County Briefs

One hurt in Route 106 crash

A Port Orchard man was hospitalized Sunday afternoon after a two-car accident on state Route 106.

According to a Washington State Patrol news release, the 61-year-old Port Orchard man was stopped while eastbound on Route 106 trying to make a left turn at milepost 17. A 45-year-old eastbound Port Orchard man rear-ended the other car as he was waiting to turn left.

The 61-year-old man was injured and transported to St. Michael’s Medical Center in Silverdale. The 45-year-old was not injured in the accident and was charged with negligent driving in the second degree.

SR 302 Purdy Creek closure

A fish habitat project will close state Route 302 and detour traffic using Purdy Lane Northwest from 144th Street Northwest to the state Route 302 spur beginning in the spring.

According to a state Department of Transportation blog post, setting up a detour includes paving Purdy Lane Northwest and installing a temporary signal at the intersection of 144th Street NW and Purdy Lane NW. Travelers can expect night lane closures now as crews prepare Purdy Lane Northwest for the detour. The detour will be in place for about eight months while crews remove an old culvert under the Route 302 spur.

For more information, go to http://www.tinyurl.com/3dxhhjuj.

New land, development maps

Commissioners adopted amendments to the Mason County Future Land Use map and Development Areas map for five parcels of land.

According to the information packet, the Community Development Department will periodically bring map corrections to the Planning Advisory Commission and the county commissioners for approval in an effort to provide the most accurate information to the public and staff.

Four parcels were approved to be changed from long-term commercial forest lands to inholding lands. The total amount of land in the four parcels is 10.86 acres. Parcel No. 61918-33-00010 is on the border of Mason and Grays Harbor counties and it was most likely incorrectly translate to the Geographic Information System in 2006. Parcel No. 42015-33-00010 is a lot bisected by W. Carman Road North and contains residential development.

One parcel is changing from rural natural resource lands to rural residential 10. Parcel No. 42022-21-00010 was originally owned by Simpson Lumber Co., and the company eventually deeded the access parcel over to the owners of the residential property it bisected. Green Diamond owns the adjacent forest lands.

One other piece of land will be changed from long-term commercial forest lands to agricultural resource land. Parcel No. 42107-13-00010 is a 3.5-acre lot containing residential development.

District welcomes Public Safety Support Specialist

North Mason Regional Fire Authority announced the addition of Patty Stone as the public safety support specialist.

According to a Facebook post, Stone is a commissioner with Mason County Public Hospital District 2. She was a flight attendant for 35 years with Alaska Airlines before retiring. Stone was a barista at Starbucks before helping temporarily assist NMRFA last October.

She was offered a permanent position after her work last year.

Court looking for analyst

Mason County Superior Court was approved to create and fill a financial analyst position and reclassify a secretary to a judicial assistant position, and a judicial assistant position into a lead judicial assistant position.

According to the information packet, this is a continuation of phased changes previously partially approved by the board. Several budgets are managed in various divisions of the court, and there would be more efficiency with having all budgets managed through one point of contact for the county commissioners and budget manager. Other duties of the financial analyst would include payroll, grant reporting and compliance, grant awards and applications. The duties are being performed by the court administrator and interfere with their job to appropriately address management obligations.

The reclassifying is due to superior court expanding its functions by providing virtual access to trials and hearings. The expansion was initially caused by the need to provide virtual hearings during COVID and remains in effect due to statutory and judicial mandates. All virtual sessions must be monitored by court administration staff and there can be up to five virtual hearings at one time. Judicial assistant and lead judicial assistant positions would help split the work.

The budget effect in 2023 is $87,630 and will cost $108,356 through the next 12 months.

Sewer agreement with Bremerton approved

County commissioners approved Mason County Public Works to sign a letter agreement extending the term of agreement between the City of Bremerton and Port of Bremerton to the end of the year.

According to the information packet, the interlocal agreement is to work cooperatively to oversee the initial analysis and design for a sewer system extension from the Belfair Water Reclamation Facility. The Bremerton city director of Public Works and the Bremerton port chief executive officer signed a one-year time extension that was mailed to the county for execution prior to the end of last year, but was lost in the mail and never received. After review, it was determined an extension could still be executed.

Public Works policy adopted

Mason County commissioners approved a resolution adopting Public Works policy regarding preservation of survey monuments within county right-of-way at the Feb. 28 meeting.

According to the information packet, recent changes in the Washington Administrative Code require each county legislative authority to develop and adopt, by resolution or ordinance, certain written policies, that covers any matter relating to county road department administration, maintenance and construction.

This will allow the county to continue to be eligible to receive gas tax revenue.

Public Works prepared the Survey Monument Preservation policy and procedure to ensure survey monuments within the right of way are preserved.