September 17, 2020 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 14 (14 of 40 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
September 17, 2020 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
Page A-14 - Shelton-Mason County Journal — Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
STATE OF THE COMMUNITY
County chambers present awareness series
Byrkirk Boxleitner "
kbox/eitner@masoncounty com
Community members might be do~
ing most of their socializing distantly,
but the Shelton-Mason County and
North Mason Chambers of Commerce
still want to keep community mem-
bers aware of the state of their local
governments, schools and tribes.
The chambers conducted the first
installment in a planned four-part se-
ries on the “State of the Community”
on Sept. 3, organizing an online pre-
sentation by representatives of the
city of Shelton and Mason County, but
the public can still catch the following
online presentations, all running from
noon to 1 p.m.- on Thursdays in Sep-
tember:
I The Shelton, North Mason and
Hood Canal School Districts, plus
Olympic College, were presented on
on Sept. 10.
I The Ports of Shelton, Hoodsport and
Allyn today.
I The Squaxin Island and Skokomish
tribes Sept. 24.
Heidi McCutcheon, executive di-
rector of the Shelton-Mason County
Chamber, recalled the Chamber’s first
State of the Community taking place
in February of 2006, when its board of
trustees aimed to increase public in—
volvement in government affairs.
Since then, the recurring feature
has come to include a host of agencies.
“Our local entrepreneurs are busy
running their businesses, so we do our
best to condense an enormous amount
of information into a short time
frame,” McCutcheon said. “Our mem-
bers tell us they like being able to hear
from multiple speakers in one hour.”
McCutcheon said business Owners
want to know their tax money is being
spent efficiently and hear about the
projects in their community.
“Everyone loves a success story,
and some of these organizations are
doing an exceptional job,” McCutch-
eon said.
Behind the scenes, chamber mem-
bers are learning about each set of
presenters’ field of expertise, so they
can help pass on the presenters’
knowledge about those subjects.
“Getting everyone else up to speed ‘
on a program that we ourselves have
just learned has been interesting,”
McCutcheon said. “Thankfully, our
presenters have been gracious and
patient. It is rewarding to convene lo-
cal leaders to share their plans with
comrfiniunity members, and provide an
avenue for thoughtful dialogue and
feedback.”
McCutcheon said the presenters
benefit from having their material
reach a broader audience, while the
public learns more about what organi-
zations are doing in their community,
as well as what’s to come.
“They want to know what to expect,
and how circumstances will affect
their business and their neighbors,”
McCutcheon said. “This series con-
nects our community.”
According to McCutcheon, the
chamber is always looking for impor-
tant subjects that would enlighten and
engage the interest of local audiences.
“From tourism to construction and
road projects, and active-shooter pre-
paredness to natural resources, we
embrace new ideas and timely, rel-
evant topics,” McCutcheon said.
McCutcheon admitted it’s been “ee-
rie” to conduct presentations to a si- _
lent computer screen.
“There’s no audience feedback, as
we cannot see or hear those listen-
ing in,” McCutcheon said. “Typically,
when I speak in front of a crowd, I can
tell when I’ve gone on too long and
need to wrap it up. Alternatively, I
can see when there is genuine inter-
est, and I should elaborate on a partic—
ular topic. We’re running blind here,
so we just do our best and hope that
it’s enough.”
The first installment of the Septem-
ber series was well-received, she said.
“The insights survey showed that
there was a 71% interest rating,” Mc-
Cutcheon said. “My hope is that even
more people will tune in the upcoming
weeks. It’s an incredible opportunity
to hear about the challenges we face
as a community, and to address the
facts about what’s happening. After
all, we’re all in this together.” ‘
Registration for the remainder of
the series is required by logging onto
masonchamber.com/state-of—the-com-
munity-registration.
The cost is $5 per week for chamber
members, with no charge to Tier 1-4
members, and $10 per week for non-
chamber members;
Mayor and city manager recap SheltOn’s year
By Kirk Boxle'rtner
kbox/e/tner@masoncounty com
Shelton Mayor Kevin Dorcy and
City Manager Jeff N iten opened their
“State of the City” presentation last
week by laying out a timeline of the
citfs COVID-19 response, from the
City. Council issuing an emergency
proclamation March 5 to making most
city employees work from home start-
ing March 16.
