Commission Briefs

Mason County Heritage grants approved

The Mason County Historic Preservation Commission received approval from Mason County commissioners for Heritage Grant applications.

According to the information packet, at the February meeting, the historic preservation commission voted to approve five heritage grants.

The grants include Mason General Hospital Foundation’s Arts Commission chapter for $5,000 toward the showcasing of Mason County’s history through historic pictures within Mason Health’s Rehabilitation Services and Patient Connection Center and the creation of promotional material. The McReavy House Museum of Hood Canal was approved for a $5,000 grant for the purchase of four period-style windows and seven reproduction redwood corbels and the North Bay Historical Society is slated to receive $5,000 toward the restoration and reinstallation of windows for the Sargent Oyster Building. The Peninsular Railway & Lumbermen’s Museum will receive $2,000 towards the purchase and moving expenses for Simpson Timber Caboose 1201 and Pickering Homemakers Club received $5,000 toward cleaning and re-oiling the original fir floors of the grant school.

The Historic Preservation Commission budgeted $25,000 for Heritage Grants for fiscal year 2023 and the grant cycle for the five grants is $22,000, leaving a balance of $3,000.

Grant approved to improve Shelton Matlock Road

Mason County commissioners approved allowing the county engineer to submit a 2023 Highway Safety Improvement Program grant through the state Department of Transportation.

According to the information packet, Public Works is requesting approval to submit a HSIP Grant to state DOT to fund a shoulder safety improvement project on Shelton Matlock Road from milepost 1.76 to 7.67. The project would overlay the existing gravel shoulders with hot mix asphalt, remove and replace existing substandard guardrail, remove guardrail and install crash cushions around utility poles within the clear zone. Applications were due Wednesday and the funding awards will be announced by September.

The project is estimated to cost $1,424,000 and the Public Works request would fund 100% of the project. The grant proposal was reviewed by the Transportation Improvement Program’s Citizen Advisory Panel.