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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.