THE COUNTY COLLECTS more than $7 million in road funds annually, allowing it to reconstruct and maintain 622 miles of roads. Shown above is a major reconstruction project on Agate Road in the early '90s.

MASON COUNTY
Population: 53,100. Year established: 1854 (as Sawamish County, renamed in 1864 after Charles Mason, first secretary of Washington Territory). Registered voters, 2006 general election: 30,571. Square miles of land: 961 (29th largest county of 39 in state). Square miles of water: 89.9. Miles of shoreline: More than 900. Miles of county roads: 622 (573 paved). Budget for 2007: $90,283,832 ($87,768,137 in 2006, $71,250,370 in 2005). Total sales tax rate in county: 8.3%. County portion of sales tax: 1%. County revenue in 2006 from sales and use tax: $3,892,575 ($3,199,133 in 2005, $2,939,042 in 2004). Property tax rate per $1,000 in 2007 for current expense: $1.53. Property tax rate in 2007 for roads: $1.82, with $.09 diverted to current expense. Total property tax collected for all jurisdictions in Mason County in 2006: $53,825,669 ($52,164,797 in 2005, $49,349,880 in 2004, $47,415,766 in 2003). County share of property tax collected in 2006 for current expense: $6,990,627 ($6,974,756 in 2005, $6,486,678 in 2004). County property tax revenue for road fund in 2006: $7,716,571 ($6,872,779 in 2005, $6,622,919 in 2004). Meeting times for county commission: 9 a.m. Tuesdays in Building 1 at 411 North Fifth Street, except for fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m.; no meetings on fifth Tuesdays. Employees: 384 full time, 27 part time (371 FT, 30 PT in 2006; 350 FT, 37 PT in 2005). Administrators and department heads (with monthly salaries): Ione Siegler, budget and finance director ($6,039); Emmett Dobey, community development and utilities/waste management director ($7,706), Betty Wing, director of operations ($6,339); Gregory Hering, human resources director ($6,039); Charles Butros, director of public works ($7,706); Micheal Rutter, facilities manager ($5,477); Martin Best, emergency management director ($5,217); John Keates program manager in parks and trails ($5,343); Harris Haertel, administrator of probation services ($6,339); Robert Sauerlender, deputy administrator for detention in probation services ($5,474). Elected officials (and monthly salaries): Commissioners Ross Gallagher, Lynda Ring-Erickson and Tim Sheldon ($5,802); Dixie Smith, assessor ($5,512); Karen Herr, auditor ($5,512); Pat Swartos, clerk ($5,512); Wes Stockwell, coroner ($4,142); Gary Burleson, prosecutor ($9,590); Casey Salisbury, sheriff ($6,727); Lisa Frazier, treasurer ($5,512); Victoria Meadows, district court judge ($10,472); James Sawyer and Toni Sheldon, superior court judges, ($10,999). County parks (all are smoke-free): Skateboard park, 110 Wallace Kneeland Boulevard, Shelton; Edna Mitchell County Park, 3291 East Pickering Road, 2.5 acres, overflow parking for Latimer's Landing Boat Launch; Foothills County Park, 241 North Hoodsport Park Road, 20 acres, one baseball field, restrooms, children's play area, picnic area, day-use only; Latimer's Landing Boat Launch, 51 East Harstine Bridge Road, 0.59 acre, boat launch next to Harstine Bridge, restrooms, parking; Mason County Recreation Area, 2100 East Johns Prairie Road, 40 acres, two full-sized baseball fields, five baseball-softball fields, four batting cage stations, restrooms, seasonal concession stand, children's play area, picnic area; Mason Lake County Park, 6011 East Mason Lake Drive West, 17.36 acres, boat launch for small watercraft, restrooms, picnic area, lake access, wooded area; Menard's Landing, 18931 NE North Shore Road, boat launch for hand-carry vessels, portable toilet, picnic area, next to state shellfish beach; Phillips Lake County Park, 50 East Phillips Lake Loop Road, 0.5 acre, passive day-use area, picnic area, located next to state boat launch with vault-type toilets; Sand Hill County Park, 1000 NE Sand Hill Road, 30 acres, five ballfields, seasonal concession stand, toilets; Shorecrest County Park, 120 East Shorecrest Parkway, 2.8 acres, passive day-use area, picnic area, small boat launch; Truman Glick Memorial Park, 1291 West Ford Road, 40 acres, day-use picnic area, covered shelter, access to Deckerville Creek, vault toilets; Union Boat Launch, 5093 East State Route 106, 0.16 acre, boat launch to Hood Canal, very limited parking, basically launch-and-load only; Union Community Park, 61 East Port Townsend Street, 1.92 acres, day-use picnic area, basketball court, children's play area, restrooms, multi-use sport field under development; Walker Park, 2400 SE Walker Park Road, 5.04 acres, day-use picnic area, covered shelter, children's play area, restrooms, beach access with no shellfish harvesting; Watson Wildwood View, Highway 302 in Victor, 36.29 acres, undeveloped; Mason Lake Estates, 1320 East Mason Lake Drive South, 30,000 square feet, undeveloped; Harstine Island property, 7 acres adjacent to undeveloped state park, North Harstine Island Road, undeveloped. County buildings: Main courthouse, 419 North Fourth Street, district court, sheriff, county clerk and superior court. Building 1, 411 North Fifth Street, commissioners, board of equalization, budget and finance, human resources, assessor, auditor and treasurer. Building 2, 410 North Fourth Street, water quality, and utilities and waste management. Building 3, 426 West Cedar Street, department of community development, building and planning departments, fire marshal and environmental health. Building 4, 303 North Fourth Street, personal health. Building 5, 521 West Alder Street, temporary storage. Building 6, 414 North Fifth Street, modular courtroom and coroner. Building 7, 521 North Fourth Street, prosecutor. Building 8, 615 West Alder Street, probation services and (lower floor, 415 North Sixth Street) public works. Building 9, 423 North Fifth Street, auditor's accounting and equipment rental and revolving fund administration. Jail, 411 North Fourth Street. Juvenile detention center, 317 North Fifth Street. Departments not on downtown campus: Emergency management, 410 West Business Park Road at Sanderson Field; fairgrounds, 751 West Fairgrounds Road; parks department, 2100 East Johns Prairie Road at Mason County Recreation Area; and Washington State University Extension, North 11840 Highway 101. Garbage transfer stations: Mason County Solid Waste Facility, 501 West Eells Hill Road off Highway 102, open daily. Union drop box, 1391 East McReavy Road, open Monday afternoons and weekends. Hoodsport drop box, 260 North Hoodsport Park Road off State Route 119 (Lake Cushman Road), open Monday afternoons and weekends. Belfair drop box, 2001 NE Sand Hill Road, open daily. Costs to dump: Loose refuse, $17.09 per cubic yard; garbage, minimum to 30 gallons, $3.25 at Shelton and $3.87 at drop boxes; various prices for other items. County Web site: www.co.mason.wa.us. To rent fairgrounds: Many facilities are available, suitable for classes, conferences, dances, receptions, weddings, reunions, exhibitions, entertainment, trade shows, animal shows, rodeos and more. For information, call 427-7789.

(Please turn to page 22)