Your account does not include highlighter on images.
Searches Highlighted on Image
| May 31, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
|
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 3 (3 of 22 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
May 31, 2012 |
|
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader 
|
New department
will manage,
streamline process
By NATALIE JOHNSON
na~a/ie@ma,~.oncou~ty+com
When writing the 2012
budget, the Mason County
Commission agreed to in-
clude about $427,000 for
the creation of a new de-
partment.
This month, Susan Ser-
gojan started as the coun-
ty's first public defense ad-
ministrator.
"It's a new position," she
said. "It's been probably
three years in the making -
several things led up to the
courts and commission de-
ciding they had to do that."
With the economic down-
turn, the strain on public
defenders has gone up, Ser-
gojan said. This has meant
heavier caseloads for public
defenders.
Under the county's new
system, Sergojan will be
the only county employee
in the public defense office.
There are six contracted de-
fense attorneys who handle
District, Superior, Juvenile
and Drug courts.
"We looked around at the
state and other counties ...
this is the best solution we
came up with," she said.
Sergoj an helped the
county develop the position.
She has worked as a lawyer
for 32 years, and spent half
of her career working as a
(ACLU) and Columbia Le-
gal Services sued Grant
County, arguing that the
county did not provide ad-
equate defense for indigent
defendants because their
public defenders had exces-
sive caseloads.
In 2005, a judge ruled
against Grant County.
Several years ago, Ma-
son County decided to be
proactive and work to re-
form its public defense sys-
tem to avoid a similar situ-
ation.
"They knew they needed
to do something more," Ser-
gojan said. "Part of my job
duties is to make sure the
county is meeting its obli-
gations. We have a consti-
tutional obligation to pro-
vide fbr the defense of ev-
eryone who is charged with
a crime who does not have
money or assets to pay for
an attorney."
On Dec. 23, 2008, the
Mason County Commission
adopted Ordinance 139-08,
which set standards for in-
digent defense in Juvenile
and Superior courts. The
commission also adopted
ordinance 140-08, which
dealt with standards for
ordinance reads. "Casel-
oads for each attorney shall
be set and monitored by the
Court and included in the
contract executed by the
respective parties."
The ordinance goes on to
recommend that courts fol-
low standards for caseloads
set forward by the Wash-
ington State Bar Associa-
tion.
According to the associa-
tion, normal caseloads vary
based on the case itself. A
caseload could be made up
of a total of 150 felonies,
300 to 400 misdemeanor
cases, 250 juvenile cases,
80 open juvenile depen-
dency cases, 250 civil com-
mitment cases, one active
death penalty case or 36
appeals.
Now, if a public defend-
er reaches their maximum
caseload in a month, Sergo-
jan has the option to hire a
defense attorney on a case-
by-case basis, or step in and
handle the case herself.
"Part of what we're look-
ing at for my new position
is to see if I might be able
to handle a caseload," she
said.
Before creating this posi-
/ ~..... I photo by Natalie Joh.... indigent defense in District tion, the judge in charge of
Susan Sergojan started thi month as Mason Court. a case was also in charge of
County's new public defens~ administrator. The first ordinance ad-the assignment of a public
She plans to make public d fense at the county dresses caseloads, but does defender.
not give specific caseload Putting the court in
more accountable and efficient, limits for contract attor- charge of an attorney's
|
neys. contract, case assignments
prosecutor, an~l has spent 17 years "The caseload of contract and complaints presents a
She has also worked as ateaching law part-time at attorneys shall allow each potential conflict of inter-
contracted public defender St. Martin's University.client the time and effort est, Sergojan said. By cre-
with Mason County for the ]n 2004, the Ameri- necessary to ensure effec- ating an independent de-
last four and a half years car Civil Liberties Union tive representation," the partment to manage pub-
lic' defense, that conflict is
eliminated.
Sergojan also wants to
cut expenses.
"If I'm responsible for
the budget I can keep track
of what we're doing," she
said.
She will also now handle
complaints against public
defenders and is looking at
ways to reduce the number
of cases coming to public
defenders.
"One of my priorities is
working with schools on
truancy cases," she said. "I
would like to work on some
alternative means rather
than going right to court."
Also, Sergojan wants to
implement a way to make
sure those getting pub-
lic defense services truly
qualify for them. Under the
current system, all a defen-
dant needs to do to qualify
for indigent defense is fill
out a form stating their in-
come and expenses. There
are no checks to verify that
information, she said.
"Some people are not
being truthful when they
request an attorney - for
people who are not being
truthful, we need to sepa-
rate them out," she said.
"I think we need to spend
money on people who de-
serve it."
With a brand new posi-
tion, Sergojan said she has
many options and time to
flesh out her new position.
"There hasn't even been
anyone in this position -
I can give this position a
fresh look," she said.
Drive All Over for Your Dental Needs?
lan
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
kevi~@ma,,;.o~county,corn
Waterfront property owners and vaca-
tioners along Hood Canal can expect an
"interesting and eclectic" musical concert
-- by boat -- this summer.
Howard Leggett is coordinating the
first illuminated musical boat parade
called Hood(s~troll. The three concerts are
scheduled to take place each of the last
Sundays in June, July and August.
