FIRE DISTRICT 18 - Lake Cushman
Square miles: 16. Approximate population: 1,000 in winter and 3,000-plus in summer. Number of paid personnel: 1. Chief: Michael Mott. Other officers: Mike Fain, assistant chief; Les Gates, fire captain; Toni Fain, EMS captain; Joe Cochran, fire lieutenant; Gail Cochran, EMS lieutenant. Budget for 2007: $245,857 ($267,870 in 2006). Fire calls: 2006, 51; 2005, 35; 2004, 56; 2003, 56; 2002, 40. Emergency medical service calls: 2006, 132; 2005, 81; 2004, 148; 2003, 148; 2002, 160. Stations: Station 18-1, 240 North Standstill Drive South; Station 18-2, 160 North Dosewallips. Volunteers: Firefighters: Alan Benedict, Farraha Fain, Jim Good, Brandon Heggie (also self-contained breathing apparatus coordinator), Robert Mischell (also vehicle maintenance coordinator), Richey Morgan, Bill Sostrich, Shane Watts and Ken Weaver. Firefighter/EMTs: Kerry Baker, Melanie Doty, Brandon Dunn, Connie Miser (EMT-IV) and Michael Sexton. Support: Ron Alness, Loretta Baker, Russell Quincey and Art Thompson. District secretary: Doris Nys. Rating from Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau: 8A. Fire commission meetings: Second Thursday of month, 9 a.m. at Station 18-1. Fire hall rental: Station 18-1, $50 per day, $200 per day with kitchen, $50 cleaning deposit.

CITY OF SHELTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
Square miles: 6.1. Population: 8,805. Number of paid personnel: 10. Chief: Jim Ghiglione. Other officers: Dave Salzer, assistant chief and fire marshal; Mike Sobotka, Eric Oberg and Bruce Dunbar, shift lieutenants and emergency medical technicians. Other paid firefighters: Matt Shough, Darrell Roberts, Chuck Caessens and K.C. Whitehouse, all EMTs. Roxanne Bruner is administrative assistant. 2007 budget: $1,220,470 ($964,379 in 2006, $922,635 in 2005). Fire calls: 2006, 91; 2005, 104; 2004, 94; 2003, 90, 2002, 86. Emergency medical service calls: 2006, 1,418; 2005, 1,112; 2004, 1,031; 2003, 1,274; 2002, 1,055. Miscellaneous assistance calls: 2006, 575; 2005, 588; 2004, 593; 2003, 469; 2002, 423. Total calls: 2006, 2,084; 2005, 1,804; 2004, 1,718; 2003, 1,833, 2002, 1,564. Station: Downtown Shelton, Second and Franklin. Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau rating: 5. Volunteers: Bjorn Cofield, Joe Coté, Brandon Searles, Bruce Selleg, Lisa Thomas and Robert Williams.

That's not just a bunch of garbage!
RECYCLING IN MASON COUNTY

How much of this garbage do collectors have to put up with anyway?
      In 2006, the City of Shelton collected 6,043 tons (up from 5,942 in 2005), and another 41,798 tons were collected in unincorporated Mason County (up from 41,716 tons in 2005).

How much garbage stays out of the waste stream by being recycled?
     The City of Shelton had a better year in 2006 than 2005 for its curbside program with 543 tons collected, an increase from 474 tons in 2005. Household participation increased to 1,086 in 2006 from 975 in 2005. Mason County continued on its record trend at its blue box recycling stations with 2,113 tons collected in 2006, an increase from 2,089 tons in 2005. Mason County processed 860 cans of garbage in 2006 after a 2005 can count of 858.

Where can I recycle?
      The City of Shelton provides curbside recycling to all utility customers. It is going to change its three-bin system to fully automated dual-stream recycling beginning in July 2007 to make recycling easier and more efficient. Residents actively using the bins will receive two 35-gallon containers. The containers will be swapped with the bins in the month of June on normal recycle days. New clients will need to request the service.
     In Mason County recyclables are collected at 11 drop-box locations: Shelton Red Apple, Johns Prairie, Taylor Station restaurant, Union Garbage Transfer Station, Matlock, Buck Prairie, Grapeview Store, Port of Allyn, Mason County Solid Waste Facility and Belfair and Hoodsport garbage transfer stations.

What can I recycle?
• Aluminum cans.
• Brown paper bags.
• Corrugated cardboard.
• Glass bottles and jars.
• Magazines.
• Milk cartons and juice boxes.
• Mixed paper (junk mail, catalogs, cereal boxes, shoe and cracker boxes, office paper, egg cartons, envelopes, paper folders and phone books).
• Newspapers.
• Plastic bags (at grocery stores only).
• Plastic bottles and jugs only (no other plastic containers until July for City of Shelton).
• Tin cans.

What about other items?
      •Batteries: Alkaline batteries can be properly disposed of at PUD 3 (a box in the lobby at 307 West Cota) and at the Shelton Civic Center (a bucket at 525 West Cota, upstairs to the left). There are other options for rechargeable batteries. For example, the nonprofit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation collects rechargeable batteries all over the country, including the types used in laptops, cell phones and cordless power tools. Many electronics and hardware chains, such as RadioShack, Circuit City, Lowe's and Home Depot, are collection sites for the program (check www.rbre.org on the Internet). Call ahead to verify site locations.
     • Cell phones: There is a box at the front desk in the civic center where you can deposit spent phones. For more information, call the environmental projects coordinator at 432-5126.
     • Electronics: There is not a recycle facility in Mason County at this point for electronics equipment, but a new state law calls for electronics manufacturers to make recycling services available at no cost by January 1, 2009 for products sold in Washington. Mason County's solid-waste facilities do accept electronics, but they are put in a landfill where the toxic materials can leach into the soil and potentially expose people, animals and plants to these products.
     A more ecologically responsible alternative may be GreenDisk, a Sammamish-based company that recycles a large variety of electronics waste, including computer monitors, CPUs, laptops and accessories. Customers ship their electronics directly to GreenDisk, which uses a network of nonprofit organizations to process most of the material. Hard drives, CDs, floppy discs and other computer parts that might contain personal information are wiped clean. Fees vary depending on the amount and type of equipment. For more information, call 1-800-305-3475 or go to www.greendisk.com .

Where can I recycle yard waste?
     In Shelton: Bill McTurnal Enterprises, 432-0971; Mason County Wood Recyclers, 432-2222; and Spencer Lake Wood Recycling, 426-6816. In Belfair: North Mason Fiber Company, 275-0228.

Where can I recycle construction/home remodeling debris?
     Mason County Wood Recyclers accepts painted and treated wood, concrete and masonry. Call for information on demolition debris. Spencer Lake Wood Recycling and North Mason Fiber take clean (unpainted, untreated) construction debris only (no masonry).

What about household hazardous waste?
The following are accepted free at the Mason County Solid Waste Facility (427-5271):
• Antifreeze (also accepted at other county transfer stations).
• Automotive cleaners, waxes and other chemical products.
• Diesel.
• Fluorescent tubes and bulbs.
• Gas and gas additives.
• Lawn and garden products.
• Motor oil (also accepted at other county transfer stations).
• Paints and stains.
• Rechargeable household batteries (auto batteries cost $1.25 with tax).
• Oil filters (also accepted at other county transfer stations).
• Transmission fluid.
Other hazardous materials can be taken to the Kitsap County Moderate Risk Waste Facility (337-5777) at no charge.

Questions about recycling?
     Talk to City of Shelton Environmental Projects Coordinator Tracy Farrell, 432-5126, or Mason County officials at 427-5271.