January 30, 2014 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 3 (3 of 40 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
January 30, 2014 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
City commissioners split on water plans
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncounty.com
The Shelton City Commis-
sioners are split, by a $7-mil-
lion margin on how much
money to seek to improve the
city's public water system.
Commissioners Mike Olsen
and Tracy Moore on Monday
said they favor one option.
proposed by its staff to accept
a $2.1 million grant from the
state Department of Health,
and apply for a $6.9 million
loan from the same depart-
ment. That money would be
spent on many projects in the
city's 20-year water plan, in-
cluding extending water ser-
vice to the Washington State
Patrol (WSP) Academy, fin-
ishing the Angleside booster
pump project, completing
parts of the other major proj-
ects and adding several sys-
tem improvements.
Mayor Gary Cronce, the
third commissioner, said he
favors another option: a $2.1
million grant from DOH and
a required matching $2.1 mil-
lion loan from that agency.
That amount provides service
to the WSP Academy, finishes
the Angleside booster pump
project and adds a few system
improvements.
"I'm a little gun-shy about
borrowing another seven mil-
lion dollars," Cronce said.
He added, "We owe $56 mil-
lion bucks (for the improved
sewage treatment system),
and our rates are high ... I'm
trying to pull this debt back."
The three commissioners
made their recommendations
after a PowerPoint presenta-
tion by Greg Clark, director of
Public Works, and City Engi:
neer Mike Michael. The city's
water system improvement
plans are driven by state and
federal requirements for safe
and-reliable water, Clark told
the commissioners.
Michael pointed out that the
state Department of Health
instructs engineers how to de-
sign, build, operate and main-
tain water systems so water is
safe, and available in homes
and at fire scenes. All the work
must be done during a 20-year
window.
"In our system, storage
is our key deficiency," Mi-
chael said.
The city's system requires
the storage of 200 gallons per
residential customer. That
amount makes at least two
days of water available in case
of a power outage or a disaster,
Clark said.
"You don't think about it
until there's some major catas-
trophe," he said.
At a previous commission
meeting and again at a board
retreat Jan. 9, none of the com-
missioners expressed an inter-
est in Option 1. That option
calls for no loan, and the mini-
mum amount of work to meet
the requirements of bonds is-
sued in 2013, Clark said.
That plan delays most
system improvements, likely
including meeting the city's
commitment to getting wa-
ter to the WSP Academy, he
said.
With Option 2, DOH will
give a $2.1 million grant if the
city takes a $2.1 million loan,
Clark said. The advantages
include an interest rate of 1
percent, and no loan origina-
tor fee, which would have cost
about $100,000, he said.
If the city gets a $2.1 mil-
lion grant from DOH and the
additional $6.9 million loan,
it can tackle many projects,
while projected annual rate
increases would remain the
same at 3 percent to 5 percent
annually, Clark said. That op-
tion provides "the lowest risk
to the public," he said.
See WATER on page A-11
Puppy playpen
Oral sedation dentistry is
the answer to all your fears.
Call for a free consultation. 426.9711 Dr. William Busacca, DDS, PS
Preferred Provider DELTA DENTAL www.MySheltonDentist.com
Journal photo by Lloyd Mullen
Doberman pinscher/Labrador retriever mix puppies crowd near a chain-
link fence Friday at Adopt-A-Pet in Shelton.
"We Make House Calls"
I Need a roof? '
I
I Choose your own I
Your Full Service Roofer Since 1959 I special offer!
• Year-Round ONE DAY Services
in most cases
• 24 hour EMERGENCY services available
• COMPLETE .roofing services for all your
residential, commercial and industrial
roofing needs
, Lifetime Product WARRANTIES available
• Composition, metal, shakes, tile, flat roofs,
windows and decks - we do it alll
, Professional job site cleanup on all projects
CALL NOW for your FREE ESTIMATE!
I
-- Either --
I 48 Months with I
I 0% Interest I
I Financing O.A.C.* I
i -or- i
10% Cash I
I Back Bonus*
! I
* May not be combined with any other offers
I or discounts. Ask your local representative for I
details. Financing available on approval of
L....credit'Offers,._expire 1/31/2014. -I
1131 W, Kamilche Lane. Just off HighwaylO1
, Also rving: Opia, Lace,y, Tumwat..
,Tenino Yelm Tacoma Montesano Aberdeen McKenna,
Gig Harbor, Centralia, Chehalis, Longview, Vancouver. Roy o
Mason County Journal - Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014 - Page A-3