HomeMy WebLinkAboutRoad to Recovery Governor Inslee �� PQRTANGELES 321 East Fifth Street
WASH I N G T o N , U . S . Port Angeles, WA 98362
February 16, 2021
Governor Jay Inslee
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
RE: Letter of Support for Decoupling Clallam & Jefferson County from Northwest Group
Dear Governor Inslee:
We wish to express our support of the message in the January 29, 2021 press release penned by
our local legislative delegation, Senator Kevin Van De Wege and Representatives Steve
Tharinger and Mike Chapman regarding the Roadmap to Recovery plan.
We are extremely concerned with the regional grouping of this new plan that combines Clallam
County in a four-County cluster along with Jefferson, Mason and Kitsap counties. We continue
to oppose the coupling with Mason and Kitsap counties and believe that Clallam and Jefferson
have demonstrated a level of diligence and commitment that illustrates successful mitigation of
local COVID related impacts. Our rural communities cannot and should not be compared to
those in Mason and Kitsap counties.
Throughout this entire pandemic, we have stood behind your efforts and supported the often-
difficult decisions you have had to make. We realize the value of a unified response and
consistent messaging that reduces confusion and have followed that approach. With the latest
proposed reorganization and approach to metrics being applied, we have substantial concerns.
Please consider our primary three (3) concerns below:
1. The recovery plan should be based on vital health facts that do not discriminate
based on population or rural character of communities.
While Clallam and Jefferson counties were grouped into a four-county region with Kitsap and
Mason counties for the state reopening plan, data shows Kitsap and Mason counties each have
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1
higher rates of COVID-19 transmission than the North Olympic Peninsula. This new plan relies
on inconsistent metrics and an overly broad, regional approach for decision-making that does not
reward the citizens and businesses in Clallam and Jefferson who have faithfully complied with
your orders. The new plan allows hot-spot counties to move forward due to percentage-based
outcomes.
1