Commission Briefs

County purchases building for coroner, facilities

Mason County commissioners gave preliminary approval to purchase the property at 126 Kneeland St. in Shelton as the new location for the Mason County coroner and facilities at the Tuesday meeting.

According to the information packet, Mason County facilities and coroner's offices need more space, with the lease on the current building set to expire in March. The coroner's office has office space, but needs more operational space and cold storage abilities.

The new location at 126 Kneeland St. in downtown Shelton is a 12,000-square-foot warehouse that includes a small office at the front of the building. The location is optimal for both the coroner and facilities. The coroner will have van access due to the large roll-up doors that will allow the office to transfer bodies out of the van and into storage in a private, secure setting. Facilities will be able to store equipment and perform carpentry and welding projects.

The property is less than 1 mile from the county campus facilities.

The seller agreed to pay for commercial appraisal and the Phase 1 environmental inspection and a Phase 2 report if necessary.

The budget impact is $550,000, and will be paid for out of the REET 1 fund. The county can terminate or renegotiate the price if the appraisal value is less than the purchase price or if the environmental reports require mitigation on the property.

Utility rates rise

Mason County commissioners approved a 5% rate increase in 2023 for the North Bay, Rustlewood, Beards Cove and Belfair utility systems at Tuesday's meeting.

According to a news release, all water and sewer rates and fees at the Mason County owned and operated facilities in Rustlewood, Beards Cove, North Bay/Case Inlet and Belfair are increased. The increase applies to monthly service rates to cover the annual cost increase experienced by the county for operation and maintenance.

Notices will be mailed to all customers affected by the increase. Rustlewood water rates will be $44.32 per equivalent residential unit (ERU) and $118.15 for Rustlewood sewer rates per ERU. North Bay and Case Inlet sewer rates will be $124.86 and Beards Cove water rates increased to $44.32 per ERU. Belfair sewer rates increased to $100.80 per ERU.

Commissioner Randy Neatherlin said the rate increase "is a change from what we were supposed to do."

"What you're hearing here is we are suspending our regular way of doing business, which was to go specifically with a price index, that would have meant the increase would have been over 9% and the commission stuck together and decided that this one time, we're going to go ahead and move that sideways and just do 5% across the board," Neatherlin said. "This will include Belfair and I want to say, anybody that wants to get mad, even my own community on that one, they can't blame these commissioners. It's time after 10 years. I've worked real hard to keep that price down but after 10 years, it's not fair. It's me that requested that, not them trying to do anything out there."

Bear Creek Dewatto Road improvements

Mason County commissioners approved a County Road Administration Board RAP Project Prospectus contract for Bear Creek Dewatto Road improvements from milepost 0.43 to 1.02 at the Dec. 6 meeting.

According to the information packet, the County Road Administration Board approved $680,000 for the project. The section of road to be improved has deficient horizontal curves for line of sight, radius and posted speed, which contributes to an abnormally high accident rate. The section will be realigned horizontally to meet current standards for the posted speed of 35 mph along with shoulder widening and clear zone improvements.

The project has been approved for County Road Administration Board Rural Arterial Trust Account money of $594,000 and the remaining $86,000 will come from the county roads fund. The project is listed on the six-year transportation improvement program and will be added to the 2024 annual construction program.

Money approved for Grapeview

A resolution was approved for $20,000 for the Port of Grapeview to support operations and maintenance of the port's boat launch, restroom and boat dock.

According to the information packet, the 2022-23 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy project list was amended to include the request for the Port of Grapeview. The list was adopted in May as recommended by the Economic Development Council. The Port of Grapeview submitted the request from the 0.09 Rural County Sales & Use Tax Fund No. 103 and needed to be added to the project list to be eligible for the money.

Public Defense grant approved

The 2023 Office of Public Defense grant was approved by Mason County commissioners.

According to the information packet, this is a yearly grant from the Office of Public Defense. The grant amount is $64,058.

Sheriff purchases armored vehicle

Mason County commissioners cleared the Mason County Sheriff's Office to purchase a Terradyne Armored Vehicle with American Rescue Plan Act money.

According to the information packet, county commissioners approved the use of ARPA money for a BearCat Armored Vehicle for the Sheriff's Office for $342,000 at the Oct. 25 meeting. After comparing BearCat to the TerraDyne vehicle, the MCSO determined TerraDyne is superior for quality and safety, specifically because it has better ballistic protection, a powered front ram, a powered ballistic apron and is built on a one-piece frame. The price of the TerraDyne is estimated at $369,700 plus a sales tax of 9.1% for $33,643 and licensing fees of $150 for a total cost of $403,493. The SWAT vehicle is estimated to take one year to build and would require a contract for half the funding paid upon order and half paid after delivery. The manufacturer is the only seller of this specific vehicle and the purchase must meet the requirements for a sole source purchase.

To pay for the vehicle, $342,000 in ARPA money already approved for the BearCat vehicle will be put toward the TerraDyne vehicle. The Sheriff's Office was approved to use $61,493 from the general fund for the rest of the purchase.

Parametrix, county contract for landfill

Mason County commissioners approved the execution of an agreement with Parametrix for post closure monitoring and on-call services for the Mason County Eells Hill Landfill for a maximum payable amount of $29,507.08.

According to the information packet, county commissioners approved a contract with Parametrix on March 15 for post closure monitoring and on-call services for the Mason County Eells Hill landfill that closed in 1993. Commissioners authorized the deputy director to execute a time extension on Aug. 30. Mason County Environmental Health and the Department of Ecology are requiring one more year of groundwater monitoring to clarify results from previous sampling events. A scope of work and sampling plan was prepared that provides information to the regulatory agencies to support a decision to end post closure monitoring.

The current contract had a maximum payout of $7,602 and the new maximum payable amount is $29,507.08. The money has been budgeted for.

Zylstra reappointed to library board

County commissioners signed a letter of concurrence with Lewis County's reappointment of Brian Zylstra to the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2029.

According to the information packet, Timberland Regional Library is a five-county rural library district consisting of Grays Harbor, Mason, Lewis, Pacific and Thurston counties. The library is governed by a seven-member board of trustees. Lewis County commissioners approved the reappointment and a letter of concurrence is requested for the reappointment.

WIC Clinic funding

An application to bring the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, infants and children was accepted.

According to the information packet, Public Health and Human Services, in partnership with Mason Health and Shelton Family YMCA, submitted the application to bring WIC services back to the community. The state Department of Health issued a formal letter to offer WIC funding, and the projected date for clinic services to begin is in June.