Randall, and lawmakers from the 24th Legislative District, Mike Chapman, Steve Tharinger, and Adam Bernbaum.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/28/2025

Quick action prevents wider destruction in Brinnon wildfire

By Alex Frick

A potentially devastating five-acre wildfire that destroyed two structures and forced evacuations in Brinnon over two days last week was fully extinguished following a rapid, coordinated effort from firefighters, supported by a strong community response.
The Belgian Fire, as it was later dubbed, sparked in a structure off Morocco Place in Brinnon around 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, July 15. The fire spread quickly into the hills among dense timber, fueled by dry conditions and gusty winds. At 2:43 p.m., Jefferson County Emergency Management issued Level 3 'Go Now' evacuation orders for residents on Belgian Drive, Morocco Place, Rocky Brook Road, Arabian Drive, Shetland Lane, and the north side of Dosewallips Road from Rocky Brook Road to roughly one mile north. No injuries were reported.
Fire officials confirmed the fire had been fully contained and extinguished on Thursday, July 17. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials have determined that the blaze was caused by human activity.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/27/2025

Jefferson County PUD hires new general manager

By Mallory Kruml

Joseph “Joe” Wilson will serve as the next general manager of Jefferson County Public Utility District.
“I’m very grateful for the commissioners for running a very rigorous process,” Wilson said at the July 15 meeting of the board. “I’m super grateful and humbled to have been selected from that process.”
Starting Aug. 4, Wilson will lead the PUD’s more than 80 employees and manage its $85 million annual budget.
His annual salary is set at $365,000, plus benefits and other perks, according to the PUD.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/26/2025

EarthenWorks Gallery, a fixture since 1983, closing in October

By Kirk Boxleitner

What began as a pottery shop started by high school sweethearts in Oak Harbor became a roughly half-century institution in the field of showcasing fine arts and crafts in La Conner and Port Townsend.
Now Cynthia and Donald Hoskins are getting ready to close their last remaining EarthenWorks Gallery and sell the building it occupies at 702 Water St. in Port Townsend, by this Halloween.
“We’re finally retiring,” Cynthia said. “We want to discover who we are without this business.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/25/2025

Brewrocracy Now radio show includes disgusting content atop dangerous spin

Column by Andrea Hegland

I am someone who cares deeply about Port Townsend and consider myself an activist. My recent focus has been on Port Townsend following the open records laws of the state. Our government belongs to us.

This time I’m writing about the other side of the equation and a very public lack of decency that played out on KPTZ’s “Brewrocacy Now” on Thursday, July 17. That’s City Manager John Mauro show, which is facilitated by Taylor Clark, general manager of KPTZ. The radio station’s mission statement includes its promise of “high quality community radio programming that is educational, entertaining, and service oriented.”

I’m not sure how many people listen to Brewrocracy Now and you won’t want to now, either. But you should be concerned that our radio station is being used in the manner displayed July 17.

Mayor David Faber, the guest on the show, said ideas recently expressed by Barney Burke were like a “wet fart.” Those ideas had been expressed in an opinion piece published by The Leader on July 16, “City expenses are growing too fast so stop complaining about it and find solutions.” The comment, which flowed out of Faber’s mouth with ease, in all seriousness, and it didn’t prompt a single objection. Indeed, Mauro and Clark laughed.

The upshot of Burke’s opinion piece was to look for solutions, citing the 88% rise in City expenses over the past five years, contributing to the looming “fiscal cliff.” Burke suggested reducing consultant costs that he said were dramatically under-reported by Faber the week prior. [Burke’s column was in response to a column by the mayor, “Reporting, columns give false appearance of city’s finances.”]

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/25/2025

Candidates for city council appeal to voters in forum

By Mallory Kruml

Two candidates in the race for a seat on Port Townsend's city council spoke during a public forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County on July 16, while the third sent a representative to give opening and closing statements.
The forum, broadcast by KPTZ and streamed online, covered a range of topics, including city spending, housing, climate change and the LGBTQ+ community. A recording of the forum is available on each organization's website.
Dylan Quarles and Fred Obee fielded questions for an hour and a half, posed by moderator and league volunteer Shelly Rees Randall.
Mikki Porter couldn’t attend due to a work obligation, but had a representative make remarks on his behalf.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/24/2025

