Commission Briefs

Sheriff’s Office orders four vehicles

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office was approved to place an order for four police interceptor utility vehicles to replace two canceled Interceptor Utility and Tahoe Canine vehicles for the 2023 Sheriff’s Office Motor Pool vehicles.

According to the information packet, county commissioners approved the order of three police pursuit vehicles on July 5, which consisted of one police interceptor and two Tahoe Canine vehicles, and one more pursuit vehicle was approved on Oct. 11. Enterprise recently notified the county that the four vehicle orders have been canceled by the factory due to the high volume of orders and small quantity of the county’s order. The other option for the county is to order the vehicles through a dealership at a higher cost. The Tahoe Canine vehicles are not available through a dealership and the MCSO determined two Interceptors in place of two Tahoes can be used as canine vehicles.

Enterprise expects inventory to become available with rising interest rates in the next few months and police pursuit vehicles are scarce.

The estimate from Enterprise was $51,970 per police interceptor utility, while the original quote received for the interceptors was $45,290 each and the Tahoes were quoted at $53,898 each. The total 2023 budget impact was estimated at $7,885 through the county’s four-year lease program.

Equalization to hear appeals

The Mason County Board of Equalization will hear completed and timely filed appeals for the 2022 assessment year.

According to the information packet, the Mason County assessor has certified the assessment rolls for the 2022 assessment year. According to RCW 84.48.010, petitions filed exceeded 25 or 10% of the number of appeals filed in the previous year. There were 148 petitions filed for 2022 and 139 filed for 2021.

Deputy assessor position open

Mason County commissioners approved the advertising and filling the nonrepresented chief deputy assessor position.

According to the information packet, Vickie King resigned as chief deputy assessor on Dec. 31. The position was advertised to ensure continuity and a smooth transition. The move will result in two people earning chief deputy salary for December.

Environmental health fees established

County commissioners finalized the 2023 environmental health fee schedule for the Mason County Public Health and Human Services.

According to the information packet, environmental health fees are to be adjusted for the 2023 calendar year. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in July was 8.3% and fees are being adjusted by a maximum of 5% per resolution. Calculated fees are rounded down to the nearest $5.

Some 2023 fees include the drinking water program plan review for $285 for a private two-party and $160 for resubmittal. Well construction permits will cost $285 and technical assistance is $95 per hour.

School inspection fees are $95 an hour. Water recreation fees are $480 for year-round operation and $95 for an additional pool or spa. Seasonal operation is $385 and $50 per additional pool or spa.

It is $95 an hour for an application for the municipal landfill and renewal and closure fees are $445. An application for the transfer station and moderate risk waste facility is $510 and $385 for a renewal. The application for the monofil or inert disposal or landfill is $575 for an application and $380 for a renewal. The woodwaste, composting and limited purpose landfill facility is $705 for an application and $445 for a renewal. An application for the tire pile, recycling conditional exempt waste facility and drop box is $385 and $285 for renewal.

Food service permit fees are $865 for complex large, $575 for complex small, $385 for noncomplex large and $285 for noncomplex small. Taverns are $865 for complex large, $575 for complex small and $285 for noncomplex. Espresso and bed and breakfast fees are $195.

Land use fees for BLA office reviews are $145. Large lot subdivision application fees are $445 and $35 per parcel fee. Short subdivision fees are $445, and normal subdivision application fees are $665 and a $35 per parcel fee.

Onsite sewage system fees include $525 for an individual permit and $265 for installation. Community and commercial fees include the base plus hourly rate greater than eight hours for $1,215.

For the full 2023 environmental health fee schedule, see pages 58 to 62 of the commissioner meeting packet at tinyurl.com/3asv8sm6.

Water main extension going forward

Mason County commissioners approved the Evergreen Estates Water Main Extension project at the Nov. 8 meeting.

According to the information packet, the county was awarded a Community Development BlockGgrant for the extension. The project will result in compliance with drinking water standards and increased levels of service, and some of the major components include installation of a water main, service line and meter connecting the mobile home park to the City of Shelton water system.

The project will provide an area benefit to the Mason County service area consisting of about 2,015 people with 1,080 having low and moderate incomes. The project will accomplish Housing and Urban Development’s outcome of increasing the community’s availability and access to sustainable infrastructure systems to achieve HUD’s objective of creating suitable living environments.

Public Works will advertise and set bid dates and times to award the contract and to procure engineering and architect consultant services for the project and for the county engineer or chair to sign all documents for the grant and project.

County employees receive 1.75% wage increase

County commissioners approved a 1.75% general wage increase for nonrepresented employees.

According to the information packet, Human Resources recommended the increase effective Jan. 1. The increase will maintain parity with increases for members of current collective bargaining agreements within the county. The increase will help address market issues that arise from the classification and compensation study.

The budget impact for 2023 is $116,000.