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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
February 15, 2024     Shelton Mason County Journal
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February 15, 2024
 
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Page 12 — Shelton-Mason County Journal — Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024 NEWS BRIEFS Sandhill playground gets concrete border Ground cover for the Sandhill play- ground needs an additional concrete border to ensure it stays in place, so Mason County commissioners approved an additional $13,527 for the work. Portland’s Wildwood Playgrounds NW supplied the winning bid for turn- key installation of the playground equipment in November. The amount approved for the equipment is now $151,854.48. Commissioners sign off on 10-year solid waste contract Mason County commissioners ap— proved a 10-year contract with Mason County Garbage for solid waste long haul transportation services at the Feb. 13 meeting. They also approved the In— terlocal Agreement with Cowlitz County that allows Mason to use Cowlitz’s dump. Commissioners thanked Republic Services, the company that previously supplied long hauling, for an extension while negotiating Mason County Gar- bage’s contract. Commissioner Sharon Trask also thanked staff for the work they did on contract negotiations, which was echoed by the other commissioners. “A lot of hard work 'went into this,” Commissioner Randy Neatherlin said. “It’s tough when you change horses after 30 years,” Commissioner Kew’n Shutty added. Mason County Garbage will trans- , port solid waste from the Bells Hill transfer facility to the Cowlitz County Headquarters dump for an initial trans- port fee of $35.50 until July 1, then the fee will be adjusted 100% of the De— cember December Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers and fuel adjustments, according to the infor— mation packet. The estimated annual cost is $1,849,872 million, based on an estimated 51,150 tons transported, the packet states. Upson pretrial date Accused murderer Jerry Upson ap— peared in ajail booth Feb. 12 before Judge Daniel Goodell for an omnibus hearing. Upson, 43, has been charged with first—degree murder in the death of Ken- neth D. Simmons, 68, after Upson was seen on surveillance video with a hand- gun entering and leaving the victim’s home numerous times Oct. 27, accord— ing to the probable cause document filed by the Mason County Sheriffs Office. Upson’s attorney, Angela Avery, re— quested a suppression of evidence hear— ing, known as a 3.6 hearing. Prosecut- ing Attorney Michael Dorcy said the request was “premature” because “dis— closures are ongoing from both sides.” Dorcy said he wasn’t objecting to a hearing but holding it now would be too soon. It would be “a motion to suppress without knowing what is being sup pressed,” he said. Dorcy said forensic scientists had recently completed chemical substance testing for the prosecution and his office is conducting a number of witness inter- views with law enforcement officers this week. Goodell agreed and set a pretrial hearing for Feb. 27. Murder suspect trial date extended William Williams, 41, received an- other trial extension in his appearance via a jail booth before Judge Daniel Goodell Feb. 12. Prosecutors have charged Williams with second—degree murder and felony possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting death of Janus Afo on Sept. 28. Williams now has a pretrial hearing April 15 with a trial expected May 14. Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Bickerton told the court prosecutors just received Afo’s autopsy report. I Compiled by reporter June Williams Election: Hood Canal Schools bon continued from page 1 general election with 58.1%. The new proposed col- lection would be $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed property value, compared with $1.16 in the November request. The building bond would create space for preschool classrooms, an Americans with Disablilties Act—acces— sible playground, arts, mu~ sic and science, and replace a 70—year—old transportation facility. “Our team ran a strong campaign and saw more community support and en- gagement than most can re— member," Superintendent Lance Gibbon wrote to the Journal. “This bodes well for the future of our school and is a wonderful foundation to build upon for everything that our students need. The positive stories about our school are rapidly spreading and that’s not going to stop. I’m convinced the best years Hood Canal has ever seen are immediately ahead. “With all that is positive, it’s heartbreaking that a mi~ nority of voters in our com- munity were able to deny our students educational opportunities they deserve, despite the majority of com— munity members showing their support for our stu— dents and our little school. Our Legislature is again re- examining the 60% super» majority requirement, which most states have long since abandoned. We are the post- er child for this issue, hav— ing three times received over 55% support in bond elec— tions. We are pushing hard for change.” Gibbon added, “Neverthe— less, we have positive mo— mentum and this will not get in the way. We have some difficult decisions ahead a result of limited space, but we are a team of resilient, re- sourceful, creative overcom— ers that always do the best with what they have.” Mary M. Knight’s replace- ment levy was passing with 54.83% with 193 “yes” votes and 159 “nd” votes, which includes 21 ballots cast in Grays Harbor County. Dis-. trict voters are being asked to replace an expiring educa- tional programs and opera- tions (EP&O) levy that was approved by voters in 2022. Passage of the levy by a simple majority