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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
January 12, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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January 12, 2012
 
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HSAs are a tax-free savings account available to individuals who have a qualified HDHP, where funds are used to pay for current and future medical expenses. Shelton Branch 1 360.426.4431 301 EWallace Kneeland Blvd., Suite 115 the quality bank M.m~o, Serving the Pacific Northwest since 1927 • FDIC vvwuN.HeritageBankNW.com 50% OFF:": ....50%OFF All Clothes The DaiSy Pot Antiques & Apparel 327 W. Railroad Ave. Shelton • 560-432-3688 m CLEANERS & TAILORS cff mb er Member Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. " Sat 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. 215 South Second • 426-3371 Serving She#on and Mason County for 86 years County tourism dollars are still up By NATALIE JOHNSON During a Monday morn- ing briefing, the Mason County Board of Commis- sioners reviewed a recom- mendation from the county's Lodging Tax Advisory Com- mittee (LTAC) for tourism management funding. During the LTAC board's Dec. 12 meeting, the group made a decision that left some members of the com- munity confused. The board voted to not renew a $95,000 grant for tourism management for the Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce, while approving a request from Olympic Broadcast- ing, which owns KMAS, for $36,000, for what the com- mission may have thought was the same work, Mason County Commissioner Steve Bloomfield said. "It was the will of the group to suspend the $95,000 and in place of that go with Olympic Broadcast- ing for $36,000," Bloomfield, who is a non-voting member of the LTAC board, said. "The will was quite clear that that is what they want- ed to do ... the outcome was unanimous." The chamber received the $95,000 grant in 2011. Only tourism-related or- ganizations or non-profit organizations can receive lodging tax money. According to RCW 67.28.1816. "Lodging tax revenues under this chap- ter may be used, directly by local jurisdictions or indi- rectly through a convention and visitors bureau or des- tination marketing organi- ing printing maps, visitors guides and producing Ma- son County tourism videos for $36,000 instead. "We couldn't begin to do zation, for ~the mar- keting and operations of special events and festi- vals and to support the opera- Dale tions and Hubbard capital ex- penditures of tourism- in the air ~hought Olympic Broadcast- [ng was taking over the du- ties the chamber was pro- tiding." Members of the public that for $36,000," Hubbard said. The chamber of com- merce's $95,000 request in- cludes $10,000 for adminis- tration, said Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Com- merce Executive Director Heidi McCutcheon. In effect, she said, Olym- pic Broadcasting is asking for $3,000 a month to do what the chamber already does for $400 per month. related facilities owned by nonprofit organizations de- scribed under section 501(c) (3) and section 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended." The LTAC board may have been confused with the Olympic Broadcasting pro- posal, said Dale Hubbard, co-owner and president of Olympic Broadcasting on Monday. "Perhaps there's a mis- conception as to what was proposed and what you're looking at," Hubbard said. "The $36,000 is to man- age tourism's budget ... the whole business of tourism would be handled by our company for $36,000." Hubbard said Olympic Broadcasting's proposal was actually to manage the existing $95,000 tourism budget the chamber used to get, not provide the services the chamber does, includ- "We're going to do what the chambers were sup- posed to do," Hubbard said. The Shelton Mason County and North Mason Chambers of Commerce used to share the $95,000. This year, the Shelton Ma- son County Chamber of Commerce applied for the funding alone. Jerry Eckenrode, co-own- er and business manager of Olympic Broadcasting, said their proposal also includes maintenance of the KMAS and Explore Hood Canal websites and "free" adver- tising for Mason County tourism on those sites and the KMAS radio stations. Bloomfield said this in- formation came as a sur- prise to him. "I don't believe the com- mittee was understand- ing your proposal as you just presented it," he said to Hubbard. "I believe they Ln attendance at Monday's meeting also expressed sur- prise at Hubbard's explana- tion. "It's just changed right apside down," Tom Davis mid. County Commissioner rim Sheldon suggested that ;he LTAC committee should :ake another look at the ;ourism grant proposals in Light of Hubbard's explana- :ion. City moves forward on Shoreline Mast, By NATALIE JOHNSON The City of Shelton Commission re- viewed a proposal to accept a $75,000 Department of Ecology grant to move forward on its Shoreline Master Pro- gram update. City Planner Jason Dose told the That money will go back to Ecology, advisory b he said. The city commission plans to vote on the next phase of the grant, $75,000 covering the next two years, during their next meeting at 6 p.m. on Tues- day, Jan. 17. The city's next step, Dose said, is to The ted meet agait Commissioner Lynda Ring Erickson agreed, add- ing that the money needs ;o be distributed in time to ,rive either group the time to ,~et tourism efforts up and .,~ning before people start ~aking spring and summer ~lans. I "We're behind on that al- eady," she said. The county commission- .