November 3, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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2-4 p.m. Free and open to all
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
The Mason County Historical Society discussed forming a committee to
look for a new location for its second museum, now situated at the Port
of Shelton fairgrounds.
By NATALIE JOHNSON -- some of it to various stor- the port didn't have to shut
age areas such as a shipping down the fairgrounds in a
Much publicity has been container and rented space couple of years, the society
given to the impending loss in the St. David of Wales still needs a better location
of a location for the Mason Church. for its fairgrounds' second
Area Fair and OysterFestThe major question fac- museum.
when the Port of Sheltoning the historical society "We need to be in a place
closes its fairgrounds in before last Thursday wasmore accessible anyway,"
2013. whether it should try to buy he said. "It used to be that
However, local festivalsor rent an existing building we'd give tours up there ...
and event organizers aren't or buy land and build a new but that was when we could
the only ones looking for a one. The board ultimately get up there. Now they [the
new location. When the port decided to form a building port] shut the power off."
closes the fairgrounds in committee to find a plot of When Mason County
accordance with a Federal land for the museum, managed the fairgrounds,
Aviation Administration "Let's attack that and the society had easier ac-
(FAA) mandate, the Ma- ditch the other ideas ... that cess to its building, Cowling
son County Historical Soci- way we'll have some focus," said.
ety will need to find a new Cowling said. Society members hope
home for the exhibits in its With the historical soci- that a new, second location
fairgrounds locatjpn, ety's annual budget totaling can be a ~r~ter for major
"We're in the process be- less than $50,000, buying a exhibits, at~wing the down-
cause we've been told to get piece of land isn't exactly a town Shelton museum to fo-
out," said historical board small challenge. Simply rent- cus on research.
president Annette McGee.ing or buying land or a new The historical board dis-
Historical board mem- building is out of the ques- cussed several possible lo-
bers discussed the conun- tion without new funding, cations for a new museum
drum in a meeting last "Fundraising's going to be during their meeting last
Thursday, Oct. 27. Sincea huge thing, but all of that Thursday, which the build-
they first found out about is kind of a side thought be- ing committee will delve
the fairgrounds' closure, cause up until [last Thurs- into in greater detail.
board members have strug- day's meeting] we didn'tCowling hopes the com-
gled to find a solution to the have a plan," Cowling said. mittee will find a location
dilemma. "A long time ago we got outside of Shelton.
"We're allowedtobethere a committee together but"We are Mason County
at least one more year at the there was really no direc- - this organization started
fairgrounds," said recently tion ... we talked it over and in Belfair and merged with
appointed Historical Society didn't make any decisions one in Shelton. To have two
Director Justin Cowling .... Now that we have a goal places in Shelton would be
Volunteers have already or a mission it will be some- hard I think," he said. "It
moved the contents of the thing to work toward." would be nice to be able to
fairgrounds museum's attic Cowling said that even if expand."
STORE & DELl SPECIALS- NOV 2- NOV 9
Port talks budget, renames fairgrounds
By NATALIE JOHNSON public hearing on the budget for 2 p.m. on
Tuesday, Nov. 15 in the port's commission
The Port of Shelton unveiled the first chambers. The full budget can be viewed at
draft of its 2012 budget on Tuesday, prom- portofshelton.com.
ising a net income of $179,358.01. During its regular meeting on Tuesday
However, Executive Director John theport commission als.o voted unanimous-
Dobson predicted a shortfall in the port's ly to change the name of the Mason County
operating budget of $149,331, resulting Fairgrounds to the Sanderson Field Event
from lost revenue after fabrication com- Center and Fairgrounds.
pany OlyFab shut its doors early this year. The port took over management of the
That firm's replacement, though, known as property after the county backed out of
TruFab, saved 20 jobs and is continuing their 50-year lease two years ago. The FAA
to bring new business to Shelton, Dobson has mandated that the port revert the
said. land, which is located right next to Sander-
The port also reviewed its five year capi- son Field's runway, back to airport use by
tal improvement plan, which includes sev- December 31, 2013.
eral projects expected to be completed or at "I actually brought this to the table after
least begun in the next year. a discussion with the staff the other day,"
Specifically, the port plans to begin a said port Commissioner Jay Hupp.
$70,000-a-year project to replace docks and Hupp said the property has developed
pilings at the Oakland Bay Marina. The an image problem after multiple fiascos
port will pay $38,000 for the project, which with fair management and leases.
includes $3,000 worth of consulting to get "It still has that odor of death when we
an overwater permit, talk about the fairgrounds," he said. "We
Marina tenants will be on the hook for need to re-brand it."
the other $35,000. Dobson agreed with Hupp, saying the
The port plans multiple other small port needs to attract new tenants in the
projects related to the airport, including a next two years.
snowplow, new paint striping and recessed "It's not about renting the fairgrounds,
fire hydrants. These projects, amounting to it's about renting the property," Dobson
$153,890, will be reimbursed by the Fed- said. "It's not about making money ... A fair
eral Aviation Administration (FAA). is not a profitable thing."
The port also needs to connect to city Hupp said he hoped the FAA would
water lines as outlined in the port's recent change its mind about the mandate within
agreement with the city and PUD 3. The the next few years, but added that he was
port budgeted $140,000 in loans for engi- only being optimistic.
neering and construction for the project in Hupp said he hopes "that we are not go-
2012. ing to have to do what the FAA insists we
The port commission has scheduled a do on the 31st of December."
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Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, Nov. 3,2011 - Page A-3