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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
October 27, 2016     Shelton Mason County Journal
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October 27, 2016
 
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ee arljuana: Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page A-19 continued from page A-1 nesses by Mason County PUD 3. "Like any process, some people this year. Total sales for 2016 have are going to come out of it feeling topped the $13 million mark, already like they've been hurt," Adkins said. surpassing last year's total of $9 rail- "They're going to end up feeling like lion. they've been rolled over the rock, and So with the potential for more jobs they're not going to have a good experi- created in the local market and the ence. And that happens with no matter boon via tax dollars to the bank ac- what you're building and where, and count of a county that's admittedly this isn't any different. searching for additional revenue sourc- "Some people have been anxious es, would-be cannabis business owners and they wanted very badly to get their might be under the assumption Mason business going. They had these visions County could be willifig to proverbi- for great projects and they realized ally bend over backwards to meet their that when they came to the door we needs. But that's not the case, said Ma- didn't have a set of answers for them." son County building inspector Trish Fuhr said Toucan Farms and simi- Woolett. lar businesses are being put under the "We treat them exactly the same as microscope by the county. any other business that comes in here," "Are we being unfairly scrutinized? Woolett said. "It makes no difference to There's no question," he said. "The us what kind of business they're in." question is by how much and to what Many seeking to enter the industry extent we can prove it." in Mason County back up Woolett's as- According to PUD 3 public informa- sertion. Included in that group is Chad tion and government relations manag- Dobson, a partner in Newday Grow-er Joel Myer, the public utility had no ery, a producer/processor companychoice but to install a separate rate cat- that hopes to be fully operational in its egory for marijuana businesses. That's Shelton warehouse in November. partially due to the fact that PUD 3 ob- Mason County wasn't the first choice tains the majority of the power it sells for Dobson and his partners, who at to customers from federally operated first hoped to set up shop in Thurston facilities. County. But after multiple difficul- "The PUD is obligated to serve the ties in dealing with Thurston County, new businesses with cost-based en- Newday Growery sought out greenerergy, appropriately classified for the pastures, and found them in Masontype of service they need without af-. County. fecting other classes of customers," "I don't have a negative word to Myer wrote in an email to the Journal. say about dealing with the planning "The Bonneville Power Administra- permitting people in Mason County," tion says it won't interfere with the Dobson said. "They worked with usretail relationship between utilities with virtually everything we wanted and their customers involving federal to do and helped us in getting every- power used for cannabis-related busi- thing approved thus far. It was quite nesses .... By contrast, the Bureau of refreshing, having just separated from Reclamation has refused to allow fed- Thurston County. Every time we went eral irrigation water to be used for back to them to try and meet their re- marijuana cultivation. Establishing a quests, it seemed like they were mak- separate rate class for cannabis-relat- ing it even more difficult for us. We ed business allows the PUD to quickly finally just started looking elsewhere respond to any regulatory and policy when it became apparent that working changes." with Thurston County was seeming to While experiences like Fuhr de- be more difficult every time we went to scribes have been the exception to the them." rule, Dobson and his partners at New- But Steven Fuhr tells a different sto- day Growery are the kind of people Ad- ry. Fuhr, managing member of Toucan kins and Woolett have come to expect Farms in Shelton, a producer of flowers to walk in the door at the county's corn- and processor of rosin, infused choco- munity development offices. lates and medicated salves, according "As an overarching majority, they're to its website, has grown discouraged good people and they're just trying to with Mason County while attemptingget a new business going," Woolett to establish a producer/processor busi- said. ness. Adkins, too, has been surprised by And Fuhr, a Massachusetts native, the potential cannabis entrepreneurs isn't one to keep quiet about his frus- she's dealt with. trations. "They're super smart," she said. "You "I'm reaching a point where I don't might think 'Oh no, marijuana, what's know whether I care if I get quoted or going to come through that door?'" she not, because I've pissed everybody else said. "But these are some really savvy offalready," Fuhr said. "I'm one of those business people. It's been impressive." people who asks why, and people don't Dobson thinks the key to making like it when people ask why. Like, why the permit process in Mason County a did it take them six months to approve fluid one is keeping things as simple as a permit for me that they approved in possible. 30 days for 90 percent of other cases?" "I think the more questions you ask, Fuhr laments what he's been the more you create issues that weren't through during the permitting process, already there," Dobson said. "We didn't what he feels has been unfair scrutiniz- want to open up a whole new can of ing of his company's personal property worms; we just want to get the license, taxes and even the separate rate that's so we're doing it all by the book and not been established for marijuana busi- creating further complications." "Some people have been anxious and they wanted very badly to get their business going, They had these visions for great projects and they realized that when they came to the door we didn't have a set of answers for them," Barbara Adkfns, planning manager, Mason County MPD FAQS On July 19, 2016 the Meson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted to put to voters on the November 2016 ballot whether or not they want to create the Met- ropoliten Park District for the management, control, improvement, maintenance, and acquisition of parks and recreational facilities in Mason County. The County curren funds Porks primarily out of Property and Sales Tax Revenues (REET) to the tune of around $549,2%00 a year. This poles in comparison to the number of Parks Capitol Projects cited in the ParEs Master Plan adopted by the BOCC in late 2015. HOW:This vote would adopt o property tax levy of $0.20 per every $I,000 in assessed value. This works out to $20.00 o year on o house assessed at $100,000 a year. This would generate approximately $1,200,000.00 annually for the parEs system county-wide WHERE:The Metropolitan Parks DislTict would encompass all pork facilities outside of the City limits of Shelton but within the rest of Mason County. WHAT: Funds raised by the Metropolitan Pork DislTJct can go toward parEs and recreational expenditures. Examples of this would include; playground equipment, walking paths, dog-pork, or more. The decision w'dlbe up to the MetTopoliton Park. District Board should the district be created. WHO:The Park District Board of Commissioners.However, the funds raised can only be spent on porks (Chapter 35.61 RCW). Whet is a Metropolitan Pwk District (MID)? A MPD is e senior property taxing district with special taxing authority for the management, control, improvement, maintenance, and acquisition of porks, pathways, boulevards, recreational facilities, programs, and services. How would MID revenue lie collected? The MPD tax would be o component of prope owners' annual Mason County properly tex assessment administered by Mason County. Who would pay this tax? Pr@erty owners within the boundaries of Mason County, excluding those parcels within the City of Sbelton, would pay this tax. WueM rids tax expire? The tax would not expire Who would govern the Ibsen County MID? The MPD would be governed by the Mason County Metropolitan Park District Board consisting of S At-Large Elected Commissioners. H the MPD passes, todd the fvnds be .r l for other Mason County needs? No, by state law, MPD funds could only be utilized for porks and recreation-related facilities, programs, and services. How would the MID revenue be spent? MPD funds would be spent on porks development and maintenance as ooltined in the Porks Master Plan, Capitol Improvement Plan, and overall budget approved by the MPD Commissioners. Who determines wht the MID revenue would be spent on? The MPD Commission, in its role as the Mason County MetTopolitan Park, District Board, would approve the MPD budget. Who would provide oversight on hew MID revenue is spent? Oversight would be provided by the Pork Board comprised of county residents. What would happen if the MID measure fds? Should the measure fail, there would be limited additional funding for park operations and maintenance, capitol, and development. Lube. Oil & Filter Change WITH: • 30-point inspection • Brake inspection • Tire rotation • Battery & alternator test • Winter Ready Inspection Offer Good through December 15, 2016 ' i i,~:, + tax & environmental fees. Up to 5 ~: ,~i~ i~ quarts of oil, synthetic oil extra. IJ~;~" Facebook .... ,