HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS swarm over the Kneeland Park Renovation Alliance playground project during October 1996 to complete the largest volunteer project in the city's history in five days. A new playground was built at the downtown park in a whirlwind of activity after a year of fund-raising brought in $90,000. Kneeland Park, 3.9 acres at the corner of First and Turner, is one of eight parks in the city.

CITY OF SHELTON

Population: 8,805. Platted as Sheltonville: 1885. Established as city: 1889. Square miles: 6.11. Employees: 114 (includes temporary and part-time), 120 in 2006. Budget for 2007: $49,583,483 for all funds ($36,551,728 in 2006, $32,090,238 in 2005, $27,377,772 in 2004 and $21,097,005 in 2003). Meeting times for city commission: 6 p.m. on first and third Mondays at Shelton Civic Center, plus study sessions at 2 p.m. on second, fourth and fifth Mondays. Administrators and department heads (and monthly salaries): Dave O'Leary, city administrator ($8,523); Vicki Look, management assistant ($5,532); Stacey Sitko, finance director ($7,157); Jay Ebbeson, public works director ($6,650); Amber Finlay, three-quarter time municipal court judge, ($3,875); Shelby Conklin, municipal court administrator ($6,132); Terry Davenport, police chief ($7,200); Jim Ghiglione, fire chief ($7,400); Steve Goins, director of community and economic development ($6,438); Mayor John Tarrant and commissioners Dawn Pannell and Mike Byrne ($1,300 plus $70 per meeting). Miles of streets: 57.12 (36 miles considered substandard in 1990s study). Business licenses issued: 1,179 in 2006 (180 new), 1,168 in 2005 (257 new), 1,042 in 2004 and 1,015 in 2003. Basic monthly residential garbage charge: Weekly pickup, 60-gallon can, $16.83. Basic monthly residential water: Three-quarter-inch meter, $11.90 plus $.0128 per cubic foot of consumption, average charge $23.42. Basic monthly residential sewer: $19.15 plus $.0383 per cubic foot of water consumed, average charge $53.62. Residential building permits for new construction in 2006: 29 single-family homes (41 in 2005, 47 in 2004, 45 in 2003 and 25 in 2002) and 0 mobile homes (2 in 2005, 2 in 2004, 6 in 2003 and 4 in 2002). Commercial building permits for new construction in 2006: 0 (5 in 2005, 11 in 2004, 12 in 2003 and 8 in 2002). Stormwater fee: $8.50 per month for residential accounts; $16 to $200 for commercial lots depending on square footage of impervious surface. Total utility accounts: 3,476 (3,479 in 2006, 3,341 in 2005). Total sales tax rate in city: 8.3%. City portion of sales tax: 1%. City revenue from sales tax in 2006: $1,799,901 ($1,829,543 in 2005, $1,693,575 in 2004, $1,617,752 in 2003 and $1,587,140 in 2002). Business-and-occupation tax rate: 1/10 of 1% on gross revenue. City revenue from B&O tax in 2006: $642,956 ($676,497 in 2005, $668,988 in 2004, $557,562 in 2003 and $461,984 in 2002). City's assessed value: $475,903,181. City property tax per $1,000 valuation: $3.14 regular levy plus $.50 for emergency medical service plus $.21 for firemen's pension and $.52 for a bond. City revenue from property tax in 2006: $1,366,400 from regular levy ($1,369,342 in 2005, $1,314,685 in 2004 and $1,297,350 in 2003); $218,959 for EMS ($218,452 in 2005, $195,503 in 2004 and $192,423 in 2003); $95,876 for firemen's pension ($91,830 in 2005, $87,966 in 2004 and $86,578 in 2003); and $233,547 from bond ($238,255 in 2005, $242,930 in 2004 and $241,131 in 2003). City parks: Kneeland Park, First and Turner, 3.9 acres, large play structure, picnic areas, restroom, horseshoes, open play area, landscaping. Brewer Park, Third and Franklin, 0.3 acre, picnic tables, mature vegetation. Callanan Park, west end of E Street, 6.9 acres, ballfield, play equipment, restrooms, natural area, basketball court. Johnson Park, Poplar and Tobin, 0.5 acre, basketball court, mature trees. Loop Field, 10th and Franklin, 4.0 acres, ballfield, athletic field, play structure, restrooms, picnic shelter, walking path around field. Sixth Street Park, dead end of Sixth Street on north side of Goldsborough Creek, .14 acre, picnic shelter, barbecues, creek. Overlook Park, 1200 Olympic Highway South on Hillcrest, 1.03 acres, historic marker overlooking downtown and mills. Huff 'n' Puff Trail, 3600 Shelton Springs Road across from Shelton High School, 5.0 acres, two-mile jogging trail on watershed. Other recreational land and facilities: 1.75-acre undeveloped park site on Northcliff Road and 0.4-acre unimproved boat launch site on Oakland Bay at end of Pine Street. To rent civic center: Rates for small meeting rooms range from $24 for two hours to $218.75 a day; rents for the large room range from $62.50 for two hours to $312.50 a day; $200 damage deposit; $50 for kitchen; $50 for events with alcohol; audio-visual equipment available for rent; coffee service available for fee. City Web page: www.ci.shelton.wa.us

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