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
October 27, 2016     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 7     (6 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 7     (6 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
October 27, 2016
 
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




I Thursda~ Oct. 27, 2016 - She#on-Mason County Journal - Page A-7 Journal photo by Gordon Weeks In 2013, the City of Shelton was awarded a $497,700 federal Safe Routes to School grant for improvements next to Evergreen Elementary that include sidewalks, curbs, gutters, curb extensions, signage, speed feedback signs, crossing guard equipment and emphasis patrols. The city has not spent any of the grant and can return it if it decides to abandon the project. eClSlOnS on By GORDON WEEKS gordon@masoncoun com The Shelton City Commission will face decisions on the fate of three major public works projects that have been sitting on the shelf -- one of them for 17 years -- as it examines the prelimi- nary 2017 budget at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Shelton Civic Center. The three projects under consider- ation are the state Route 3 park-and- ride lot next to the downtown's north- ern entrance, "safe route" improve- ments around Evergreen Elementary and replacing sidewalks capping Shel- ton Creek in downtown Shelton. If the city abandons both the down- town creek and park-and-ride projects, it will be forced to pay back $474,523 in grant money it has already spent on those projects. That was the news that was deliv- ered Monday to two of the three com- missioners at a work session at, the Shelton Civic Center. Mayor Gary Cronce was attending to personal busi- nessand was not in attendance. Acting public works director Craig Gregory gave the update on the proj- ects to the commissioners. City ad- ministrator Ryan Wheaton said public works director Greg Clark did not at- tend because he was ill. The city also announced that city Engineer Mike Michaels has resigned. The state Route 3 park-and-ride project has been in' the works since 1999. The project includes completing the design and bid documents, right- of-way acquisition and construction of a facility that will serve commuters in North Mason and Kitsap counties. The new facility would also provide Mason Transit a pull-off site for buses con- necting to the downtown Transit-Com- munity Center and beyond. The city received a federal grant of $698,200 for the right-of-way and de- sign. The city has spent $411,370 of that money, Gregory told the commis- sioners. Gregory said the design is about 90 percent complete, and the right-of-way is also almost completed. The city reports that the construc- tion budget is $450,000 in federal funds and $50,000 in city a park-and-ride for 17 years, and then have an empty lot?" Wheaton asked. In 2013, the city was awarded a $497,700 federal Safe Routes to School grant for improvements next to Ever- green Elementary that include side- walks, curbs, gutters, curb extensions, signage, speed feedback signs, crossing guard equipment and emphasis pa- trols. The city reports that the current cost estimate to design and build the sidewalks is $460,000. That doesn't in- clude paving shoulders and storm work improvements, which would cost an ex- tra $400,000. The city has not spent any of the $497,700 federal grant and can return it if the commission decides to aban- don the project, Gregory said. If the city chooses to proceed, it is required to appeal to the Washington state De- partment of Transportation (WSDOT) to authorize the city to implement the work, he said. The downtown creek project in- cludes replacing the capping on Shel- ton Creek and providing new Ameri- cans with" Disabilities Act-standard curb ramps at corners, The project was launched in 2007. The city has spent $63,153 of a $75,637 federal Surface Transporta- tion grant for design. Construction will be funded by an additional $354,560 in federal funds. The latest construction estimate in Oc- tober 2014 was $483,000. The original design consultant, Gray & Osborne, worked on the project until Mason Transit Authority added it to its project at the Transit-Community Cen- ter; MTA later cut the project. The city reports the firm RH2 then worked on the design until the funding ran out. The city terminated its con- tract with RH2 in October 2014. WSDOT Local Programs is requir- ing the city to appeal to WSDOT to per- mit the project to move forward. If the city is denied, it will be forced to pay back the $63,153 spent to date. Gregory said the city needs to hire a consultant to complete the design, which is estimated to cost between $50,000 and $100,000. In December 2015, the commission approved the staffto Alford N. Vassall, Jr., Board Certified Obstetrics & Gynecology Specializing in: • Obstetrics and prenatal care • Childbirth and delivery • Women's gynecological needs M.D. Mercedes Goebel, M.D. Board Certified Obstetrics & Gynecology Speciah'zing in: • Gynecological care and surgery • Obstetrics and prenatal care • Contraceptives and family planning Carley A. Jacobs, PA-C Certified Physician Assistant Specializing in: • Primary care rural medicine • Well-woman care • Preventive medicine