Letters to the Editor — Sequim Gazette, Oct. 26, 2016

Published 1:31 am Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Schools kept students safe, parent informed

On Thursday morning, Oct. 20, while I was working out of town, I got the calls. The Sequim School District notified me that there was an incident at the middle school, the students were evacuated to the high school, and the schools were under lockdown.

Since I have a son at the middle school and a daughter at the high school, I was initially very concerned to hear there was an emergency. However, I was notified by the school district that all students and staff were safe and accounted for. And I was grateful that the district kept me updated about the incident via automated phone calls and emails.

Also, I was impressed that the school district collected feedback via an online survey soon after the incident concluded.

I was re-assured that the Sequim School District and the Sequim Police Department can respond well in an emergency at the schools.

I commend the Sequim School District for reacting quickly to the incident, alerting parents, and keeping students safe. Supporting Sequim Schools is vitally important for our children, our community, our future, and our safety in Sequim.

Karen Holtrop

Sequim

Dangerous situation for some Sequim students

Yesterday’s (Oct. 20) lock down at the high school brought to light a dangerous short fall in the emergency notification system for the classroom, teachers and students.

The choir and band classroom that are off campus are not linked to the overhead emergency notification system. Instead those classrooms are notified via email of emergencies.

Yesterday, my daughter was in the choir classroom and they did not know about the lock down because the teacher was teaching not sitting in front of his computer.

The teacher and students found out about the lock down from a text sent by another student who knew they wouldn’t know about the lock down.

The teacher checked and found it was a modified lock down which meant when class was over he dismissed the students.

By then, the status had changed to a complete lock down but the teacher had not been notified.

The students were released, theoretically, straight into the dangerous situation.

The students noticed no one walking over to their area and stopped, checked their phones, saw a notice from a parent and friends saying it was a complete lock down and went back inside where the teacher called the office and confirmed the status change and the students were kept in.

Please make sure when you report the lock down you also report that although the safety procedures for the school went well for the campus, it completely failed the satellite classrooms.

This is very dangerous.

Brenda Carpenter

Sequim

Editor’s note: We offered the Sequim School District a chance to respond:

The Sequim School District is grateful for all feedback that helps us improve our emergency response.

Continued debriefs will, no doubt, indicate other steps we can take to improve the safety for all students and staff in emergency situations.

For further detail on the Oct. 20 incident, read Assistant Superintendent Ann Renker’s letter to the community on the district’s website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us.

Gary Neal, Sequim schools superintendent

Thanks to district for excellent response

I would like to commend the Sequim School District staff and Sequim Police Department for a job well done during Thursday morning’s district-wide lockdown.

I appreciate that the district’s priority during emergency situations is to ensure the safety of our children first and notify parents of the situation second.

Once all students were safe and accounted for, I received no less than three phone calls and five emails alerting me of the situation and updating me as it progressed.

In addition, the district’s webpage and Facebook page were updated several times throughout the lockdown.

Most importantly, my kindergartner seemed unfazed by the situation, something for which I can undoubtedly credit his wonderful teacher and the rest of the staff.

Thank you, Sequim School District staff and Sequim PD, for keeping my child safe and keeping me informed!

Ashley Aceto

Sequim

Wyman, Miloscia deserve our votes

Some very important choices get very little attention with such a very long ballot as we are blessed with this year.

Two exceptionally competent, fair, honest and capable candidates for low-profile statewide offices are Kim Wyman, incumbent Secretary of State, whose office runs our elections, and Mark Miloscia, candidate for the open state Auditor position.

If you are troubled by the history of state audits that left the cash drawer open for embezzlement of $600,000 plus from the Clallam County Treasurer’s office, vote for Miloscia, a numbers guy with a brain and a heart.

If you like honest elections and good service, vote to retain Wyman as Secretary of State.

If you are turned off by the choices available for president, don’t toss your ballot. There are good people running for most every post.

Read the voters’ guides. Put aside partisan politics. Vote for competence.

Martha McKeeth Ireland

Sequim

(Note: Ireland is a former Clallam County Commissioner.)

Neupert for judge

I am voting for Dave Neupert for Superior Court Judge (Position #2), and I urge other voters to caste their ballots for him as well. Here’s why.

We have two very well regarded, experienced candidates for this position, but one thing really hit home for me when I heard Dave Neupert talk about why he’s running and what he wants to do when elected.

