Your account does not include highlighter on images.
Searches Highlighted on Image
| March 15, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
|
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 8 (8 of 24 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
March 15, 2012 |
|
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader 
|
/ ;~;~;2 ~
Journal file photo
MTA General Manager Brad Patterson
reported to the MTA board Tuesday on several
personnel matters.
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natatie@masoncounly.com
The Mason Transit Au-
thority (MTA) board ap-
proved a motion to allow
attorney Robert Johnson
to negotiate for human
resource services during
their joint meeting with
the Mason County Transit
Advisory Board Tuesday
night.
MTA General Manager
Brad Patterson said the
authority also sent out
a Request for Proposals
(RFP) last month for con-
sulting services to review
the agency's human re-
sources policies and proce-
dures.
"With the RFP we re-
ceived one response," Pat-
terson said. "What we
would like to do is adver-
tise an extended deadline."
Patterson said he didn't
feel comfortable asking the
board to hire a consultant
after hearing from only one
applicant.
Tim Sheldon, board
member and Mason Coun-
ty commissioner, agreed.
"If we only got one re-
sponse l think it would be
good to table it as well," he
said.
The consulting firm
that responded, Link-Allen
Benefit Group from San
Mateo. Calif.. estimated
their services would cost
the MTA $5,937.50. Their
proposal included four
references -- three from
California-based compa-
nies and one from Michelle
Wicks, human resources
manager for Mason Coun-
ty PUD 3.
Patterson also sent out
a Request for Qualifica-
tions (RFQ) on Feb. 2 for a
Transit Community Center
project manager. By the
deadline of Feb. 24. MTA
heard back from five firms.
Patterson said he hopes
to organize interviews soon
for three of the five re-
sponding firms. According
to a briefing submitted to
the board, he plans to pres-
ent a contract to the board
for approval at its April
2012 meeting.
The board also approved
a recommendation to hire
interim maintenance man-
ager Mike Oliver as the
MTA's development direc-
tor. The organization will
soon start the process of
hiring a new maintenance
manager.
Uver 30 Years
Experience
Premium
Quality Parts
Professionally
Trained Technicians
Best Brake
Warranty
~ ~:[ ~I~:C~ * FMiF [STilIIIIItQ - SAM[ DAY SERVICE
(ON MOST VEHICLES) ,,~
Ask'bout The Los Schwab Revolving Credit Plan ~~
MORE THANA TIRESTORE "ALIGNMENTS • BRAKES • SHOCKS • BATTERIES • SIPING " WHEELS
Olympic Gateway Shopping Center, Shelton
Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-6 p.m. - Sat 8 a.m.-5 p.m
(a6o) 426-3333
Journal photos by Natalie iohnson
Barbara Adkins, director of planning and community development, said the county's new!
Belfair UGA advisory committee would be in effect until March 31, 2014 unless the
commission changed its codes to make it a permanent committee.
County creates Belfair UGA committee
Group to discuss utilities, boundaries among other topics
By NATALIE JOHNSON
~(ttaZie@rnasoncoun, ty.com
The Mason County Board of
Commissioners voted unanimously
Tuesday to approve a resolution es-
tablishing an advisory committee
for the Belfair Urban Growth Area
UGA).
The resolution charges the com-
mittee with producing "an initial
limited work plan to review incor-
poration, utilities and the urban
growth boundary."
Commissioner Tim Sheldon com-
mented on the committee's task of
addressing possible incorporation.
"I think this discussion is very
timely," he said. "Mason County
is distinctly unique in having only
one incorporated city. Our neigh-
bor. Grays Harbor (County), a very
rural county, has nine incorporated
cities."
Sheldon said the committee
would start the process of looking
into the laws and precedents for
the incorporation of the UGA into
a city.
However. he said this doesn't
mean the commission is encourag-
ing Belfair to incorporate.
"We're not taking sides." he said.
"We're not advocating for incorpo-
ration, we're asking that citizens
use that process."
Commissioner Lynda Ring Er-
ickson commented on future re-
views of the UGA boundaries by the
Randy Neatherlin, Belfair
resident and Port of Allyn
commissioner, argued that
only allowing Belfair UGA
residents to participate in
the new Belfair UGA
advisory committee would
cut out many members of the
community.
committee.
"The boundary review I think
gives us some more flexibility and
an opportunity to look at what re-
ally should be a part of Belfair," she
said.
The resolution states that the
committee can consist of seven to
10 residents of the UGA.
Randy Neatherlin, Belfair resi-
dent and Port of Allyn commission-
or. argued that many people who
have a stake in the UGA, because
they own property or businesses
there, would not have a chance to
serve on the committee because
they don't actually live within the
UGA.
Sheldon, who represents Belfair,
disagreed.
"The process needs to reflect the
real stakeholders. The real stake-
holders live there," he said.
Belfair resident Ken VanBuskirk
also commented on the issue.
"I used to be in the UGA and now
I'm surrounded on three sides by
the UGA," he said. "I support the
establishment of an advisory com-
mittee for a broader Belfair area,
not just the UGA."
Denny Hamilton, also a Belfair
resident, advocated adding to the
committee's list of tasks.
"I think it's really important at
this time to include transporta-
tion," he said. "We're dealing with
the widening of State Route 3 and
again and again and again, the
(Belfair) bypass."
The committee is temporary and
will expire on March 31. 2014. To
make it a permanent committee,
the county commission would need
to amend its codes, said Barbara
Adkins, director of planning and
community development.
County to hear petition on Lake Management District
By NATALIE JOHNSON
aa tartie@m, aso~coun(y.corn
The Mason County
Board of Commission-
ers agreed to set a public
hearing to discuss the for-
mation of a Lake Manage-
ment District (LMD) at
9:30 a.m. on April 10 in
the commission chambers.
In its action agenda.
the commission agreed
to approve a resolution
declaring its intention to
create the district, and
set the hearing date.
Residents of Island
Lake submitted a peti-
tion to the commission
asking for the formation
of the LMD to manage
noxious aquatic plants in
the lake. According to a
briefing submitted to the
commission, 55 percent of
property owners signed
the petition.
If the commission de-
cides to proceed with the
process of creating the
district after the hearing,
the county will mail bal-
lots to landowners with
waterfront property on
Island Lake.
According to the reso-
lution, passed by the
commission Tuesday, the
LMD would specifically
monitor and attempt to
eradicate the Eurasian
Water Milfoil and simi-
larly invasive lake plants.
"Formation of an LMD
to protect Island Lake's
beneficial uses and wa-
ter quality is in the pub-
lic interest. This is evi-
denced by the broad sup-
port expressed by Island
Lake property owners,"
the resolution states.
"All properties within the
LMD boundaries have di-
rect access to the lakefront
and enjoy significant op-
portunity to enjoy the lake
through passive and active
recreation. These property
owners will collectively
share the greatest amount
of benefit from the lake
management program."
If the LMD is formed,
residents within the dis-
trict would be taxed to fund
efforts to kill the milfoil,
and other harmful plants.
The LMD would also cover
the cost of permits, mon-
titoring the plants and
printing and mailing of
any noticies.
"Benefit to each property
is appropriately reflected
in the rates, which provide
for a charge based on the
resulting taxable value of
the property," the resolu-
tion states.
J
l
(
l
I
11
ii
t
S
[
.l;
t~
V
I:
O
£
h
t]
1
e
a
Page A-8 County Journal - Thursday, March ~ 5, 2012