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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
June 2, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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June 2, 2011
 
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? on&apos;t tl 00row that away! Wilson Recycling named 'Recycler of the Year' By NATALIE JOHNSON Wilson Recycling in Ma- son County will find a way to recycle just about any- thing, including the kitchen sink. On May 24, the Washing- ton State Recycling Associa- tion named the two-and-a- half year old company the Washington State Recycler of the Year, partly because of the sheer number of recy- clables Wilson takes in. "This award recognizes that we are going above and beyond in the world of re- cycling," said David Baker, executive director of Wilson Recycling. The award was for a primary business, which means that the recipient is a company that only recycles. "Last year's winner was Nucor Steel in downtown Seattle - that's a pretty substantial organization," Baker said. 'You're talk- ing about competing with a company that spends a million-and-a-half dollars a month on electricity ... and this year we won." Despite its small size, Wilson will take in things most 15eople don't even know can be recycled, like plastic swimming pools, streetlights and even kitch- en sinks. Wilson does not actu- ally recycle what they take in, but like most recycling centers he cleans, sorts and strips down items brought in, then sends the resulting materials to companies that specialize in recycling spe- cific things. "What we do is source separate, so we break it down into its most funda- mental pieces and then we recycle it as that," Baker said. "We accept far more materials than probably any other recycle center." Among the things that Wilson exclusively recycles in Mason County is shrink- wrap plant nursery pots, lumber wrap, agricultural plastic and giant outdoor plastic toys. In fact, it's easier to un- derstand how much Wilson recycles if you ask what they can't take. "We haven't found a good home for fiber optic cable," Baker said. The award also came as recognition for "creative re-use" within the facility, Baker said. One of the ways Wilson recycles in-house was to take large paint containers, cut the top off, and use them as storage for recyclables. Journal photos by Natalie Johnson Above, David Baker holds out bits of PVC coating which will soon be recycled. At left, Zach Reynolds works to disassemble metal parts at Wilson Recycling. They also use 55-gallon drums as storage, Baker said. The recycling center will also pay for some recycla- bles, including metal tools. "Some people come and they want to sell for metal value some of their tools. We have used many of those tools and do every day," Baker said. "A hammer here or whatever isn't that big a deal but it saves us money, it demonstrates our commit- ment to reuse and recycling and it creates a value for the customer." While the award ulti- mately does not have any monetary value for Wilson Recycling, Baker said it had a very definite, if intangible, value for the company and the community. "It puts Wilson Recycling, Shelton and Mason County on the radar and on the map in the world of garbage and recycling," he said. "We're doing it on a very small scale but we're doing it well ... if you can do this here ... it can be done." "I've got to find a new place for Mom, but I've never done this before. What can you tell me about Alpine Way? What do I get for the money? I don't even know what questions to ask!" : --: We're here to help. We've been providing a safe and lovely home for seniors for over twenty years. For less than the cost of the nursing home, Alpine Way has private apartments with private showers, 24- hour on-duty licensed nurses, a shuttle bus to downtown shopping and doctor appointments, a variety of activities, social areas for gathering and visiting, a beauty and barber shop, chef-prepared meals, laundry services, and security. Everything is on one level (no stairs!) and parking is available for residents who still bring their cars. A full-service hospital and several clinics are just a few blocks'away. Best of all, we are complimented the most for our friendly and helpful employees. If you're ready to help Mom find a new home, come and tour Alpine Way. We'd love to treat you to lunch, show you our lovely apartments, and answer all your questions. tDmN Call Kathy Burbidge at (360) 426-2600 for a free lunch and tour 900 West Alpine Way Shelton, WA 98584 @ RETIREMENT APARTMENTS, ASSISTED LIVING AND ALZHEIMER'S SPECIAL CARE www.encorecommunities.com Concerns raised over assessments By ARLA SHEPHARD Some residents around Tiger Lake, Panther Lake and LakeLand Village feel as though their properties are not being assessed at fair market value, according to the testimony of nearly a dozen homeowners at the Mason Coun- ty commissioners meeting in Belfair Tuesday. Property owner after property owner shared their grievances with the coun- ty