I listened to Dave outlining his experience, his qualifications, and some of his ideas for bringing updating and improving how the Superior Court handles its caseload.

Then he said, “I love the law…,” and everything about that statement and his subsequent elaboration said this was someone whose intellect, compassion, empathy, and common sense would ensure the just resolution of any case before him.

And, indeed, the endorsements he has from across the legal profession and the political spectrum, showcase his record in doing just that.

I believe Dave will bring a fresh, new perspective to the Superior Court, one that will benefit the Court, the administration of justice, and all citizens.

Ken Stringer

Sequim

Poaching is cowardly

To the people of the community, I am writing this letter to inform those with a hard and compassion for all living things.

It has come to my attention that there are some coldblooded killers (right here, practically in my yard) in the form of poachers.

I live in the River Road, Silberhorn, Riverside, Secor roads area. This morning (Oct. 10) I was walking th dog in the field across from my house as we do every day. It is not unusual to see deer out in the field as they have used this area for decades to live and feed in and to raise their young.

I’ve watched generations of deer come and go for years here.

This morning was a real heartbreaker though. I spotted an approximately 2-year-old female slowly walking away from me and I thought it odd that it wasn’t running and bouncing away as they usually do when they detect the presence of my dog.

That’s when I noticed an arrow with a bright day glow green feathers/flights in its neck. I felt so helpless to render any kind of aid. Heartbroken for the suffering animal.

Not knowing what to do, I called the sheriff’s office and Fish and Game but no one will respond because they don’t have time or resources to go look for it.

So then I called and talked to a local veterinary (office) and the clerk said she also encountered another young doe the day before in her yard with an arrow sticking out of its eye!

What a horrible fate for such beautiful creatures. What a cowardly way for these thoughtless, mindless monsters to treat another living creature. It’s probably a good thing I don’t know who they are. I would let the punishment fit the crime.

Let us all take a moment to think about these poor injured animals out there right now, walking around scared, riddled with pain, waiting to die.

How long do you think that will take?

Russ Allman

Sequim

Editor’s note: We offered the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife a chance to respond:

While I sympathize with the letter writer’s concern for the welfare and suffering of the deer population, responding to an injured, yet mobile, deer in a residential area is impractical, and not solely because lack of time or resources.

I assume the writer desired that a deputy or wildlife officer track, locate, and dispatch/euthanize the injured deer.

The public good of euthanizing an injured animal does not offset the alarm and potential danger associated with a uniformed officer displaying a rifle or shotgun while searching a residential area with the intent of shooting an injured deer.

In situations where an injured deer is immobile (usually along the side of a road as a result of being hit by a motor vehicle), deputies will respond, and if able, euthanize it with a firearm. Careful consideration is given to safety and in general, it is not done on private property. I hope this will help explain our lack of response to this unfortunate situation.

Bill Benedict, Clallam County Sheriff

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has responded to a number of reports of deer wounded with arrows in the Sequim area this year. Given the timing of the reports, these deer were most likely wounded during an open archery hunting season. Hunters would prefer to never leave an animal wounded, but unfortunately that is not always possible.

We typically respond to these reports by dispatching one or more of the three WDFW enforcement officers who cover Clallam and Jefferson counties, and sometimes they are assisted by wildlife biologists and conflict specialists. More often than not, as appears to be the case here, the wounded animals are still very mobile and often are gone by the time our personnel arrive. But even when such animals are captured, options for treatment are limited. Some recover from their injuries, and as long as they are still mobile, able to feed, and otherwise in good health, sometimes the best option is to not pursue and cause further stress on them.

Part of the challenge is that hunting helps reduce conflicts with landowners that can occur when deer damage crops, landscapes, or gardens, but firearm use is restricted around much of Sequim to address safety concerns.

Unfortunately, some people hear about hunting only in situations like this. What isn’t as well-known is the extent of hunters’ contributions to conservation and the state’s economy. Across the state, hunting license sales contribute almost $20 million per year to wildlife conservation and management programs, and hunting generates more than $350 million in economic activity.

Bruce Botka, WDFW Public Affairs and Community Outreach Director

Editor’s note: From the Washington Fish and Wildlife website, Early Archery General deer season closed Sept. 30. Late Archery General deer season begins in late November. Dial 9-1-1 to report poaching in progress; 877-933-9847 to report a non-emergency poaching incident.