for 2024— 26 will raise more than $2.5 million. The replacement levy will collect $730,500 in 2025 and $818,200 in 2026. The district is also eligible for more than $1 million in state-funded levy equaliza- tion money. The current levy rate for 2022 through 2024 is $2.33 per $1,000 of assessed home value. The new rate drops to $2.08 per $1,000. A district flyer to residents points out that property tax— es are the primary funding source for public schools in the state. Most of the fund— ing comes from statewide taxes, which provide for the basic education money that each district receives. This state funding supports 86% of the district costs. In its fiyer, the district states that it starts by leveraging state, (1 teps 50% again federal and grant money be- fore seeking funding locally. Mary M. Knight is among 99 districts in the state that qualify for the state equal— ization money. “The community and the voters of the Mary M. Knight School District have a long history of supporting the school district and are con— tinuing that tradition of sup— porting the district with the passage of the current EP&O levy,” Superintendent Matt Mallory wrote to the Jour- nal. “On behalf of myself and the Mary M. Knight Board of ‘Directors, we say thank you to our community and voters for their continued support of the Mary M. Knight School District.” The Grapeview School District’s levy was passing with 63.13% with 637 “yes “votes and 372 “no” votes. District voters are replacing an expiring levy that will tax property 63 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same as the levy that is expiring. The levy will collect $946,724 in 2025, $990,095 in 2026, $1,024,570 in 2027' and $1,042,216 in 2028. The local levy tax pays for 20% of the district’s bud— get. The rest comes from the state (66%), the federal government (13%) and local money that is not tax (1%). The levy dollars help pay for curriculum materials, library and art programs, intervention services, the health and fitness program, technology, sports, field trips and afterschool programs and to maintain class sizes. It also helps pay to maintain facilities, safety and secu— rity, food and transportation services, and payments to the North Mason and Shel- ton school districts to edu- cate their students beyond the eighth grade. The McCleary School Dis— trict’s proposed fwo-yearre- placement levy was passing with 63.32%, including 15 ballots cast in Mason County. The Elma School District’s proposed two—year replace— ment levy was also passing with 52.48%, including 101 votes cast in'Mason County. Shelter: Businesses, residents disappointed with decision continued from page 1 Dean J ewett, a downtown business owner, spoke against granting the bed expansion at the Dec. 11 hearing. “I find Community Lifeline’s in- creased occupancy disheartening to say the least,” he wrote following a query from the Journal on Tuesday. “Our city leaders used three differ- ent hearing examiners along with their ‘recommended approval’ to come Commissioner: Shutty plans to re in infrastructure, and return— to this conclusion. Why does this not surprise me?” He added, “Their negative impact on the community and close neighbors is an embarrassment. They do not pa— trol the surrounding areas, nor do they pick up trash or items ‘stashed’ in the bushes or local business alcoves. They do not have an accurate system of re- porting open beds to the city. They al- low open drug use on their property. These and many other violations of their ‘conditional—use permit’ are of— ten ignored. Where is their account— ability to the community?” Kristy Buck, who owns the John L. Scott Real Estate building a block from the shelter,. also said she op— posed the expansion at the Dec. 11 hearing. “Of course, I’m disappointed in the ruling,” she wrote to the Joan nal. “Especially after so many of us voiced valid concerns over the very CO—Responder program to the .real issues we face every day having a downtown building. I appreciate the conditions but wonder who will be policing them and making sure those things are done. It would be nice to have sort of accountability path or maybe a review period to make sure that the conditions are working out and having the effect they are in- tended to have. I guess it remains to be seen if we just made the problem worse.” main in Mason County The Puyallup native - continued from page 1 Shutty said he’s grateful to the county staff. “I’m so much better as a leader, a manager and as a person having worked with them,” he said. In a news release last week, Shutty said it was a “privilege” to serve the people of District 2 and Mason County the past eight years. “During my time in ofiice, I am proud of theprogress Mason County has made on issues important to our com— munity like increased fund- ing for public safety, expanded services for people struggling with mental health and sub— stance use issues, investments ing fiscal responsibility to the county’s budget.” In his news release, Shutty noted that he was on regional and state boards, including the Thurston-Mason Behav- ioral Health Administrative Organization, “which was pivotal in bringing the Ma- son County Law Enforcement community, a model developed locally and now receiving na- tional recognition for its suc— cess helping people in crisis.” This is the first campaign for public office for Harris, 61. In an interview with” the Journal, Harris said, “I want to give back, I want to get involved.” worked as a civil engineering officer for the US. Air Force and retired after 24 years as colonel. He now does consult- ing work for the US. Depart- ment of Energy. Harris and his wife, Eileen, moved to LakeLand Village in 2020 and have four children and three grandchildren.