On Sunday, Leggett and fellow musi-
cians from The Band of Rebels and Drum-
min' In Da Hood gave a two-boat preview
of what could be as many as two dozen
boats for each concert next summer.
The effort, designated along the wa-
ter between mile markers 5.2 and 8.3
parallel to State Raute 106, is intended
to raise funds for McReavy House in
Union. Volunteers behind the McReavy
House and Hood Canal museum aim to
provide "a focal point for local history
and creative activity," according to the
foundation website at http://mcreavy-
house.org.
The boats dock ed at Alderbrook Resort
for a short break There, incoming foun-
dation officer Jesn Boone explained that
donations are exaected to come in from
property owners~long Hood Cartal.
It s like havin~ their own personal boat
parade and conce~t, she said.
Each parade m td concert finishes at A1-
derbrook Resort f)r a finale.
"Then, we wil ask you to drop your
houselights and take it back to 1926,"
reads a flier distributed by Boone to resi-
Shelton Dental Center is a
full-service dental office
providing all general dentistry services plus
specialty services including:
• Oral Surgery • Implants
• Root Canal Therapy • Periodontal Therapy
.... ...... • Pediatric Dentistry • Botox and Juvederm
D E N TA L C E N T E R
Come see why everyone is smiling!
dents along the (anal. "No electricity, no
highway, just the night skies and mosqui-
to fleets." (360) 426-8401 • 360,GO.BRUSH (462-7874)
Boone said sh~ hopes that each house
party will offer a~onation of up to $20 per . www.SheltonDentalCenter.com
generatePers°n" A party ~f 30 people, then, wouldapproxi~nately $500 for McReavy 1819 Jeffers°n itreet ° Shelt°n WA' 98584 +"
House. ~ ~ ~: .+ ~ . ++~
You must bu3 into Hood(s)troll like a ...... " ..........~- o~" ~ .~"°~ . ~ i +' ~ ~ " " +
concert, except this concert is exclusive ~ ~ ~ +~+.~ +~. ~++ ~ ~ .~ ~ . ~'~
only to you chosen few," the flier reads.
.... ~' ~ "++" .+ " i
"The only public place is Alderbrook, or I
you have to get a boat and get involved."
For event details, visit the McReavy
House website or search"Hood(s)troll" on +
Facebook.
PUD 3 substation rebuild to
terson said. Some of thet[
transformers at the sub- ce
station still date back to su
that era. ce
The substation serves su
3,400 customers in the th
Shelton area, including
downtown Shelton, Angle- hi
side, a portion of Railroad it
Avenue, Northcliff Road, a~
part of North 13th Street, st
Hillcrest, an area north of
Alder Street, the Simpson wl
Lumber Company's Shel- tr
ton waterfront' mills, all w:
By NATALIE JOHNSON
~+aiaHe@masoncounty.ccm~
of Cloquallum Road, Westto
and East Deegan Road, s~
and the Shelton-Matlock pl
interchange.
Most of those customers re
will receive power from the w
Johns Prairie, Skookum cc
and Mountain View Sub- ti
stations. SI
Peterson said this ci
shouldn't be a problem ti
during summer months.
"They're equipped to m
handle it," he said. "Dur- t~
ing the summer months wett
Mason County PUD 3
will be accepting bids next
week for work to replace its
Mason substation in Shel-
ton.
The project, estimated
to cost $3.5 million was in-
cluded in the PUD's 2012
budget.
Rebuilding the substa-
tion is necessary to keep
the aging substation run-
ning at full capacity, said
Engineering Manager Ter-
ry Peterson.
"We do testing on a two-
to three-year cycle and
we keep record of all the
testing so we can find the
trends of the equipment
and how they're operat-
ing," he said. "It's getting
to a point now that to be
reliable as we are comfort-
able with, it's not quite
there."
The original Mason sub-
station is the oldest of the
PUD's 11 substations, and
was built in the 1940s, Pc-
have relatively light load-
ing." t~
However, the Simpson w
waterfront facility, by far t~
:ost $3.5M
largest customer re-
ving power from the
bstation, will now re-
:ve power from a mobile
bstation on loan from
e Snohomish PUD.
"Simpson's load is so
~h that we cannot feed
with another substation
d maintain the voltage
~bility," Peterson said.
The mobile substation,
~ich sits on the back of a
~iler, arrived on May 8. It
11 cost the PUD $50,000
rent the unit until the
bstation rebuild is com-
etc.
PUD workers have al-
ady done much of the
)rk to dismantle existing
mponents of the substa-
)n, and have connected
mpson's waterfront fa-
Lity to the mobile substa-
)n.
On June 7, it will begin
:cepting bids from con-
actors to do the rest of
he work.
Did you know that in addition to producing award-
winning display ads the Journal advertising staff can
help you plan a campaign that will help you grow your
business and reach new customers?
We have the experience and expertise to partner with
you in the success of your work and goals.
Call us at 360-426-4412
1[[~ Shelton-Mason C~unty 1[~
"We're looking at a con-
actor to be in here: theI : ...........
eek of" (June) 25th;" Pe: .... We are invited into thousands of homes each week.
rson said. I
Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, May 31, 2012 - Page A-_~