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 29, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 11     (11 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 11     (11 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
October 29, 2020
 
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




Grapeview schools eye reopening dates By Gordon Weeks gordon@masoncounty. com The Mason County Public Health Department reported 563 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 as of 4 p.m. Tuesday. No new cases were reported on Tuesday, but 10 new cases were re- ported the day before. The number of Mason County deaths remains nine. ~ Fifty-five of the cases are active, with one person hospitalized in Mason County, 14,127 tests have been con- ducted. Of the Mason County residents who have tested positive for the dis- ease, 97 are 19 years old and younger; 214 are ages 20 to 39; 141 are between the ages of 40 and 59; 89 are between the ages of 60 and'79; and 22 are 80 and older. On Tuesday, the Grapeview School District announced it is tentatively ' scheduled to begin bringing students in kindergarten through second grade back to the classrooms Nov. 5 — de- pending on Mason County reaching a “moderate” level of COVID cases as outlined by the state Department of Health, along with input by the Mason County Public Health Department. Under the proposal, Grapeview would begin the “A/B hybrid” format. Half of the students in each grade lev- el would be at the school Mondays and Thursdays, the other half Tuesdays and Fridays. Parents will still have the option to continue with all—remote learning. ' The tentative dates to begin the by brid home/on-site instruction are kin- dergarten through the second grade NOV. 5; students in grades three to five on Nov. 23; and grades six to eight on . Dec. 14. The safety measures will include wearing face masks, maintaining distance, using proper hygiene and keeping students who not feeling well home. The water fountains have been disabled, and students will need to have and use their own water bottle. For more information, go to the dis— trict’s website at www.ng54.org. To reduce the spread of the coro- navirus, wash your hands often and avoid close contact with others; cover your mouth and nose with a mask around others and always'cover your coughs and sneezes; and monitor your health daily and stay home if you are sick or experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Mason Transit adjusts proposed 2021 budget "sax ‘ ” kbox/eitner@masoncounty. com Mason Transit Authority General ,Manager Danette Brannin intro- ” duced the first draft of Mason Tran- sit’s 2021 budget. to little fanfare dur- ing the MTA’s regular meeting Oct. 20, acknowledging that the coming year’s budget is not routine for Ma- son Transit. Brannin and Administrative Ser- vices Manager LeeAnn McNulty pre- sented the draft budget to the MTA Board by deseribing it asmaintain- ing “a conservative approach to rev- enue forecasting” because revenue is an area where they agreed that 2020 “has taught us that nothing is cer— tain.” Among the known unknowns of revenue that the draft budget has sought to anticipate is sales tax rev- enue, which the 2021 draft budget has kept flat with the 2020 budgeted amount, and fare revenue, which has decreased because of fewer riders. Although sales tax revenue remains at historic levels. for Mason Tran- sit, Brannin and McNulty expressed management’s belief that these re- cord levels may not be sustainable, and could experience a drop-off in 2021. Among its other assumptions, the draft forecasts wages and benefits will be down 14% compared with 2020, due to layoffs resulting from ’COVID-related reductions in service demands, and that operating such re- duced service will result in lower fuel and maintenance costs. Brannin told the Shelton-Mason County Journal that she doesn’t ex— pect any of the staff Mason Transit has laid offwill be called back to work “anytime soon.” Running concurrent with these re- . duced expenses will be some COVID- Hrwfigmzm: '. related increased expenses. The “draft provides a significant increase to Ma-. son Transit’s supplies to cover safety and cleaning supplies as the pandem- ic persists, and increased operating expenses, including money set aside for public relations and increased communication to the public to pro- mote “a safe return to ridership.” Brannin told the Journal that these budget supplies include per- sonal protective equipment for Mason Transit staff and. riders to provide passengers with masks if they have none when they board. _ In non-COVID-related areas, the draft budget factors in increases in facility rent and Park and Ride costs stemming from Mason Transit’s tem- porary office location in Belfair for its drivers, and money for a study to as- sess the future Park and Ride needs of the Hobdsport and Allyn areas.- As of the 2021 draft budget, Ma- son Transit’s contracted services now include ongoing software license sub- scriptions to maintain its Microsoft compliance and to use the technology already in place on the fleet. “In addition, having received nine new cutaways, along with the re- placement of the worker driver fleet, will result in fewer major repairs,” Brannin said. Brannin reiterated this is the draft V budget for 2021, not the final budget, and in addition to the tweaks and re- visions she expects to occur, she invit— ed the public to offer their comments at two-public hearings in the MTA Transit Community Center Confer- ence Room at 601 W. Franklin St. in ‘ Shelton. The first public hearing is at 4 p.m. today, and the second is scheduled for 4 pm. Dec. 1, with the MTA Board making its decision on the budget in December after the second public hearing. Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020 Shelton-Mason County Journal — Page A—11 VOTEFOR Ted jackson (R) for Mason County Commissioner, District 1 - A proven leader with over thirty years in law enforcement - Will always work for the best interest of Mason County ' - Protected Hood Canal, Puget Sound, and our natural resources Wrote and managed government budgets ' Gives back to community as nonprofit executive director - Believes transparency, integrity and accountability are paramount in public service Endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police Mountain Lodge #23, Mason County Sheriffs Guild, Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, and Sheriff Salisbury ,‘m‘ Ertiixfié‘fit’ €I€3Mh¥2m3i newmrrssgsmsa 3 The change we need after eight years Paid for by the Committee to Elect Ted lackson (360) 801-0503 TED]ACKSON2020.COM SHELTONFAMILYYMCADRG