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| May 17, 2007 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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BELFAIR HERALD
Serving Belfair -- Allyn m Grapeview -- Tahuya -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Section of The Shelton-Mason County Journal
TRANSPORTATION officials say that the installa-
a new traffic light at the intersection of State Route
d State Route 106 will be complete by the end of the
0th.
Intersection is
00almost finished
crew were set to test the
system at the intersec-
State Route, 3 and State
106 on Wednesday morning
bri'ms week. to ri
. --Vers were expected expe -
.' , delays up to five minutes due
,i,rief lane-closures and one-way
q..raating traffic control as part
• e testing.
!The South Belfair signal project
I
I ' last month and is scheduled
c.°pletion later this month.
i
llington State Department of
t Portation officials say that
I aew signal system, left-turn
!and right-turn pockets are
i ed to improve traffic flow
i reduce the risk of collisions
Pecially for those drivers merg-
] f0m State Route 106 to State
te3.
Traffic volume, delays and col-
lisions at the current stop-sign-
controlled State Route 3 and State
Route 106 intersection pushed
this signal project to the top of
WSDOT's priority list.
"There was a certain urgency
to get something done there," said
Steve Busche, the WSDOT assis-
tant project engineer.
Signal installation is a major
step toward meeting the project's
Memorial Day completion goal.
Over the next couple of weeks,
crews will be removing the Y-con-
nection from State Route 3 to State
Route 106 and finishing grading
work and roadside cleanup.
Those that would like more in-
formation about the Belfair signal
project should visit www.wsdot.
wa.gov.
ewer project Is
fully funded
CASE
Belfair sewer system proj-
now officially fully funded
stormwater plans are
or nearly complete, ac-
:to Mason County officials.
news was part of a pre-
given by Emmett Dobey,
Director of Communi-
and Utilities, and
the county's Direc-
Public Works, who were the
at the May 7 meet-
the Lower Hood Canal Wa-
tershed Coalition.
The sewer project will extend
from the northern Urban Growth
Area boundary (near the Belfair
McDonald's restaurant) down
State Route 3 through town and
will end just beyond the Pacific
Northwest Salmon Center.
LAST WEEK, the project plan
received approval from the Wash-
ington State Department of Ecol-
ogy (WSDOE) and the county
will next be soliciting for designs.
(Please turn to page 4.)
istrict seeks
ir00put on BAC
board of commissioners of
Fire District 2 is seeking
on whether to allow
current Benefit As-
Charge (BAC) to expire
Year.
BAC charge is added to
assessments and was
measure approved by
2002 after the district
to senior taxing dis-
a called pro-ra-
legislative changes
pro-rationing and
;aSSured full funding for fire
to board chair Kelley
the BAC can be compli-
calculate and it incurs ad-
costs for the county
those funds. It did allow
to pay for local services
that their money
its intended use.
With the new change in law,
McIntosh notes that the district
can return to the simpler funding
formula for fire and emergency
medical services.
The district commissioners are
reviewing funding options, includ-
ing providing additional firefight-
er services at the Collins Lake fire
station.
Any change in funding, howev-
er, must have voter approval, and
the election is scheduled to be held
on August 21. The board is asking
for public comment at the com-
missioner meeting scheduled for 8
p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, at the
fire hall on Old Belfair Highway.
For further information visit
the department's Web site at
www.mcfd2.com and also e-mail
comments to Fire District 2's chief,
Beau Bakken, or call the district
at 275-6711.
;i At the school district:
Board m--00ber calls
on Landram to resign
By KEVAN MOORE
The North Mason school board's
study session last week was filled
with tension, emotion, a little bit
of comic relief and some startling
developments.
Near the end of the meeting
board member Art Wightman,
citing "terrible turmoil" in recent
years, joined the North Mason Ed-
ucation Association in calling for
the resignation of board president
Glenn Landram.
Reading from a prepared
statement, Wightman said that
Landram had contacted the dis-
trict's lawyer without discussion
or approval from the board, incur-
ring significant legal costs, regard-
ing "a supposed disagreement be-
tween the board and the adminis-
tration regarding access to budget
information" and "representing
a position of the board that is not
true."
