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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
December 22, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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December 22, 2011
 
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LH Thursday, December 22, 2011 -- Week 51 -- The Voice of Mason County since 1886 --- Published in Shelton, Washington -- $1 By NATALIE JOHNSON In a move that has come as a surprise to many people, the Ma- son County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) recommended on Monday, Dec. 12 that the Board of County Commissioners not ap- prove a $95,000 request by the Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce for General Tourism Management. The committee, consisting of members Ned Kjeldgaard, Brian Cook, Bev Voss-Petredis, Jean Farmer, Heidi McCutcheon, Mark Woytowich and county commis- sioner Steve Bloomfield rec- ommended in- stead that the commission ap- prove a $36,000 General Tourism Management Steve grant to Olym- Bloomfield pic Broadcasting Inc, which owns KMAS and Ma- son County Daily News. "I think it is a horrible idea for you to take this out of the chamber's hands and put it into an advertising/broadcast com- pany," said McCutcheon, execu- tive director of the Mason County Chamber of Commerce, during the meeting. McCutcheon abstained from voting on the conflicting proposals. Whoever gets the grant money will work with the Joint Cham- bers Tourism Advisory Board to get direction for its plan. Olympic Broadcasting also sug- gested changing the name of the Joint Chambers Tourism Advi- sory Council to the Mason County Tourism Advisory Council in its proposal. Earlier this week, McCutch- con called LTAC group's decision "odd." "Of course we're disappointed," she said. The chamber of commerce re- quested $95,000 of lodging tax funds for 2012, the exact amount that was granted by the county to the organization in 2011. The chamber submitted a pro- posal showing that, as in past years, the $95,000 would be used to cover printing costs for maps and visitor guides, the distribu- tion of the visitor guide, tourism videos, website maintenance and design work, website and media marketing and a blogger, contract- ed at $250 per month. According to McCutcheon, the salaries of chamber employees working on tourism efforts and building maintenance costs are not included in the proposal. However, $10,000 of the cham- ber's requested $95,000 is desig- See LTAC on page A-8 Four ducks sit on a log on Thursday, Dec. 15, on Oakland Bay. Journal photo by Kelly Riordan County looks for options after utilities director departure By NATALIE JOHNSON Mason County is down a department head after Utilities and Waste Direc- tor Emmett Dobey stepped down on Friday, Dec. 9. County Human Resourc- es Director Karen Jackson asked the Mason County Board of Commissioners for direction on how to proceed filling the vacancy during a briefing session on Monday, but could get no concrete answer from the commis- sion. "It was a pretty sudden departure," commissioner Tim Sheldon said. "I don't have enough information to: make a recommendation." Commissioners Sheldon and Steve Bloomfield at- tended the briefing, while commissioner Lynda Ring Erickson was absent. Dobey left to accept a job at the Association of Wash- ington Counties, said Utili- ties and Waste Deputy Di- rector Tom Moore. One of Dobey's responsi- in light of the vacancy, the county should look at changing the organiza- tion of personnel at the county. Right now, department heads and elected officials report directly to the com- mission during briefings and commission meet- ings. Sheldon proposed adding a County Admin- istrator position. ' Sheldon first suggest- ed finding someone who could work half time as a Utilities Director and half time as a county adminis- trator: Jackson said this would~ be a complicated process. "To find someone with that mix of skills would be a challenge," she said. Sheldon further said that he would like to privatize the solid waste department, rather than pay a contractor, John Cunningham, to act as Solid Waste Manager for the county. Jackson encouraged bilities was to manage the the commission to make a Belfair sewer project, now: decision on filling the va- in its first stage, cant Utilities and Waste Sheldon suggested that Director position. "We have an immedi- ate need," she said. "Right [[[l!lJ !]!![[!!!][![!][[] Johnn°W you've got TOmand (Moore) and you've got 8 21 (Cunningham) no one else. I haven't had any direction." Sheldon said it would be impossible to make a decision on how to begin looking for a Utilities and Waste Manager without further discussion. He said a County Adminis- trator would greatly help in situations like this. "Steve (Bloomfield) and I can't talk to each other," he said. "Any $88 million company would have a CEO who would report to the board of directors." Mason County's total 2012 budget amounts to about $88 million. "To manage $88 mil- lion and you can't talk to each other - we end up do- ing business in this little bubble where people talk to us and we don't have enough information ... to make a decision," Sheldon said. Sheldon told Jackson it would be "worthwhile" to hire a consultant to give the commission a recom- mendation on how best to go about adding an ad- ministrator to the coun- ty's personnel. However, as the Belfair sewer project continues into Phase 1, the county is still without a Utilities and Waste Director. Journal photo by Natalie Johnson Mason County Human Resources Director Karen Jackson asked the county commis- sion on Monday for direction on how to proceed with hiring a new utilities director. Shelton's sewer rates will go up By NATALIE JOHNSON The City of Shelton Com- mission plans to vote on a proposed "cost of services" sewer rate increase of 4.9 percent during its 2 p.m. study session on Dec. 27. Community and Econom- ic Development Director ,Steve Goins presented the commission with the pro- posed rates on Monday eve- ning. He said Shelton sewer rates have not increased since 2009. The city had planned to raise sewer rates even more in 2012, but because sewer projects came in un- der budget, Goins said the city could afford to delay a larger increase. The proposed increase is supposed to be an interim increase and only be enough to maintain services, main- tenance, debt service pay- ments and capital projects. The interim rate increase is designed to give the city time to update its Sewer Comprehensive Plan includ- ing a sewer rate study and six-year rate plan, Goins See Sewer on page A-6 Chrismas fund surpasses $ 24K 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 $24,169. Donations to support the Christmas food baskets are still being accepted and may be mailed to the Jour- nal at P.O. Box 430, Shelton 98584 or dropped off at the newspaper office located at 227 West Cota Street dur- ing business hours. Make checks payable to: Journal -- 40 et 8 fund. The most recent dona- tions include: N.C. Zimmer- schied, $20; Wayne & Dar- lene Casteel, $300; Jean- nette and Michael Sargent, $200; in memory of David Robecker, $250; anonymous, $150; Edward L. Vogt, $100; Thomas Nelson, $50; Roger and Robbi Alberts, $200; anonymous, $500; in Memory of Tom Ogden, $100; Robert and Virginia Stone, $50; anonymous, See Fund on page A.6