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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
August 23, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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August 23, 2012
 
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..~,~,.~-i¸ i.~":~.i~L ~:~ Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 ." Voice of Mason County since 1886 -- Published for Mason County and Sharon Kingery of Shelton -- $1 ? i~ ii! Lawsuit filed over track's ownership By NATALIE JOHNSON 7~atalie@rnasoncount, y.con~ While The Ridge Motorsports Park has proven to be a success, drawing racing clubs from around the Pacific Northwest and selling out for its 2012 racing season, trouble has been brew- ing behind the scenes. On Aug. 20, co-owner Joel Manke filed a lawsuit in Masgn County Su- perior Court against co-owners Rod Powell and his wife Karen on seven different claims, including breach of contract and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Specifically, the claims include breach of contract, judicial dissolu- tion of The Ridge Metorsports Group, breach of fiduciary duty, judicial dis- solution of the Performance Motor ..... : .... Sports Management, Inc., appoint- ment of custodial receiver for the com- panies, negligent infliction of emo- tional distress and breach of interim management agreement: Rod Powell declined to comment on the particulars of the case. See Racetrack on page A-7 i:~ :i~ ,ent' Journa #noto uy Natahe Johnson Mason County Clerk Pat Swartos has worked in the clerk's office since 1972. She plans to retire by October. County clerk announces retirement after 40 years By NATALIE JOHNSON After 40 2/3 years of service to Mason County, long-time County Clerk Pat Swar- tos announced last week that she will re- tire by October. "It has been very interesting and I felt I was dedicated 1;o make sure we were pro- viding the service as required," she said. "It was something I felt I needed to do." Swartos started a~ the Mason County Clerk's Office in 1972. She was elected county clerk in 1984. She takes pride in being the longes~ em- ployed county clerk in Washington state history. Swartos was reelected in 2010. Her term expires in 2014. She has recommended that Ginger Brooks, a 25-year veteran of the office, take over as interim county clerk until a permanent coun- ty clerk can be appointed or elected. Swartos reflected on the changes in the clerk's office during the past 40 years. Some things have stayed the same. For example, the clerk's office is in the same location it was in when Swartos started in 1972. The contents of that office have changed remarkably. In 1972. many of the records in the clerk's office were still kept by hand. Swar- tos called the office "untechnical" -- the only machines in the office were a type- writer and a mimeograph machine. "It was really primitive around here," she said. Swartos" career highlights 1972: Swnrtos begins atthe Mason Counly Clerk's office 1984: Swartos elected count/clerk 2012: Swartos announces retirement Today, each clerk uses a computer to digitally file documents in addition to keeping hard copies of all court documents. The clerk's office also now participates m a digital records-keeping program used by county clerk's offices statewide. The duties of the office have also changed throughout the years. In 1972. Mason and Thurston counties had a joint judicial district, See Clerk on page A-7 Board of Commissioners split on dropping impact fees By GORDON WEEKS gordon@rnasoncountv.eorn The Shelton City Com- mission is divided on a pro- posal to introduce a morato- rium on the collection of all traffic impact fees. At the commission's meet- ing Monday, May- or Gary Cronce said he favors placing a mora- torium on traffic impac~ fees as- sessed on new de- velopment within the city, based on the amount of fund that pays for street projects in the city. A moratorium would help stimu- late the building industry -- "a driving force in the community" -- during a pro- new traffic the de- Gary longed recession, velopment is pro-Cronce Cronce said. ]ll!!!!l!lJIl!!!lJ!J!]ll] jected to create. "The morato- The fees are placed into rium is only a temporary 8 2 a capital improvements thing, he said. "Do we need temporary help? Yes, we do," The mayor added, "Part of this is a morale booster ... to show the citizens we feel their pain." But City Commission- ers Mike Olsen and Dawn Pannell both said they op- pose a moratorium on the fee. Olsen said he doesn't believe a temporary elimi- nation of the impac~ fee will Stimulate building in the city. He said he has contacted many city ad- ministrators "and no one is putting on anything as rash as a ~wo-year mora- torium," he said. Olsen added, "I'm cau- tious about doing some- thing that would hurt us in the long run." With new construction, "you pay to play," said O1- sen. See Fees on page A-7 Great ,Dane helps teach By GORDON WEEKS gordon,@rn, a.~.o~cottn, ty corrg Jack the Great Dane's painted pink toenails will trigger talk about bullying in Mason County schools. The 4-month-old canine takes the place of the late Great Dane Sam as a teach- ing tool in the Mason County Sheriffs Office's new Educa- tion Dog Program. Jack is being trained to accompany Mason County Sheriffs Of- fice Animal Control Officer Cindy Brewer as they visit schools, civic groups and safety fairs to talk about safe behavior around dogs, proper animal care and bul- lying in schools. "Responsibility and re- spect for each other - that's the message that I try to put out," Brewer said. During the last school year, Brewer and her dog Sam Visited classrooms at Pioneer Middle School, Hood Canal schools and North Mason schools in Bel- fair. "When kids see stray dogs, they think they can run up to pet it," Brewer said. "I teach them that we always ask for permission before we touch an animal, because they don't know how it will react." Brewer instructs the chil- dren ~o first let the dogs sniff their hands, and to pet them not on the face. but under the chin. She also tells them never ~o run away from a canine "because it gives that prey thing." Brewer and Sam also pro- vided training ~o employees of the public utilities dis- tricts, who often encounter See Safety Dog on page A-7 Journal ono:o Dy Gordon Weeks Cindy Brewer, the animal control officer for the Mason County Sheriffs Office, is training 4-month-old Great Dane Jack to accompany her on visits to schools, civic groups and safety fairs to talk about safe behavior around dogs, proper animal care and bullying.