~rs agreed to ask the LTAC :ommissioners to take ~nother look at the tour- sm management funding ~roposals before the com- aission votes on the LTAC 3oard's recommendation. On Tuesday, the county ~ommission sent out a press :elease asking for more ap- 31ications for the general iourism management dol- ars. The LTAC board will ~ccept and review any new ~roposals for tourism man- ~gement submitted before I~nursday, Jan. 19. Program )ard by Februar,y. If this I in under 1 over will state, Dos( "I have] city commission that the city was lucky create a draft master plan. While the believe we to get a grant that completely~covers the cost of the update. "The city received a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecol- ogy that fully funds this, which is a rar- ity," Dose said. Ecology has granted the city $125,000 total to complete the entire program. In July 2010, the city ac- cepted the first $50,000 to complete the planning phase of the project. Because the city and Mason County worked together to complete the initial phase of the project, the city came in more than $2,000 under budget, Dose said. city won't be "recreating the wheel," :he said, the new draft will be different mical committee will likely L in March, Dose said. ,base of the program comes he budget, any money left dso have to go back to the , said. t't been given any reason to from the old master program. Dose said the current program can be very difficult to use. "In my opinion, it needs a good re- organization ... it's a little scattered," he said. Throughout the planning process, the city and county worked with both a technical advisory committee, com- prised of professionals in fields related to shoreline planning, and a citizen's advisory committee. Dose plans on presenting a draft shoreline master plan to the citizen's won't spend what's been al- located," h e said. "Our intent is to stay within our budget." The city voted to accept another grant on ~onday, the STOP Violence Against women Formula Grant, for $31,510 w from the Office of Communii vision. The S] plans to ta the next t~ Every t' Departme Sheriffs d Public records, state funding dominate talks at By NATALIE JOHNSON Representatives from the City of Shelton, Ma- son County and the Port of Shelton met with legis- lative and congressional representatives Thursday, Jan. 5, to voice their con- cerns for the upcoming year. "We've done this for the past couple years and it's been really useful to get everyone in the room," said Sara Crumb, deputy dis- trict director for U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, a Democrat. "I wish we had good news to give you." Representatives from the city and county put forward what Mason County Com- missioner Steve Bloomfield called "wish lists for fund- ing." Bloomfield represented the county commission, while Commissioners Tim Sheldon and Lynda Ring Erickson attended an- other meeting. All three Shelton City Commission- ers, including Mayor Gary Cronce, Dawn Pannell and Mike Olsen, attended the meeting, with Cronce run- ning the meeting. Commissioners Jay Hupp and Dick Taylor from the Port of Shelton Com- mission also attended the meeting. Page A-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, January 12, 2012 th a local match of $15,755 ~}epartment of Commerce's Crime Victims Advocacy, y Services and Housing Di- telton Police Department ke over the STOP grant for ro years. vo years, the Shelton Police at and the Mason County ~partment trade the grant. oint meeting State Rep. Kathy Haigh, a Democat, was the only Washington legislator who showed up to the meet- ing, but representatives from Dicks' office, as well as from the offices of Gov. Chris Gregoire, U.S. Sen, Patty Murray and state Rep. Fred Finn came to give congressional or legislative perspectives. Haigh spoke of her de- termination to work for funding for school districts and city and county govern- ments. "Somebody ... is going to have to talk about taxes," she said. Several department heads from Mason County spoke at the meeting, in- cluding Public Works Di- rector Charlie Butros. Butros began by telling the legislators' representa- tives how important state funding for highways is for the county. The funding makes up one-third to half of the county's budget for roads, he said. "Our transportation net- work not only is county roads but includes state highways," he said. "The funding that we get from state and federal agencies is critical for us." Butros also began a trend in the conversation that continued throughout the meeting - state public records law. "We would like and en- courage this session that the rules of public records be clarified," he said. "I think other agencies will share that concern." Butros said the Public Works Department has re- ceived requests that it be- lieves go beyond the scope of the law. Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury also com- mented on public records, adding that the cost of records requests make a significant impact on the Sheriffs Office budget. "The cost that we have with open public records ... it's overwhelming," he said. City of Shelton adminis- trator Dave O'Leary com- mented on public records as well. "Just about every local government I've talked to says state law just has to change on public records," he said. Steve Goins, community and economic development director for the City of Shelton, briefed the con- gressional and legislative staffers on upcoming proj- ects, like one to redirect Canyon Creek. "We've had issues with Canyon Creek periodically flooding portions of the owntown area," he said. 'We're forecasting that rcork to move forward as tuickly as we can fund it." City officials also briefed ;he legislative and con- ,,Tessional representatives m plans to restore Goose bake, which suffers from :ontamination from several :ancer-causing agents, into "public amenity." Goins ~lso spoke about the city's )attle to rezone the 160- ~cre Shelton Hills property - located a half mile from ;he Port of Shelton's Sand- .~rson Field runway -- to ~llow for a large residential tevelopment. "This could be a big game :hanger for us," Goins said. Many of the speakers ~sked for more funding for nfrastructure. "From (Dicks') perspec- ;ive, he's always wished ;here were bigger pots of honey for infrastructure," 3rumb said, The city is also looking br help funding indigent tefense. The city's indigent tefense attorney is current- • y handling more that twice ;he accepted standard of :ases at 840 per year. "I know that the legis- ature is challenged - we ~re too," O'Leary said. 'We need reliable funding ~ources to go forward but roe can't plan."