Support fire district levy

As past fire chief, I strongly endorse Fire District 3’s Emergency Medical Services Tax Levy. This is a not a new levy but one that continues to support out Advance Life Support services we receive from District 3.

This year alone District 3’s Emergency Services paramedics have responded more than 7,000 times, helping those who needed medical assistance. Please vote yes.

Steve Vogel

Sequim

Vogel is former Fire Chief of Clallam County Fire District 3

Ozias for commissioner of us all

I hope that my friends in Commissioner District 1 will vote to keep Mark Ozias in office, as I rely on his wisdom and good sense as much as they do.

Mark is my County Commissioner. So is Bill Peach. On a weekly basis they vote on issues which directly affect me and my neighbors. Yet we cannot vote for either of them, because we live in a different Commissioner District (2); this make no sense. We only have three commissioners for the whole county. Two votes can determine the welfare of us all. This is a problem which the Charter Review Commission should fix.

Meanwhile, please keep Mark in office for me.

Lyn Muench

Port Angeles

Vote for Stoffer

Our local public schools face grave issues ranging from crowded classrooms to an inferior state of repair in the physical classrooms. An experienced, proven individual is needed for each and every position on the school board at this critical time.

Mr. Stoffer currently serves on the school board and is well known for his depth of knowledge about the needs of our school district and his clear leadership in service of the district’s improvement.

When not serving on the board, Mr. Stoffer actively attends conferences and training sessions which improve the depth and breadth of knowledge he brings to the board in the service of our schools and students.

We cannot afford to lose focus on the issues facing our local school district which is why I actively and enthusiastically endorse James Stoffer for re-election to the Sequim School District Board.

Sharon K. Jensen

Sequim

Vote for Barnfather

I have known James Barnfather for 15 years, as a leader in our community and in volunteering for various events for our citizens. He is vested in this area and has established a sharing lifestyle with friends and businesses throughout Clallam County. He knows the fire district through his 12 years of serving this community and will continue to support and improve the way of life for everyone here.

Re-elect Fire Commissioner James Barnfather.

Emily Westcott

Sequim

Stoffer for school board

Experience is extremely important in this election for school board. The new board will be working to stabilize the superintendent position, to define board standards for our district’s success, as well as to learn all the departments of our district and their integration into developing a strong and successful program for our students, our staff and our families.

Jim Stoffer has experience and training from Washington State School Directors Association’s in board standards, individual standards and developing that program and standards of evaluation for a successful board. He also has the experience of working with the superintendent as he works on his goals for our district and in developing his evaluation — all developed with open and honest transparency to us the citizens and families of Sequim.

Experience doesn’t make one an expert, but it does help in cooperative work to help all members working together to learn and build a solid, strong board.

Please vote for Jim Stoffer to work with our two other members who have 2-plus years experience and two new members.

Bev Horan

Sequim

Horan is a former Sequim School Board director.

Barnfather for commissioner

I am writing to recommend James Barnfather for re-election to Fire District 3 Commissioner. James has a long, distinguished record in our state’s fire services. He is the recipient of Seattle’s Lifetime Achievement Award and has used his considerable experience over the last eight years to support Fire District 3 programs.

These programs include efforts to build a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake response infrastructure. This effort will provide trained volunteers to augment Fire District 3’s response to the quake. These programs include Map Your Neighborhood and CERT groups located throughout the fire district. James’ support of these programs will help the residents of eastern Clallam County receive post-quake emergency services much sooner.

I hope you will re-elect James Barnfather so he can continue plans to help safeguard the people of Sequim and Fire District 3.

Jim Buck

Joyce

Buck is a former and State Representative and Clallam County Republican Party Chair.

Stoffer deserves vote

It is an honor as well as a privilege to support the reelection of Jim Stoffer to the Sequim School Board of Directors.

Jim has spent time and energy volunteering in our community. He has listened and talked to both parents and students.

