October 27, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 2 (2 of 24 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
October 27, 2011 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
I
Journal courtesy photo
Mason County opened a new section of road
with "S" curves on Shelton Matlock Road last
week.
County wraps up road work
By NATALIE JOHNSON past four years, since a storm
in December 2007 caused a
Mason County finished significant amount of dam-
work on two significant coun- age to the road.
ty road projects in the last Elfendahl Pass Road pro-
week, one on Shelton-Mat- vides a route between North
lock Road, and the other on Shore Road and the Belfair
Lower Elfendahl Pass Road. Tahuya Road, Butros said.
Last Thursday, Oct. 20, "A road network is a criti-
county crews finished the cal part of many elements
last work on a project to that tie main arterials to
add "S" curves to the Shel- each other," he said. "It is a
ton-Matlock road west ofvital connection for response
Lake Nahwatzel, said Pub- teams ... The fire district
lic Works Director Charlie and the sheriffs department
Butros. felt strongly that we needed
The road previously had to repair the road and get it
two sharp 90-degree turns back into service as soon as
that the county had wanted possible."
to correct for some time, he The project came in quite
said. The "S" curves added a bit under budget, Butros
much more gradual, and said.
therefore safer, turns than The entire project to clean
the road previously had.up the 25 roads damaged
"It was causing some high from the 2007 storm cost $14
accident counts in those ar- million, Butros said.
eas," Butros said. "As a safe- The project to repair Elf-
ty improvement the county endahl Pass Road was esti-
some years ago decided to mated to cost between $1.6
take on improvement in that to $1.9 million, but actually
roadway." only cost $400,000.
The county doesn't know "The repairs were more
the exact final cost for the extensive than anticipated,,
road improvement, but the Butros said. "We were very
bid amount was $1,124,742. fortunate at the support we
The Lower ElfendahlPass had from FEMA and the
rebuild project also opened emergency management
today, Oct. 27, Butros said folks."
at Tuesday night's Mason Commissioner Lynda
County Commission meet- Ring Erickson congratulated
ing. the public works department
"Our sign crews are out on completing Elfendahl un-
today [Wednesday, Oct. 26] der budget.
finalizing the signing, and "I've walked it several
putting in the road stripes," times," Ring Erickson said.
he said. "I certainly encourage people
The Lower Elfendahl Pass not familiar with that road to
Road has been closed for the~ take it." ~ ....
Journal photos by Natalie Johnson
The PUD 3 Commissioners, Bruce Jorgenson, left, Linda Gott and Tom Farmer, have
scheduled a public hearing to talk about redistricting for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8.
PUD commission considers new district maps
By NATALIE JOHNSON a few voting precincts shuffled be- in the pack,shifting district two to
tween the districts, and are based cover the north half of the county,
The Mason County PUD 3 Com- on the new district map that the while di.strict one covers the south-
mission was presented with five Mason County Commission ap- east end of the county, with dis-
options for remapping the PUD's proved in August. trict three getting the southwest
three districts Tuesday. However, the PUD could not half.
Every 10 years public agencieskeep the county's district map Gott suggested that options one
are required to redraw their dis- intact, because it had to subtract and three, which are very similar
trict lines to come in line with cen- the residents living within PUD looked like the best options. Bo-
sus data. Each district should have 1 territory from its population lender noted that the county does
roughly the same number of resi- totals. This left the PUD with a not favor options two or four.
dents within it. more than 3,000 person gap toThe commission made no deci-
The PUD needed to wait to redofill. sions on Tuesday, and scheduled
its districts until the Mason Coun- Mason County expressed its a public hearing on the proposed
ty finished its redistricting process, preference for option five, however, changes for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov.
said Nancy Bolender, assistant to that option creates a serious prob- 8 at the PUD 3 auditorium with the
PUD 3 Manager Wyla Wood. Bo- lem for the PUD 3 commissioners, regularly scheduled public meeting
lender drafted the five options and Option five places Linda Gott's to follow.
presented them to the commission residence in PUD commission dis- The five options for a new PUD
Tuesday. trict three, although she represents 3 district map have been posted on
"For us to try and do any redis- district one, and Bruce Jorgenson the PUD's website.
trict prior to their redistricting in represents district three. The commission will likely vote
August would have been like fum- Option five also places Tom to approve one of the options dur-
bling in the dark," she said. Farmer in district one, although he ing its Tuesday, Nov. 22, meeting.
Most of the proposed district represents districtt~¢0. ......... The commission must approve a
maps are very similar, with only Option four is the only outlier new district map by Dec. 8. •
Page A-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, October 27,2011