City signs collective bargaining agreement with employee union

By Mallory Kruml

At its regular council meeting on July 21, Port Townsend City Council authorized City Manager John Mauro to sign a new collective bargaining agreement with the Teamsters Local No. 589 representing the city’s general government employees.
The agreement marks the conclusion of negotiations that began in October 2024. The contract is retroactively effective from Jan. 1, 2025 and extends through Dec. 31, 2027. It provides for the compensation, benefits and general conditions of employment for general government employees.
Under the terms of the contract, employees will receive a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2025 and 2026. In 2027, the COLA will be tied to the Consumer Price Index and will land somewhere between 1.5% and 3.5%.
The city’s non-represented staff received a 2.8% COLA in January.
For the first time, a group of library employees have been added to the Teamsters contract.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/23/2025

Changes at parking plaza, including hefty fines, prompt anger and lots of questions

By Alex Frick

A flurry of $102 parking fines at Port Townsend Plaza a month after the company that owns the property put in a fee system has prompted everything from concern for the local businesses impacted to outrage over the size of the fine and whether the signage meets legal requirements.

The parking system at Port Townsend Plaza was put in place in June. Since then numerous complaints have rolled in from locals who have parked at the plaza for years without issue.

The primary complaints focus on signage, with the sign at the entrance including only vague information and other signage with letters that are too small, according to parking industry standards.
For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/23/2025

$102 tickets frustrate customers at Port Townsend Plaza

By Alex Frick

A flurry of $102 parking fines at Port Townsend Plaza a month after the company that owns the property put in a fee system has prompted everything from concern for the local businesses impacted to outrage over the size of the fine and whether the signage meets legal requirements.
The parking system at Port Townsend Plaza was put in place in June. Since then numerous complaints have rolled in from locals who have parked at the plaza for years without issue.
The primary complaints focus on signage, with the sign at the entrance including only vague information and other signage with letters that are too small, according to parking industry standards.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/22/2025

City identifies $111 million needed in transportation projects

By Mallory Kruml

In order to set themselves up for success in the grant-securing process, the city is required to adopt an annual Six Year Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

This year’s STIP, adopted unanimously by the city council on July 7, identifies approximately $111 million needed for 53 transportation projects through 2031.

“There’s a lot more on here that can be constructed in six years,” said Tyler Johnson, a city project manager, at the council meeting. “We put a lot on there for a reason. If some perfect grant comes along that isn’t on the STIP, that’s a problem. It has to be on the STIP for us to go for a lot of grants.”

City staff estimate the projects will need $23 million in local matching funds for the work.

Some projects that the city anticipates to start in 2025 and 2026 are adding sidewalks along the south side of SR20 between Logan and Hancock streets. Also along the south, more Lawrence street improvements and a partial design for the Waterwalk Trail Segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail between Boat Haven and the Ferry Terminal.

Projects with secured funding are listed at the top according to timeline, while unfunded projects are pushed to the final year and are not prioritized.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/21/2025

New fence, scoreboard, goal posts coming to Memorial Field

By Mallory Kruml

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is awarding over $148 million to projects across the state, with $1.89 million allocated to Jefferson County.

Aimed at building and improving parks and trails, conserving wildlife habitat and maintaining farm and forestry land, the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board gave 242 grants to 35 of the 39 counties in Washington.

Jefferson County snagged two grants; $345,560 for replacing aging infrastructure at Memorial Field in Port Townsend and $1,545,085 to expand the Dabob Bay Natural Area by 18.95 acres.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com
Megan Duffy, the director of the Recreation and Conservation Office, stated that the grants are key to building and supporting communities.

“These grants are critical to keeping Washington a premier destination for outdoor adventure as well as a great place for Washingtonians to live,” said Duffy. “These grants are key to building great communities. The grants help communities light ball fields, make parks accessible to people with disabilities, connect gaps in trail systems, refurbish pools and resurface pickleball courts.”

Jefferson County’s public works team will manage the improvements at Memorial Field, which include replacing the scoreboard, football goal posts and fencing surrounding the only public athletic field in Port Townsend.

The county must match 30% of the grant at $148,167; the total project budget is $493,727.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

07/20/2025

City moves forward with controversial Evans Vista project

By Mallory Kruml

There has been movement on the city’s delayed efforts to build housing.

Emma Bolin, Port Townsend’s planning director, said city staff have reviewed the preliminary plat application and are preparing for the design and construction of the Mill Road Lift Station.

The lift station is a crucial component of the sewer infrastructure required to support the Evans Vista Neighborhood development, planned for a 14-acre site northwest of the Port Townsend Paper Mill.

The city council approved the Evans Vista Master Plan at its meeting on Nov. 20, 2023.

The first phase of the Evans Vista Community Project will comprise an overall count of 150 mixed housing units, according to the request for proposals for engineering services for the new lift station. Mixed housing units are described as walk-ups, townhomes and apartments.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

07/29/2025

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