Sequim is a community with the ability to shape our schools into a resource we all are proud of. That means we must take deliberate and positive action and encourage parents and other stake holders to become involved in our schools.

As the late Rep Elijah Cummings said: “Concentrate on what you’re fighting for, not against.”

Please join with me in casting a vote for moving the Sequim School District forward and retain Jim Stoffer.

He has earned my vote and deserves yours.

Janet Thomas

Sequim

Support for Stoffer

My neighbor, Jim Stoffer, is running for re-election to the Sequim School Board. I’ve known him for nine years because he lives in my neighborhood.

I’ve never seen anyone work so tirelessly for his family, his neighbors, his church, his community, our school system, and Sequim’s children. At any community event I attend, Jim is there, working.

If he wants to go on fighting for the best for all of us, Jim has my vote!’

Alice McCracken

Sequim

Miano for fire commissioner

In 2013 I retired from Clallam County Fire District 3 after a long career. As we all know, Sequim and the surrounding area are growing at a rapid pace. I found the fire district has not kept up with this growth.

My fear is that at some point it will become common for 911 calls to be answered delayed or, worse, not at all.

Bill Miano is running for fire commissioner. He has worked in growing departments and understands smart fire department growth. He has successfully applied for and has been awarded numerous grants — saving local tax dollars.

Bill Miano has the expertise and background to be a great fire commissioner and lead Fire District 3 through this growth. He will ensure your emergency is answered quickly and efficiently.

Please vote Bill Miano for fire commissioner.

Jeffrey Upchurch

Tucson, Ariz.

More MAT misinformation

Just finished reading the latest full-page ad for the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) facility, paid for by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (Sequim Gazette, Oct. 2, page A-16).

The public relations firm that prepared it did a wonderful job spinning suspect statistics and misinformation.

A note about PR firms: They work only to justify their clients’ goals and objectives. Truth is relative and not to be confused with what the client requires. The bottom line is that they are hired to make Hitler look like Mother Teresa. Or, in this case, the MAT made to look like a good thing for Sequim.

A recent item in the paper by Clallam County Health Officer Allison Unthank, supporting the MAT was made even more distressing when I saw that this person works for the tribal clinic.

Along with our “train wreck” of a Sequim City Council, is it any wonder that those of us that oppose the MAT in Sequim feel betrayed and lied to all in an effort to ensure that the tribe makes a lot of money.

For those of you who think that the tribe is doing this out of the goodness of their hearts, I have a bridge in Brooklyn and some swamp land in Florida that you might be interested in.

Finally, with the state grant of over $7 million, it would be very naive to think that this large facility is just for Jefferson and Clallam counties. The disasters in Seattle and Tacoma will very likely be coming here.

Robert Travis

Sequim

Consider MAT facilities stats

Everyone wants to see people with an addiction to opioids given an opportunity to break their addiction and return to a purposeful life. The recovery rate with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has been stated as being 80 percent or 75 percent, in both instances by Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe employees.

If one takes the time to research the “recovery rate after suboxone treatment termination,” one will find that one year later, the patient recovery rate is less than 10 percent (see www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/painkiller-abuse-treated-sustained-buprenorphine/naloxone; www.choosehelp.com/blogs/addiction-treatment/study-says-suboxone-works-well-for-prescription-opiate-abusers-2013-but-discontinuation-of-suboxone-use-causes-relapse-rates-to-skyrocket). Not 80 percent or 75 percent, but less than 10 percent! Read that again!

Is it worth it to allow a MAT treatment facility in Sequim to proceed considering the expense to both the city and the homeowners when only 10 percent or less of the patients receive cure for their addiction? What becomes of the other 90 percent? How many of them are homeless? MAT treatment has been going on in 48 of the 50 states for almost 10 years and the end results are not good, as you can verify for yourself (www.ocregister.com/2017/12/17/are-drug-rehab-centers-fueling-homelessness-in-southern-california). Does this have to be repeated here too? Is this really what we want for Sequim?

John Mackay

Sequim