Page A-6 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014
Oty might dso redo
water main during work
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncoun com
Residents of south Shel-
ton might simultaneously get
better water pressure and a
smoother drive as the city pre-
pares to tackle 3 ½ miles of
crumbling road.
Pothole-scarred Pioneer
Way/Lake Boulevard is sched-
uled to be torn up and replaced
beginning in summer 2015 in a
$3.5 million construction proj-
ect by the city of Shelton.
The city recently decided to
consider replacing 2,200 feet
of undersized water main on
Lake Boulevard from Wyo-
ming Avenue to University
Avenue.
The Shelton City Com-
mission on Monday gave pre-
liminary approval to allocate
another $12,947 to project de-
signer SCJ Alliance to design
the water-main replacement
on that stretch. The agree-
ment could be finalized at the
commission's work session at
Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
The city of Shelton plans to hire a contractor to begin tearing up and replacing 3 1/2 miles
of broken road on Lake Boulevard/Pioneer Way beginning next summer. The Shelton City
Commission on Monday gave preliminary approval to make the design plans, which could
include replacing 2,200 feet of undersized water main from Wyoming Avenue to University
Avenue.
2 p.m. Monday. 6 inches in diameter, and the told the commissioners. Re-
The water main on that pressure is low at some points,placing it with a 12-inch main
stretch of Lake Boulevard is City Engineer Mike'Michael will ensure adequate delivery
to the pressure zone when re-
quired, he said.
The water main would be
located under a sidewalk on
Lake Boulevard, Michael said.
Adding the larger pipe before
laying down the new sidewalk
would save the city money, he
said.
"This isn't a must-do, but
it's a very cost-effective way to
do it now," Michael said.
The water-main replace-
ment would cost about
$250,000, Michael said.
Commissioner Mike Olsen
questioned whether the water-
main replacement is urgent.
"It's not a growth area," he
said.
Olsen asked if the city
can approve the design work
for the water main and then
choose when it wants to do it.
Michael said it can.
The project design for the
Pioneer Way/Lake Boulevard
replacement is expected to be
completed by the end of March.
The city will advertise for bids
from construction companies in
spring 2015, and work is sched-
uled to begin in summer 2015.
Construction is expected to
take a year.
oa
By GORDON WEEKS during the 2015 session to find The interlocal agreement
gordon@masoncountycom grant money for wastewater states that the two cities "de-
projects, sire te join efforts to educate
The Shelton City Commis- The commission gave pre- the state Legislature, gover-
sion on Monday approved an liminary approval of the nor's office and agencies in-
interlocal agreement with the agreement at its meeting cluding the Department of
city of Port Angeles to estab- Nov. 10. Ecology about the financial
lish the Sewer Funding Coali- The commissioners gave fi- realities of operating a munici-
tion. nal pproval Monday as partpal sewer utility."
The group is a statewide co- of the meeting's consent agen- The coalition's one mis-
alition that will hire a lobbyist da. No one commented on thesion is to gain sewer funding
to put pressure on legislators agreement, for Washington communities
smaller than 25,000 people,have joined the coalition,
The city of Shelton's up- which has raised more than
graded wastewater treat- $10,000 in checks and pledg-
ment plant, required by thees.
state, forced the city to borrow The goal is to raise $21,000
$56 million, to pay for a lobbyist for the
The city reports that be- first sixmonthsof2015.
cause of the loan, the average City Administrator Dave
residential sewer bill of $92 a O'Leary said he will give an
month will increase to $135 a update on the coalition at the
month by 2020. commission's study session at
Fourteen cities so far 2 p.m. Monday.
"The best part about
being a volunteer driver
is the good feeling I get
for doing something that
really matters to others.
Most of the riders I have
would have no other way
to get to wherever they
are going. I feel that the
volunteer driver program is
wonderful for me as well as
for our riders. I have taken
home many invaluable life
lessons, and I look forward
to each trip to see what new
experiences I will have and
what I will learn. "
-- Mary L.
