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Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 24, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 24, 2011
 
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! Thursday, Novemb r 24, 2011 Week 47 The Voice of Mason County since 1886 Published in Shelton, Washington $1 Pr00operty tax board broke eight laws y NATALIE JOHNSON A Washington Department Revenue (DOR) audit has foun that the Mason County Board q Equalization, a quasi-judicial bod that handles local property tax al peals, was out of compliance wit state law in at least eight areas. The audit also made five add Lional recommendations for boa of equalization changes that "al in the best interest of all partie that "will improve service to t mblic." The audit comes at a tim hen Mason County is transitiol ing from a four-year assessme process where homes in separate quadrants of the county are evalu- f ated every four years to annual, d countywide assessment. That f move, in part, combined with a y deep recession that many felt de- - valued their homes, has led to a h record number of petitions to ap- peal property tax rates to Mason [- County's Board of Equalization, d said Emmet Dobey, Utilities and e Waste Director for the county. " The county received twice the e number of appeals for 2010 prop- erty tax rates than it expected, e Dobey said. L- "We had 400 [appeals] last year .t and we anticipated only having 200," he said. "We are just now be- ginning to process 2010 appeals. We're a year behind in appeals." Normally, the Board of Equal- ization would not fall under the authority of a utilities director, Dobey added. "Two or three years ago when they started cutting staff they were looking at where there might be some flexibility in schedules," he said. "We had a clerk in utili- ties who was working part time." Dobey expects that the board should be done with 2010 appeals by January 2012, and then be able to immediately start on 2011 ap- peals after that. The board of equalization re- ceived so many complaints from the public that DOR's Property Tax Division began an audit on the board's practices over the sum- mer. On November 15, the property tax division issued its final report on its limited-in-scope investiga- tion. The report found eight things that the board must do to come into compliance with state laws and suggested five additional changes to board practices. "The Department's [bf Rev- enue] review focuses on require- ments the Board and Clerk must take to be in compliance with the laws, rules, and recommendations to amprove the Board's processes and procedures," the report states. "The Department has received a large volume of questions and con- cerns from Mason County proper- ty owners after their 2010 assess- ment year appeal." First, the Department stated that the board is required to con- sider all applicable evidence when determining market value of prop- erties. The Department stated that the board should not continue to See Tax on page A-7 Widow of shot man seeks damages By KEVAN MOORE The widow of a brush- picker who was shot and killed while gathering salal in Shelton has filed a wrong- ful death lawsuit. The civil complaint, filed in Pierce County Superior Court by the widow, Marta Gomez-Mendoza, names the G.R. Kirk Company, Two Noble Guys, LLC and Hi- awatha, Inc. as defendants. Also named as defen- dants are Shelton residents Gerald Wayne Aldrich and his wife, Rachael. Gerald Aldrich was found not guilty of manslaughter by a Mason County jury fol- lowing the shooting death of Carlos Pablo-Carrillo. Gerald Aldrich, who had a hunting license and a bear tag, testified at trial that he mistook Pablo-Carrillo for a bear while he stood about See Widow on page A-7 VIason General Hospital Fc ttended the Deck the Hall 'Byrd's of Paradise," desig :antasy For00 00nnual holiday 00undraiser takes !n thousands ]y NATALIE JOHNSON Fantasy Forest-ers arned out in droves for 1is year's annual Mason ounty Hospital Associa- ion fundraiser, themed Midnight and Ice." Each November the mspital association puts ogether a week of galas, azaars, dances and days ,therwise filled with enter- ainment to raise money for worthy cause, said hospi- al association past presi- |ent and Chair of Fantasy orest Marian Greenberg. "The purpose of the fund to raise funds for equip- ent for Mason General t lospital and Family of (',linics," she said. A net profit from Fantasy t'orest was not available as c fthe Journal's press time. Greenberg has been in- olved with the association Journa Dno[os Dy Nalahe Johnson undation President Janis Byrd, left, and Fantasy Forest Chair Marian Greenberg Holiday Bazaar at the Pavilion at Sentry Park on Friday. Behind them is a tree called md in Byrd's honor. :st decks the halls and Fantasy Forest for 16 year . Lst year, all funds col- lectel at Fantasy Forest wen to fund an open MRI machine for the hospital. Together with Treasures thrift store, the Mason County Hospital Associa- tion aised $204,500 for the hospital, Greenberg said. Tis year, she said, some fund  will still go toward the purchase of the MRI. Also, Fani asy Forest's 2011 Fund- An-I;em was a Neoprobe Gain ma Detection System. • e Gamma Detection Syst m is a device that facili- tate minimally invasave sur- gerie like lymph node biop- sies t or cancer patients. The system uses wireless probes and l Iluetooth Technology. Gtla and Auction at- tendes helped fund the Gamma Detection System, whic] costs $44,000. Starting last Tuesday, Fantasy Forest put on 11 diffe'ent events, incl.uding the Fantasy Laugh Fac- tory 'omedy night, a father/ daughter dance, the Deck the Halls Holiday Bazaar and he final Gala on Sat- urda night. The highlights of Fan- tasy orest for many people are he custom decorated Christmas Trees up for Auction. All 15 donated Christmas trees were on display at the Holiday Ba- zaar Saturday. One tree in particular was very special to Green- berg. The "Byrd's of Para- dise" tree was created for her long time friend, Mason County Hospital Associa- tion President Janis Byrd, who is fighting ovarian can- cer. Karry Trout and Jody Olsen designed the tree. "It's spectacular," Byrd said. "I've been absolutely overwhelmed. The gal that designed it and her cowork- er wanted to do it in April and they asked me if it was okay. I just broke down." Byrd's tree sold for $4,200, Greenberg said. Trees generally sell at auc- tion for between $1,000 and $4,000, she said. After 16 years of Fantasy Forest. Greenberg said peo- ple just keep coming back. "It grows every year," she said. "What keeps people coming back is the knowl- edge that all the money goes to their local hospital." Morethan 400 people vol- unteered at Fantasy Forest this year, Greenberg said. "It overwhelms me every year," she said. Designer Christmas trees go on auction every year at the Mason General Hospital Foundation's Fantasy Foreat to help raise money for the hospital. This tree was deco- rated  th Sock monkeys and Radio Flyer wagons. Christmas basket fund kicks off By KEVAN MOORE Things are offto a promis- ing start for the 65 th annual Christmas basket fund spon- sored by the 40 et 8 and the Shelton Mason CountyJour- nat. So far, some $2.849 has been raised and this year's goal is $40,000. The largest donation to date. comes from the Yesteryear Car Club which cut a check for $1,250. Here is a look at the other donations that have been made so far: Mason County Auxil- lary 1694 VFW $50; D. Groth, $50; Ferdinand Schmitz, $100; Dudley and Ann Panchot. $125; an nony- mous $125 donation in mem- ory of: Allen and Mabel, Earl and Thelma, 3ohnnie and Marian, Eileen, and Marlo: Frankie Zehrung, $210; Jer- ry's Dinner. $439; and Ca- bane 135, $500. Donations to support the Christmas food baskets may be mailed to the Journal at P.O. Box 430. Shelton 98584 or dropped off a the newspaper office located at 227 West Cota Street during business hours. Make checks payable to: Journal -- 40 et 8 fund.