WIGHTMAN said that the
board has never voted to state or
support any such displeasure with
budget access and that it is "nei-
ther appropriate or legal for the
school board president to assume
his own agenda as the predomi-
nant wish of the board."
He then went on to call for
Landram's resignation.
"I am fed up trying to work with
the president when he again and
again oversteps the boundaries of
his authority. This behavior on his
part is very disrespectful of me,
of other school board members, of
the NMSD and of the community
at large. I now believe that we as
a school district, and we as a com-
munity, cannot get past the ter-
rible turmoil we have experienced
the last few years here until the
current school board president is
no longer on the board. I now join
the NMEA in calling for his resig-
nation."
Wightman's statement drew
overwhelming applause from the
gathered crowd, some of which
spilled into the hallway outside
the boardroom.
IN RESPONSE, Landram, too,
said he had some prepared com-
ments.
"The majority of the board has
expressed during many meetings
concerns about obtaining relevant
budget data in a timely manner,"
Landram said "It's policy and
practice within the North Mason
School District that the board
president speaks for the board.
That was very clear. It was cleared
with our legal counsel and appro-
priate that I spoke with him."
Landram also noted that other
board members, in the past, have
spoken with district counsel.
"I want to be clear," Landram
added. "We will be steadfast in our
commitment to our elected office
here and we will continue to strive
to get information that we need.
Many things have occurred and
its been difficult to get the infor-
mation. The schedule we had been
promised was not complete. We
need revenue estimates to make
assessments whether to let people
go or, conversely, we fail to rehire
them. There are extremely grave
consequences with doing that and
risks we take. We're looking at in-
stituting programs that cost mon-
ey. Without the revenue we can't
assess whether to do that or not
- we're just guessing. So, it's been
a difficult time.
LANDRAM said he took ac-
tions based directly on district
counsel's advice and said "I would
do it again. I felt it was my duty
(Please turn to page 4.)
District buses hit by
vandals over weekend
By KEVAN MOORE
All but a few of North Mason
School District's buses were van-
dalized over the weekend causing
significant damage to the vehicles
and delays for middle- and high-
school student riders on Monday
morning.
Officials say that the total es-
timated cost fbr parts and labor
to repair the vandalized buses is
about $4,300.
"I'm really disappointed that
somebody would do this," said
School District Superintendent
Tom Kelly. "It really reflects poorly
on the student body and the whole
community. It's just really a stu-
pid thing to do."
KELLY SAYS that the middle
school and high school kept to
their regular schedules Monday
morning and that students affect-
ed by the delays had to join classes
already in session.
"By the time of the elementary-
school runs later in the morning,
we were back on schedule," Kelly
added.
Kelly said that the vandalism
was discovered at about 5:40 a.m.
on Monday morning by the dis-
trict's assistant director of trans-
portation when he arrived for
work. Kelly said that the vandal-
ism to 28 of the district's 39 buses
included deflated tires, spray-
painted surfaces, putty placed in
ignitions, broken instrument pan-
els and gauges and damage to four
rear bus decals.
Kelly, while clearly disappoint-
ed by the vandalism, was proud of
the transportation department's
response to the incident.
"THEY DID an excellent job
cleaning those buses up yester-
day," Kelly said the day after the
incident.
Kelly said that two buses with
broken dashboard instrument
panels are inoperable and will
take about a week to repair. He
also said that all of the buses that
had putty put into the ignitions
will need new ignitions since their
ability to start will eventually be
compromised.
Officials are urging anyone who
has any information about the
vandalism to the buses to call the
sheriffs office at 275-4467, Exten-
sion 226 or 313.
Local tractor owners visit Davis Farm
Several local tractor owners visited the
Davis Farm in Belfair late last month
to help get the ground ready for what
promises to be another great growing
season. Various tractors and their own-
ers have been coming to the farm for
years and always draw a group of in-
terested spectators. Visitors this year
included Jerry Thomlison of Shelton
on a 1954 Farmall Super 8, Gerry En-
gen of Silverdale on a 1955 Ferguson
35, Jason Sullivan of Grapeview on a
1960 John Deere 630 and Ronald Pe-
terson of Belfair on a 1960 John Deere
630. The ground was set to be planted
with a wide variety of vegetables and
flowers to be sold at local farmers'
markets.
