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P0o A-2- Magon County Journal. Tnuaay, ,rJl ] o, zo] 4
Long-delayed entryway pro)ect will restore wetlands
Contract awarded to complete design
for Shelton's western entrance
Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
The Shelton City Commission on Monday gave preliminary approval to award a contract to KPFF
Consulting Engineers of Lacey to complete the project design of the site where Shelton Creek flows
under a railroad tracks into Simpsons Lumber Co. property and out into Oakland Bay.
Some of the MGH&FC
Volunteers who help to
put our 'patients first'
include (clockwise from
center):
Percella "Bu bbs" Fuller
KayThykeson
Sue Glenn
Mary Anne Munson
Colleen Ripley
Sue Morris
Laura Russell
Penny Nielsen
Pauline Nichols
Carolyn Parker
and Jane Gruver
Celeb.rate:::i:::
Service
We salute
our voluoble
Volunteers!
Mason General Hospital & Family of
Clinics knows the value of its Volunteers,
who help to maintain excellence in
patient-centered care with the valued
tasks they perform every day.
As part of this nationwide celebration,
MGH&FC recognizes and honors all of
our Volunteers.
Mason General Hospital
& Family of Clinics
Mason General Hospital
901 Mountain View Drive, Shelton, WA
• For information:(360) 432-7706
www.MasonGeneral.com
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncounty, com
The City of Shelton is resurrecting its long-de-
layed "Point Entryway Corridor Project" that will
restore wetlands and speed up flood relief for Shel-
ton Creek.
The project site is next to the future state Route
3 park-and-ride bus stop at the downtown's west-
ern entry point.
The Shelton City Commission on Monday gave
preliminary approval to award a contract to KPFF
Consulting Engineers of Lacey to complete the
project design for the site, where Shelton Creek
flows under railroad tracks onto Simpson Lumber
Co. property and into Oakland Bay.
The firm was one of 13 to submit bids to design
the project. The
contract is sched-
uled for a second
reading and final
approval at the
commission's meet-
ing at 2 p.m. Mon- if "
day. This thing was
"(It's) a great on the back
spot for wetlands
enhancement," said burer for tOO
Greg Clark, the
city's public works |Og This
director, n,
The project's his- n'tt'ic t
has
been
tory stretches back
r wjw -
to 2005, when the delayed, but has
city applied for a
federal enhance- tk ergy
ment funding. The
city received the i the |St to
grant, and other
funding, with the e[eSw
expectation that
a park-and-ride
facility would be Greg Clark, city of She/ton
designed and con- public works director
structed on the
site of the former
wastewater treat-
ment plant and
the sweeping pile
known as Boot Hill.
According to the public works report on the proj-
ect, those plans were coupled with a series of wet-
lands enhancements through the wetlands west of
the former treatment plant. Some of the federal
funds were used for wetlands delineation and en-
vironmental permitting reports between 1999 and
2003, the city reports.
But the city says the project was never fully
funded, and has been further delayed by concerns
regarding the Navy railroad right-of-way, the lack
of available matching funds during the recession,
and the city's reduced staff.
"This thing was on the back burner too long ...
This project has been delayed, but has taken on en-
ergy in the last two years," Clark said. "
City staffbelieve that reconnecting the wetlands
located east of the park and ride with the western
wetlands will speed up flood re!iefand reintroduce
brackish water into the wetland complex. That's
now possible due in part to efforts 6ver the last two
years to dredge lower Shetlon Creek and:construct
and overfloow conveyance for Canyon Creek.
The project includes a new drainage s3;stem from
the park and ride that will allow cleaner stormwa-
ter to enter the wetlands.
City Administrator Dave O'Leary told commis-
sioners that the city has already spent federal
funds on th e project, and needs to move forward or
risk being forced to repay them. The city still has
$265,000 remaining in the park-and-ride funding,
and $165,000 remaining in the enhancement grant
funding, he said.
Commissioner Tracy Moore said the Point Entry-
way Corridor Project is a preservation project, but
that no mention has been made of preserving city
founder David Shelton's pear orchard at the site.
"I hope that doesn't get lost in park-and-rides
and wetlands" discussions, she said.
Clark said he's heard grafts are being made from
Shelton's trees. A wetlands biologist will be part of the
team, and the project should benefit the trees, he said.
Mayor Gary Cronce recalled that he and Moore
were part of a citizen subcommittee that studied
the site about 15 to 20 years ago.
"We have to blow the dust offthat report," he said.
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