Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
July 21, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 4     (4 of 18 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 18 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
July 21, 2011
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




ON ;TREET Are you planning .on going to the Mason Area Fair this year? Why or why not?? David Cam "Maybe, if I have time. I'll probably just go and have fun." Cherie Plant "No, beacuse I'm working and don't have time." George I Kimbel "I might. I'd just go up to see the displays and partake in the festivities. It's a fun thing to do." I Amanda V0n Jentzen "Yes, we just saw the flyer for it. The ro- deo is what I'm looking for- ward to most." Vote in August for the levy Editor, the Journal As a former fire commis- sioner of Fire District No. 6, I am writing this letter encour- aging you to vote yes on the upcoming EMS Levy. During my tenure, on the beard of commissioners, the Union community was extremely supportive in passing EMS levies for emergency medical services. Without this vital fund- ing source, the Fh'e district's budget will be severely affect- ed. The beard of comissioners will have difficulty finding the necessary resources for the traildng of first respond- ers, purchasing needed medi- cal supplies and maintaining the ambulance which, one day, [nay save your life. Please remember that fund- mg our fire district relies solely on property taxes and the EMS levy. In this economy, I know it is difficult to ask voters to pass a levy. But, for the cost of a couple oflattes a month, we can be assured of quick and professional responses to our medical emergencies. Please join me, when your ballot arrives for the August election and vote yes on the EMS levy. Bob Close Union biomass - Editor, the Journal The Port of Shelton has a bad habit. It's called biomass incineration. Port Commissioner Jay Hupp and friends just can't let go of a bad idea. They are actively seeking a re- placement for the recently departed ADAGE incinerator project. Massive polluting indus- try is not a virtue for any community and would be a nightmare for a rural com- munity like ours. It is truly difficult to understmld the mentality that would want to turn this beautiful area into another Tacoma for the sake 0f dcvcl0pm nt, The port should be focus- ing its efforts on low negative impact industry and tourism, not smoke stacks or toxic waste from plastic manufac- tures. As the I-5 corridor be- comes more and more pollut- ed, crowded and nightmar- ish, Mason County will look better and better to visitors. If the port, the EDC, Simp- son/Solomon and the Cham- ber don't screw it up the visi- tors will come, but they won't be looking for smokestacks, PCBs or toxic oysters. John Cox Shelton Killing a pet cat is not Editor, the Journal Trapping a feral cat and getting it spayed or neutered is a great service to the com- munity. Killing a pet cat is a different ball game. Eighteen cats on the deck? Really? What was the lure? There is a crazy person in Belfair and I feel as though the Journal is defending this behavior. I keep my two cats indoors at all times and they are my joy. I think people who feed squirrels to be loathsome as squirrels are as gross as rats in what diseases they carry. Please be kind to your neighbors and communicate with them before you kill their pets. Jean Fisher Grapeview Fire district 4 needs levy Editor, the Journal I have been involved with Fire district 4 for over 20 years and can ensure the voters that their elected com- missioners are very conser- vative. Our volunteer depart- ment has no debt. However, with the costs of diesel, insurance and repairs, we will be in the red in the next year or two. Our newest truck is 14 years old and the oldest is 30. We still answer over 900 fire, aid and service calls last year. Voters your fire district needs your vote to pass this levy. Robert Larsen Shelton Union EMS levy is Editor, the Journal Mason County Fire Dis- trict 6 in Union is requesting your support for the 2012 Replacement Emergency Medical Services Levy on the August 16 ballot. A 60 percent yes vote is critical to continuing emergency, medi- Journal Letter Policy cal service in Union. We are currently running our medical response service on reserves that cannot be The Journal welcomes and encourages your letters sustained much longer. We have cr~anoffigsre-to the editor. We will print signed, original letters placement levy request that will provide funding for now of local interest. We ,will not publish letters that and the foreseeable future. Our focus has been fiscal ac- are libelous or scurrilous in nature. Letters should countab tyandrespensib.- be under 350 words and provide contact and ad- ity with efficient and effective service to our community. You can count on us to re- spond to your call anytime of the day, any day of the week for about 24 cents a day value. As of January 2011, sued to port Commissioner website where they can read based on a home assessed at with the expiration of the Miles was legal and correct, in more damning detail what $250,000 per year. EMS Levy, we lost 14 cents Miles divulged confidential it says. I invite everyone to We will be there for your per $1,000. Currently weexecutive session information visit www.infoabeutjack.com. time of need. Please be there have one older ambulanceconcerning a very sensitive Will Rodgers said, "Rumors for us and vote yes on the out of service and with the subject and broke the law are faster, but the truth lasts 2012" Replacement Levy.cost of repairs ($15,000) it by not protecting the Port of longer. Steve Levette doesn't make financial sense Shelton as his job dictates. T.M.Wallitner Union to repair. Your fire equip- Miles has a tendency to exag- Commissioner, Port ment is beginning to fail from gerate what actually hap- of Shelton age and is in need of repair, pened. He also adds words Fire District Since January 2011 special- and rumors to the truth in his ized training, fire station attempt to make his point. He needs staff-rag, public education, did not parse his question to fire (youth) cadet program Chairman Hupp and myself and capital improvement has in the way he wrote it in his Union EMS your help been forced to step. This not G uest Colurm,. He also states only slows us from helping in his guest column article, Editor, the Journal you, Ilut it jeopardizes lives "Do I step doing my job as a Editor, the Journal (yours and ours). We want commissioner because i am My name is Tim Whitman Fire District 