commissioners, stating problems they've encountered with confronta- tional appraisers and unsympathetic members of the Board of Equalization, which hears appeals to property assess- ments. "The current assessments around Tiger and Panther Lakes have owners outraged," said Ken Langhorn, a Tiger Lake resident of 30 years. "The asses- sor's office is trying to attribute the [rise in] assessment values to [Mason County] being on a four-year reevalua- tion cycle instead of a one-year. It's still inflated. "This is the first time I've felt I had to file a petition." With rising property assessments, one woman, widowed two years ago, testified that she didn't think she could afford to keep the home her father-in- law had built in 1969. Jennifer Sims, of Panther Lake Road in Bremerton, said that her Mason County neighbors were being assessed at values much higher than their ad- jacent Kitsap counterparts -- one Kit- sap neighbor's home had been assessed at $103,000, while a Mason County neighbor's home was valued at twice as much, $206,000. "The assessor's [office] is not seeking fair market value of property," Sims said. "The appeals are rejected or mini- mally addressed ... I think it's a real is- sue and I hope the commissioners can put some sense in their heads." All three commissioners said they were limited in what they could do with the assessor's office, which is an elected position. "We will work with you and work with the, assessor, but the assessor is an individually elected official," said Commission Chair Lynda Ring Crick- son. "It's not empty to talk to us, I think we all care, but just so you understand, there are limitations." Following public testimony, which included comment on the Belfair Water District's upcoming hearing in Shel- ton over the River Hill annexation and pleas for the county to adopt some type of medical marijuana dispensary or- dinance, county staff gave updates on various departments. Parks & Trails Director John Keates shared the county's plans to acquire property at the edge of North Bay for the North Bay trail project, funded in part through recent grants from the state capital budget, and plans to im- prove parking at Latimer's Landing and the Union Boat Ramp. Keates also sought public input as the county moves forward with creat- ing a master plan for the undeveloped Harvey Rendsland Park on Jiggs Lake near Belfair Tahuya Road. The first meeting to look at park de- sign will be held sometime this month, Keates said. Staff with the Stormwater Program and the Shoreline Master Program also "entreated the public to share their in- put at upcoming public meetings. The Stormwater Program is host- ing three public meetings next week to solicit opinions on managing water re- sources at noon on June 7 at the Public Works building in Shelton, at 5:30 p.m. on June 6 at the Hoodsport Fire Hall and at 5:30 p.m. on June 9 at the Theler Community Center in Belfair. The Shoreline Master Program will be holding an open house at 3 p.m. on July 19 at the Harmony Hill Retreat Center in Union. After the presentations, more mem- bers of the public testified their dissat- isfaction with the assessor's office. "There's nothing fair about it, there's nothing equitable about it," said David Rahm, who lives at Tiger Lake in Bel- fair and noted that he and neighbors received arbitrary front-foot values around the same lake. "If there wasn't a problem, we wouldn't be here." The commissioners said they would work within their limitations to ad- dress the problem. "This is such a volatile issue, espe- cially for waterfront property owners," said Commissioner Tim Sheldon. 67 Annual Mason Count/Forest Festival "Forest Tales" June 2- 5 2011 Diamond Excavating 2011 "T". rune_ 2 ,Ammmmats Cl,,ed',wd-- FmlynJht, C,='J't olms 4 i oa*eway cm. oNmc H Friday. June 3 C-I ~ gae opens 4 pn, €loe approximately II ltey Center, Olympic Hihwey North 5otulm¢. June 4 lsbm'ot F  l Wolk --Tam68am Jumtoe" dr¢ --9:30 Iezjistrtion at  Pot Office on Railemf hvel begl € 6 ma Family & Pets Pmle -- 10:30 am m Jrd va Imtti  Jlllng begin €lt 9 Regitnttiee, Sljing & $tjir Imt at 7:30 am Pd AwaPd at Loop FieJd bchMm I od 2 pm ¢mntvel -- n r at nn, de matdy U i,m r Cent. Oh-rc Hkjny ilqg ShOW -- 2  at  Fld Food,  ond  Veliee--Loep FieJd blwn lOamand 4pro TJ -- 5ot  $ti€ f the We,trte$n ;2 PJfOPICKIR¢¢ at the StOn Hk3h €lo| Aodi#oitmt 4 pm ¢m 7:30 Wm 4.5 ROX FIIMIy  Nlt--Tpm until 10pro Our Cememm Crdff Uio parking lot, Olympic Highly North ¢md Fkl I>isldey -- m Oakland Bay Junior High SChOOl Field. Walklce-Kncekmd 8|vd Weed Duck 1l-3pmkatol  Stlet Ppesented by Krctma$ Town Kiwanis 5helton Cr Sh-Off -- 1o to 3 pro, Olympic Highelmy North Pgistnation f 8 to 11 am at Jerr3/s Drive Inn; At,,a"€ at 2 pm ToUP dl  Lk4e -- 32 Mile Ii1< Rid Rei/ttation 10 W1% #Inytil FitlnJIi otl Olympic Hicjhw¢ly NoPth Carnival - gate opens at noon. cling time dlpnd$ on lJdonc and watlr waw.rrmsoncounty forestival.com " 0 #Y'GREE N DIAMOND RIESOURCE COMI-ANY Shelton-Mason CountY Journal -Thursday, June 2,2011 -.Page A-3 4