,¥
m
BELFAIR HERALD
Serving Belfair -- Allyn m Grapeview -- Tahuya -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Section of The Shelton-Mason County Journal
TRANSPORTATION officials say that the installa-
a new traffic light at the intersection of State Route
d State Route 106 will be complete by the end of the
0th.
Intersection is
00almost finished
crew were set to test the
system at the intersec-
State Route, 3 and State
106 on Wednesday morning
bri'ms week. to ri
. --Vers were expected expe -
.' , delays up to five minutes due
,i,rief lane-closures and one-way
q..raating traffic control as part
• e testing.
!The South Belfair signal project
I
I ' last month and is scheduled
c.°pletion later this month.
i
llington State Department of
t Portation officials say that
I aew signal system, left-turn
!and right-turn pockets are
i ed to improve traffic flow
i reduce the risk of collisions
Pecially for those drivers merg-
] f0m State Route 106 to State
te3.
Traffic volume, delays and col-
lisions at the current stop-sign-
controlled State Route 3 and State
Route 106 intersection pushed
this signal project to the top of
WSDOT's priority list.
"There was a certain urgency
to get something done there," said
Steve Busche, the WSDOT assis-
tant project engineer.
Signal installation is a major
step toward meeting the project's
Memorial Day completion goal.
Over the next couple of weeks,
crews will be removing the Y-con-
nection from State Route 3 to State
Route 106 and finishing grading
work and roadside cleanup.
Those that would like more in-
formation about the Belfair signal
project should visit www.wsdot.
wa.gov.
ewer project Is
fully funded
CASE
Belfair sewer system proj-
now officially fully funded
stormwater plans are
or nearly complete, ac-
:to Mason County officials.
news was part of a pre-
given by Emmett Dobey,
Director of Communi-
and Utilities, and
the county's Direc-
Public Works, who were the
at the May 7 meet-
the Lower Hood Canal Wa-
tershed Coalition.
The sewer project will extend
from the northern Urban Growth
Area boundary (near the Belfair
McDonald's restaurant) down
State Route 3 through town and
will end just beyond the Pacific
Northwest Salmon Center.
LAST WEEK, the project plan
received approval from the Wash-
ington State Department of Ecol-
ogy (WSDOE) and the county
will next be soliciting for designs.
(Please turn to page 4.)
istrict seeks
ir00put on BAC
board of commissioners of
Fire District 2 is seeking
on whether to allow
current Benefit As-
Charge (BAC) to expire
Year.
BAC charge is added to
assessments and was
measure approved by
2002 after the district
to senior taxing dis-
a called pro-ra-
legislative changes
pro-rationing and
;aSSured full funding for fire
to board chair Kelley
the BAC can be compli-
calculate and it incurs ad-
costs for the county
those funds. It did allow
to pay for local services
that their money
its intended use.
With the new change in law,
McIntosh notes that the district
can return to the simpler funding
formula for fire and emergency
medical services.
The district commissioners are
reviewing funding options, includ-
ing providing additional firefight-
er services at the Collins Lake fire
station.
Any change in funding, howev-
er, must have voter approval, and
the election is scheduled to be held
on August 21. The board is asking
for public comment at the com-
missioner meeting scheduled for 8
p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, at the
fire hall on Old Belfair Highway.
For further information visit
the department's Web site at
www.mcfd2.com and also e-mail
comments to Fire District 2's chief,
Beau Bakken, or call the district
at 275-6711.
;i At the school district:
Board m--00ber calls
on Landram to resign
By KEVAN MOORE
The North Mason school board's
study session last week was filled
with tension, emotion, a little bit
of comic relief and some startling
developments.
Near the end of the meeting
board member Art Wightman,
citing "terrible turmoil" in recent
years, joined the North Mason Ed-
ucation Association in calling for
the resignation of board president
Glenn Landram.
Reading from a prepared
statement, Wightman said that
Landram had contacted the dis-
trict's lawyer without discussion
or approval from the board, incur-
ring significant legal costs, regard-
ing "a supposed disagreement be-
tween the board and the adminis-
tration regarding access to budget
information" and "representing
a position of the board that is not
true."
