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
December 8, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 1     (1 of 22 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 1     (1 of 22 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
December 8, 2011
 
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




I Thursday, December 8, 2011 "fy'i Journal photos by Natalie Johnson Chief Finance Manager Theresia Ehrich briefed the Mason County Commission one last time on the 2012 budget at Monday's meeting. By NATALIE JOHNSON Following a public hearing at which no citizens testified, the Mason County Board of Commissioners voted Monday to approve an $88 million 2012 budget. The commissioners approved the budget with a nearly $1.2 million shortfall, which wil! come out of the county's projected $6.9 million ending fund balance from this year. However, it's the way the county ap- proved the budget that has some citizens and elected officials worried. The county approved the budget not dur- ing a regular Tuesday commission meeting but on Monday, traditionally a briefing day for the commission at which no action is taken. Also, on Tuesday during its regular meeting the county commission made what it called a "clarification" to the motion with which they passed the budget the previous dayl Some in the audience, including Sheriff Casey Salisbury and former county commis- sioner Annette McGee questioned whether the new motion was merely a clarification or an amendment to the budget, which would require separate notice and a public hearing. The "clarification!' motion was at no point added to Tuesday's agenda. The commissioners voted on it after they accepted the action agenda and before a public hearing scheduled to discuss a zon- ing issue. The commissioners stated that they dis- cussed the issue with Mason County Pros- ecutor Mike Dorcy just prior to Tuesday's meeting. The commissioners' office sent out a notice of an 8:30 a.m. Tuesday Central Operations briefing that made no mention See Budget on page A-7 PUD 3 proposes rate increase By NATALIE JOHNSON The Mason County PUD 3 Commission reviewed its preliminary 2012 budget Tuesday, which includes a 3 percent customer rate in- crease. The proposed budget, revealed ata public hear- ing at the Tuesday, Dec: 6 PUD 3 commission meeting, includes a balanced budget totaling $57,041,804. The PUD commission has not approved the bud- get yet. The commission has meetings scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 13 and Tuesday, December 20 at the PUD 3 auditorium in Shelton. The proposed 3 percent rate increase also comes with a 10 cent per day in- crease in the daily customer charge. The increases are in response to several factors, See PUD on page A-7,, 40 et 8, Journal fund Holiday season arrives in Shelton Tree lighting, parade kick off area's festivities By NATALIE JOHNSON The tree has been trimmed, the lights have been lit and Santa Claus has ridden into town on a fire truck. It's officially Christmas season in Shelton. All last week, crews worked to put up lights and decorations throughout the city, known as Christmas Town USA. Kristmas Town Kiwanis' annualtree lighting ceremony went off without a hitch, with musi- cal performances ledbyElizabethBerndt of the Harstine~ ls!and.C0mmunity Choir. Lt. Gover~or~ Brad Owen spoke about how lucky~ Shelton residents are to have such a celebration and counted down with the crowd to light Shelton's Christmas tree. In addition to the events put on by Krist- mastown Kiwanis, the Shelton Downtown Merchants put on the annual First Friday. Shops stayed open until 8 p.m. and show- cased artistic displays. On Saturday, the annual Kristmas Town Kiwanis Christmas Parade drove through 12 blocks of Railroad Avenue. Thousands of people turned out to see dozens of floats and displays drive through Shelton to celebrate the start'of the Christ.- mas season. Rick Wood and his grandson Julian Cain watch the Christmas tree lighting at Post Office Park in Shelton last Friday night. After the lights were up, Elizabeth Berndt of the Harstine Island Community Choir performed. Journal photo by Natalie Johnson reaches $10,000 By KEVAN MOORE The 65th annual Christ- mas basket fund, sponsored by the 40 et 8 and the Shel- ton-Mason County Journal, has now raised $10,409. This year's goal is $40,000. Donations to sup- port the Christmas food baskets may be mailed to the Journal at P.O. Box 430, Shelton 98584 or dropped off at the newspaper office located at 227 West Cota Street during business hours. Make checks payable to: Journal -- 40 et 8 fund. Here is a look at donations made to the fund in the last week: in memory of John & Frail Luhm, $100; in mem- ory of Ed Johnson,S100; in memory of Chris Boelk and his grandfather, George Hasbrock, $200; in memory See Fund on page A-6 IIIIU!!I!!II!U!I!I!!III2 Neon sign project shines light on Shelton By NATALIE JOHNSON so great is how involved this commu- nity is." December is here and Christmas Along Railroad Avenue, signs that lights are popping up all over town, once hung dark and dreary off their but a different kind of light is also buildingsarenowlightingupthenight making Shelton merry and brightsky in Shelton. this season. Restored signs were for the Shel- Early this year, Forrest Cooperton Inn, the Ming Tree, the Angle started restoring five historic neon building, Stewart Realty and the signs along Railroad Avenue in Pine Tree. downtown Shelton. Cooper led a tour Cooper spent months painstak- through Shelton as he lit the signs ingly repainting and repairing the last Wednesday, Nov. 30. broken signs with the help of many "It was to create a sense of com- other members of the community, in- munity and offer encouragement cluding neon sign shops, electricians to other businesses downtown," he andmore. said. "That's what makes this town See Neon on page A-7 At left, the Shelton Inn sign was one of the five neon signs in Forrest Cooper's Shelton Neon Project. e s t t| rant Journal photos by Natalie Johnson The Ming Tree restaurant got new neon work as part of the Shelton Neon Project. Stewart Realty sign was sign restored as part of the Shelton Neon Project that does not represent a current business in Shelton.