Commission Briefs

Sewer hearing moved to 6 p.m.

Mason County commissioners approved moving the time of a Belfair sewer public hearing to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1.

During the meeting, county resident Ken Vanbuskirk asked commissioners why the meeting was moved from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and commissioner Kevin Shutty responded that it was changed so more people could attend an evening public hearing.

The first public hearing was Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. through Zoom, and the hearing lasted more than four hours. After hearing from county staff and the public, commissioners decided to continue the hearing in 30 days so staff could gather more information before the commissioner’s act. The commissioner’s voted 2-1 to continue the public hearing, with commissioner Randy Neatherlin voting against continuing the public hearing.

To join the Belfair sewer public hearing, go to masoncountywa.gov.

ARPA money moved for fiber project

Mason County commissioners approved the reallocation of $100,000 of American Rescue Plan Act money to the Mason County PUD 1 Eldon Fiber Buildout project at the Feb. 15 commissioners meeting.

According to the information packet, the money is being reallocated from Mason County PUD 1’s residential customer arrearages contract. PUD 1 Treasurer Katie Arnold wrote a letter to commissioners Jan. 19 to request the change in money allocation. The PUD was awarded $125,000 of ARPA money, keeping $25,000 to assist with customer arrearages.

“The district has had success in applying assistance to customer accounts, but with other assistance programs available, the amount of assistance needed from ARPA isn’t as high as we originally anticipated,” Arnold wrote in the letter to the commissioners.

Sheriff’s Office hiring for north precinct

Mason County commissioners approved a request from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office to hire a community service officer for the North Precinct in Belfair.

According to the information packet, the North End office in Belfair has been run with volunteers since its inception. The number of volunteers is shrinking, making it more difficult to keep the office open.

The Sheriff’s Office requested the position during the 2022 budget process and briefed commissioners in January. MCSO would like to recruit and hire someone to answer customer questions, assist deputies and volunteers in routine tasks. The position could be filled before the first budget amendment hearing in June since the MCSO has the available budget capacity.

The approximate budget effect for this full-time position is $53,000.

Contract for Sandhill Park for turf field and shelter signed

Mason County commissioners approved County Administrator Mark Neary to sign the contract with Landscape Architect Robert W. Droll for planning to apply for a RCO grant for a Sandhill Park multipurpose turf field and a Union Community Park shelter.

According to the information packet, Neary was also authorized to sign the letter of intent to the state Recreation and Conservation Office. The projects for Sandhill Park include a synthetic turf multipurpose field with a cost estimate of $2,335,000. Several grants the county is applying for to pay for are the multipurpose field, including a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program recreation grant and a Youth Athletic Facilities grant. If the county is awarded both grants, the county’s match of money would be $1,485,000.

The 30-by-60 foot shelter at the Union Community Park is estimated to cost $515,000. If the WWRP-recreation grant is awarded to the county, the county’s money match for the project would be $205,200.

Maintenance and repair of jail security systems approved

The county commissioners approved a services agreement with Corrections Technology Group for maintenance and repair of specified security systems at the county jail.

According to the information packet, the agreement is ongoing with CTG for the jail doors and locks security system. The maintenance is already budgeted and paid for in the Sheriff’s Office budget at $63,059 plus tax.

County signs public health amendment

The county signed a consolidated contract amendment that adds statements of work for public health and the environment at the Feb. 15 commissioner’s meeting.

According to the information packet, the amendments include COVID-19 mass vaccinations by FEMA and $1,522,000 for foundational public health services. The amendment includes $50,770 for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. The amendment includes $23,000 for the Office of Drinking Water Group A Program as a fee for service for performing sanitary surveys on group A water systems and $6,469 for the Office of Drinking Water Group B program.

The amendments include $354,803 for planning and tracking COVID-19 immunization and cases, $75,000 for on-site sewage systems local management plan and $5,250 for ongoing work of sampling and posting beaches for recreational shellfish.

The 2022 budget effect has been planned for and the 2023 money has not been budgeted yet.

Health Care Delivery contract amended

County commissioners approved a contract amendment with Health Care Delivery at the Mason County Jail.

According to the information packet, Health Care Delivery is contracted to provide inmate medical care and the parent contract was signed in 2017. The commissioners signed a contract amendment in October 2020 to increase nursing service and administrative RN rates $3 per hour to $60 per hour. The amendment did not address holiday nursing hours and this amendment would raise the holiday pay from $28.50 to $30 per hour and will be retroactive for 2021.

The amendment will effect the budget $168.

Financial Analyst hire approved for succession training

Retiring financial analyst for Mason County Kelly Bergh was approved for one month of succession training by the county commissioners.

According to the information packet, Bergh will retire from the county March 18. Bergh runs many tasks for the county, including payroll, payables, project accounting, internal allocation and IT rate collections, credit card administration, budget amendments and transfers and grant management. The county has an internal candidate who will start Wednesday and the month of overlap will help Bergh train the new financial analyst. The cost will be $6,000 to the Support Services Department.

Timberland Regional Library board member approved

Mason County commissioners approved the appointment of Mary Beth Harrington to the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees.

According to the information packet, the term will expire Dec. 31, 2023. Harrington is a Thurston County appointment, and she is an independent nonprofit consultant. She was the director of volunteers at the Dallas Public Library, responsible for recruiting and managing 2,500 volunteers serving 23 Dallas library locations. She has also been the executive director of the Austin Public Library Foundation, responsible for ensuring a successful bond election to pay for the construction of a library and helped the development and maintenance of 11 other branches in Austin.

North Mason Little League concessions contract approved

North Mason Little League’s contract for the Sandhill Park concession stand was approved through 2023.

According to the information packet, the contract expired in February 2020 and was not extended due to COVID. North Mason Little League requested the contract to be extended to 2023 and the league will remit $900 to the county at the end of each season.

Public Works purchases two pup trailers

Mason County Public Works can acquire two new pup trailers.

According to the information packet, the Road Operations and Maintenance Division has nine trucks and two pup trailers. The purchase of additional pup trailers would allow the division to use more trucks to haul additional materials to job sites to save the county time and money with trucking operations.

The equipment will be purchased from OSW Equipment & Repair out of Woodinville and off of a state contract for a price of $93,641.63 each for a total of $187,283.26 plus tax.

Preliminary Platting Standards public hearing March 15

Mason County commissioners approved a public hearing for March 15 to consider amendments to the Preliminary Platting Standards.

According to the information packet, the chapter being amended addresses health requirements related to plats and property subdivisions and ensures new lots are properly sized and divided to allow proper sewage disposal and safe drinking water. Some of the changes include language updates, adopting definitions in county and state code, adopts state code requirements and clarifies administrative requirements such as forms and fees.

To view the changes, go to pages 57 to 62 of the commissioner’s information packet at tinyurl.com/2p95vw6b.