4 has served to be able to help you, but in running to retain my position and I am writing today to • order to do so we need your at the Port?" That's the point, show my full support for the south Mason County for over 60 years. We are now in need assistance. I watch our staff He did stop doing his job the Union fire department's 2012 of your help if we are to con- do things to save our commu- minute he started meddling EMS levy. tinue to provide the present nity money; like tess expen- in the staffproblems at the In 2010, our fire depart- level of service for medical sire medical transports, suc- port. Mr. Dobson did not send ment responded to more them emergencies and fire. Our cessful grants and recently harassing e-mails. He did not 270 medical emergencies fleet is aging, our training lowering our fire rating to coerce. He did issue an excel- in our community to people has to be reduced and the save all of us money on our lent job performance state- we know. I found myself in duty shifts for day and week- home-owners insurance. I am ment in November of 2010. need of emergency medical ends have been drastically afraid we will lose this lower The employee was given acare more than once in 2010 curtailed because of our lack rating if we cannot keep up raise in pay during the first and our fire department was of funds, our equipment; training and year of employment. What's there to take care of me. I I am asking for the voters staffing to national standards that to do with anything? Job had been healthy my whole • and homeowners insuranceperformance changed. Thelife and never thought I to approve our upcoming lid will increase. Our staffhas employee changed. The em- would need an ambulance. I li~ proposal on August 16, set up a long-range plan to ployee found fault with John am grateful that when I did 2011. We developed a plan and the increase is needed be ready for the future and Dobson's performance (so did need it, the Union fire de- to prevent us from spending now need financing to do so. Jack Miles). Charges were partment was there. down our small reserve. We We are coming to you, the brought to the commission. The EMS levy is vital to hope you will see the value of commtmity, asking your help The Port of Shelton Commis- our community and its well your local EMS/Fire services to upgrade our equipmentsion brought in an indepen- being. We are a close com- and approve this levy.so that we can send our vol- dent investigator to address munity and cannot afford to Gary Plews, unteers to your residence in the charges. A 21-page report lose our emergency medical Retired FF/EMT your time of emergency. In found no fault in John Bob- services. Having spent my Sheltonorder to train and equip our son's job performance. The career in the fire service, I firefighters and EMT's to the employee would not interview can testify to the importance national standard, it costs with the investigator to sub- of fast emergency medical over $4000 per vohmteer,stantiate the charges. The service as opposed to slow Yes on What does this all mean? We employee refused to cooper- emergency medical service. need your support to help us, ate. Our community's medical Mason Fire help you. I urge you to vote Commissioner Miles called needs will not be well served yes on the Mason Fire 4 Lid- the investigation a white- if our fire department does 4 Lid Lift Lift, ifyouhaveanyques- wash, another breach of his not have an emergency me. " tions contact call 426-7222. oath to protect the Port of dial services program. You can also check informa- Shelton. A whistleblowerWe are the owners of our Editor, the Journal tion about the lid-liR on our complaint was filed. Again fire department. It is here website at masonfire4.com Dobson was exonerated and for our needs and we need to As a lifetime resident Chaplain Jim Potter the Mason County Prosecu- continue to support our fire and a volunteer with Fire Sheltontor's Office has declined to department by continuing District 4, I have served as further investigate the mat- the EMS levy. a firefighter, EMT, officer, ter. Jack Miles is wrongI am retired and have a commissioner and chaplain...nu rn o rs a re with his rambling fixed income, but I will always Working with dedicated about how things transpired support emergency services. A volunteers for ovei e0neammg th0 Last Chancu $a50 00 dollar hora@ will pay and for you the community, Agreement and Disciplinary $87.50 a year for emergency I have seen lots of changes. Action Plan. Dobson did not medical service. It cost me Frem4OcaJlsayeartel,O00 the truth coerce the employee to sign more to fill my t-ruck with die- calls for assistance per year anything. The employee re- sel once than it does for a year today. When the fire district ~ast~ IonNe fused to sign the agreement of EMS coverage. I find that to was created 60 years ago, our = ~ r and ultimately was termi- be a great value and ask that fire tax was set at $1.25 per nated fbr cause and the~ause you join me in voting "yes" for $1,000 assessed value, over was not related to the whis- the EMS levy in August. the years it has dropped to Editor, the Journal tleblower Complaint. Miles Tm Whitman 57 cents per $1,000 assessed The Letter of Censure is- invited everyone to visit a Union Shelton-Mason County USPS 492-800 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason SUBSCRIPTION RATES: County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. $37 per year for Mason County addresses, Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. $51 per year in state of Washington but outside at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton. Washington Mason County, $61 per year out of state. Mailing address: p.o. Box 430, Shelton, WA Periodicals postage paid at Sheffon, WashingtOn Inc She~ton-Mason County Journal is a member Of Rick Kennedy, publisher Advertising: Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. Jesse Mullen, general mgr. Dave Pierik, advertising manager Harvey Morris, ad representatuve Newsroom: Mat Taylor, ad representative Kevan Moore, managing editor Front office: Aria Shephard, North Mason, Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper environment, reporterMargot Brand, circulation Natalie Johnson, reporter Emily Hanson, sports reorter Cricket Carter, mailroom supervisor Adam Rudnick, copy editor Page A-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, July 21,2011 Composing room: William Adams, graphics Koleen Wood, classifieds/legals Becky Corr, typing Pmssmom: Kelly Riordan, production manager Travis Miller press operator