County and State News

County News

The Bridge Index for 2010-2011 was presented to the commissioners by Brian Matthews, the County Engineer, at their March 20,2011 briefing. The report covers the condition, number, and inspection of all the county bridges.

Two bridges are slated for replacement, The Weaver Creek Bridge on the Skokomish Valley Road, and the Hunter Creek Bridge on the Skokomish Valley Road. The Weaver Creek Bridge is scheduled for construction this summer and will cost $1.5M. Federal Bridge Replace Funds will cover 80% of the cost. The Hunter Creek Bridge will cost $2.0M to replace. Again 80% of the cost will come from the Federal Bridge Replace Funds. The work will be done in 2012-2013. A copy of the report is available by calling Public Works, 427-9670.

Commissioner Sheldon said there would be very little money in the state budget this year for any public works projects.

David Baker, manager of the solid waste program (Dump), is resigning on March 31 to go to work for a private company.

Emmett Doby, director of Utilities and Waste Management, at the March 14, 2011 meeting, discussed with the commissioners the financial issues surrounding the Belfair Wastewater Treatment Project. There is a shortfall of $3.8M to complete the project. The proposal is to sell bonds based on a 20-25 year term. There is $800,000 for Phase 2 Development Costs and $81,056 for the bonds issuance cost that will be included in the bond cost. The total amount of bonds issued will be $4.1M. There are two borrowing options: Limited Tax General Obligations (LTGO) Bonds or Revenue Bonds. State law limits LTGO bonds to 1.5% of the county assessed property value limits. The county has authority to issue $97.4M additional LTGO bonds. With the Revenue Bonds, a reserve account must be set up. The Belfair project is small and would receive a negative rating under this option. The commissioners went with the LTGO Bonds. It is estimated the bonds will have an interest rate of "Sub 5." The financing documents are being prepared for the commissioners.

Doby told the commissioners at the March 21, 2011 meeting the Humane Society has requested the county to donate 15-20 acres of land in Belfair for a facility. The Historical Society would like the County to provide property at Hwy 101 and 102 interchange for their project. The commissioners need more information and some sort of commitment about long-term use and services provided in exchange for any property.

There will be the 3rd public hearing on April 6, 2011 at 10:00am on the special use permit for the proposed racetrack (West End Hill). After the hearing and if the special use permit is issued, the builders will apply for building permits. The area involved is about 170 acres. The rezone was done prior to this process. Barbara Akins, Community Development said her department would be tracking the tires used for buffers at the site in accordance with state law. The hearing will be at the county administration building in the commissioners' chambers.

At the March 14, 2011 commissioners' briefing, Vicki Kirkpatrick, director of Public Health, discussed with the commissioners the proposed .1 of 1% property tax for mental health. Vicki is organizing a task force to work on this project. The members of the task force are somewhat in question since a lot of departments have vested interests on receiving/spending funds from this project. Vicki offered to bring a flow chart for a time line for the project. The commissioners would like the task force to complete the project by June 2011. There was a brief discussion that a facilitator would have to be hired and Public Health did not have the funds for that person. The county commissioners can approve the tax or it can be put to a vote of the public.

State News

Governor Christine Gregoire appointed a new executive director for Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) this month. Gerry O'Keefe was appointed deputy director of PSP a year ago and had prior experience with the Depart of Ecology and the Grant County PUD. Recently Gerry had been appointed the interim director of PSP.

Puget Sound Partnership was also in the news this month regarding its failure to file lobbying reports with the Public Disclosure Commission. The agency was fined $200 by the PDC.

The State Senate passed Senate Bill 5230 on February 23rd, which would set up a new Puget Sound Corps. The bill would consolidate the administration of the Washington Conservation Corps into the Dept of Ecology. The new Corps would work to implement the PSP's action agenda including rehabilitating streams and planting trees to prevent erosion and restore wetlands. (MCDCC voted at the general meeting on March 9, 2011 to provide native plants and a tree to the Mason County Parks and Trails for planting in the Oakland Bay Historical Park.)

The source of information for the state news stories was The Seattle Times, February 11, 2011; February 23, 2011; and March 6, 2011.