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Thursday, October 13, 2011 -- Week 41 -- The Voice of Mason County since 1886 --- PUblished in Shelton, Washington -- $1
County approves contract without union support
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Debbie Soares, left, and Paige Hansen listen as
Mason County Commissioners approve a
contract with the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees Union without
union approval.
By NATALIE JOHNSON think at some point you have to have employees were compensated $825
an agreement to work from. There has per month for health care costs. Dur-
Despite not coming to an agree-to be a means for an employer to run ing contract negotiations, union mem-
ment with the American Federation its business." bers asked the county to increase that
of State, County and Municipal Em- According to the Revised Code ofreimbursement to $875. The county's
ployees (AFSCME) union, the Mason Washington (RCW) 41.56, an employ- medical insurance package costs em-
County Commission approved a col- er has the right to "unilaterally imple- ployees $1,041 per month.
lective bargaining agreement with the ment" the most recent version of the Non-union employees get $825 per
union on Tuesday. contract after it has been in negotia- month for healthcare expenses.
"We're incredibly lucky to have jobs tions for more than a year. This partic- "I believe that previous contracts
in this economy. Having a job does not ular contract has been in negotiations were signed and previous employees
mean that you can be mistreated," since 2009, Jackson said. were given the same things that we
union member Paige Hansen said.Despite the legality of the decision, were asking for," Soares said.
While several union members ex-some AFSCME union members feel Two unions, one for Mason County
pressed their frustration with the corn- jilted. Sheriffs Office employees and another
mission's decision during Tuesday's "I don't feel respected," Hansenfor county corrections officers, both
meeting, Karen Jackson, the county's said. "We're asking to be treated fairly, receive medical insurance reimburse-
human resources director, said the we're looking for parity." ments of $875 per month.
county is well within its rights to ap- According to recently elected AF- In the contract approved by the
prove the contract without union sup- SCME union president Debbie Soares, county commission Tuesday, AFSCME
port. the main dispute in the contract re- members were given $855 per month
"We decided to move forward pur- lates to health care compensation.
suant to state law 41.56," she said. "I In the previous AFSCME contract,See Union on page A-7
Tahuya
man
guilty of
attempted
murder
By KEVAN MOORE
A Mason County jury has
convicted a Tahuya man of
attempted murder.
Tahuya resident Daniel
R: Halverson, 52, was found
guilty this past Friday of
first-degree attempted mur-
der and first-degree assault.
The verdict came after
a lengthy trial and three
days of deliberations. The
lead juror in the case was
dismissed Friday morning
for looking up legal terms
online and the alternate
juror was called in before
the unanimous verdict was
reached a few hours later.
Halverson faces 16 to 21
years in prison at his sen-
tencing on Oct. 24.
Halverson was arrested
in September of last year af-
ter his Cheyenne Hill Drive
neighbor was shot three
See Murder on page A'7
County sends
cease and
desist letter
to marijuana
dispensaries
By ARLA SHEPHARD
Mason County medical
marijuana dispensaries will
have to halt operations, ac-
cording to cease and desist
letters that the county sent
to three different business-
es.
MariMeds and The House
of Bella Donna in Belfair
and Hood Canal Patient-
2Patient Co-op in Hood-
sport received cease and
desist letters this week from
the county's Department
of Community Develop-
ment, signed by department
See Marijuana on page A-7
IlllU!!l!!ll!!l!l!l!nlt2
Two separate fires occured in Shelton this week, including this one, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in the
Madison Street. For complete stories on both fires, turn to page A-5.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
1500 block of
City discusses second permit dispute in last month
By NATALIE JOHNSON has to meet code requirements for
structures," Mayo said.
The City of Shelton build- On May 27, ~he city permitted
ing department has been busy the business on the condition that
defending itself at city commis- city building officials approved of
sion meetings in the last several the tents, or "membrane struc-
weeks, after several allegations of tures," as city codes refer to them.
harassment and unfair treatment However in June, building offi-
have surfaced, cials realized that the tents were
During the city commission in place, but they had no record
meeting Monday, building official of approving them. On July 13,
Kelly Mayo gave a short presenta- Mayo said, the owner of Jay's
tion on the state of a permit for Farmstand, Lee Dixon, submitted
awning or tent structures out- plans for outdoor structures, but
side Jay's Farmstand in Shelton, those plans were "lacking."
which the city repeatedly referred "There was additional informa-
to incorrectly as Jay's Fruit Stand tion required to permit the struc-
during the meeting, ture," Mayo said. "To this date we
While the business has been in don't have any i~formation back
operation in Shelton since May, on that."
for some time the city has said the However, a structural engineer
structures do not comply with its hired by Dixon disagreed.
permit. The argument specifically Steve Goins, the city's commu-
deals with the tents in front of the nity and economic development
market, which cover outdoor food director said that the structures
displays, simply don't meet design criteria
"Anything outside the buiding in the city's codes.
On Sept. 19, the city issued a and cause damage to property or
stop work order to Jay's Farm- even hurt someone.
stand. The order states that the However several supporters of
business had to either remove the Jay's Farmstand and Dixon ac-
structures or get them permitted cused the city of dragging out the
within 10 days, Mayo said. process, and discouraging a suc-
Much of the confusion, said city cessful local business.
fire marshal Mike Patti, stems "We want to create a busi-
from the fact that the city doesn't ness friendly community. I think
know whether the structures are we need to work thorugh this,"
considered temporary or perma, said Dick Taylor, a former city
nent. : commissmner and candidate
If the structures are up for i80 for the Port of Shelton commis-
days or less, they are deemed sion. "Structures like this have
temporary and regulated by the been used throughout the state of
fire code only, but if they're up for Washington."
more than 180 days, they are reg- In fact, Jay's Farmstand loca-
ulated by the city's building code. tions in Thurston and Grays Har-
"The biggest question that bor Counties use the same out-
needs to be asked at this point is, door tents and haven't faCed such
are they temporary or permanent scrutiny by city building officials.
structures," Patti said. "They do "I don't know why Shel-
need to meet a minimum require- ton would be better than
ment for fire, life and safety." Grays Harbor, they don't face
City officials expressed a con- that harassement there," said
cern that in inclement weather,
the structures would blow away See Permit on page A-7