Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Public comment sought at July 19 hearing
Crews work on a section of the Belfair Sewer project behind the Olympic Ridge development in Belfair on Dec. 6, 2021.
The Belfair sewer project has received bids for its proposed extension, and Mason County commissioners will decide Tuesday what action to take.
The commissioners had a briefing July 6 to go over information with County Administrator Mark Neary, Public Works Director Loretta Swanson and Deputy Director of Utilities and Waste Richard Dickinson.
According to the briefing information packet, commissioners voted April 5 to authorize the Public Works Department to advertise and set a bid opening for the proposed trunk extension of the sewer project. The low bidder was Pape and Sons Construction from Gig Harbor with a bid of $4,231,500. The estimated cost to complete construction ranges from $5.03 to $5.2 million. Commerce grant and loan money are available to pay for construction-related expenses.
The county has until July 26 to choose a bid for the project and the state Department of Commerce loan includes financial incentives if the project is completed one or two years prior to April 9, 2025. An existing commerce grant has a remaining balance of $1.1 million and land can be acquired under that grant, although a scope and schedule change are needed to pay for construction management and engineering services from the grant.
The information packet recommends the board award the project to Pape and Sons.
During the briefing, Swanson said the land the county needs to acquire is about 80,000 square feet, and it is an easement to construct the trunk line and some fee acquisition to construct a lift station.
Swanson said two property owners the county is working with control the easements. One is the U.S. Navy, which the county has been working with to obtain the easement, and the other owner is David Overton. Swanson said Overton has indicated a willingness to donate the property and the county is working with him on an agreement for the land.
Dickinson showcased spreadsheets to the commissioners, laying out a variety of measures and scenarios, depending on how the commissioners decide to pay for the project if it is approved. Assumptions for the numbers include the cost of the project at $5 million, and the Commerce loan is reduced by 5% with loan forgiveness. It assumes capital facilities charges collected from existing and permitted projects only, CFCs reserved and used for future capital needs and adjusted once construction is complete. The spreadsheets with the scenarios laid out are at tinyurl.com/2p9bcaac.
The public can comment and ask questions about accepting the proposed sewer bids during the hearing at the July 19 meeting.
Commissioner Randy Neatherlin voiced his opposition to proceeding with the sewer bids. He was the lone commissioner to vote against the project going out to bid.
"We can't afford to do this. This money should be spent on the jail, if anything else," Neatherlin said. "There's nothing here that shows we would get this money back. Although that was a great presentation, it doesn't change the situation that we're in when it comes to doing this. ... There are a lot of things going on so I myself would like to see it not even go onto an agenda, but I understand that you win some, you lose some."
Neatherlin said he was willing to compromise and at least pay to run the sewer line under the railroad tracks up to the Overton property.
Commissioners Kevin Shutty and Sharon Trask both said they are comfortable with moving forward and putting the Belfair sewer project bids on the agenda for the Tuesday meeting.
"We have quite a few options and we have a lot of studying to do," Trask said. "I do believe that we're going to make the best decision for the county."
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