Niten credited departments such
as police, fire, water and sewer with
adapting their operations through the
pandemic.
Dorcy identified a bell-curve pat-
tern in permits for residential dwell-
ings and in total from 2016 to 2020,
with 2018 representing the peak year
in the arcs for both.
Niten listed the city’s ongoing ma-
jor commercial projects, including new
facilities at Shelton High School, the
possible arrival of a Wendy’s and a
Starbucks, a kidney dialysis facility,
the YMCA he said is coming along
“very quickly” and the Bordeaux El-
ementary gym.
Niten explained how the city’s
Parks & Recreation department man-
ages more than‘ 40 acres of park land
and 119,000 square feet of buildings,
before he credited the council with
passing the Parks, Recreation, Open
Space and Trails Plan earlier this
year so the community could provide
direction to the parks and recreation
department.
The city’s finance department is
leading the implementation of Open-
Gov, designed to assist all city depart-
ments with budgeting, Dorcy said.
Niten said OpenGov is intended to in-
crease transparency and accountabil-
ity throughout the city’s operations.
Niten touched on the city’s money
from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and
Economic Security Act, which the city
is' using for technology, maintaining
infrastructure and moving processes
such as permitting at least partially
online.
Niten lamented that Shelton will
lose its police chief of six years, Dar-
rin Moody, in January, but pledged
the. community will be involved in
recruiting his replacement. The city
will accept applications starting this
month, followed by staff and commu-
nity panels, plus a virtual open house,
to evaluate candidates.
Dorcy reviewed the Shelton Police
Department’s other resources, includ-
ing the two K—95 funded through com-
munity partners and donations.
Dorcy noted a grant from Sierra
Pacific Industries furnished the de-
partment with two new patrol bikes,
and pointed to the redesigned badges
‘ and new paint schemes for the depart-
ment’s patrol vehicles, both of which
he credited to department staff.
Dorcy also described the process
the police department is undergoing
in its first year of accreditation, as
well as the restructuring of its com-
mand staff, putting two lieutenants
in charge of four patrol teams, with
sergeants on each shift, to improve
the department’s supervision and ac-
countability.
Niten listed the accomplishments
of the police department’s code en-
forcement, from 50 vehicles tagged,
and 20 vehicles towed, to between 35
to 40 properties contacted regarding
the need for cleanups, and 50 hulk ve-
hicles inspected.
“But the majority of citations is-
sued were dog-related,” Niten said.
The police department’s animal
control impounded 80 dogs, returned
53 dogs to their owners and had 13
dogs taken to Adopt-a-Pet.
Fire and emergency medical servic-
es calls were down 11% from last year,
with 3,080 responses for the entire fire
district from January through July of
this year, and 1,701 calls for the city
of Shelton, Niten said. Public Works
Director Jay Harris began his employ-
ment with the city in April, following
eight years as public works director in
Newberg, Oregon.
“Jay had to jump in right in the
middle of public works’ COVID re-
sponse,” Niten said.
During phase one of the'pandemic,
public works only had two to three em-
ployees and a superintendent on site
on a given day, using a weekly rotation
of operators, with the other employees
available by, phone for emergencies
or other questions, while phase two
’ Cleanup of the City
.a p of Shelton’s toxic
former C Street
landfill is among
proposed capital
A . improvement
projects for 2021 .
Journal file photo by
Gordon Weeks
brought staggered shifts as it sani-
tized its vehicles, equipment and fa-
cilities, and mandated strict personal
protective equipment requirements
for its employees.
Among public works’ notable recent
projects have been its Coffee Creek
water main replacement, which in-
stalled a fire hydrant to the intersec-
tion of Hulbert and Shelton Matlock
roads; prep work that’s being done in
the East Mountain View neighborhood
for residential paving; and work on
the stormwater/wastewater treatment
plant to meet new shellfish standards
and ensure proper separation of solids.
Public works’ new equipment in-
cludes a small roller compactor for
asphalt in tight areas, a vacuum ex-
cavator jet truck to reduce time spent
cleaning catch basins, and a snow and
ice removal flatbed truck.
During the question-and—answer
period, Niten clarified that} public
works is considering magnetic meters,
which would offer increased durability
and accuracy over the department’s
existing meters.