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Page A—8 - Shelton-Mason County Journal — Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020
County declines allowed 1% property tax increases
By Kirk Boxleitner
kbox/eitner@masoncounty. com
Mason County residents will not
see an increase in their property taxes
for 2021 after county commissioners
passed resolutions Nov. 24 to raise the
2021 property tax levies for current ex-
penses and roads by 0% rather than the
1% allowed.
The current expense levy was set at
$10,466,495, while the road levy was
set at $11,208,298. Commissioners
also approved a diversion of $1,080,000
fromthe road levy to the current ex—
pense levy. ,
“It’s a compliment to the commis-
sion,” District 1 Commissioner Randy
Neatherlin said. “I can assure you, oth-
er counties are not doing the same. I’m
proud of you all of us.”
District 2 Commissioner Kevin
Shutty described the commissioners’
joint decision as a priority “I think we
all shared, going into the budget this
year, recognizing the challenges that
people are facing.”
While Shutty stated that neither he
nor his fellow Mason County commis-
sioners would presume to speak for ju—
nior taxing districts or the state on the
matter of property taxes, he deemed
2020 “a unique year” that made it
well worth it for the commissioners to
consider “providing some tax relief” to
their own county and its taxpayers.
Shutty acknowledged that a num—
ber of details remain to be worked out,
especially as the county proceeds to-
ward adopting a budget for 2021 within
weeks, but he sees it as fortunate that
“we’ve worked very hard, over the past
couple of years, to build up our fund
balance, so that we could weather situ-
ations like this.”
Shutty echoed Neatherlin in noting
that Mason County is not taking the
allowed 1% increase before he com-
mended the county’s budget staff, and
county Assessor’s Office staff, for pro-
viding the commissioners with “a good
picture of the finances” so the board
could deliberate in an informed man-
ner and “make this decision on behalf
of our constituents.”
“This has been quite the experience,
and quite the year, to have so many
things going on,” said District 3 Com-
missioner Sharon Trask, who noted‘
she’s sitting 'in on her second budget
year this year. “We do want to make
sure that Mason County residents are
taken care of as much as we can.”
The proposed expense budget for
2021 adds up to $53,464,511, of which
more than $14.5 million would go to-
ward the Sheriffs Office, $2.7 million
would be set aside for community de-
velopment and more than $2 million
would be devoted to juvenile court ser-
vices. ,
As for the county’s proposed
$72,388,976 budget for “special and.
other” funds in 2021, county roads
would receive more than $29 million,
the landfill would get more than $5 mil-
lion and $4.8 million would be directed
to the Belfair sewer system.
A public hearing on Mason County’s
2021 budget is set for 9 a.m. on Mon-
day and copies of the budget are avail-
able on the county website at www.
co.mason.wa.us/commissioners/2021-
budget-information.php.
Water, sewer, solid waste rates set to increase in 2021
By kirk Boxleitner
kbox/eitner@masoncounty. com
The Mason County Board of Commissioners
next week is set to approve solid-waste disposal
rate increases for 2021, and water and sewer sys-
tem rate increases for North Bay, Rustlewood and
Beards Cove.
Per existing Mason County resolutions, solid-
waste disposal rates at all Mason County transfer
and drop box stations will increase by 2.1% begin-
ning Jan. 1, just as all water and sewer rates and
fees at the Mason County-owned-and-operated
Rustlewood, Beards Cove and North Bay/Case In-
let water and sewer systems will increase by 1.3%
for the 2021 calendar year.
County resolutions dictate these solid-waste
fees should increase each year by the amount of the
October-to-October Consumer Price Index for the
Olympia metropolitan area, to cover the annual
cost increase experienced by Mason County to op-
erate and maintain the Shelton, Hoodsport, Union
and Belfair transfer and drop box stations.
County resolutions also dictate that the increase
in water and sewer rates and fees should corre-
spond to the April 2020 Consumer Price Index for
the Bremerton area, for the one-year period that
ended in April of this year.
By county resolution, this latter increase ap-
plies to all charges associated with the aforemen:
tioned water and sewer utility'systems, including
monthly service rates, connection and permit fees,
and other related charges, as well as covering the
annual cost increase experienced by the county for
the operation and maintenance of those utility sys—
terns.
