Clallam County, Cities Negotiate Criminal Justice Services Contract

Temporary extension in place as county and cities work to reach new long-term agreement on prosecution, public defense, courts, and jail costs.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:44pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A warm, cinematic painting of a government building or courthouse, with deep shadows and diagonal sunlight creating a pensive, nostalgic mood.The ongoing negotiations over criminal justice services costs between Clallam County and its cities reflect the complex financial relationship between local governments.Port Angeles Today

Clallam County is still negotiating a new criminal justice services contract with the cities of Port Angeles and Sequim, as a temporary 6-month extension to the previous 10-year agreement has passed the halfway point. The main issue is determining how much the cities should pay the county for services like prosecution, public defense, court operations, and jail use, with state law requiring cities to cover the full cost of those services within their limits.

Why it matters

This ongoing negotiation highlights the complex financial relationship between counties and cities when it comes to providing critical criminal justice services. The outcome will impact taxpayers in both the county and the cities, as well as the overall administration of the local justice system.

The details

County Administrator Todd Mielke explained that the previous 10-year agreement expired at the end of 2025, and the county has been working with the cities since early 2025 to reach a new deal. However, the negotiations stalled before the contract deadline, leading to a 6-month extension that is now more than halfway complete. The county has calculated its costs based on 2024 expenses, breaking them into four categories - prosecution, public defense, district court, and jail services - and then allocating those costs based on each city's share of cases. Mielke says the county is now working through each category of service with city officials, answering questions and refining cost details in hopes of reaching a final agreement before the extension expires.

  • The previous 10-year agreement expired at the end of 2025.
  • Negotiations between the county and cities began in early 2025.
  • A 6-month contract extension was put in place when a new agreement could not be reached by the end of 2025.
  • The 6-month extension is now more than halfway complete.

The players

Todd Mielke

Clallam County Administrator who is overseeing the negotiations with the cities.

Port Angeles

One of the cities in Clallam County that is negotiating the criminal justice services contract with the county.

Sequim

One of the cities in Clallam County that is negotiating the criminal justice services contract with the county.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'One governmental entity should not subsidize another in providing those services. The entity contracting for services shouldn't pay more than the actual cost, and the one providing the services shouldn't receive less than what those services actually cost. So that's the framework that we're working under.'”

— Todd Mielke, Clallam County Administrator

What’s next

The county and cities are working to reach a final agreement before the 6-month contract extension expires. If they are unable to do so, a new temporary extension or other arrangement may need to be put in place.

The takeaway

This ongoing negotiation highlights the complex financial relationship between counties and cities when it comes to providing critical criminal justice services. The outcome will impact taxpayers in both the county and the cities, as well as the overall administration of the local justice system.