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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Week 29 -- The Voice of Mason County since 1886 -- Published for Mason County and Norman Eveleth of Shelton -- $1
By EMILY HANSON
emil2, @masoncounty.com
The Mason County Superior Court
has ordered a compentency evaluation
for the suspect of an arson case earlier
this month.
On July 7, Jason Falter, 34, was ar-
rested and charged with first-degree
arson and first-degree malicious mis-
chief after a fire was reported at 36 W.
Wivell Road, Shelton.
Falter's family said his bipolar dis-
order played a role in the fire.
Falter is accused of breaking out the
windows of his rental house, busting
holes into the walls, throwing knives
at the walls and putting fireworks,
wood debris and clothing items into
the oven before setting it to 550 de-
grees Fahrenheit, its highest setting,
See Arson on page A-7
Garbage
lawsuit
gets day
I
,n court
By NATALIE JOHNSON
0
Earlier this month, the
Advocates for Responsible
Government. a Belfair based
nonprofit, filed a lawsuit
against Mason County and
the Mason County Board of
Commissioners over the le-
gality of a garbage-hauling
contract approved on June
5:
Representatives for Ma-
son County and the non-
profit met in Grays ]~Iarbor
Superior Court Monday for
the first hearing on the mat-'
~er.
:'The hearing went as
expected." said Tim White-
head. chief deputy pros-
ecuting attorney for Mason
County, who represented
the county at the hearing.
Grays Harbor County St-
perior Court Judge Gordon
Godfrey heard arguments
Monday from the nonprofit
and the county, as well as a
representative from Allied
Waste/Regional Disposal
Company, the garbage haul-
ing company named in the
disputed contract. He did
not make any rulings on the
requests made in the law-
suit on Monday.
"We feel very confident
about our position," said
Wayne Hagen. who repre-
sents the Advocates for Re-
sponsible Government.
The lawsuit argues that
the Mason County Commis-
sion failed to comply with
the requirements of Revised
Code of Washington (RCW)
36.58.090 when it approved
a contract with Regional
Disposal Company/Allied
Waste for long haul and dis-
posal of solid waste,
The lawsuit specifically is
a petition for writ of manda-
mus, writ of prohibition, de-
claratory relief and injunc-
tive relief.
The suit asks the court to
prohibit Mason County from
entering into the contract,
and would instruct the
county to go throhgh a bid
process to secure a contract.
The RCW requires coun-
ties to use competitive bid-
ding procedures for most
contracts, and outlines re-
quirements for those proce-
dures.
At Monday's hearing,
Whitehead argued that the
county should not have to
comply with the RCW in
this case~
He said the RCW applies
See Lawsuit on page A-7
8¸1111!! UI!! 11!!1!1!1!1111'2
City administrator finds
similarities, differences in Poland
By NATALIE JOHNSON
nutalie@masoncounty.com
This summer, Shelton has played a
role in influencing another small town
with a history in the wood and paper
products industry -- Krapkowice, Po-
land.
Shelton city Administrator Dave
O'Leary traveled to the central Euro-
pean country last month foic two weeks
as part of the Washington City/County
Management Association to consult with
government leaders in Krapkowice, and
advise them about the Polish municipal-
ity's government.
"We learned a lot while we were there," he said.
"It was a remarkable adventure."
At the end of his trip, O'Leary gave a presenta-
tion to Krapkowice leadership. In that presentation,
he highlighted many similarities between the Polish
municipality and Shelton.
For example, both Shelton and Krapkowice have
struggling economies, are working to build new,
state-of-the-art infrastructure and to create oppor-
tunities for job growth. While the local water system
there is publicly owned, the sewer is a public/private
partnership with a local pulp mill.
Much of Krapkowice's economy involves the prod-
ucts of the mill, including specialty paper and col-
ored toilet paper.
However, he said there are also many differences
between the two places.
In Poland, there is more designated farmland.
See Industry on page A-8
Courtesy photo
Shelton city Administrator Dave
O'Leary and Jurek Delewicz, water
and sewer manager for the
Krapkowice municipality in Poland
met last month when O'Leary
traveled with his wife Sally to
consult on local government
organization with leaders in ....
Krapkowice.
in
repa,rs
By NATALIE JOHNSON scheduled to be completed before
na~alie@masoncounty.com the end of October.
"It's our intent to get in and get
this work done before the rains
The Washington Department, begin again," Project Engineer
of Transportation (WSDOT) an- ScottyIrehnd said.
nounced this week that it plans to CreWs:from contractor Rogn-
begin work to repair a flood-dam- !ins Inc:i which bid $1.3 million
aged section of State Route 3 near to complete the project, will begin
Shelton by Monday. mobilizing on site this week, he
The work, which includes drill- said.
ing 60-foot pilings into the hillside During construction, one lane
"Alternating one way traffic lize the highway, in March, an
will be maintained through the existing retaining walt, called a
project," Ireland said. concrete "crib wall," ~vas compro-
After arriving Monday, Rogn- mised when heavy rainfall raised
lin's crews plan to widen the one the groundwater level and eroded
lane of travel into the existing part of the hillside.
ditch. By July 30, they will erect a '~ "Part of what makes the proj-
concrete barrier between that lane ect a little bit tricky is we have
of traffic and workers, to enhance an existing retaining wall that
safety throughout the project: s~pported the roadway," Ireland
After widening the road andsaid. "That (crib) wall slid a little
constructing the concrete barrier,
under the busy state highway,: is of travel will be open to motOrists, crews will begin work to stabi-
See Repairs on page A-7