March 17, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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City approves two ordinances Monday
By NATALIE JOHNSON
After several weeks of discus-
sion and two public hearings,
the Shelton City Commission
approved two ordinances dur-
ing their study session meeting
Monday.
The first is an ordinance cre-
ating a reclaimed water service
in the city's sewer utility.
The new reclaimed water
service allows users within the
city's defined service area in the
northeast corner of Shelton and
the Urban Growth Area near the
Department of Corrections and
State Patrol Academy.
The city's Class A reclaimed
water, which is safe for every-
thing but drinking, is produced
by its new satellite water rec-
lamation plant, which will also
supply water to the Department
of Corrections facility and the
State Patrol Academy.
Customers will be charged 50
percent of the standard city wa-
ter rate.
Some Shelton area residents
expressed concern during public
comment periods, including Deb-
orah Soper, who sent the city a
letter asking about the safety of
the reclaimed water.
"I have concerns about the
use of reclaimed waste water for
washing cars or dogs, sprinklers,
watering gardens. Especially for
children," she wrote. "How many
children drink from hoses in the
summer?"
Soper was particularly con-
cerned about medical waste
from patients of local hospitals,
including Mason General Hospi-
tal.
"People who are smarter than
us have looked at these issues
and determined that if we follow
those standards, we won't have
a problem," City Administrator
Dave O'Leary said. "If medical
waste becomes an issue ... we'll
deal with it at that time."
The city also approved an ordi-
nance that vacates a city owned
right of way on G Street between
Sherwood Lane and 13th Street.
The vacation makes room for
the upcoming expansion of Ma-
son General Hospital.
"It would be maintained as an
easement for utility and poten-
tially for pedestrians, but not for
vehicle traffic," Community and
Economic Development Director
Steve Goins said.
The city commission passed
both ordinances unanimously.
Journal file photo
Shelton Mayor John Tarrant, right, and Commissioner Mike Byrne discuss city
business at a Shelton City Commission meeting last month.
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Page A-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, March 17, 2011
PUD 3 prepares to
vote on Bonneville
settlement
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Mason County PUD 3
commissioners have re-
ceived the final draft of a
possible settlement agree-
ment designed to resolve
years-old disputes with the
Bonneville Power Adminis-
tration (BPA).
They plan to vote on the
settlement by April 15,
PUD 3 Power Supply Man-
ager Jay Himlie said.
The settlement would set
power rates for Bonneville's
public utility customers
for the next 17 years and
is designed to resolve the
dispute between BPA and
public utilities about over-
payments through the resi-
dential exchange program.
Despite numerous revi-
sions to the proposed settle-
ment over the past several
months, Himlie said that
it is still heavily slanted in
BPA's favor.
"They've wordsmithed
and changed some things
around but no, it hasn't re-
ally changed since the last
time we've talked about it,"
he said.
The PUD 3 commis-
sion has vowed in recent
months to vote against the
settlement, and Himlie said
he couldn't see why they
wouldn't vote against the
settlement in April.
This settlement is the
culmination of a decade-
long battle between public
utilities and BPA over the
residential exchange pro-
gram, which subsidizes pri-
vate utility rates with pub-
lic utility ratepayer money.
While the residential ex-
change program is legal if
used pr0perly, the W, asng-
ton State 9th Circuit Court
of Appeals determined that
between 2002 and 2007,
PUD 3 was overcharged
$3,595,310 for power rates
through the residential ex-
change program.
Since 2000, PUD 3, along
with the other public util-
ity districts within the
Washington Public Agen-
cies Group (WPAG), have
been filing lawsuits against
BPA, fighting against what
utilities argue are illegally
inflated power rates. Rep-
resentatives of PUD 3 say
that these subsidies have
been disproportionately
high.
Himlie said that BPA's
settlement would give pub-
lic utilities certainty in
power rates for the next 17
years, but those rates may
still be inflated.
"What they're proposing
to give them for the next
17 years is right up there
with the largest amounts
we've ever seen in the last
40 years," he said.
The PUD needs to vote
on the settlement by April
15, and will likely vote dur-
ing their April 12 meeting,
Himlie said.
Do you produce your own quality produce,
prepared food, or crafts and live in or near
Mason County? Shelton Farmers Market is now
accepting new vendors! Please join us at the
Timberland Library, March 23rd from
5:30-6:30 pm to learn more.
sheltonfarmersmarket.com
Mount Rushmore and the
Black Hills of South Dakota
May 14-22, 2011
9 days/8 nights; from Shelton
via deluxe motor coach, includes
*$699
* per person
based on double
14 meals & hotels. Mason Co. Senior occupancy, plus
$15 for non-
Activities Center Call 426-7374
members