Clallam Bay residents, fearful of cutbacks at the community’s strait-side Clallam County Park, are taking action.

On Tuesday, Nov. 1 they gathered at the park, located where Frontier Street meets State Highway 112 in Clallam Bay, in hopes of meeting with Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities Department Director Joel Winborn. They hoped to address rumors that the park would be closed to the public as part of Clallam County’s cutbacks to make up over a $2 million shortfall in county budget funding for 2012.

Word in the Clallam Bay community was that a 3:15 meeting with Winborn was scheduled on Nov. 1. However, in an apparent miscommunication, Winborn was actually conducting a group of park board members on a tour of some of the 18 county parks. The group could only get as far as Pillar Point Park in the Pysht area on Highway 112 before they had to begin the long drive back to the funding meeting that takes place the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Port Angeles.

The Nov. 1 gathering was sparked when several rumors about the Clallam Bay park  exploded throughout the community, claiming there would be a loss of an in-town caretaker Sue Heiny, who has worked for Clallam County for 20 years, and the replacement of the recently-renovated restrooms at the park with a portable toilet.

Heiny’s hours vary according to winter and summer seasons. Several parks employees are said to be scheduled for termination or time reduction throughout the Clallam County parks system, although these reductions have not been finalized.

In an email sent following the gathering, Winborn commented on the situation and wrote, “The Clallam Bay Park is not proposed for closure. The proposal was for the layoff of one of the caretaker positions.” Reflecting recent budget cuts in the park system, he added, “The reality is we have to do something and it’s not been an easy process.”  

At the park gathering, individuals, representatives of businesses and local government had brought signed petitions and letters of support against the perceived closing and the laying off of Heiny. Fifteen visitors to the rest-rooms stopped to ask questions about the gathering and several of them signed the petitions.

Resident Cindi Hart said, “To a little community like ours, this park is a big thing. Having Sue (Heiny) represent the park and be familiar with the area allows her to direct visitors to local businesses and events.”

The Clallam Bay visitor’s center, nearly adjacent to the park, records 2500 visitors signing in every year. 15,000 to 17,000 visitors sign in at the Makah Museum in Neah Bay every year.  The Clallam Bay Park offers the only public restroom stop along Highway 112 between Port Angeles and Neah Bay.

Al Pelletier, owner of Sekiu Chimney Sweeps said business owners count on the park as an attractive public amenity for tourism.  He said it is the only public parking available in the area.

Area Realtor Carol Schultz raised rueful laughter in the group at the park when she pointed out that visitors are not allowed to use the Clallam Bay Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center restroom because of county regulations.

Schultz said, “To put a Sani-Kan in the middle of our town is demeaning. It says we’re here only temporarily.”

Local residents are being encouraged to support their park at a public County Commissioners meeting on the county budget set for Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the County Courthouse in Port Angeles. There is a meeting at 10:30 a.m., and another at 6:00 pm. Citizens who cannot attend are welcome to call the county commissioner’s office at (360) 417 2383 to ask questions and voice their concerns.

The county parks board is still studying options regarding park security. Beside the Sani-Kan, another anti-vandalism option proposed is to install electronic door on the new restrooms that would be locked at dusk and unlocked at dawn.

A county park bridge extension that connects the highway side of the park with a nearby Strait beach will continue to be maintained according to seasonal safety by the county maintainance crew. The park dumpster is available for citizens to dispose of garbage gathered off the beach. The parking lot, recently graveled, is only open during daylight hours.

Winborn said of beach access from the park, “This year we purchased an additional piece of property to the west that allows access to the beach.”  

Winborn later added that the parks system expects, realistically, to face the same budget fight next year. The parks systems is negotiating with local charitable organizations for volunteers to replace paid employees. Local parks may be lost, one by one.

Dave Howat, of the State Parks North Olympic Construction and Maintenance Area had earlier made a remark about park funding on the state level:  “How is it that during the great depression, we can build all the State parks, and in the second great depression we lose them?”