County Briefs

Appraisers visiting properties throughout county for 2025

Throughout December, county appraisers will be visiting property in Area 2, which includes the Shelton city limits and Shelton Matlock Road to Dayton, Shelton Valley Road, Brockdale Road to just before McEwan Prairie Road, Shelton Springs Road, Johns Prairie Road and state Route 3 out to Bayshore, Arcadia out to Totten Shores, a portion of the beginning of Cole Road and the Mill Creek area.

Inspections will be used for the 2025 assessment year/2026 tax year, according to a news release from the Mason County assessor.

Taxable real property must be physically inspected at least once every six years for assessment and valuation, the release states.

“Physical inspection means, at a minimum, an exterior observation of the property to determine whether there have been any changes in the physical characteristics that affect value and must be appropriately documented in accordance with the findings of the physical inspection,” according to the release.

If property owners refuse inspection, the appraiser must provide an estimate of the property using available information, which may not be accurate, according to the assessor.

Appraisers don’t make appointments, and the taxpayer doesn’t need to be present for the appraisal, which is only an exterior inspection.

All appraisers will wear orange vests with a Mason County badge and will be driving white Ford Escapes with a Mason County logo, the release states.

Mason County Republicans name executive board

Mason County Republicans precinct committee officers elected an executive board Saturday at a reorganization meeting.

New board members are Steve Duenkel, chair; Rebecca Bechtoldt, vice chair; Phil Wilson, state committeeman; Peggy Lingle Cobain, state committeewoman; Richard Beckman, treasurer; and Karen Barr, secretary.

Eells Hill Transfer Station, Belfair Drop Box close early

Eells Hill Transfer and Belfair Drop Box solid-waste stations will close early today.

Eells Hill will accept customers until 12:30 p.m. and Belfair Drop Box will accept customers until 11:30 a.m., Mason County Public Works announced.

The early closures will allow Public Works staff to have a Christmas luncheon and a staff meeting, according to a news release.

Commissioners approve honorary building name

Mason County commissioners approved naming the county administration building the William Hunter Administration Building, honoring two former commissioners named William Hunter, at the Dec. 17 meeting.

William (Bill) O. Hunter, who served five terms between 1968 and 1992, was the longest serving Mason County commissioner, according to the resolution. His grandfather, William A. Hunter, was a county commissioner in the early 1900s.

Bill Hunter “regularly walked through the hills of Mason County with the County Engineer finding straighter paths for roads to follow, resulting in numerous roads being straightened, widened, or newly built. The straightening of Brockdale Road from Union to Shelton is a prime example,” according to the information packet.

Bill Hunter also helped found Fire District 9 and was a founding member of Hood Canal Bank.