WIGHTMAN said that the
board has never voted to state or
support any such displeasure with
budget access and that it is "nei-
ther appropriate or legal for the
school board president to assume
his own agenda as the predomi-
nant wish of the board."
He then went on to call for
Landram's resignation.
"I am fed up trying to work with
the president when he again and
again oversteps the boundaries of
his authority. This behavior on his
part is very disrespectful of me,
of other school board members, of
the NMSD and of the community
at large. I now believe that we as
a school district, and we as a com-
munity, cannot get past the ter-
rible turmoil we have experienced
the last few years here until the
current school board president is
no longer on the board. I now join
the NMEA in calling for his resig-
nation."
Wightman's statement drew
overwhelming applause from the
gathered crowd, some of which
spilled into the hallway outside
the boardroom.
IN RESPONSE, Landram, too,
said he had some prepared com-
ments.
"The majority of the board has
expressed during many meetings
concerns about obtaining relevant
budget data in a timely manner,"
Landram said "It's policy and
practice within the North Mason
School District that the board
president speaks for the board.
That was very clear. It was cleared
with our legal counsel and appro-
priate that I spoke with him."
Landram also noted that other
board members, in the past, have
spoken with district counsel.
"I want to be clear," Landram
added. "We will be steadfast in our
commitment to our elected office
here and we will continue to strive
to get information that we need.
Many things have occurred and
its been difficult to get the infor-
mation. The schedule we had been
promised was not complete. We
need revenue estimates to make
assessments whether to let people
go or, conversely, we fail to rehire
them. There are extremely grave
consequences with doing that and
risks we take. We're looking at in-
stituting programs that cost mon-
ey. Without the revenue we can't
assess whether to do that or not
- we're just guessing. So, it's been
a difficult time.
LANDRAM said he took ac-
tions based directly on district
counsel's advice and said "I would
do it again. I felt it was my duty
(Please turn to page 4.)
District buses hit by
vandals over weekend
By KEVAN MOORE
All but a few of North Mason
School District's buses were van-
dalized over the weekend causing
significant damage to the vehicles
and delays for middle- and high-
school student riders on Monday
morning.
Officials say that the total es-
timated cost fbr parts and labor
to repair the vandalized buses is
about $4,300.
"I'm really disappointed that
somebody would do this," said
School District Superintendent
Tom Kelly. "It really reflects poorly
on the student body and the whole
community. It's just really a stu-
pid thing to do."
KELLY SAYS that the middle
school and high school kept to
their regular schedules Monday
morning and that students affect-
ed by the delays had to join classes
already in session.
"By the time of the elementary-
school runs later in the morning,
we were back on schedule," Kelly
added.
Kelly said that the vandalism
was discovered at about 5:40 a.m.
on Monday morning by the dis-
trict's assistant director of trans-
portation when he arrived for
work. Kelly said that the vandal-
ism to 28 of the district's 39 buses
included deflated tires, spray-
painted surfaces, putty placed in
ignitions, broken instrument pan-
els and gauges and damage to four
rear bus decals.
Kelly, while clearly disappoint-
ed by the vandalism, was proud of
the transportation department's
response to the incident.
"THEY DID an excellent job
cleaning those buses up yester-
day," Kelly said the day after the
incident.
Kelly said that two buses with
broken dashboard instrument
panels are inoperable and will
take about a week to repair. He
also said that all of the buses that
had putty put into the ignitions
will need new ignitions since their
ability to start will eventually be
compromised.
Officials are urging anyone who
has any information about the
vandalism to the buses to call the
sheriffs office at 275-4467, Exten-
sion 226 or 313.
Local tractor owners visit Davis Farm
Several local tractor owners visited the
Davis Farm in Belfair late last month
to help get the ground ready for what
promises to be another great growing
season. Various tractors and their own-
ers have been coming to the farm for
years and always draw a group of in-
terested spectators. Visitors this year
included Jerry Thomlison of Shelton
on a 1954 Farmall Super 8, Gerry En-
gen of Silverdale on a 1955 Ferguson
35, Jason Sullivan of Grapeview on a
1960 John Deere 630 and Ronald Pe-
terson of Belfair on a 1960 John Deere
630. The ground was set to be planted
with a wide variety of vegetables and
flowers to be sold at local farmers'
markets.
,¥
m