Notices are Set to be mailed out to Beards Cove,
North Bay/Case Inlet and Rustlewood utility users.
Based on the CPI adjustment for 2019 to 2020
of 2.1%, the disposal rates for 2021 at the Mason
County solid waste transfer station increased. The
refuse collection tax is 3.6% of the untaxed rates.
In Rustlewood, the monthly rates are $40.82 for
water and $108.82 for sewer, for a total of $149.64,
and the connection fees are $2,346.52 for water and
$5,866.27 for sewer, for a total of$8,212.80 in‘2021.
In Beards Cove, the monthly rate is $40.82, and
the connection fee is $2,346.52, for water in 2021,
while in Belfair, the monthly rate is $96, and the
connection rate is $1 1,300, per equivalent rate unit
for sewer in 2021.
And in North Bay/Case Inlet, the monthly rate
is $115, the connection fee is $11,561.69 and the
grinder pump fee is $4,547.63, for sewer in 2021.
comm
Commissioners
look at radar units
Mason County commissioners re-
ceived a briefing Nov. 23 on a proposal
that the board authorize Public Works
to purchase five law enforcement ra-
dar units, STARnext software and a
laptop as a sole-source purchase total-
ing $15,870.
Mike Collins, county engineer and
Public Works deputy director, said
the department uses road tube traffic
counters to collect traffic data on coun-
ty-maintained roads to monitor road
use and changes in traffic flow.
According to Collins, the county’s
traffic counters have outdated soft-
ware and require staff to enter the
traffic streamyto install tubes on the
road.
Collins said the new radar units
can be used year-round, and can be
mounted to light poles and signposts
along one side of the road, without
road tubes or installation in the road,
creating safer conditions for staff.
The $15,870 cost of the law enforce-
ment radar units, with a laptop and
software, would come out of the 2020
road fund budget.
Because JAMAR Technologies is
the sole source supplier of the law an-
forcement radar traffic counter and
the STARnext software system, the
proposal presented to the board Nov.
23 asserted that the county would be
authorized to purchase this package
without proceeding ‘to secure com-
petitive bids, since state law specifies
w, .m’ .
CANNABIS
fo , Gurbsr
P«i kup
30%0FF Store-Wide Until 12/31/2
, .1; _l
3331 WA Hwy 3 - Shelton
360—1126 06/5
Owned 8:
Operated
210 This product has
intoxicating eflem and may
be habit forming. Marijuana
(an impair toneqttration.
coordination, and judgment.
Do not operate a vehide
or maritlnery under the
influence of this drug. There
maybe health risksasstxiated “
with consumption of this . .
prod utt.
For use only by adults twenty
one and older. Keep out 01
the reach of (hlldren
1065 SE WA Hwy ' Shelton
3607112673390
exemptions to competitive bidding
requirements for purchases that are
“clearly and legitimately” limited to a
single source of supply.
Tree removal on
North Shore Road
Mason County Public Works Direc-
tor Loretta Swanson reported Nov. 24
on a partnership between the county
and Mason Public Utility District 3 to
remove trees on North Shore Road.
Mason County Public Works is
advising drivers that the county and
PUD 3 are working together to re-
move potential hazardous trees from
the banks of North Shore Road be-
tween milepost 14.19, near the inter-
section with Belfair Tahuya Road to
milepost 19.76, near Old Cedar Hill
Lane.
Swanson said the effort is intended
to reduce the number of power outag-
es and emergency road closures due
to downed trees.
The project is set to operate as a
mobile unit, leaving one lane open to
traffic, requiring temporary delays
to allow crews to safely fell the trees
during daylight Mondays through
Fridays. Public Works Department
anticipates it will take two weeks to
complete.
A reader board is stationed at the
beginning of North Shore Road to ad-
vise drivers of delays during the proj-
ect.
I Compiled by Kirk Boxleitner
Ru
3“: 9
Thank You for the Great Support and
Patronage Over the Years!
V Clipperz Barber Shop is Closing December 23Lcl
i.
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Rwy m A. d “41‘