Mason County Budget Factoid

I was curious how the recent newspaper advertising for National Public Works Week was paid for. I thought surely our tax dollars weren't used to pay for an advertisement of group photos of the Mason County Public Works Department employees.

So I put in a public disclosure request.

I'm sad to report, Mason County, your property tax dollars were used to pay for this advertisement. They used County Roads money. While $315 may seem trivial in the whole scheme of things, it's representative of how our money can be misspent and the cavalier attitude they have with our money. A frugal money manager would have done a news release and saved that money.

Could there be other efficiencies found within our county government? I'm betting there is.

Still following the money in Mason County.

ADAGE: Road Improvement Funding

For background see my January 13, 2010 blog posting, "Connecting the Dots".

At the legislative planning meeting (Jan 6, 2010) Norm Dicks and Patty Murray's staff representatives were clear that federal road money to connect State Route 3 (at John's Prairie Road) and Highway 101 would be difficult to get funded. The city estimated $20 million for Wallace Kneeland improvements while the county's estimate to get SR3/John's Prairie Road intersection fixed was estimated at $18 million. State legislators Tim Sheldon and Fred Finn were at this meeting also but did not give hope that the state will fund these essential road improvements.

So where is this bundle of money coming from to fix these roads prior to ADAGE construction being approved? Or will our elected officials simply add additional diesel heavy trucks to the hazardous conditions that already exist?

BOCC Meeting - April 6

With all the ADAGE coverage, I failed to recap last week's public board meeting. All three commissioners were there for the entire meeting.

• Belfair Waste Water Treatment Facility: The BOCC approved the contract with EnviroIssues to provide "Side Sewer Communications Coordination and Construction Outreach Support" at a cost of $221K. The cost per contract hour comes to $93.52. Not bad wages in a county with such high unemployment. The budget line continues to be "clear as mud", a phrase that you'll find used frequently as we discuss whatever is happening in the county commissioner chambers. Tom Moore couldn't answer what was remaining of the contingency funds set aside for a $40M dollar construction effort fraught with uncertainty and risks in every step of this project. Kudos to Tim for having read the contract and for sharing with the public what deliverables are included in this contract. But when are our commissioners going to get it? With more than a quarter of the year lapsed, we do not have a complete budget description of what one third of the county's 2010 budget is being spent on. Here is a fact - not even one full page of the 2010 budget document is devoted to the BWWTF while over 160 pages are spent on the balance of the revenue and expenditures. This does not make sense to me.

• Storm Water Management Advisory Task Force: The BOCC approved this 28 member task force that includes five members who do not live in this county but will provide such essential expertise that they must be voting members of the task force. This task force will help to "craft financial options to fund storm water improvement activities". First of all when was the last time 28 people were able to get anything done in a timely manner? Secondly since when is it okay for someone who lives in Thurston County to come to Mason County and help us figure out how we want to be taxed? I was not surprised that all three commissioners felt this was honky dory. Am I a minority voice on this? Mason County, I think we may all want to keep an eye on this before we see it appear on our property tax statements. Then it may be too late.

• Corrections and Support Staff Bargaining Unit (IAM&AW Local Lodge W38): The BOCC approved the agreement between the county and this bargaining unit. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Monty Cobb couldn't tell us what the budget impact was exactly but he could tell us that for this 42 member unit the increase is somewhere between 1% and 6.5% and that for every one percent increase it will cost the county an extra $15K in 2010. The way I figure it's somewhere between $15K and $97.5K. Clear as mud, right? One bargaining unit down and 11 more to go. The big one is the Deputies Guild. Be watching here for more on this.

• KMAS sent a letter to the county protesting the use of the Shelton Mason Journal as the official newspaper for county official notices. This agenda action was tabled for further review.

• BOCC approved changing the HR/Budget Director position back to HR duties only. They couldn't tell us what budget duties are being omitted but could tell us that they'll contract out this work. Nor could they tell us how much they are saving. Clear as mud, right?

• Public Works announced that the county's annual chip seal contract was awarded. The County Roads account saved $20K because the awarded contract was less than the engineer's estimate. Another reason why a levy shift from Roads to Current Expense/General Fund are in order for 2011. And this is as clear as fresh spring water.

Hope to hear from you soon.