The Sequim City Council honored Barb Hanna at Monday’s council meeting on the occasion of her retirement after serving 16 years as the city’s first communications and marketing director.  Part of her role has been to serve as the city’s public information officer during emergency operations to ensure that reliable information reached the public when it was most needed. A resolution read by Mayor Rachel Anderson said that she led the inaugural Sequim Sunshine Festival in 2020 celebrating Sequim’s spirit, resilience and pride of place.

In her remarks in response to the resolution, Barb thanked the Mayor and Council.

“Its bitter sweet for sure. But I do want to say that I have really being in this role for the last 16 years. Its given me an opportunity serve this city and community in a way that think would be possible when we move here. I have loved being part of something bigger and really important and I want to thank Matt and my co-workers for all of the support and friendship that they’ve shown me over the years and the City Managers that went before that that had faith in this position and support. And thank you to the community. I had always felt very, very supported  in this role and I really appreciated it.”

She said she’s not going anyway.  She’ll still be around town.

PHOTO  Barb Hanna and Mayor Rachel Anderson 

A critical staffing shortage at the Clallam County jail is forcing the Sheriff’s Office to temporarily pull its animal control deputy off that assignment.

Corrections Deputy Ed Bauck, who has been serving as Clallam County’s Animal Control Deputy, is being reassigned to the jail through January 1st to help cover staffing gaps. The Sheriff’s Office says Bauck’s dual experience in corrections and animal control makes him the only deputy who can be shifted quickly during the shortage.

The move means the county will not have a dedicated animal control deputy for the rest of the year. Sheriff’s officials say animal?related calls will still be handled — patrol deputies will respond while Bauck is working in the jail.

For animal-related calls for service, please contact PenCom Dispatch at 360-417-2459 (Option 1).

For eligible non-emergency animal complaints, you may also file an online report through the Sheriff’s Office website: https://secure.coplogic.com/dors/en/filing/submitreport

For emergencies or situations involving an immediate threat to people or animals, call 911.

The Sheriff's Office did not say how many jail positions are vacant or what led to the "critical" staffing need.  Bauck is expected to remmain assigned to the jail until January 1st.

PHOTO:  Deputy Ed Bauck and Theo