Kitsap septic company sues Public Health over alleged corruption

Grizzly General Contractors, operating as Grizzly Septic Services, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Kitsap Public Health District (KPHD) and others, alleging various unlawful activities, including racketeering and civil rights violations.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, claims that KPHD enforced a fraudulent policy that imposed illicit fees on septic inspectors.

The complaint outlines accusations against KPHD and its officers, including assistant director Eric Evans, saying they used their positions for personal financial gain.

The lawsuit centers on KPHD’s Policy 36, which purportedly required septic inspectors to collect maintenance contract fees from residents and funnel these payments through privately owned companies.

According to the plaintiffs, the policy misclassified septic inspectors as maintenance providers, burdening them with collecting fees without proper compensation.

The complaint alleges that KPHD officials used these funds for personal profit, violating state and federal laws, including the U.S. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and the Washington State Criminal Profiteering Act.

The lawsuit details how KPHD’s actions have financially impacted Grizzly Septic Services and other similar businesses.

It highlights that non-compliance with the fee collection led to punitive measures, such as suspending the inspectors’ licenses without due process.

According to the lawsuit, Grizzly Septic was suspended 81 times, resulting in significant business disruptions and financial losses.

The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages.

They argue that the imposition of Policy 36 and the subsequent fee collection scheme violated their constitutional rights and amounted to an unlawful exploitation of public office for private profit.

KIRO 7 News reached out to Kitsap County Public Health and will update this story if they respond.