Clallam County on Sept. 30 authorized staff to release an invitation for bids for a joint public safety facility and approved a $625,000 expenditure from the real estate excise tax (REET) fund to acquire property adjacent to the project.

County staff told the board the budget estimate for the joint public safety facility has not changed since a prior joint meeting of elected officials; bids are due Oct. 29, and the county has scheduled a special meeting for the bid opening. The purchase aims to provide a right-of-way easement and potential space for future county use.

“Based on this vote today, we would release our invitation for bids. There's approximately 29 days... bids are due on October 29, and that will be when we really get a sense for how the construction industry is doing,” county staff said during the meeting.

Public commenters raised questions about whether the full parcel purchase was necessary to secure right-of-way and whether REET funds—earmarked for specific capital uses—should be applied to buy the property. Several residents pointed to past REET allocations and asked whether alternatives (such as a negotiated right-of-way agreement) had been fully explored.

A commissioner said the county looked at both options and concluded the purchase offered benefits beyond right-of-way, including consolidating leased county facilities and owning existing buildings that might reduce long-term lease expenses. “When we were looking at this property...we really need the right of way...There’s also a use for the property other than that,” a commissioner said, explaining the broader strategic rationale.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included the bid call and the REET appropriation, by unanimous vote. The county will open bids at the scheduled special meeting and report back when bids are received.