Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886

When is our future? Simple. The future is now

In July, the County Commission participated in a retreat to set priorities for the rest of 2022 and look ahead to 2023. Many of the presentations from staff began with "in the future, the county needs ..."

But, I asked our team, when is the future?

The answer is simple - the future is now. And in Mason County, the future is bright.

Throughout 2022, we have taken action on several fronts to ensure Mason County leads our region and competes for opportunity in the post-pandemic years ahead. In addition to infrastructure, we have invested in public safety, housing and the partnerships necessary to get this work done.

We have made significant progress without raising your property taxes for the third year in a row, proving we can live within our means and still deliver results.

There are success stories in every corner of Mason County. Utilizing federal American Rescue Plan funds, we successfully partnered with Mason County Public Utility District 1 and Hood Canal Communications to expand access to broadband along Hood Canal. It's a true public-private partnership that serves as a model for our state.

We also worked with PUD 1, Belfair Water District and the Port of Allyn on important water system improvements in Union, Agate, Belfair and Allyn. These projects will not only allow for more housing and economic development, they are also good for the environment and help stabilize rates for customers.

In Belfair, we are making good on the county's plan to extend sewer service to the northern urban growth area on both sides of state Route 3. This expansion will serve new and existing customers and will contribute to future projects in our region. This plan attracted Lennar, a national homebuilder, to Belfair, where it's building 144 single-family homes in addition to a large multifamily housing project built by Harbor Custom Homes.

This year, the state auditor recognized our work to turn around the struggling utility by removing its audit finding after nearly a decade. This is a major win for Belfair.

We adopted new zoning, development and environmental codes for the Belfair urban growth area that required developers to pay for traffic impacts created by their projects. Also moving forward is the Belfair Bypass, now called the SR 3 Freight Corridor. Designed to ease congestion through Belfair, an additional $12 million state investment secured this year will help improve intersections near North Mason High School in the south and at future connector roads like Log Yard Road in the north. Our 35th Legislative District delegation was vital to securing these funds and defending this project. We will have more work to do during the 2023 legislative session, but we have great advocates representing Mason County in the Legislature.

Following through on our long-standing plans to expand service and stabilize finances will benefit the entire county. Our investments in Belfair do not stand alone and follow the state's investments in highway improvements, Mason Transit's new Park & Ride, PUD 3's substation expansion and North Mason Regional Fire Authority's new state-of-the-art public safety campus. These partners saw the growth potential for Belfair and planned for the future. I am proud to stand with them.

Heading into 2023, the county must focus on planning for and building a new jail. Jails are expensive to build and operate, but if we are serious about stemming the tide of increased property, violent and drug-related crime, we need to hold people accountable. For low-level offenders who do not belong in jail, we must support alternatives to aid their recovery from substance use and treat underlying behavioral health issues. To help hold people accountable, the commission approved two new patrol deputies for the Sheriff's Office in 2023. When they go out on patrol, we must make sure they have a place to take criminals off the street.

We have great partners at the Sheriff's Office, Shelton City Council and Police Department, and service providers like Olympic Health and Recovery Services to help us develop a plan that meets our current and future needs.

In the coming year, the county must also act on the housing needs assessment developed by Mason County Public Health. We are not meeting the current and increasing demand for affordable housing in our community and if we do not address this issue, we will not make progress combating homelessness. It is time for our housing partners to join together to develop new housing options, including workforce and permanent supportive housing for vulnerable populations like the chronically homeless, people in recovery and the elderly.

Finally, families across Mason County are feeling the pinch of historic inflation. Some of our neighbors are sitting around their tables this holiday season choosing between putting gas in their cars and paying utility and grocery bills, wondering how they will make ends meet. The uncertainty of our time adds stress and strain to our lives.

As concerns about a recession increase, the county should focus on maintaining our workforce and service levels. The 2023 annual budget for the county fully funds our rainy day fund to help us should a recession impact revenue. A conservative approach by the County's elected officials and departments have put us in a position to weather an economic downturn and we will continue to do our best to be good stewards of your money.

The next decade will be won by communities willing to make smart investments in critical infrastructure like sewer, water, broadband and power. It will also be won by those who recognize the power of partnerships. In Mason County, we are doing both.

As I finish my year chairing the commission, I am grateful for our county staff and partners who made 2022 a success. I am also grateful to continue serving as one of your commissioners and wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous new year.

Kevin Shutty is the chairman of the Board of Mason County Commissioners and represents District 2 on the commission.

 

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