HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/05/15 - Mason County - City of Bremerton Intergovernmental Meeting Packet
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
BOCC Chair, Commissioner Sharon Trask
Mason County City of Bremerton
Sharon Trask, Commissioner District 3 Mayor Greg Wheeler
Pat Tarzwell, Commissioner District 2 Council President, Eric Younger
Randy Neatherlin, Commissioner District 1 City Engineer, Ned Lever
Mark Neary, County Administrator
Loretta Swanson, Director
Richard Dickinson, Deputy Director
Stephanie Buhrman, Finance Manager
BRIEF HISTORY
County Administrator, Mark Neary
CITY REQUEST
Mayor Greg Wheeler
COMMISSION QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
Roundtable discussion on the following general topics:
▪ capacity
▪ economic impact
▪ environment/permit compliance
▪ other stakeholders
NEXT STEPS?
October 8, 2019
September 16, 2024
Mason County Commissioners
411 N 5th St
Shelton, WA 98584
RE: Request for Wastewater Service Agreement
Dear Honorable Commissioners:
I am writing this letter to request that Mason County and the City of Bremerton formalize an agreement for
regional wastewater service for the Belfair UGA and the southern portion of the Puget Sound Industrial
Area (PSIC).
As you are aware, Bremerton and Mason County have been collaborating to conceptualize a regional
wastewater service approach for the Belfair UGA and the southern portion of PSIC for several years now.
Given this ongoing coordination and with Mason County’s support, Bremerton submitted a Legislative
request for $3 million in design funding to move the vision forward. Bremerton was recently awarded this
appropriation, with $1.6 million designated to be used by Bremerton to design conveyance infrastructure
to Mason County’s Belfair Water and Wastewater Reclamation Facility (BWWRF). The remaining $1.4
million is to be used by Mason County, as a subrecipient of the funding, to design system capacity
upgrades to its Belfair collection system and BWWRF.
Prior to executing the funding agreement with the Department of Commerce, the City of Bremerton and
Mason County are required to negotiate and execute an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) which ensures that
both jurisdictions are committed to a regional service approach. Please consider this the first step in that
process.
The City of Bremerton is formally requesting wastewater service for the south end of PSIC. Based on a
20-year forecast, the maximum daily flow from the Bremerton Service Area will not exceed 160,000
gallons per day and the maximum instantaneous flow would not exceed 450 gallons per minute. We
understand that there are capital improvements required to achieve this level of service.
I propose that we meet as a group with technical staff to conduct a joint planning meeting to answer any
questions and identify any concerns that we need to address. An open dialogue will move this forward
most efficiently. I am hoping that this will lead to a conditional letter of availability from Mason County that
will inform the terms and conditions of an ILA between our jurisdictions.
Mayor Greg Wheeler
greg.wheeler@ci.bremerton.wa.us
Tel 360-473-5266
Fax 360-473-5883
345 6th Street, Suite 100
Bremerton, WA 98337-1873
⚫ Page 2 September 16, 2024
Finally, I would just like to add that this funding is an excellent regional opportunity to promote economic
growth and creating living wage jobs. Both the Belfair UGA and the PSIC area will experience meaningful
growth if the necessary services are available.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Greg Wheeler
Mayor
cc: Mark Neary, Mason County Administrator
Loretta Swanson, Mason County Public Works Director
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT
BETWEEN MASON COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BREMERTON
RELATED TO SANITARY SEWER SERVICE PROVISION
THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) for the provision of sewer service is made
and entered into pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 39.34 of the Revised
Code of Washington, on the _____ day of ___________, 2025, by and between Mason County
(“County”), a political subdivision of the State of Washington, and the City of Bremerton
(“City”), a municipal corporation of the State of Washington, (the Parties).
RECITALS
A. Mason County owns and operates the Belfair sewer system, with a current service
area of the Belfair Urban growth Area (UGA).
B. The Belfair Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) is designed to treat up to 1,000,000
gallons per day (GPD) and currently permitted for 125,000 GPD. The facility
presently treats 78,000 GPD on average.
C. A plan and schedule to serve growth is to be submitted to Ecology when actual fiow
reaches 106,250 GPD (85% of 0.125 MGD) for three consecutive months.
D. The Mason County Capital Facilities Plan anticipates preparation of an engineering
report to modify and expand facilities to accommodate increased fiow.
E. The City of Bremerton borders the northern Belfair UGA boundary and has
requested service for a maximum daily fiow of 160,000 GPD and corresponding
maximum instantaneous fiow not to exceed 450 gallons per minute (GPM). The City
projects the maximum fiow of 160,000 GPD will be reached sometime over a period
of 20 years, depending on the rate of new development.
F. The following procedural items are required prior to serving should the County
agree:
a. General Sewer Plans for both the County and City indicating existing and
proposed service areas; who will own, operate and maintain systems;
municipality boundaries; existing and proposed system components; and
other pertinent requirements of WAC 173-240-050.
b. The Plans are submitted and approved by Ecology.
c. Engineering reports and design are completed and approved by Ecology in
accordance with WAC 173-240-060.
d. An interlocal agreement is executed deflning the terms of sewer service.
G. The Wa shington State Department of Commerce awarded the City $3 million to
design Belfair WRF capacity upgrades ($1.4 million) and City conveyance
infrastructure ($1.6 million) which fulfllls item F. c.
H. Mason County and the City of Bremerton have cooperatively discussed and planned
for serving some portion of the southern portion of the Puget Sound Industrial
Center (PSIC) for several years.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed that:
Mason County conceptually agrees to provide service to the City of Bremerton with a
maximum daily fiow of 160,000 GPD and corresponding maximum instantaneous fiow not
to exceed 450 gallons per minute (GPM) PROVIDED:
1. Both parties agree to the area to be served within the City of Bremerton.
2. Mason County is a sub-recipient of the Commerce grant, and both parties meet and
regularly review grant products.
3. Both parties review and concur that the Engineering Reports are sufficient to
address the details necessary to develop design documents and a more robust
interlocal agreement,
OR
determine that sewer service provision by Mason County is not the best alternative
for either party. Of interest and concern to Mason County:
a. Always ensuring there is adequate capacity for the Belfair UGA flrst and
foremost.
b. Understanding the type of development allowed within the proposed
Bremerton PSIC service area, and aside from sewer system design
considerations, what economic and environmental impacts are to be
expected.
c. Mitigation proposals if economic and environmental impacts are anticipated.
d. Duration the City anticipates being a customer. Will there be a time when
Bremerton customer fiow is transferred from Mason County to the City?
e. If the latter, how will that be accomplished to minimize operational and
flnancial impacts to the County?
f. Connection fees, rates, and charges are set in such a manner as to
adequately refiect signiflcant County investments to date and not set up an
economic advantage for the City.
4. Should both parties agree that the Engineering Reports are sufficient to address the
details necessary to develop a more robust interlocal agreement, they will proceed
with preliminary engineering designs which will inform the interlocal agreement.
5. Should both parties agree that the Engineering Reports are sufficient to address the
necessary details but determine that sewer service provision by Mason County is
not the best alternative for either party, the parties agree to approach Commerce
about a scope revision.